Product reviews for Leadership with a Moral Purpose

Targeted at primary heads, new and well-established, and those aspiring to headship, Leadership with a Moral Purpose is part of the Independent Thinking Series written by highly innovative education practitioners. It is written from the premise that there must be something more than this and offers ideas, techniques, tools and direction to transform schools inside-out. It also aims to inspire heart-and-soul based leadership. The fundamental argument put forward is that schools are run to too many external agendas and priorities.

The concept of an -˜inside-out' school is a recurring theme throughout the book. Will Ryan portrays leadership with a moral purpose as more of a campaign rather than simply a book and suggests that it offers primary school leaders a key aid in creating a three-year vision for the future.

The development of an -˜inside-out vision' is applied to practice both within and outside of the classroom. The notion is employed in relation to features of practice that embrace curriculum provision, teaching and learning, inclusion, social and emotional aspects of learning, positive attitudes, professional learning communities, leadership and parents as partners. Taking control of situations creatively is a constant theme across all chapters with -˜creativity' a much-used word. -˜Creating a vision' for all these features figures in the headings to the individual chapters.

Each chapter starts with a scene-setting prologue telling a story as a reality check as to everyday issues and pressures faced by schools. These prologues provide a stimulating basis and rationale for thinking about things differently and developmentally, leading to the construction of highly practical three-year visions for change. The visioning offers systems and approaches as well as targets and milestones such as how much progress might be expected in one year Specific success criteria are also proposed.

The practical nature of leadership with a moral purpose is reinforced with several useful tools and materials along with some interesting case studies. It is also well illustrated with easyto-use charts and diagrams that exemplify how an -˜inside-out vision' is inculcated. All of the materials have been used in schools acclaimed by Ofsted inspectors.

Thus, leadership with a moral purpose can be seen as a highly relevant guidance that pinpoints a large number of key improvement drivers to take schools and their communities forward in innovative and pertinent ways. Delivery of the ideas in Leadership with a Moral Purpose will ensure compliance with the five outcomes of Every Child Matters.

Moral purpose, of course, is a concept very much in vogue and one propagated by leading educational thinkers, practitioners and even by the secretary of state who, in speeches, has talked about the concept as one of the bases to maximising children's and schools' potential.

This book represents a timely prompt to heads to be confident about carrying out actions that they believe to be right for children, staff and the community.

Leadership with a Moral Purpose is both a manual and an aspiration for a makeover of primary schooling. The author offers compelling and convincing arguments for a richer vision of primary education than can be found in some initiatives coming from governments over the last 20 years. He writes from personal experience as a long-serving head and from working with others in Rotherham schools as a school improvement adviser. The book has been very well received and praised by several top educationalists including Michael Fullan, all of which adds to the notion of making Leadership with a Moral Purpose essential reading.