Research projects
At NCSL, we conduct a range of research, development and evaluation activities.
We focus on the work of school leaders to investigate how they make a positive difference to pupils'
progress and achievements. We aim to find out more about effective leadership, communicate the findings
to the profession and policy-makers, and use this knowledge to inform College programmes and initiatives.
For an overview of research activities conducted in 2004-05, please see the Annual
Review of Research.
A–Z listing of research projects
B
- Best practice worldwide
By building links
through international conferences, networks and partnerships, NCSL is learning from best practice worldwide
and becoming an international resource for excellence in leadership development.
- Black and minority ethnic school leaders
NCSL has produced
numerous publications and resources dedicated to sharing the unique challenges faced by black and minority
ethnic school leaders.
C
- Challenging contexts and successful leadership
A
number of publications looking at effective leadership in challenging contexts, designed to share lessons
and messages from successful schools.
- Coaching
A workbook and set of online resources to
explore the key elements of coaching and action implications for school leaders. There are also case
studies and tools to download to help the planning process.
- Coastal schools
The unique context of coastal communities
presents a number of challenges for school leaders, which a Leading Practice seminar sought to identify
and debate. Find the resources from the seminar and other useful links.
- Creativity for learning
A project exploring creativity
from different perspectives, to enable school leaders to develop pupils' creative thinking and behaviour.
D
- Deep leadership – SSAT/NCSL partnership project
- Distributed leadership
A series of projects researching
how leadership is shared in schools.
- Driving leadership
A series of audio case studies
introducing a new and practical form of leadership learning. Available as CDs or as a podcast.
E
- Effective professional learning communities
Joint
project undertaken with the University of Bristol, the University of Bath and the London Leadership
Centre. Full findings about creating and sustaining an EPLC are available.
F
- Faith schools and spirituality
NCSL's
seminar work has aimed to explore the common issues and challenges across all schools of a religious
character and to consider opportunities for further networking and development.
- FutureSight
International project undertaken by NCSL
in partnership with the OECD, the DfES Innovation Unit and Demos to explore the nature of schools and
how they respond to the challenges of the 21st century. The outcome of the project was the FutureSight
toolkit.
I
- ILERN
Five articles written by a professional
network of some of the most influential expert researchers in the field of educational leadership.
L
- Leading Practice seminar series
These
events draw on practitioner expertise to improve understanding of good practice and develop new thinking.
They challenge forward-thinking school leaders to articulate and share what they do and how they do
it.
- Leadership development
Information about what we mean
by leadership development and links to related publications.
- Leadership Network
Over 200 schools are now involved
in the network, working together to stimulate national debate and inform policy development.
- Leading sustainable schools
Exploring how effective
schools are supporting sustainable development and how school leaders more widely, are engaging with
the issues.
- Leading sustainable buildings project
This NCSL study
aims to identify and develop the skills and knowledge required by school leaders to lead sustainable
building projects.
- Learning-centred leadership
Initiative to explore how
leaders improve their schools through a consistent focus and pupil and professional learning.
M
- Making a difference
This project aims
to describe the characteristics of successful middle leaders in secondary schools facing challenging
circumstances.
- Middle leadership
A number of research projects examining
the leadership knowledge and skills of subject and specialist leaders.
- Models of leadership
Our work on models of headship,
including executive headship, co-headship and federations.
N
- Next Practice in System Leadership
Next
Practice in System Leadership (NPSL) is the first of four Next Practice projects being developed by
the Innovation Unit to explore radically new approaches to 21st Century issues through disciplined innovation.
P
- Personalised learning
Personalised learning
is concerned with focusing on pupils’ individual learning styles, motivation and needs. The Innovation
Unit of the DfES has undertaken a range of work, in partnership with DEMOS, OECD and NCSL.
- Primary middle leaders
By showing good practice in
12 primary schools, this project examines the key leadership behaviours and activities that successful
middle leaders are using. The project will culminate in a DVD, booklet, website and discussion forum.
R
- Recruiting headteachers and senior leaders
This
project provides guidance to those involved with recruitment and appointment of headteachers, particularly
governors and LAs. The research was undertaken by a consortium of the Hay Group, Cambridge University,
Eastern Leadership Centre and NAHT.
- Research Associate programme
Through this programme,
school leaders are given the chance to contribute directly to NCSL's work by undertaking leadership
research.
- Research-engaged school
This project brings together
practitioners to investigate what it means to be a "research-engaged school".
T
- Tomorrow's Leaders Today
A comprehensive
and interactive resource aimed at headteachers, aspiring heads, governors and local authorities.
W
- Well-being
This project, 'A Life in the
Day' of a headteacher', is investigating the detail of the headteacher role: how headteachers ensure
a work-life balance and what their coping strategies might be.
