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Distributed leadership (DL) continues to draw practitioners and researchers' attention in the context of education leadership as early as the 21st century. While an increasing amount of literature strongly advises principals to shift toward DL practices, there is a paucity of studies that indicate the extent to which this shift is taking place in practice across Islamic secondary schools. Consequently, this study investigates the distributed of leadership practices of two Islamic secondary schools located in two different countries. The study uses a collective case study methodology with a mixed-method approach, and collected data from 30 school teachers and interviews six school teachers. The findings reveal that both selected Islamic secondary schools have a definite hierarchy decided by top management. The findings also indicate that when leadership roles are distributed among classroom teachers, the schools do not seem to have fixed criteria. In addition, the findings illustrate that novice teachers are slowly given responsibilities and prepared to take on leadership roles. The finding could serve as a supportive literature in practicing DL across Islamic secondary schools to reduce the workload of headteachers. The findings further link DL to the development of a professional learning community though teacher leadership. The significance and originality of this research arguably falls along the fact that; it is the first of its kind to empirically investigate DL practices across Islamic secondary schools in two different geographical locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swedish schools offer two parallel subjects for the national majority language: Swedish (SWE) and Swedish as a second language (SSL). Several reports have shown disparities across schools in the country concerning the organisation of Swedish instruction for students with first languages other than Swedish. As headteachers are responsible for the organisation and quality of the instruction, this article aims to study headteachers’ descriptions of providing Swedish instruction to second-language students in anticipation of the introduction of new compulsory school curricula (Lgr22) with revised syllabi. By applying theories of policy enactment, the study examines factors enabling or hindering the enactment and headteachers’ interpretation of the new syllabi for SWE and SSL. Interviews were conducted with nine compulsory headteachers during the preparations for the new curriculum. The preparation for these curricula highlighted a range of problems within the school subject of SSL and headteachers had already taken measures to address certain shortcomings during the preparatory work. These measures may potentially contribute to increased quality and equity for students. The results of the study provide insights into the challenges and opportunities that headteachers experience in relation to the enactment of the syllabi, as well as shed light on the challenges associated with SSL.

Copyright of Alustath is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This research investigates headteachers' leadership and management roles and challenges in leading government secondary schools in Sindh, Pakistan. Employing a qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology methodology, forty semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty headteachers. The thematic analysis of the data explored that headteachers were performing several academic and administrative-focused responsibilities, although their involvement was more administrative than academic and entailed more management than leadership. However, headteachers faced enormous challenges in leading and managing their schools. Some critical challenges were a lack of basics in terms of clean water, reliable electricity, and sufficient school furniture. Others included a lack of funds, a shortage of teachers, managing professionally weak teachers, teacher union issues and a lack of authority. Nevertheless, some headteachers were making admirable efforts to address these challenges. This research may open a window to understanding the roles and challenges of headteachers and inform policymakers of how-to better support headteachers in leading their schools successfully in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the school principal's role in promoting physical activity for inactive children in school settings. Design: Exploratory qualitative interview study. Setting: The study was conducted in seven elementary schools in central Sweden. Method: Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews with eight school principals. Theories of bioecology and teacher agency informed the study and shed light on the environmental factors and resources affecting school principals' efforts to promote physical activity for inactive children. Result: The most common strategy school principals described was to delegate responsibility for planning organised activities to dedicated school personnel working with the children. In their leadership role, principals described having the power and opportunity to recruit school personnel with positive attitudes towards promoting physical activity, which likely increases inactive children's opportunities to engage in PA. Conclusion: When provided the adequate resources, and by virtue of their management position within the school, principals have the opportunity to make a difference to promote PA for inactive children. Delegating responsibility to school personnel may however create unequal PA opportunities, and if there are no initiators dedicated to this work, inactive children may be left out of PA opportunities in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Administrative competence relates to school administrators’ capacity to establish a friendly and productive learning environment for teachers, which impacts their work performance. This study examined the association between the administrative effectiveness of headteachers and teacher job performance. The descriptive research design of the survey type was employed for this investigation. 