Leadership for Improvement in Urban and Challenging Contexts

Abstract

This article reflects on lessons learnt from recent research and evaluation work in secondary schools operating in urban and challenging contexts in England. It is suggested that there is a common process that effective leaders follow in order to generate and sustain tangible improvements. Central to this argument are the incremental devolution of autonomy and the sequential development of meaningful interpersonal relationships within the organisation. In conclusion this article speculates that successful leaders in schools facing challenging contexts have a highly developed understanding of the necessity to achieve synergy between leadership approaches and the development phase of the organisation.