Primary Heads as Teachers: Educating the School through Assemblies

It was fashionable in the 1980s and early 1990s to see primary headteachers as managers. Their preparation and their work were frequently discussed in these terms, and it was in this capacity that they featured in many books and government publications (Bell, 1988; Dean, 1987; Department of Education and Science, 1990; Webb and Vulliamy, 1996). More recently, attention has switched to their role as leaders (Teacher Training Agency, 1998). Both views are important. Both are partial. Neither does justice to the fact that many primary heads continue to identify themselves as teachers (Southworth, 1995). They do not regard themselves solely as managers or leaders, but still willingly retain strong connection with their pedagogical roots. In their own eyes, they are educators who have moved into a different milieu but who continue to teach. ¹