Members' library

• Leading schools
  • Developing your leadership
    • Middle leadership
      • What is middle leadership?
      • Effective middle leadership
      • Developing middle leadership
      • Middle leadership in primary schools
      • Middle leadership in secondary schools

What is middle leadership?

Middle leaders can be described as those who have responsibility for leading subjects, key phases, pastoral care or other aspects of the school's work. Middle leaders are also recognised as sometimes working in school leadership and being involved in leadership roles beyond their own school (see models of leadership).

Successful leadership for sustainable improvement requires distributed leadership – or leaders at many levels within the school. Because senior leaders have to work through and with other people, the role of the middle leader is now recognised as an important channel for leading change.

The work of middle leaders is rooted in the school’s overall development plan. Typically, they lead an aspect of teaching and learning across the school. They monitor and evaluate, set direction, and lead and build teams that implement change. They have an influential role with colleagues, helping to create a focus on learning and contributing to the ethos that supports it.