between schools to keep talent within the authority. They might organise more
networking between leaders. Secondments should be to places other than just failing
schools.
...'Equity' of collaboration and interaction with all schools, not just those in challenging
circumstances, was called for by some middle leaders (n=8) and some classroom teachers
(n=7) if a role in retention was to be successfully fulfilled by the LA. As in the focus group
phase, some classroom teachers (n=12) additionally perceived a role for LA officers in
targeting the 'early professional development' (EPD) of young staff and helping to
individually develop their leadership talent as a means to assist retention. One classroom
teacher from a primary school wrote:
...Younger staff need to know that there is a future for them in the school and in the
authority. They need development and support from an early stage. Perhaps the
authority staff and senior leaders in schools could be better trained in issues relating
to the retention of leadership talent.
...Some classroom teachers (n=28) also thought that LA officers should be active in supporting
and facilitating 'reward' in terms of internal promotion within schools for those with
leadership talent and that this would have direct infiuence upon their retention.
Findings from Extended Interview with a Senior Local Education
Authority Officer
...The senior officer interviewed strongly perceived retention issues to be the same for leaders
and potential leaders as for all teaching staff. He maintained that retention of all staff formed
the 'base level' of the authority efforts, and he strongly contended that retention of all staff
starts at the time of initial recruitment. For example, he suggested:
...Retention is related to people rather than the role; it starts before you take up the post
with preparation prior to take up and then support whilst in the post.
He commented that there are, of course, some people who are retained who do not want to
progress in leadership, and so it is important that they be kept motivated in their current post.
In offering support to existing leaders, potential leaders and to all teachers, he talked about
the 'gap' between their knowledge, skills and their aspirations and how the LA might assist
in closing this gap to effect better job satisfaction and continued motivation, saying:
....If you do not have these, you can forget retention.
He talked about the need to value people and described many LA programmes offering
support, for example, to newly qualified teachers and deputy heads and also the provision of
career clinics for all teaching and leadership staff. He focused on the importance of partnership
and collaboration between the LA and schools, indicating that the school knows its own
context best and so working with them the LA can help as an enabler in recruitment and the
retention of leadership talent. The officer also elaborated that one way in which leadership
talent could be identified was via the LA's own leadership programmes, which offer