Head Teacher’s Decision Making on Academy Conversion: Leading in Times of Change

Awarded ECR grant (2017) by University of Hertfordshire for £3031 to cover transcription and impact event. Awarded Managing Complex Change business school research theme grant (2017) for £1420 to cover impact event, marketing and administrative support.

In a demanding and pressurized environment head teachers must act to ensure both short term success and long term sustainability. While guidance on academisation encourages close reflection on strategic alignment and internal capacity building the rapid pace of change, together with uncertainties around timescales, financial support and performance measurement, invoke a scenario for many schools framed by the seemingly binary decision as to whether to jump or be pushed into academisation. Yet, faced with such substantial diversity in local strategic conditions, and options, the decisions facing head teachers are far from binary, and little is known or understood about the drivers of strategic decision making amongst school head teachers. The project explores head teachers' experiences, perspectives and decision making in relation to academisation in the region. In doing so the project contributes to understanding strategizing within government policy frameworks and local education contexts, focusing on strategic capability, accountability and control.