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This article provides an Australian perspective on successful school leadership that focuses on nine case studies from the state of Victoria. The study shows the significant contributions principals make to schools, particularly in the areas of capacity building, and teaching and learning. Characteristics and qualities of the principals identified showed a common and consistent set of personal traits, behaviours, values and beliefs such as honesty, openness, flexibility, commitment, passion, empathy with others, belief that all children are important and can succeed, belief that schools can make a difference, high expectations of all, and highly developed communication skills. An intervention based model of successful school leadership is outlined that describes interventions that can impact upon student outcomes in the areas of teaching and learning, school capacity building and other influences

This chapter aims at identifying the qualities and the characteristics of successful leadership practice within the Norwegian elementary and secondary school system. We used multi-site case study methods (Yin, 1989; Day, Harris, Hadfield, Tolley, & Beresford, 2000), including quite extensive observation in twelve selected schools. We have chosen a perspective that looks at leadership as grounded in activity and interaction rather than in position or role Our findings demonstrate that successful leadership in our case schools is almost entirely practiced through collaboration and team efforts. A learning-centered approach is the focal point for the schools’ philosophy as well as for its practice. Respect for the individual student and colleague in the building of professional communities of practice seems to be a guiding norm of conduct. It involves enabling others in a way that allows them, in turn, to become enablers (Foster, 1986). These democratic principles are also values included in the national policy documents for Norwegian primary and secondary education. These principles imply that one of the main responsibilities of a school principal is to build educational institutions around central democratic values, for example, promoting equity and social justice in school as well as in the wider community. Focusing on social justice implies a concern for the welfare of others and for the dignity and rights of individuals. Therefore acting in accord with democratic values set the foundation for recognizing leadership as successful in Norwegian schools

Purpose: In this article we present the general situation in the Swedish compulsory school system and explore hypothesis about the relationship between structure, culture and leadership as preconditions for successful principalship. We outline, on the basis of earlier research, arguments that a successful principalship depend on how principals acts on structure and culture with a purpose to contribute to changes that should lead to successful schools. A successful school is defined in Swedish law and policy documents as a school that show high performance both in academic and social goals Methodology: Four different schools were chosen as successful schools. All schools have increased their academic results the last four years. If the social goals are reached, will be an empirical question in our analysis. The principals have been working in the schools for at least four years and are perceived by our informants as being successful principals Findings: The findings support our hypothesis that successful principals contribute to the success in reaching academic and social goals of their schools by their strategic work with changes of structure and culture. The principals act on structure and culture with a clear link to the opinions and culture in the school district. We find that a school can be viewed as successful of parents, students and teachers even if the social goals are not fulfilled. In conclusion, to be able to understand and work with the culture and structure of the school district, is vital for successful principalship

This chapter aims at conceptualizing and investigating the meaning of successful school principalship within the context of Danish comprehensive schools. It presents findings from case studies of eight Danish schools with more detailed analysis from two schools We outline the educational context for the Danish schools and give a short account of our point of departure for the analysis. Our perspective in this study is that leadership is about communication, decision making and community building at several levels in schools. At the beginning of the project we conducted a series of interviews with stakeholders in the schools. Later on we observed and interviewed a number of key stakeholders in the schools and that is the basis for our case studies Our findings show that although there is a high degree of consensus amongst the schools and their stakeholders, there are also different points of view. Patterns of successful leadership communication are described