ABSTRACT
The term 'middle leader' is a relatively new addition to the education lexicon drifting down from the language of senior leadership and ultimately deriving from corporate culture. In strict terms, there is very little difference between leadership and management. In practice, leadership is all about winning the hearts and minds of colleagues and taking them towards a shared vision; management is largely concerned with administration. The trick, as always, is to achieve a balance between management and leadership. Effective middle leaders are able to combine administrative efficiency and attention to detail with a constant and powerful focus on teaching and learning. Administration is regarded not merely as paperwork but as the scaffold supporting the creation and maintenance of the learning culture. Successful middle leaders don't neglect administrative tasks to focus on pedagogy; they understand that administrative tasks provide the foundations for the effective practice of teaching.
