Leadership lost: A case study in three selective secondary schools

This article presents the findings of research into the nature of the relationship between the heads of school subject departments and their subject staff, and, specifically, the extent to which heads of department influence the classroom practice of those they lead. Data were gathered from a number of departments in several contrasting selective secondary schools through a combination of semi-structured interviews and supporting lesson observations. The results indicate that heads of school subject departments enjoy relatively little real power, their influence on the members of their departments being modest and largely confined to the sorts of administrative tasks that might be grouped under the general heading of 'management'. They also seem to indicate a lack of confidence among heads of subject departments themselves who come across as reluctant to take on the full mantle of leadership.