Primary School Head Research Articles

Is the process of special measures an effective tool for bringing about authentic school improvement?

Managing change in education is a complex process, but to do so under the pressure of a punishment-based measurement system (Fullan, 2008) makes sustainable and meaningful change increasingly difficult. Systems which produce high stakes accountability measures, which bring with it sanctions that create a greater sense of distrust, demoralization and anxiety (Myers and Goldstein, 1998), may be popular with policy makers influenced by the wider, global agendas (Bottery, 2001), but do little to support schools in challenging circumstances trying to bring about meaningful change. This article explores the wider issues surrounding the policy makers’ decisions to create more centrally controlled monitoring systems through considering the experiences of three primary school Head teachers who have endured the ‘pain’ of special measures. The article considers the best way forward for the future of authentic school improvement.

Opportunities and Challenges for Public Primary School Head Teachers in the Implementation of Free Primary Education in Kisumu Municipality, Kenya: An Analytical Assessment.

This study investigated opportunities and challenges for public primary school head teachers in the implementation of Free Primary Education in Kisumu municipality. Being a descriptive research, the study population consisted of 114 head teachers, 17,100 class seven and eight pupils in the municipality. Out of this, a sample of 37 head teachers and 456 class seven and eight pupils was selected through stratified random sampling method. Four instruments were employed in data collection for the study. These included: Questionnaire, Interviews, Observation and Focus Group Discussion. Qualitative data collected from open ended items in the questionnaire were analyzed on an ongoing process as themes and sub themes emerged from the data, while quantitative data collected from closed ended items in the questionnaire were analyzed by use of descriptive statistics in form of percentages, frequencies and means. The findings showed that head teachers had a number of opportunities and faced many challenges in the implementation of Free Primary Education. High enrolments, inadequate government funding, inadequate physical facilities, inadequate teaching and learning resource materials, poor teaching, overcrowded classes, poorly constructed classrooms, heavy workload for teachers due to understaffing, uncooperative parents, student indiscipline and poor financial management skills were some of the challenges that head teachers faced. The opportunities available included continuing and former street children, curricula and co-curricula materials and facilities that were in place before introduction of Free Primary Education and teachers. The head teachers adopted coping strategies in the implementation of Free Primary Education including dividing classes into streams, Parents Teachers Associations employing more teachers and providing other resources that were required. It was however, established that head teachers had a number of opportunities and strategies they could employ in implementing Free Primary Education. Based on the findings, it was recommended that the Ministry of Education should address the challenges faced by head teachers in the implementation of Free Primary Education. Teachers Service Commission should also employ more teachers, and the Ministry of Education should sensitize parents on their role in the implementation of Free Primary Education, allocate more funds and train head teachers in financial management. Key words: Opportunities, challenges, free primary education, head teachers, primary, Kisumu municipality, Kenya.

An Evaluation of the Sustenance of the Primary School Management Development Project in Botswana

An Evaluation of the Sustenance of the Primary School Management Development Project in Botswana

An investigation of the stresses, pressures and challenges faced by primary school head teachers in a context of organisational change in schools

This paper is a preliminary report of initial findings from research work carried out over the past year. The research explores, through biographic interviews, the experiences of head teachers in relation to leadership in education in times of organisational change. Schools are very much part of, and a product of, a changing fabric in society. Although this research is primarily based on the experience of head teachers it has, I believe, a wider relevance to management and professional practice within other contemporary public sector organisations.

Urban primary school headship in England: an emotional perspective

This paper explores some of the reasons that primary head teachers in urban schools give for staying in a highly complex and demanding professional occupation. The paper is divided into two sections. The first section contains an overview of what is involved in primary headship in the English setting and what is distinctive in the urban setting and its impact on headship. The second section of the paper draws on a small exploratory study to consider some of the key factors that influence urban primary school head teachers to stay in their posts. The paper details the emotional complexities and costs involved in this work, focusing on resilience, commitment, and the rewards of doing what is seen as a worthwhile job, which all contribute towards retention in a challenging profession.