520 participants served as the sample for this study. The questionnaire employed was a researcher-developed with 0.83 reliability index. Percentage was used to answer the research question raised. PPMC was used to test four hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that most respondents had a modest degree of work performance. Also, there were significant relationships between headteachers’ vision and leadership, management skills and ethics and professionalism, and teacher’s job performance. One of the recommendations was that to improve headteachers’ communication, teamwork, resource management, and instructional leadership abilities, educational institution proprietors should fund extensive programs for professional development

The present study employed a quantitative, descriptive research design to examine the impact of ethical leadership on elementary school teachers' motivation in public elementary schools of a district in Punjab, Pakistan. It was a quantitative and descriptive study in nature. Considering the ethical guidelines, a questionnaire was administered to 400 randomly selected male and female elementary-level teachers. In developing the survey instrument, relevant literature was reviewed, and expert input was obtained to ensure the appropriateness of the questions for assessing the variables of interest. The confidentiality of the respondents was maintained throughout the data-gathering process. The data was statistically analyzed using SPSS version 20, measuring means and standard deviations. The results revealed a significant positive association between principals' ethical leadership style - characterized by integrity, honesty, and considerate treatment of staff - and elevated intrinsic motivation levels among teachers. As educational leaders shape the culture in their institutions, these findings carry important implications. Promoting ethical leadership through enhanced training and modeling desired behaviors can improve teacher retention, performance, and job satisfaction. It can translate to better outcomes for students. Further in-depth inquiries through qualitative and longitudinal research across diverse settings can enrich understanding of this phenomenon and aid the development of context-specific interventions leveraging ethical leadership to motivate teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence, sources, and underlying causes of work-related stress among headteachers in Wales and to identify possible solutions. An online questionnaire was sent to all 1588 headteachers across Wales. The questionnaire included demographic questions, Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Management Standards Tool, a list of known stressors, and open questions exploring the underlying causes and possible solutions. A total of 359 (22.6%) headteachers completed the survey. Two-thirds of participants reported experiencing levels of stress that were rated as 'high'. Pressures of managing greater demands and increasing workload with fewer financial resources and a lack of support from local authorities were the main sources of stress. Solutions focused on improved funding to enhance staffing and resources at a school level, reduced accountability, and improved support. The findings indicated that a multi-faceted, multi-level, intervention approach, extending beyond improving personal resilience and individual school improvements, into regional and national opportunities for change, is likely to be most effective in reducing work-related stress within the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates headteachers’ leadership and management roles and challenges in leading government secondary schools in Sindh, Pakistan. Employing a qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology methodology, forty semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty headteachers. The thematic analysis of the data explored that headteachers were performing several academic and administrative-focused responsibilities, although their involvement was more administrative than academic and entailed more management than leadership. However, headteachers faced enormous challenges in leading and managing their schools. Some critical challenges were a lack of basics in terms of clean water, reliable electricity, and sufficient school furniture. Others included a lack of funds, a shortage of teachers, managing professionally weak teachers, teacher union issues and a lack of authority. Nevertheless, some headteachers were making admirable efforts to address these challenges. This research may open a window to understanding the roles and challenges of headteachers and inform policymakers of how-to better support headteachers in leading their schools successfully in the 21st century.

