School middle leadership has become an important focus of attention for research and development. This paper reports on two reviews of empirical research into the nature of posts of responsibility held by teachers in secondary schools who are not regarded as part of the senior school management team. Empirical studies in the English language…

Examines whether the technicist-rational approach to school development planning, advocated in England's Office for Standards in Education guidelines, is appropriate for primary schools, based on case studies of nine schools. School staff remain unconvinced that technicist-rational planning is key to implementing change. (Contains 39 references.)…

The five papers in this special section explore basic middle-management issues at the secondary level in various countries, including subject leader/department heads' range of responsibilities and effects of school cultures. New training standards demand a blending of line management, accountability, leadership, followership, and collegial…

Analyzes to what extent 120 British primary schools' practice matched criteria for national management and development outlined in official guidelines. Primary schools have been slower than secondary schools to embrace the principles of strategic and long-term development planning. Inspectors' application of criteria in resource-management matters…