ABSTRACT
Most effective headteachers are good at thinking strategically. In other words, they have a broad vision of where the school is and where they want it to be. At the same time, they are constantly developing ideas, absorbing information from colleagues within the school and from outside which influences how they plan to make improvements. They are able to focus on the ‘big picture’ and set challenging goals to help them get where they want to go. During this process, they need to create a positive ethos and this is the starting point, because without it heads and teachers can work, innovate and manage change until they drop, and the school will still be much less effective than it should be. Schools, and the structures and organisations within them, need to be able to develop attitudes that will not only help pupils learn but will show them how to do it and how to continue to want to learn.
