Preparation for Headship? The role of the deputy head in the primary school

The Job Realities of Beginning and Experienced Assistant Principals

“…Quantitative studies use researcher-developed or previously validated questionnaires or inventories (e.g., Kwan & Walker, 2008;Sutter, 1996) to obtain data from 100-400 assistant principals working across countries (e.g., Kwan, 2009a), states (e.g., Cranston, Tromans, & Reugebrink, 2004), or large cities (e.g., Garrett &McGeachie, 1999). Smallerscale qualitative studies also have been conducted, employing individual and focus-group interviews, open-ended questionnaires, case studies, observations, and document analysis.…”

“…Supportive principals provide training, develop an open and honest relationship, create opportunities for assistant principals to attend and perform principal functions, and encourage their assistant principals to pursue principalships (Garrett & McGeachie, 1999). Unfortunately, much of the literature is pessimistic about what occurs at the school level in assistant principal development (Mertz, 2006).…”

“…Deputy headteachers in the United Kingdom identified their role as being subject coordinators and staff development coordinators (Garrett & McGeachie, 1999). After studying secondary vice principals in Hong Kong, Kwan (2009a) categorized their roles into the following dimensions: "external communication and connection, quality assurance and accountability, teaching, learning, and curriculum, staff management, resource management, leader and teacher growth and development, and strategic direction and policy environment" (p. 202).…”

Work-shadowing as a process for facilitating leadership succession in primary schools

“…The work of Cranston et al focused on secondary schools; the situation appears to be even more marked in primary schools. For example, in one study of primary deputies, no less than 70% identified subject coordinator or staff development coordinator as a key aspect of their role while 60% identified class teacher as an important aspect (Garrett and McGeachie 1999). The authors highlighted the difficulties deputy heads had bridging the gap between the rhetoric and the actual practice of their role 'and in having the opportunities for both in-school and out-of-school professional development' which met their core needs (75).…”

“…Several studies have suggested that the proportion of deputy heads who aspire to headship is relatively low Á/ typically less than 50% (James and Whiting 1998;Garrett and McGeachie 1999;Draper and McMichael 2003;Hayes 2005). A number of writers have noted a trend which Gronn and Rawlings-Sanaei (2003) identified as 'leadership disengagement .…”