Headteacher preparation programmes in England and Scotland: do they make a difference for the first-year head?

This article reports on part of the data from the International Study of Principal Preparation (ISPP) introduced in our previous article in School Leadership and Management. The purpose of the study is to consider the relationship between preparation for headship and the leadership and management practice of novice headteachers. In this article we take a narrative methodological approach and consider the experiences of a small group of relatively new primary school heads in England and in Scotland. The narratives suggest that preparation for headship helped to develop their professional identity, to broaden their outlook and to develop their confidence and self-belief. However, our analysis raises questions about how headship is conceptualised, the purpose of preparation programmes and the extent to which headteachers are free to act in principled and innovative ways, and about who is responsible for the design, development, delivery and accreditation of preparation programmes.

Management of Child Sexual Abuse Cases by Female School Heads in Zimbabwe

This study determined the nature, extent and causes of child sexual abuse cases and how Zimbabwean female primary school heads handle such cases in their schools. Seven female primary school heads from the southern province were interviewed. data were analysed using the interpretive/qualitative case study methodology. Findings of the study showed that the following forms of child abuse were prevalent among primary school pupils: sexual abuse of girls; physical assault and punishments; denial of food/feeling hungry/fainting (emotional/psychological abuse); and lack of cash to buy clothes/stationery. School heads have adopted a human relations approach in managing child sexual abuse.

Collaboration between school and parents to foster information literacy: Learning in the information society

The aim of this study is to investigate current parental support for student learning with information technology (IT) in Hong Kong. A total of 3340 and 3656 parents and 539 and 440 primary school heads responded to two surveys in 2005/06 and 2006/07, respectively, in this cross-sectional study. The results show a persistent positive perception of and support for IT among educators and parents, which signify a solid foundation for the extension of student learning from the classroom to the home environment. The high level of expectation among school heads for parental support reflects the need for schools to initiate cooperation with parents to extend IT-supported learning to the home setting. The shift in parental apprehension from worry over the provision of IT facilities to worry over the cultivation of proper attitudes toward the use of IT reveals the importance of fostering information literacy in home–school collaboration.

Theoretical Resource

This paper makes a contribution to the theory and practice of educational action research by introducing two theoretical and methodological resources as part of a personal review of sustained professional experience: ‘appreciative inquiry’ and the ‘enneagram’. It is more than a theoretical exercise, however, because it also constitutes an action‐oriented reflection on the transitional nature of the author’s professional situation, moving from work as a school‐based primary school teacher and head teacher to work as a consultant. It is thus a distillation of past experience and a vision of how professional learning might be supported in the future. In the first part, appreciative inquiry is introduced as an associated form of action research methodology that follows four successive stages of discovery, dream, design and destiny around an affirmative topic choice. The author then explains his choice of the enneagram as a useful life‐affirming tool for self‐understanding in personal and professional development and how it might be used to stimulate reflexive awareness of the inner work of teaching. Thirdly, in the discovery stage, the author uses the enneagram to engage in a sequence of nine short mediations that seek to appreciate the positive core of teaching from the inside and celebrate the intimate experience of teaching according to nine distinct modes of consciousness. Fourthly, the author builds on the range of teaching strengths revealed by the enneagram by engaging in the dream stage of appreciative inquiry that evokes an imaginative envisioning of the kind of reflective practice the world is calling for from teachers. Finally, the author concludes by looking ahead to the design and destiny stages, reflecting on the need to explore the implications of the inquiry for systematic forms of practitioner research and appropriate kinds of tutorial support for professional learning.

