Extreme Headship

About the Book

Extreme Headship: A Case Study in Educational Leadership and School Improvement

In 1993 Phil McNulty took over the Headship of Shorefields Community Comprehensive School, the County Secondary School for Toxteth, Liverpool.

The organisation was in the direst of circumstances.

The school had a falling roll, poor exam results, completely dilapidated buildings, financial problems and the worst case of governor abuse of their new powers in the country.

The catchment area included some of the most deprived areas in Western Europe. There was little support from the LEA, opposition from other schools, problems with staff, daily intrusions, nightly break-ins and racially divided warring gangs on the streets.

This book describes how he moved the school from an intake of 45 to 210, from the brink of closure to oversubscription and, on the way, attracted sponsorship, national recognition, huge technological investment and the capability to refurbish or rebuild the entire school.

Phil McNulty has advised Her Majesty's Inspectorate and the Prime Minister as the head of a school succeeding in challenging circumstances.

He has presented the management problem of 'turning around' a failing school to groups of businessmen and women through the national Common Purpose programme.

His case study Extreme Headship is of relevance and importance to all those in leadership and senior management positions inside and outside of education. It is written chronologically to highlight an incremental approach to problem solving. Significant leadership issues are emphasised in the text for ease of reference. A summary of the strategies employed in tackling the key organisational problems is provided at the end of each section.

Reviews

The book is a vivid description of what it was like to be the head of a "written off" school in the most challenging inner-city surroundings during the ten or so years either side of the millennium. Against the odds, McNulty and his colleagues turned Shore fields from a school with fewer than 50 pupils entering year 7 to one with an intake of more than 200.
- Tim Brighouse, Chief Adviser for the London Schools Challenge

Extreme Headship is being recommended for our MA Educational Leadership and Management Programme.
-- Dr. Len Newton, Associate Professor, Director of Postgraduate Advanced Taught Courses, The University of Nottingham

On reading the text, I found Extreme Headship both informative and useful - and eminently readable. I subsequently recommended it to students on the MA in Educational Leadership programme, to those on Leadership modules within our Master's in Education programme, and to colleagues in the Centre for Educational Leadership at Kelsick on our Ambleside campus, as being one of the core texts on their reading lists.
- Helen Channon, CPD Centre, Faculty of Education, St. Martin's College, Lancaster

I read the book over Christmas and couldn't put it down - really excellent! Consequently we will be recommending it to all out MA Leadership students.
- Robert Smedley, Dean of Faculty of Education, Edge Hill College of Higher Education

I have read Extreme Headship and I will recommend it and add it to the recommended reading list for a number of modules I am responsible for in our MA programme, such as Managing Change, Leadership and Management in Education. It certainly provides a fascinating case study of leadership in action, which students will respond and react to.
- Mike Aiello, Liverpool John Moores University

Anyone considering taking up management, inside or outside of education, should read this book.
- Rodger Lafferty, Chair - South Liverpool Community Crime Prevention Panel

This is the only contemporary, longitudinal, study of headship by a member of the profession. It is essential; reading for policy makers and that implementing government policy.
- Peter Desmond, The Centre for Quality in Education and the Community

The book is of great value and should be available to everyone entering teaching not just the managers.
- Roger Sanderson, author and ex-teacher

I am recommending the book to students researching within the field of Educational Leadership. This will be addressed in modules on the MSC in Leadership in Education, the MBA in Leadership and Management in Education and MA in Leadership in Learning. The book may also be helpful to students for their dissertations and to some doctoral students when appropriate.
- Alison Taysum, Programme Leader, The University of Leicester

Extreme Headship is being recommended to students on our MA in Education (Leading Learning) programme.
-Dr Hazel Lawson, University of Plymouth

I will recommend this book - especially to a new cohort we are starting, of senior leaders in the independent sector. It's a very useful text, alongside others. I am also recommending it for next year's usual Masters intake - the current ones have looked at it and like it.
- Jan Betts, Course Leader (Pg cert, PG dip, MSc Leadership and Management), Carnegie Hall, Leeds Metropolitan University

I made this recommendation to about 140 trainees in February when delivering a lecture which included factors which can make some schools more successful when working in challenging circumstances. Some interest was immediately shown by trainees and I will add the book to the reading list for this lecture.
- Ian Shaw, Med Programme Director, University of Hull

We are recommending Extreme Headship to our MA, Educational Leadership and Innovation students.
- Dr Chris Chapman, University of Warwick Institute of Education

We will certainly have this book on our reading lists. (MBA School Leadership)
- Prof. David Hopkins, HSBC iNet Chair of International Leadership, University of London Institute of Education

I coordinate the University of Cambridge Joint Initiative Master of Education course in association with Essex LA and also lecture on the Educational Leadership and School Improvement module of the Faculty's modular MEd. The book is being recommended to students on both courses.
- Dr Dave Pedder, Faculty of Education, Cambridge University

Extreme Headship will go on our Education Management MA reading list in September.
- Dr Chris Winch, Department of Educational and Professional Studies, King's College London

I have already recommended this book to students on my Educational Leadership and Management MA course and will do so with the new cohort. Phil McNulty is a local Head well known to our students.
- Dr Anne Qualter, The University of Liverpool

We are recommending Extreme Headship for our MA Education Studies programme. It will appear on reading lists for September.
- David Littlefair, Northumbria University

About the Author

Phil McNulty has spent the bulk of his working life in educational and community management. As the head of Shorefields Technology College, Liverpool, he had extensive experience of operational and strategic planning and delivery and all other aspects of leadership and management in a large complex organisation. His role also involved working within the corporate arrangements of a Local Authority. Phil had a pivotal part in the development of three major local projects ­ an Education Action Zone, a City Learning Centre and the Liverpool PFI (Private Finance Initiative). For 12 years he worked on initiatives around community regeneration, capacity building and sustainability in the Dingle/Toxteth area. He has a particular concern for issues of equality and diversity.