You are here

The Essentials of School Leadership
Share

The Essentials of School Leadership

Second Edition


January 2009 | 224 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

At the very time when leadership is recognized as the key to sustainable reform, [this book] is right on the mark. This is a comprehensive, powerful treatment of all core elements of new leadership from the ethical to the political, from the emotional to the entrepreneurial. A must-have compendium for those grappling with the present and future of school leadership'
-Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus, OISE/University of Toronto; and Special Adviser on Education to the Premier of Ontario

`The jewels in the book are the opening and closing chapters by Brent and Barbara Davies on "strategic" leadership, and by Andy Hargreaves on "sustainability" leadership. The book is worth buying for those alone, and for Geoff Southworth's reflective, practical piece on "learning-centred" leadership. This is one for the staffroom library'
-Tim Brighouse recently Chief Adviser for London Schools and formerly Chief Education Officer for Birmingham

This book provides a focused up-to-date introduction to the current themes and dimensions of educational leadership through contributions from some of the leading authors in the field from the United States, Canada, and the U.K.

Key Features

• Each chapter introduces the reader to a key aspect or theory of leadership, which the authors then apply to the educational setting

• Includes a new chapter on Developing Leadership

• Pedagogical features include chapter objectives and summaries, vignettes and examples, suggestions for further reading

Brent Davies
Introduction: The Essentials of School Leadership
 
PART ONE: STRATEGIC AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Brent Davies and Barbara J Davies
Strategic Leadership
Kenneth Leithwood and Doris Jantzi
Transformational Leadership
 
PART TWO: ETHICAL AND MORAL LEADERSHIP
John M Novak
Invitational Leadership
Robert J Starratt
Ethical Leadership
 
PART THREE: LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP IN INTERRELATIONSHIPS
Geoff Southworth
Learning-Centered Leadership
Linda Lambert
Constructivist Leadership
 
PART FOUR: LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Terrence E Deal
Poetical and Political Leadership
Guilbert C Hentschke
Entrepreneurial Leadership
 
PART FIVE: DEVELOPING AND SUSTAINING LEADERS
Peter Earley and Jeff Jones
Leadership Development in Schools
Andy Hargreaves
Sustainable Leadership

'This is an excellent collection of writers and their ideas...It is difficult to think where else such a resource would be available under one cover. An inspiring and valuable book that all school leaders should read' -
School Leadership and Management


'Brent Davies continues to do the fraternity of current and aspiring educational leaders around the world a great favour by bringing together some of the great thinkers within educational leadership, all in this one volume. This book is highly recommended' - Principal Matters


'[T]his revised edition is a comprehensive overview of trends and issues shaping concepts and practices in school leadership…It is recommended reading for any aspiring school leader, and a useful reference for the more experienced' - Headteacher Update


`At the very time when leadership is recognized as the key to sustainable reform, [this book] is right on the mark. This is a comprehensive, powerful treatment of all core elements of new leadership from the ethical to the political, from the emotional to the entrepreneurial. A must-have compendium for those grappling with the present and future of school leadership'

Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus, OISE/University of Toronto; and Special Adviser on Education to the Premier of Ontario


`The jewels in the book are the opening and closing chapters by Brent and Barbara Davies on "strategic" leadership, and by Andy Hargreaves on "sustainability" leadership. The book is worth buying for those alone, and for Geoff Southworth's reflective, practical piece on "learning-centred" leadership. This is one for the staffroom library'

Tim Brighouse recently Chief Adviser for London Schools and formerly Chief Education Officer for Birmingham


A highly relevant text. Thought provoking and helpful!

Ms Lizana Oberholzer
CASS School of Education & Communities, University of East London
June 7, 2019

This book has chapters written by experts in the field. It provides a good range and depth of study.

Mrs EDLENE Whitman
Division of Education, London South Bank University
August 26, 2015

New to the 2nd Edition:

• fully updated to include recent developments 
• new chapter summaries
• further reading
• a new chapter on Developing Leadership 

Sample Materials & Chapters

Introduction PDF

Chapter One PDF


Brent Davies

Dr Brent Davies is Professor of International Leadership Development at the University of Hull . He is also a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Visiting Professor at the Institute of Education (University of London), Special Professor at the University of Nottingham and a Faculty Member of the Centre on Educational Governance at the University of Southern California. He is an Associate Director of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. Brent spent the first ten years of his career working as a teacher in South London. He then moved into higher education and now works exclusively on leadership and management... More About Author

Purchasing options

Please select a format:

ISBN: 9781847875662
£36.99

SAGE Knowledge is the ultimate social sciences digital library for students, researchers, and faculty. Hosting more than 4,400 titles, it includes an expansive range of SAGE eBook and eReference content, including scholarly monographs, reference works, handbooks, series, professional development titles, and more.

The platform allows researchers to cross-search and seamlessly access a wide breadth of must-have SAGE book and reference content from one source.