Contextualising New Headship

Abstract

In order to examine approaches to headship amongst those appointed in the past three years 10 secondary school headteachers were interviewed. To contextualise the heads' experiences we examined the way in which they had prepared themselves for appointment, their aims in becoming heads (of particular schools in particular contexts), and the surprises they had faced. Since headship in its first years is often a time of anxiety we explored the supports obtained both within and outside schools and various means for strengthening those supports.