In the education decentralization processes, community participation in education governance has been argued to be essential for improving accountability to service beneficiaries. Therefore, this paper examined the perspectives of key actors on the impact of an educational decentralization policy on improving school quality education in Junior High Schools in Ghana. Participants in the study were 54 School Management Committee (SMC)/Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members, 106 teachers, and 11 head teachers in 11 schools drawn from two districts in the Central Region of Ghana. Teachers filled out questionnaires and interviews were conducted with SMC/PTA members using a semi-structured interview guide and with 11 head teachers. The paper reveals that the education decentralization policy, with community participation at its heart, has given schools some autonomy in their decision-making process. However, the involvement of community members in school activities has been limited mainly to financing, with little emphasis on the decision-making process in school governance. The study recommends that there should be adequate support for communities to become more involved in the decision-making process, especially in implementing the School Performance Improvement Plan for Ghana to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper builds on the emerging, but significant scholarship of Critical Race Feminism (CRF) in education. It adds to the literature in this area by applying the theoretical and methodological underpinnings to the British education context where such applications are vanishingly small in favour of broader critical race applications. Supported by racialised and gendered images of professional Black women in leadership roles as the analytical standpoint for understanding a Black woman Headteacher's experiences in an English school, this paper argues that Black women's tenure and trajectories are underpinned by the white racial colonial logics of the Mammy, Crazy Black Bitch, Superwoman and/or Feisty Sapphire. In so doing, institutional racism continues to underpin and undermine Black women Headteachers' leadership potential, experiences and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the experiences of six Chilean female headteachers. It addresses their career progress, and the facilitators and barriers, as well as the challenges they encountered in accessing and enacting school leadership. The six participants were drawn from all three of Chile's school types – public, semi-private and private – in what is a differentiated system. The findings demonstrate both differences and similarities in participants' experiences, across all three school sectors. A major difference relates to the additional barriers faced by public sector school leaders, compared with participants in the private and semi-private schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to describe the actions carried out by school management to promote inclusion and the learning of all students, from the perspective of teaching staff (members of management teams and teachers), and to find out whether these initiatives are determined by the school environment, the educational stages taught, and the positions held by the members of the management teams. The questionnaire, 'Liderando la Educación Inclusiva en Centros de Educación Obligatoria (LEI-Q)-Equipo Docente' ('Leading Inclusive Education in Compulsory Education Schools – Teaching Staff') was answered by 420 teaching-staff members. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire have been confirmed using exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis. Descriptive analysis and nonparametric regression have also been carried out. The results show that in the schools analysed, the management teams are undertaking actions in favour of educational inclusion, with the most implemented being those aimed at managing the teaching-learning processes and professional development, and the least implemented being those that aim to make the school an inclusive community. These actions are influenced by the educational stages taught in the school, the district where they are located, and the position held by the school leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article utilises the model of authentic leadership by Bill George et al. to explore the extent to which gender influences teacher leader authenticity in the school workplace. Four male and four female Secondary Heads of School were asked to complete George et al.'s authentic leadership self-assessment tool and provide a written commentary reflecting on and contextualising their performance in five key areas identified by George et al.: Purpose – Passion; Values – Behaviour; Heart – Compassion; Relationships – Connectedness and Self-discipline – Consistency. The responses of the four male teacher leaders were compared with those of the four female teacher leaders and the results show that the male teacher leaders rated themselves more positively than female counterparts in all areas except Relationships – Connectedness. In all five categories the written reflections suggest that male and female leaders have gendered approaches to the notion of authenticity and conceive of school leadership in markedly different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore how educational leaders in England experience and promote their own well-being. To address this, five semi-structured interviews were carried out with educational leaders who expressed that they had personally experienced high levels of well-being. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), four themes were identified, which highlighted that well-being is a subjective experience ('there's no blueprint'); that high levels of well-being are commonly described as feeling balanced ('maintain a balance'); that well-being is perceived as a personal responsibility ('you've got to find ways to manage that'); and that participants were leading by example in relation to well-being ('be a well-being supermodel'). Overall, this study emphasised that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to well-being, so educational leaders (and their colleagues) should be given space and personal autonomy to work out what works for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is much literature that explores the socialization of principals in national contexts and furthermore that has postulated on the demands that principals face in their roles, there is no literature that has explored the socialization principals experience in the complex field of international school leadership. The research reported in this article seeks to address this gap by analysing the processes and outcomes of principals' socialization into their roles in British satellite colleges in China. Eleven principals were interviewed to explore the phenomena of their organizational socialization experience and were asked to reflect upon the challenges they face in leading their schools. With the emergence of the portfolio model of satellite colleges being tied together into a branded group with an intra-national locus of control, the research findings demonstrate principals experiencing institutional socialization tactics that are resulting in increasingly custodial outcomes. The research confirms the contemporary relevance, value and utility of organizational socialization theory as a robust conceptual framework to surface and analyse the complex phenomena of socializing principals into their roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Calidad en la Educación is the property of Consejo Nacional de Educacion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This scoping review of the international literature published over the last 50 years in educational leadership and management journals provides a thematic exploration of factors influencing pathways at the pre-entry stage of a principal's career. Findings from a thematic analysis of 68 publications show that attention to prospective principals increased after the year 2000 and this was driven by four main concerns: underrepresentation of women and ethnic minorities, principal supply and demand, the principalship as a school improvement