Family History: A Tool for Adequate Management of Pupils and Students in Schools

This study examined the contributions of primary and secondary school Heads and Teachers in the identification of the ways family history could enhance effective management of pupils and students in schools in Delta State, Nigeria. It reviewed the significance of data on pupils and student's family in school management as practiced in developed countries. Based on this, the researcher designed Impact of Family History on Management of Pupils and Students Instrument (IFHMPS) which was administered to heads and teachers in primary and secondary schools. One research question was raised and answered; three hypotheses were formulated and tested. The results showed that pupils and students family history could enhance the provision of Guidance and Counselling Services, decision on pupils and students and identification of students problems. School location, level and sex does not affect the perception of school heads and teachers on the identified impacts of family history in the management of pupils and students in schools. Useful suggestions were made on how to improve on the collection, keeping and utilization of pupils and students family history data in primary and secondary schools in Delta State, Nigeria.

Encouraging fruit consumption in primary schoolchildren: a pilot study in North Wales, UK

To explore the feasibility and cost of promoting fruit consumption among primary schoolchildren across Anglesey, a region in North Wales, UK. A postal survey of the head teachers of all 51 primary schools across Anglesey to ascertain their attitudes to promoting fruit consumption and current initiatives in place was conducted. This was followed by a 1-week pilot study in a single primary school to assess parents' support and willingness to bear or share costs, to determine children's fruit preferences, and to calculate fruit waste. Finally, the cost to local government of providing a piece of fruit to each primary schoolchild daily was calculated. A 53% response rate was obtained in the postal survey of primary school head teachers. All respondents expressed an interest in participating in future fruit promotion programmes. Of 27 primary schools, 26 that responded (96.3%) had programmes in place in which 18 had adopted specific food policies. In the pilot study at the single Anglesey primary school, a response rate of 97% from parents who expressed support for fruit promotion in school was obtained. Parents expressed their willingness to pay at least 15 pence per day towards fruit provision at break time for their children if such a service was not provided by local government. If local government was to invest in this initiative, the total cost of providing one piece of fruit per day to all primary school children in Anglesey would be 211,000 pounds per annum (2004 prices; 19 pence per child per day). This pilot study shows support by teachers and parents for initiatives to encourage primary schoolchildren to eat more fruit. Waste can be minimized by choosing fruit that children prefer, in this study, grapes, apples and oranges. The decision as to whether local government or parents are asked to pay for fruit provision is political, depending on local socioeconomic circumstances, local government priorities, national education and nutrition policies.

Sun protection initiatives in Cornwall

Recent evidence indicates that there are significant numbers of cases of malignant melanoma in the UK. In order to assess the current position with regard to sun awareness in Cornwall, a questionnaire survey of all state primary school heads (n = 123) and a survey of a random sample of GP practices (n = 9) was carried out. The data obtained were supported by visits to libraries and Tourist Information Centres at urban and rural centres--this enabled the identification of sun awareness literature. Key health professionals who worked within the field of health promotion were also contacted. The findings showed that in Cornwall public campaigns organized around the issue of sun protection took place only sporadically, although GP surgeries usually organize a display at the appropriate time of the year. None of the public places (e.g. Tourist Information Centres, libraries) surveyed had sun protection messages on display. It is concluded that insufficient sun awareness initiatives were being undertaken in Cornwall. Although most primary schools included sun awareness education in their curriculum in a form based on the Sun Awareness Guidelines produced by the Department of Health in 1995, few schools considered further measures to protect pupils on hot and sunny days. In particular the provision of shade, the scheduling of outdoor activities and the use of sunscreen and protective clothing were not standard.

Leaders on leadership: the impressions of primary school head teachers and subject leaders

Styles of leadership which encourage leaders to share responsibilities and authority have been the subject of much recent interest. Initiatives, such as that for encouraging distributed models of leadership, are attracting much attention. Within this movement the head teacher is encouraged to work with staff, utilizing their expertise and initiative in a way which benefits the school as a whole. This article reports research commissioned by the National College for School Leadership and looks at the issues of leadership involved in the primary school sector. Interview data collected from head teachers and subject leaders is reported and consideration is given to the realities of being a primary school leader. The authors will suggest that many of the arguments supporting more distributed patterns of leadership are desirable but that a number of developments need to be considered if this goal is to be realized.

