Successful leadership in schools in challenging contexts is a national priority area, in which leadership is at the cutting edge of practice. Many schools working in challenging contexts are well run and achieve success in spite of a considerable intake of pupils from homes with various kinds of social disadvantage. NCSL wants to recognise and support the commitment of teachers who, because they want to help the disadvantaged, choose to work in these schools.
The College believes that understanding the factors operating in successful schools in challenging circumstances and sharing this knowledge is more likely to encourage improvement than an approach that involves unfair comparison. NCSL research into this area is designed to transfer lessons and messages from successful schools to others that are less successful so that they can learn from each other.
This research project studied how middle leaders make a difference to secondary schools in challenging circumstances. Some schools facing challenging circumstances are much more successful than others and, within these schools, some departments are more successful than others. This project looked at the reasons for this variation and the materials offer practical guidance for school leaders and portraits of successful practice.
Find out more about the project and materials
For further information about publications and resources assocaited with this subject please go visit the publications page.
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