The Role of The Teaching Headteacher: A Question of Support?

Source: Teaching and Teacher Education, Volume 25, Issue 3, April 2009, P. 482-489

This paper reports findings from a study of 100 headteachers of very small Scottish primary schools. The main goal of the research was to follow up a sample of those schools that had participated in a larger study of all small schools in Scotland in 1996 to explore the role of the teaching headteacher. Evidence for this follow up study was collected from a postal survey and from interviews in nine case study schools. The research found that although the dual role of the teaching headteacher remained largely unchanged, pressures have increased while the available support is still perceived to be inadequate.