lever, and the expansion of leadership posts in schools. Selected articles addressed three dimensions of the pathways before a person is first appointed to this post: (a) micro (individual's agency), (b) meso (preparation of prospective principals), and (c) macro (policies shaping access to the post). Across time and countries, pathways to the principalship are resourced by individuals' professional orientations and by contextual factors, formal pre-service preparation may be desirable but not always available or required, and policies frame a conceptualisation of the principalship that shapes the two previous dimensions. The internationalization of research on pathways to the principalship has brought to the forefront normative assumptions that should be critically challenged when considering how to recruit, develop, and support prospective school principals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Headteachers of Catholic schools in England in the early twenty-first century are facing unprecedented challenges in exercising their role. In addition to concerns about funding and recruitment, leaders in Catholic schools are subject to challenges about Catholic identity and integrity, which are tested by pressures such as social media that have an impact not only upon the mental and emotional health of young people but on faith practice in families and in the community. Traditionally, the Catholic school community comprised a balance across the home, the parish and the school. However, pressures on home life and the reduction in the number of priests have often left the school as the single focus of the Catholic community. Catholic education, moreover, has been open to challenges from what Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor called 'aggressive secularism', which questions the very existence of Catholic schools. In this paper, the writer explores contemporary challenges for headteachers in Catholic schools as expressed from the perspective of headteachers in one diocese in England. The research was conducted in two phases. In the first phase of the investigation, an open question was distributed at a diocesan conference of Catholic headteachers and deputy headteachers, inviting participants to indicate their three most pressing challenges. A phenomenological approach was adopted, and, through a process of Thematic Analysis (TA), five pre-eminent issues were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this systematic review is to explore the literature on emotional intelligence related to school leadership using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The authors searched the electronic databases of Eric education, PsycINFO, Scopus and Psychology Database to find relevant articles. They used search criteria to identify a total of 110 references. Using rigorous selection methods, 35 articles were systematically reviewed. The results revealed that emotional intelligence is key for effective leadership and that the most commonly used skills/competences are self-awareness, self-management and empathy. Additionally, the literature makes it clear that the extent to which the leader builds trusting relationships contributes greatly to the development of teacher satisfaction and performance. These findings can help to inform the design of successful pre-service programmes for aspiring leaders and in-service programmes for school principals. Limitations and future lines of research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In England, there is a lack of qualitative data exploring the approaches used across age phases and types of schools seeking to provide alternatives to school exclusion. The study used thematic analysis and semi-structured 1:1 interviews with 46 headteachers to determine the strategies employed in their contexts. Three themes were identified: exclusionary systems, processes, and practices; limbo (schools in the mid-ground between inclusive and exclusive practices); and inclusionary systems, processes, and practices. The research highlights the vast range of alternative approaches to school exclusion used in different types of schools. It is evident that the lack of definition of 'inclusion' in Department for Education statutory guidance, coupled with schools being able to isolate and segregate children with special educational needs and disabilities for 'limited periods', allows for the adoption of exclusionary practices. The results have important messages for the Department of Education in understanding the range of inclusionary and exclusionary approaches used in schools. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of 'inclusion' being consistently defined and explained across departmental statutory guidance to support the adoption of inclusive approaches in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely recognised that technology, including social media, has many positive benefits in education although online technologies, particularly imprudent use of social networking sites, may also present problems for those seeking employment as a newly qualified teacher (NQT). To counter this, trainee teachers are provided with guidance on the use of social media however, it could be argued that the perceptions surrounding appropriate use of technology and social media are subjective and different stakeholders may hold a range of views regarding what is and what is not acceptable. This study aims to investigate differences in the values and attitudes of trainee teachers at the point of seeking employment in relation to those of head teachers as employers. The potential for a mismatch between these views and the subsequent negative outcomes for trainees is clear and an improved understanding of these differences could help teacher educators support trainees in specific aspects of their online presence. A survey of trainee teachers and head teachers was conducted and the data was analysed to identify key variations in values and attitudes in relation to social media posts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction Implementation of school-based physical activity (PA) programmes has proven to be difficult, particularly due to schools’ focus on academic performance and lack of organisational support for PA interventions. However, physically active lessons (PA integrated into academic lessons) holds promise as a teaching method that increases children’s PA levels without reducing academic time. Headteachers play a significant role in facilitating change in school, but little is known about headteachers’ attitudes towards physically active lessons and their benefits. The purpose of this study was to explore headteachers’ perceptions of physically active lessons, and identify factors affecting headteachers’ acceptance or rejection of physically active lessons implementation. Method A total of 29 semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with headteachers in primary and secondary schools in the city of Stavanger, Norway. Adopting a phenomenological approach, qualitative data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Results Although most of the headteachers believed that physically active lessons could contribute positively to pupils’ health and learning, only four of 29 schools decided to proceed with implementation. Physically active lessons were more likely to be adopted when the intervention addressed a clearly defined priority area at the school. Change overload and lack of in-depth knowledge of physically active lessons’ function and intent appeared to be the most important factors for choosing not to implement physically active lessons. Conclusion One of the major challenges for headteachers was deciding which of the many proposed changes the school should prioritise. If physically active lessons was to be prioritised by headteachers it is very important to communicate thoroughly to the headteachers what the schools can achieve by implementing physically active lessons and how the innovation aligns with school policies and goals. Given the flexibility inherent in physically active lessons and the schools’ differing needs and priorities, it was important to emphasise to headteachers that physically active lessons could be adapted to different local school contexts.

