Fostering Learning and Sustained Improvement: The Influence of Principalship

• Published in: European educational research journal EERJ Vol. 8; no. 3; pp. 359 - 371
• Main Authors: Møller, Jorunn, Vedøy, Gunn, Presthus, Anne Marie, Skedsmo, Guri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-09-2009; Symposium Journals
• Subjects: Administrator Behavior; Administrator Effectiveness; Followup Studies; Leadership; Principals; School Policy
• ISSN: 1474-9041; 1474-9041
• DOI: 10.2304/eerj.2009.8.3.359

This article reports on selected findings from the project ‘Revisiting Successful Principals’. The authors revisited some of the schools which participated in the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP) five years ago. In this article they focus on how the principals are positioning themselves as leaders, and how they are involved in the construction of a public self, while responding to questions about fostering learning and sustained improvement. The study confirms that a principal may have a significant influence on a school's policy and in particular the preferred strategies. In addition, the study revealed that, despite the new expectations which are raised towards schools in society, there was also extensive continuity at the local school.