Kay Fuller
University of Nottingham, School of Education, Faculty Member
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The ‘moral imperative ’ of school leadership has been identified as seeking to bring about social justice in ensuring all children are given the opportunity to succeed in education. Empirical research among 18 headteachers in a single... more
The ‘moral imperative ’ of school leadership has been identified as seeking to bring about social justice in ensuring all children are given the opportunity to succeed in education. Empirical research among 18 headteachers in a single local education authority in the English Midlands shows that some headteachers simultaneously work within a managerialist system and beyond it to promote people-oriented values. Eight approaches to pupil diversity are identified here that demonstrate the degree to which some headteachers are willing to resist aspects of managerialism to ensure that diversity is not only catered for but is also celebrated. Headteachers are shown to draw on their personal values and histories in their exercise of headship.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The United Kingdom Equality Act (2010) is designed to protect nine characteristics from discrimination: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and... more
The United Kingdom Equality Act (2010) is designed to protect nine characteristics from discrimination: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. A public sector duty requires local authorities to give "due regard to the desirability of exercising [its functions] in a way that is designed to reduce the inequalities of outcome which result from socio-economic disadvantage" (HM Government, 2010, Part 1, 1.1). Despite historic and current legislation designed to ensure sex equality in education and employment, in England and elsewhere in the UK, women continue to be underrepresented in secondary school headship (principalship) in all four home countries of the United Kingdom (Fuller, 2013). There is considerable regional variation within England where, in 2010, women held headship posts in high proportions of schools in Luton, a non-metropolitan district (83.3%); Knowsle...
Research Interests:
From its first conference held in Rome in 2007, when members of Women Leading Education (WLE) began profiling the progress, successes, and challenges of women leaders internationally and offering theories to expand our understanding of... more
From its first conference held in Rome in 2007, when members of Women Leading Education (WLE) began profiling the progress, successes, and challenges of women leaders internationally and offering theories to expand our understanding of women in leadership, we have had the opportunity not only to meet together at our bi-yearly conferences as scholars and practitioners face-to-face, but to extend our work beyond them. Numerous research initiatives, conference presentations, and publications have resulted from the collaboration of WLE colleagues.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Acknowledgements List of tables 1. Context and Rationale 2. Gender and Educational Leadership 3. Values-led Leadership 4. What Diversity Means to Headteachers: Gender 5. What Diversity Means to Headteachers: Social Class 6. What Diversity... more
Acknowledgements List of tables 1. Context and Rationale 2. Gender and Educational Leadership 3. Values-led Leadership 4. What Diversity Means to Headteachers: Gender 5. What Diversity Means to Headteachers: Social Class 6. What Diversity Means to Headteachers: Ethnicity 7. Conclusion References Appendices Index
Research Interests:
The underrepresentation of women in secondary school headship in England and elsewhere is an early and longstanding theme in the women and gender in educational leadership literature. The purpose of this article is to report findings from... more
The underrepresentation of women in secondary school headship in England and elsewhere is an early and longstanding theme in the women and gender in educational leadership literature. The purpose of this article is to report findings from a statistical survey of secondary school head teachers across England. Data available in the public domain on school websites have been collated during a single academic year to present a new picture of where women lead secondary schools in England. Mapping the distribution of women by local authority continues to show considerable unevenness across the country. This article argues that a geographical perspective still has value. It might influence the mobilization of resources to targeted areas and ultimately result in women’s proportionate representation in school leadership. Alongside this is a need for schools and academy trusts to comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In this paper I explore how a woman secondary school headteacher and her colleagues talk about her gendered headship. To facilitate and contextualise the semi-structured interviews, participants were asked to categorise a range of... more
In this paper I explore how a woman secondary school headteacher and her colleagues talk about her gendered headship. To facilitate and contextualise the semi-structured interviews, participants were asked to categorise a range of attributes and qualities that have been seen as 'masculine' or 'feminine'. They attempted to plot their perceptions of her gendered headship on a continuum from 'extremely masculine' to 'extremely feminine' in relation to her appearance and interactions in various contexts. Their talk, as they explained and illustrated their thinking, reveals that even from a dualist starting point many have an understanding of the fluid nature of complex, subjective, gendered identities. The rejection of binary notions of gender by some participants disrupts the perpetuation of gender as a dualist concept. In particular, the headteacher forces open a space in which to consider the complexity of her own gendered headship.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The ‘moral imperative’ of school leadership has been identified as seeking to bring about social justice in ensuring all children are given the opportunity to succeed in education. Empirical research among 18 headteachers in a single... more
The ‘moral imperative’ of school leadership has been identified as seeking to bring about social justice in ensuring all children are given the opportunity to succeed in education. Empirical research among 18 headteachers in a single local education authority in the English Midlands shows that some headteachers simultaneously work within a managerialist system and beyond it to promote people-oriented values. Eight approaches to pupil diversity are identified here that demonstrate the degree to which some headteachers are willing to resist aspects of managerialism to ensure that diversity is not only catered for but is also celebrated. Headteachers are shown to draw on their personal values and histories in their exercise of headship.