Teaching English as a second or foreign language has internationally turned into a determiner of success for societies. Thus, the demand has risen for changes in English Language Teaching (ELT) curricula in different contexts. In response to the growing globalization and the dissatisfaction of many Iranian ELT stakeholders with the former program in lower and upper high-school levels, the Ministry of Education, in 2010, initiated the renovation of national policy documents, coursebooks, and the introduction of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) orientations. The present study is part of a larger project that aims to qualitatively scrutinize the implementational complexities of the new program using a systematic language-in-education planning (LEP) framework. In this respect, 30 experienced headteachers' perspectives and voices from several provinces were explored through open-ended semi-structured interviews designed based on the analysis of school-based documents and observations of ELT goings-on in state schools. Interviews were then transcribed and the content was analyzed to identify the recurring themes. Key findings indicated that the new received program suffers from drawbacks like underbudgeting, students' unequal access to quality ELT, the shortage of prepared teachers, etc. We further found that the program still requires dedicated support of the macro-meso- and micro-level agents at the national scale. Correspondingly, implications for revisions and suggestions for future research are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schools and policy makers face common challenges driven by external affairs such as economic uncertainty, globalisation, and advances in technology. Rapidly changing educational, societal, and political systems require school leaders to adopt creativity and innovation (Cr&Inn) as an integral feature of their leadership. To understand what Cr&Inn means to those in primary sector headteacher positions, this conceptual paper explores the following questions: How is Cr&Inn defined regarding headteachers within the primary sector? What are the key characteristics of Cr&Inn regarding primary sector headteachers? We incorporate a systematic literature review along with definitions from primary sector headteachers drawn from interview data. Whilst Cr&Inn remain conceptually complex, we provide clarity by proposing a succinct definition and recognising the key characteristics involved which in turn, has the potential to strengthen effective leadership to improve learner outcomes through overcoming unusual challenges. We conclude with a discussion of how misconceptions may negatively influence creative and innovative practices, yet we recognise that Cr&Inn have much to offer those in such dynamic and accountable roles, globally, particularly in times of uncertainty. Through our identification of the characteristics, we provide school leaders and policy makers with a framework to understand what Cr&Inn entails.

