This project aimed to focus in on the analysis of how professional identities are constructed through practice. This was done by undertaking research in five case study schools over a year in three stages: (1) an overview of the leadership structure and processes through interviews with key people; (2) an examination of the decision making and professional practice processes regarding a school specific project; and (3) an analysis of staff approaches to decision making and practice through the use of Q methodology and debrief interviews. Modernisation of public service provision has generated a set of leadership imperatives for the delivery of reform in schools. The aim of this project is to develop the existing knowledge base relating to how school leaders, teachers and other educational practitioners are handling this major intervention in their working lives through a focus upon distributed leadership. The research will focus on five secondary schools and data collection methods will include interviews, questionnaires and observations. Research participants in each school will be interviewed about distributed leadership and asked to complete a related questionnaire. Research participants will also be observed acting in management and leadership roles at school. Based upon findings from the above the Project intends to develop rich descriptions of school organisational practice in specific school contexts. By knowing more about the distributed school leadership the intention of the Project is to contribute to debates and the development of strategies about how organisational arrangements might be created to support and enable learners. It is also intended to contribute to debates and strategies relating to the leadership of teachers and to better understand the limits and possibilities for distributed leadership.

Five case study schools were used with face to face interviews and observations of key people. An analysis of staff approaches to decision making and practice through the use of Q methodology and debrief interviews was conducted also.