Middle leadership in primary schools

The information and video clips in this section are designed to help you learn more about effective middle leadership and reflect on your own practice and behaviours. It is based on a National College research project that looked at successful middle leadership in primary schools.

"The National College is committed to distributed leadership, to developing leaders at all levels so we maximise potential, so we grow tomorrow's leaders and everybody makes a contribution to improving what goes on in classrooms. This project is about effective leadership in action informed by what we know by inspection evidence, from research and from teachers own craft knowledge of what works and what makes a difference. We wanted to look through the lense of research at that effective practice and address three questions in particular - what do effective middle leaders do, how do they do it and how do headteachers enable them to do it? "
Professor Geoff Southworth (2006)

About the research project

Primary middle leaders: effective practice in action was carried out in 2006 in partnership with the Innovation Unit. The research studied 12 schools in different contexts and identified 6 main behaviours that are focused on teaching and learning.

The schools featured in this project were successful in the standards their pupils achieved and the quality of education they provided. The measure of success was attributed to the high quality of leadership provided by their headteachers and middle leaders.

Characteristic of these schools was that they strove to improve children’s learning and always searched for ways of doing things better in order to achieve this.

The project examined their success through key leadership practices and learning-centred strategies.

Learning-centred leadership strategies include:

modelling – leading by example
monitoring – knowing what is going on in classrooms
dialogue – talking and listening to colleagues
setting up structures and systems

More information about these strategies can be found on the effective middle leadership page.

The project included a DVD from which the video clips are taken. On each of the practice pages you will find illustrations that explain the themes and strategies.

Schools involved in the project

The schools were chosen from across England to provide different contexts. A brief summary of each school is given below.

Please note that the information provided about the school and the roles and responsibilities of the individuals featured in this project were correct at the time of production (2006).

Argyle Primary School, Camden, London
Argyle is a thriving community primary school in the busy and rapidly changing area of Kings Cross, London. Children live at the gateway to the rest of Europe and the schools ethos and curriculum reflect the needs of children and families in the local, national and global context.

St Josephs RC Primary School, Cleveland
St Joseph's is one of 31 schools nationally featured in Excellence and Enjoyment. It is in a rural area in the lowest 10 per cent of wards in the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Boxgrove Primary School, Guildford, Surrey
Boxgrove serves a mixed catchment area on the outskirts of a university town. The profile on intake at age 4+ is generally inline with the average for our county. The school has achieved International School status with links to schools in Africa, India and the USA.

Appleton Primary School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Appleton is a small rural village school, seven miles from Oxford. It is predominantly monocultural although 12 per cent of pupils are from mixed heritage. Currently seven per cent of the children receive free school meals. There are 4.6 full time equivalent teachers, including the headteacher.

Oldway Primary School, Paignton, Devon
Oldway serves a designated Sure Start area near the centre of Paignton, Torbay, close to the main shopping area and sea front. With 700 pupils, it is larger than most primary schools. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average, and most are white British. Oldway is recognised as a DfES Training School.

Birley Spa Community Primary School, Sheffield
Birley Spa serves a socio-economically disadvantaged, mainly white, area of south-east Sheffield. It is a large primary school with 25 per cent on free school meals. There is a high proportion (30 per cent) of single parent families.

You can download the booklet that was produced as a result from this research.