Gender and attitudes towards religious education in the primary school

A detailed questionnaire containing a range of questions to assess perceptions of RE and worship was completed by 361 of the 577 primary school head teachers employed by the Ceredigion, ­Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Swansea, Newport and Cardiff Local Education Authorities. While the degree of support for both religious education and worship was found to be similar for both male and female head teachers significant differences emerged between their views regarding related issues. The findings suggest that structural location theory and gender orientation theory shed some light on the differences in perceptions between male and female head teachers. The ­suggestion is made that these theories might also help to explain why a career in primary school teaching is more likely to appeal to females than males.

The impact of educational policy on headship in primary schools in England, 1994‐2001

This article traces the impact of educational policy on the role of primary head teachers in Britain spanning the end of the New Right and the start of the New Left policy implementation processes. It is based on the reported perceptions of a sample of primary school head teachers who have been in post over the entire seven year period. It is argued that the conceptual framework derived from the early work on headship in the UK is still appropriate to an analysis of the role of the primary school head as both leading professional and chief executive but that the emphasis has shifted from one in which heads are selected from aspects of their role to one in which heads are now required to extend their involvement in school management across the main aspects of both parts of their role.

Choosing and Judging Teachers

Head teachers and student teachers have conceptions of what matters when selecting and judging the effectiveness of a new teacher. This study reports the results of surveys of sixty-six primary school head teachers' and eighty-one postgraduate student teachers' ratings of various criteria for selecting and judging new teachers. The data are consistent with those of similar surveys in the United States and there is a fairly high level of agreement between what the head teachers and the student teachers judged to be important. Nevertheless mismatches in conceptions of what matters can exist. Further, communication skills may benefit from explicit attention and treatment as a coherent whole in teacher training.

The Real World Management Preoccupations of Primary School Heads

The role of the primary school headteacher has undergone significant changes since the Education Reform Act (1988). The purpose of this article is to explore the real time issues arising from the change of role of primary heads and also seeks to contribute to a greater understanding of the real world preoccupations of primary heads. The article is based on the results of a 2-year qualitative study of 12 primary headteachers and explores key issues for primary heads. The following key issues were identified by the heads: an increase in management; the role of the deputy head; relationships with school governors; parental involvement and the role of the headteacher as social worker; role overload and stress; professional support and the role of the advisers.

The Changing Role of the Primary School Head

The role of the primary school headteacher has undergone significant changes since the Education Reform Act (1988). This article explores the headteachers’ perceptions of change from anumber of perspectives; change as a result of their career paths; change due to imposed legislation and changes in their relationships with key stakeholders. Many of the changes are contradictory and generate paradoxes. Nevertheless what is unequivocal is that there is now a much greater emphasis on the formal dimensions of management. The heads manage but are more than managers, their management performance is guided by an underpinnning of educational knowledge and educational practice.

Exploring the labyrinth of first and second order inquiry in action research

This article offers a few reflections on the distinction currently made between first and second order inquiry in action research, embedded in the context in which they developed. Referring to their experience as facilitators/outside researchers in an action research project involving two groups of primary school head teachers in Italy, the authors argue that both facilitators and practitioners can develop first and second order action research. After a description of the context, samples of reflection as it developed within the two groups are presented, that show the recursive nature of some of the strategies used to facilitate the process. The article ends with a few questions to open further investigation.

Primary Headteachers’ Careers: a survey of primary school heads with particular reference to women's career trajectories

This paper presents some of the findings of a survey of the career trajectories of 287 primary headteachers in one local education authority (LEA). Women were found to be particularly underrepresented in the larger primary schools and this phenomenon is considered in relation to level of qualifications; geographical mobility; age on first appointment to headship; and whether or not a career break was taken. The career aspirations and expectations of both men and women heads are also examined. It is argued that there is a need for recent survey data to complement the existing ethnographic data on teachers' careers.