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What does leadership look like in schools and does it matter for school performance?

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  • Alex Bryson
  • Lucy Stokes
  • David Wilkinson

Abstract

We consider the role played by school leaders in improving pupil attainment, going beyond previous studies by exploring the leadership roles of deputy and assistant heads and classroom-based teachers with additional leadership responsibilities. Using panel data for state-funded secondary schools in England for the period 2010/11-2015/16 we find academy schools typically employ more staff in leadership roles than community schools. Increases in the number of staff in leadership roles below headship level are associated, at least to some extent, with improved school performance in Single Academy Trusts, but this is not the case for schools that are part of Multi Academy Trusts. Our findings suggest that the potential benefits of distributing leadership within schools may only be realised when leaders have sufficient autonomy.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex Bryson & Lucy Stokes & David Wilkinson, 2019. "What does leadership look like in schools and does it matter for school performance?," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 511, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:nsr:niesrd:511
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Andrew Eyles & Stephen Machin, 2019. "The Introduction of Academy Schools to England's Education," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 17(4), pages 1107-1146.
    2. David Wilkinson & Alex Bryson & Lucy Stokes, 2018. "Assessing the Variance in Pupil Attainment: How Important is the School Attended?," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 243(1), pages 4-16, February.
    3. Thomas Ahn & Jacob Vigdor, 2014. "The Impact of No Child Left Behind's Accountability Sanctions on School Performance: Regression Discontinuity Evidence from North Carolina," NBER Working Papers 20511, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    school performance; distributed leadership; leadership; school autonomy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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