This article reports a study of the barriers faced by headteachers seeking to include young asylum seekers and refugees into secondary schools in England. We trace the new discourses and assemblages of authority created at city level by recent policy changes. Drawing on in-depth interviews with headteachers, we share their experiences of navigating layered ecologies of systemic challenges to their inclusive stance towards provision for newly arrived children. We argue that structural and policy moves in England towards greater emphasis on controlling (im)migration and economistic measures of educational performance, alongside centralised funding and governance and the reduction of place-based regional autonomy, have led to greater invisibility of asylum-seeking and refugee pupils and to greater vulnerability and visibility/accountability of school leaders. These changes have had an adverse impact on inclusion in English schools and cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of Chief Executive Officers as leaders of educational service providers is positioned in multi academy trusts, the preferred structure of schooling in England. Within this structure, the Chief Executive Officer position is distinct and different from previous constructs of headteachers, since the Chief Executive operates at both street level, that is within the MAT, and beyond 'the street'. In this article, I argue that a new conceptualisation of the headteacher is needed to explain the emerging position and practices of the Chief Executive Officer. These include the interface with the market, adopting entrepreneurial dispositions and constructing professional and business networks. I typologise these practices and positioning through the analysis of empirical data gathered from the Leadership of the Lawrence Trust Project and its Chief Executive Officer, KT Edwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Knowledge: International Journal is the property of Institute for Knowledge Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article presents the details and findings of a mixed-methods study that explored Scottish primary sector headteachers’ enactment of creativity through a Complexity Leadership Theory lens. Although policymakers emphasise the importance of headteachers and their impact on school improvement, there is a growing need for headteachers to enact and effectively nurture school-wide creativity if they are to overcome complex challenges brought about by today's political, social and economic environments. In response to the research question ‘To what extent do primary headteachers perceive their role as being creative?’, this article reports on 23 surveys and 11 semi-structured interviews undertaken as part of a larger study. Whilst our findings suggest that creativity is enacted to some extent by the headteachers, the evidence goes beyond this and identifies social intrapreneurship emerging. The concept of social intrapreneurship within education appears to be unique to this study. We identify social intrapreneurs as individuals who demonstrate creativity, resourcefulness, collaboration and determination and are growth-oriented within bureaucratic constraints. We conclude by discussing how social intrapreneurship is a valuable concept for headteachers and policymakers alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Implementation of school-based physical activity (PA) programmes has proven to be difficult, particularly due to schools' focus on academic performance and lack of organisational support for PA interventions. However, physically active lessons (PA integrated into academic lessons) holds promise as a teaching method that increases children's PA levels without reducing academic time. Headteachers play a significant role in facilitating change in school, but little is known about headteachers' attitudes towards physically active lessons and their benefits. The purpose of this study was to explore headteachers' perceptions of physically active lessons, and identify factors affecting headteachers' acceptance or rejection of physically active lessons implementation.Method: A total of 29 semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with headteachers in primary and secondary schools in the city of Stavanger, Norway. Adopting a phenomenological approach, qualitative data were analysed using inductive content analysis.Results: Although most of the headteachers believed that physically active lessons could contribute positively to pupils' health and learning, only four of 29 schools decided to proceed with implementation. Physically active lessons were more likely to be adopted when the intervention addressed a clearly defined priority area at the school. Change overload and lack of in-depth knowledge of physically active lessons' function and intent appeared to be the most important factors for choosing not to implement physically active lessons.Conclusion: One of the major challenges for headteachers was deciding which of the many proposed changes the school should prioritise. If physically active lessons was to be prioritised by headteachers it is very important to communicate thoroughly to the headteachers what the schools can achieve by implementing physically active lessons and how the innovation aligns with school policies and goals. Given the flexibility inherent in physically active lessons and the schools' differing needs and priorities, it was important to emphasise to headteachers that physically active lessons could be adapted to different local school contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hellenic Journal of Research in Education / Ereuna Stīn Ekpaideusī is the property of Laboratory of Research in Pedagogy & Educational Practices and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In England, a new Education Inspection Framework (EIF) was launched in 2019. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (OfSTED) describes it as evolutionary in bringing out education improvement. Others criticise its methodology and detrimental impact on schools. This study compares the foci, evidence-collecting methods and inspection decision-making processes between the 2015 Common Inspection Framework and the 2019 EIF. Eight headteachers were interviewed about their inspection experiences. Findings show that the headteachers purposefully employed micropolitical strategies such as acquiring the support of others, creating a favourable impression, shaping discussion and decisions, weakening opposition, and hyper-enacting policy to advance organisational interests. Six out of the eight schools in this study were rated ‘Good’ under EIF. However, the EIF left the power imbalance between OfSTED and schools and fear-induced performativity unchallenged. Headteachers and teachers were forced to engage in a new game at the cost of their physical and emotional well-being. This study aims to advance knowledge of the ongoing inspection reform in England. When other countries use OfSTED frameworks as a benchmark for designing their own inspection systems, it is crucial to carefully examine the potential detrimental impact associated with the inspector-school power imbalance and fear-induced performativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]