Coming January 2026
Succeeding as a Deputy Head
Bloomsbury Education
Pre-orders for this book will open soon and you'll be able to order directly from this page as well as Bloomsbury and all good book stores.
Mission
There is this huge paradox between an education system that is obsessed with accountability and judgement and a society that is increasingly demanding support and development.
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It stands, therefore, that Deputy Heads - who occupy the position below the person who is actually setting the culture - are in the perfect position to help bridge that paradox between being ambitiously demanding and realistically supportive.
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We believe the answer lies in the concept of decency in leadership and the challenge of acting with morality and respectability in all decision making, even when human nature and external pressures urge the opposite. The reward of this decency is authentic, sustainable leadership that inspires high expectations with the psychological safety of people-centred leadership.
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Vision
Succeeding as … a Deputy Head will attempt to unpack what this concept really means in the context of the daily work of a Deputy Head and, in the spirit of the series, will include professional perspectives from prominent educational leaders, opportunities for self-reflection and top tips.
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Using case studies (anonymised but based in truth) and practical examples blended with academic research, Succeeding as … a Deputy Head will seek to lend a unique voice to the ever-growing leadership debate and will be perfect for current deputies those that aspire to leadership and, ultimately, bridging the paradox.
Our
Contributors
We are delighted that the following teachers, leaders and educators will be contributing the the book in our professional perspectives sections in each chapter:
Sally Alexander MBE
Lorna Weatherby
Gwyn Ap Harri
Hannah Abbis
Sam Gibbs
Lekha Sharma
Andrew Percival
Anna Woodcock
Shirley Puxty
Josh Goodrich
Guy Shears
Claire Hoods-Truman
Swabra Lloyd
Nigel Pattinson
Sam Strickland
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All contributors are subject to availability and final editorial decisions