Restructuring: The Key to Effective School Management

by Blandford,Sonia

• ISBN13: 9780415202176
• ISBN10: 0415202175
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-08-17
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Central to the theory and practice of restructuring in schools is the concept that change in one area will inevitably affect all aspects of the school's management. This book provides an introduction to and analysis of this concept. It includes detailed case-study material which analyzes the theory, considers the real people involved, and offers practical solutions to the problems of understanding and managing restructuring.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations	ix
Foreword	xi
Acknowledgements	xiii
Abbreviations	xiv
Introduction: Why restructuring?	1	(5)
Organisation and management in post-war schools	6	(14)
Introduction	6	(1)
Grammar schools and early comprehensives	6	(1)
Organisation in the early comprehensives	7	(1)
The school as an organisation	8	(1)
The development of organisational theory and practice	8	(3)
The curriculum explosion	11	(1)
The growth of participative management	12	(2)
The growth of parental involvement	14	(1)
Towards a policy for in-service education	14	(2)
The introduction of appraisal	16	(1)
The governance of schools	17	(1)
The growth of centralised control	18	(2)
School improvement and school effectiveness	20	(15)
Introduction	20	(1)
Defining school improvement	21	(1)
Defining school effectiveness	22	(1)
Reconciling the two fields of study	23	(3)
The notion of effective leadership	26	(3)
Competence-based approaches	29	(2)
Team culture and effective schools	31	(1)
Quality in education	31	(3)
The effective school as a learning organisation	34	(1)
Conclusion	34	(1)
Transforming schools through restructuring	35	(18)
Introduction	35	(1)
Forces for change	36	(2)
Making the effective-school movement more effective	38	(1)
Defining restructuring	38	(5)
Choice as a feature of restructuring	43	(2)
The dimensions of restructuring	45	(5)
External monitoring and inspection	50	(1)
The growth and diversification of restructuring	51	(2)
Choosing the appropriate research methodology	53	(11)
Introduction	53	(1)
Applying Conley's dimensions of restructuring	54	(1)
Choosing the case study schools	54	(1)
The concerns-based approach	54	(7)
Interviewing the headteacher	61	(1)
Interviewing staff	62	(1)
The scattergram	62	(1)
The focused interview	62	(1)
Summary of the research stages	63	(1)
West Town Lane Infants School	64	(15)
Introduction	64	(1)
Developments in organisation and management	64	(4)
Stages of Concern interviews	68	(9)
Summary	77	(2)
Kates Hill School	79	(20)
Introduction	79	(1)
Developments in organisation and management	80	(1)
The GRASP® innovation	81	(3)
High Scope	84	(1)
The Just School Project	84	(2)
Quality control and BS 5750	86	(2)
Stages of Concern interviews	88	(8)
Summary	96	(3)
Risca Primary School	99	(16)
Introduction	99	(1)
Mission statement	100	(1)
The school development plan	100	(2)
The curriculum	102	(1)
Investors in People (IIP)	102	(1)
The Times Educational Supplement Awards	103	(1)
Home---community links	103	(1)
Stages of Concern interviews	104	(9)
Summary	113	(2)
Peers School	115	(14)
Introduction	115	(1)
Staffing and management structures	116	(2)
Assessment	118	(1)
Outreach	119	(1)
Stages of Concern interviews	119	(8)
Summary	127	(2)
Risca Comprehensive School	129	(14)
Introduction	129	(1)
Developments in organisation and management	129	(1)
Staffing	130	(1)
Parents	131	(1)
Governors	132	(1)
Stages of Concern interviews	132	(9)
Summary	141	(2)
Assessing the case studies	143	(21)
Introduction	143	(1)
Roles	144	(7)
Relationships	151	(6)
Rules	157	(3)
Results	160	(3)
Summary	163	(1)
Restructuring: conclusions from the case studies	164	(13)
Introduction	164	(1)
The distinctive features of the restructuring school	164	(3)
Restructuring and centralised decision making	167	(1)
School governing bodies and restructuring	167	(2)
Change agents in restructuring	169	(3)
Pitfalls in restructuring	172	(1)
The lack of knowledge about restructuring	173	(1)
Will new structures stay restructured?	174	(2)
Endpiece	176	(1)
Bibliography	177	(8)
Index	185