Understanding your school context
Are you a school leader who wants to know how researching your school context can help you understand and refine your leadership role? Are you interested in understanding how community cohesion and the make-up of your school’s population can influence and impact on your professional practice? If so, the information in this section is designed for you.
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Primary schools
These resources cover the role of school leaders in leading and sustaining change in primary schools. The resources focus on leaders gaining a better understanding of their school context.
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Models of leadership
These pages are designed to help you to explore new models of leadership.
Publications
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Chain reactions: a thinkpiece on the development of chains of schools in the English school system
Examines the impact of chains of schools on the English school system and how they are developing a new and able generation of school leaders and significant improvements -
Emerging patterns of school leadership 2: a deeper understanding
Follow up report exploring how new structural arrangements for leadership, management and governance have developed in a number of schools over the past year -
Impact of federations on student outcomes
Research report comparing federated and non-federated schools to explore the impact of this model of leadership on student outcomes -
Introduction to models of leadership
A brief guide to 21st Century school leadership and partnerships -
The impact of workforce reforms: investigating the impact on leadership and the primary school system - summary report
Investigates the impact of workforce reforms on leadership in primary schools
Case studies
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Exmoor Coast Federation: collaboration across small rural first and middle schools
Case study exploring a unique approach to leadership support across small rural schools. -
The Durham Federation: two small rural secondary schools serving ex-mining villages
Case study exploring a school federation who is providing a wide and imaginative curriculum that would not be feasible in two small rural secondary schools. -
Yewlands Family (collaborative leadership)
Case study exploring how the Yewlands Family of seven schools is developing leadership and governance arrangements in north Sheffield -
Wood View Learning Community: supporting lifelong learning and participation
Case study of federation bringing together a wide range of education, health and community services to support personalised learning for all -
Winsford Education Partnership
National College resources: new models of school leadership. Collaborative leadership for all-through provision: a case study. How the Winsford Education Partnership is exploring trust status to develop whole-town 0-19 provision in rural Cheshire.
Interactive resources
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The role of the SENCO
Leadership module exploring how to develop, implement and evaluate inclusive provision for learners with special education needs (SEN) -
School based leadership: federated school
This programme looks at the federated system being used to help tackle the national shortage of headteachers -
Leadership in small primary schools: management
This programme looks at common management issues faced by leaders of small rural schools
Articles
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What are new models of leadership?
National College resources: the way schools are led and managed is changing. These resources examine current and emerging models of leadership and define their structures. -
Models of leadership case studies
National College resources: the way schools are led is changing; these resources collate case studies of schools that are implementing new models of leadership. -
Co-/joint/shared headship: more FAQs
National College resources: find answers to questions frequently asked about co-headship by those interested in new models of school leadership. -
Creating your own model
National College resources: if you're considering a new model of leadership for your school, the National College can provide a range of advice, resources and toolkits that will help you identify which model is right for you. -
Models of leadership networking opportunities
Events, online discussions and contact details for National College models of leadership consultants.

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