Who really runs the school - head teachers or governors? What do pupils think of their leaders and should they have a bigger role in school leadership? Is the United Kingdom obsessed with discipline and `strong leadership′ as others suggest? Is New Public Management an insidious undermining of what is important and valuable in the UK educational system?

The answers to these and other questions present surprises and challenges to the way things are seen in the UK. This book provides evidence from other countries that raises many questions about effective leadership and how it is seen from different viewpoints, and examines the issues in a political context and in relation to a changing world scene.