The identification, development, succession and retention of leadership talent in contextually different primary schools: a case study located within the English West Midlands

Abstract

This article explores head teacher and middle leader perceptions of leadership talent identification, development, succession and retention in 12 contextually different urban primary schools. The schools are located within a single local education authority in the English West Midlands. The study is constructed to inform the research agenda in the face of a looming leadership recruitment and retention crisis in the UK and overseas. Outcomes of the study tentatively indicate both agreement and discordance between features of leadership talent thought important by head teachers and the features some middle leaders perceive that need to be demonstrated in order to progress. Succession planning in the sample schools appeared unstructured, although the contextual issue of size appeared to offer some interesting possibilities for smaller schools. The journey of transition towards a professional identity of ‘leader’ is considered. This journey appears to represent a potential barrier for some middle leaders as they consider senior leadership. It is suggested that overcoming shortfalls in aspirant leader learning trajectories appears to reside largely in the hands of their head teachers on a day-to-day basis.