Moira Hulme

This chapter draws on research carried out during the pandemic into the responses of head teachers in diverse school and community contexts. A need for a deepening sense of shared identity with leaders binding people together and being seen “to stand with them” was needed[1] enabling a shared understanding of goals in moving forward together. In developing relationships across the school community (staff, pupils and parents), the importance of trust and fairness is highlighted, led by moral imperatives focused on the collective good of the community. A framework emerging from this work highlights dynamic elements as school leaders adapted and negotiated new ways of being part of the school imaginary while holding on to principles and values and a sense of leadership as an essential part of investment in education and education communities as vehicles for the common good.

The goal of equity in education in England is damaged by regional disparities in outcomes and a marked social gradient in school exclusion. The most vulnerable groups are disproportionately represented in in-year transfers. Drawing on 24 interviews with school leaders and education decision-makers in a socioeconomically deprived area, this study examined institutional strategies to promote inclusion by reducing pupil mobility in an area-based initiative. The analysis highlights the interaction of administrative, professional and market logics, and the significance of the ‘middle tier’ in mediating inter-local tensions. Further research is needed on ‘hidden’ pupil moves and diverse forms of within-school segregation-reintegration.

This paper examines the political and relational dimensions of leading and managing schools in the early stages of pandemic-induced school closure in the four nations of the United Kingdom. It draws on in-depth interviews with 12 headteachers from primary, secondary and special schools. Headteachers used adaptive leadership strategies, including bridging, brokering and buffering, to recalibrate provision at pace. School closures demanded enhanced levels of coordination and communication around what mattered most. However, despite exercising creative agency, headteachers spoke of “clipped wings”, with some feeling “vulnerable” or “alone” in attempting to mitigate often unknown risks amid constantly shifting guidance.

A ‘practicum’, ‘clinical experience’ or ‘internship’ is an established component of professional preparation in education, health, social work, law, accountancy and engineering. Across diverse occupational fields, employability and work readiness are gaining prominence in college marketing strategies. The disruption to work placements during the Covid-19 pandemic in programmes linked to licensure rapidly increased the pace and scale of virtualisation and the need for systematic evaluation of curriculum re-design. This chapter presents a case study of the transition to a fully online practicum for UK university students training to be teachers during 2020/21. Drawing on interviews with students, university tutors and school partners, the chapter outlines key learning about partnership formation and innovation. The evaluation suggests that online supervision requires participants to work harder to establish a positive working alliance and sense of belonging across time–space-digital media. The study highlights the importance of iterative review to promote reciprocity, transparency and voice.

Across the UK and internationally high rates of attrition among recently qualified teachers has focused attention on strengthening early career support. Policy attention has shifted from recruitment to the issue of sustainability. While the importance of induction is widely recognised, few studies investigate the components of early career support that new teachers deem most effective and the contextual conditions that support professional growth. This article explores the complex relationship between perceptions of pre-service preparation, school context and induction experience on the continuing learning needs, job satisfaction and career intentions of teachers at the end of their first year post-qualification. The analysis draws on 382 survey responses from teachers undertaking statutory induction in primary and secondary schools in the North West of England and Scotland in 2019. The findings suggest that the quality of initial teacher education is the strongest predictor of continuing development needs at the end of induction. High quality preparation has the potential to sustain new teachers across diverse employment contexts and the many challenges of the early career phase.

Challenges to the supply of well-prepared and effective teachers persist across diverse education systems. This chapter considers the sociopolitical and technical complexity of reconciling demand and supply in the recruitment and retention of teachers. Within finite expenditure, workforce planning must balance need across school phases, subjects, and localities, taking into account teacher mobility and turnover, changing demographics, curriculum policy, and future learning needs. As a result, it is not uncommon for teacher shortages, underrepresentation, and oversupply to coexist. This chapter outlines the impact of patterns of differential attrition on teaching quality and educational equity, and considers alternative policy strategies to secure and diversify the teacher workforce.