Leadership preparation and development within a multi-academy trust

Abstract

There has been a large-scale structural reform of schooling in England during the 21st Century; new ‘academy schools’ have emerged, the organisation of which differs to schooling in the latter half of the 20th Century. These new schools are independent of the middle tier of local government, the Local Authority, and are often grouped within a multi-academy trust (MAT). This article is a case study of two academy schools within a single MAT. Interviews were held with three participants, two principals and a MAT senior representative. The schools differed in their range of leadership preparation and development (LPD) but welcome practice is indicated particularly within one school with a specific emphasis on middle leader development. The paper concludes that if LPD is important for successful schools, then quality assurance systems for LPD within MATs need to be in place and its provision ought not to be left to the marketplace.