Leading school-based networks / Mark Hadfield and Christopher Chapman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hadfield, Mark.

Contributor:

Chapman, Christopher, 1972-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Inter-school cooperation--Great Britain.

Inter-school cooperation.

School management and organization--Great Britain.

School management and organization.

Great Britain.

School improvement programs--Great Britain.

School improvement programs.

Educational leadership--Great Britain.

Educational leadership.

Physical Description:

x, 164 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Routledge, 2009.

Summary:

Schools have a well-established history of working together but the persistent challenge of achieving excellence and equity within education systems has renewed interest in generating context-specific solutions through localised networks. As networking and collaboration have become more mainstream activities, they have raised new leadership challenges for existing school leaders and prompted discussion about whether new types of leaders and leadership are required for the future.

Based around the lifecycle of a network, Leading School-based Networks traces the development of a network from its initial inception, exploring the ways in which it can be sustained and remain capable of meeting the future challenges faced by schools and their communities. The book explores a series of important issues facing school leaders, including:

the benefits of investing time and energy in networks with other schools and communities;

the particular problems faced by schools and the education system that are best tackled by network-based solutions;

the advantages for schools and communities of engaging with collaborative reform agenda;

the ways in which networks can be managed, and the differences between leading a school or a team and a network;

the elements which make an effective network.

The book builds on UK and international research to discuss the development and leadership of networks and to outline a number of tried-and-tested leadership approaches. In addition, the authors draw on their own experience and research to provide accounts of real networks and expose the realities of networking. Each chapter addresses a key leadership issue and ends with a series of tools to help those who are leading and facilitating networks tackle these in practice.

This book will be of interest to practising school leaders, network coordinators, public sector officers, postgraduate students and those researching educational leadership and school improvement.

Contents:

Why get involved in a network of schools?

Designing an effective school network

Establishing a school-based network

Building leadership capacity: challenges and opportunities

Sustaining and developing a network of schools

Working the net: the role of the external facilitator

Where next?

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [154]-158) and index.

ISBN:

9780415464642

0415464641

9780415464659

041546465X

OCLC:

263605384