This paper argues that studies of middle leaders have focused too much on their functions and characteristics, taking insufficient account of the influence of social and political contexts on leaders' choices of actions. Use of the analytical framework of Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1998) can address this oversight, but it pays insufficient…

Acknowledges the importance of the secondary department head's role in schoolwide change and outlines tensions and middle-management dilemmas. Analyzes the dynamic between leadership and culture within the departmental context. Heads of departments play a major role in managing cultural change and can make a difference in departmental performance.…

This paper considers the possible nature and membership of learning communities in schools and what evidence there may be of middle leaders trying to develop and sustain learning communities with their colleagues, even though these communities encompass asymmetrical power relationships between members. Although it is argued that students and…