The Leadership Challenge in Wales: Voices From the Front Line

Abstract

This edited transcript of a seminar held at Llandrindod Wells in November 2017 identifies the views of headteachers in Wales on a range of major issues including the qualities required for successful leadership, professional development for headship, the use of educational research, leading in different contexts, the importance of collaborative work and the need to change the dominant culture of excessive accountability in Welsh education. Headteachers believe a range of leadership and practical management skills are required for headship and although these are generic to all leadership situations, additional specific skills are required in some contexts. The importance of ongoing support for headteachers commencing when they train for headship, continuing through their induction period in post and then proceeding throughout their careers is emphasised. The importance of leading collaborative models of professional learning based on school-to-school working and drawing upon educational research is highlighted. Whilst there is recognition that schools need to be held accountable, the excessive and often punitive nature of accountability within the current education system in Wales is viewed as being detrimental to innovation and as having harmful effects on recruitment to and retention in headship. These are all seen as being important issues for the new National Academy for Education Leadership to consider.