Read the DCSF practical guide, Learning From Experience: Schools commissioning by local authorities.
Collaborative leadership in extended schools: leading in a multi-agency environment (2006) 
(2.3Mb, 76 pages)
This report provides advice and guidance to leaders in schools on addressing the issues associated with multi-agency working. It draws upon the experiences and perspectives of a number of individuals in schools and their partner organisations with an established track record in collaboration, and also includes the main findings from a review of literature in this field.
A printed version, priced £10, is aailable by clicking the button below.
ECM Premium Project: school leadership, Every Child Matters and school standards – summary report (2008) (75kb, 13 pages)
The specific aims of the project were to identify the evidence base for a link between ECM and improvements in school standards (commonly known as ‘the ECM Premium‘) and to identify the nature and quality of leadership that underpinned it.
ECM Premium Project: school leadership, Every Child Matters and school standards – full report (200kb, 43 pages)
(Download only)
ECM premium project School leadership, Every Child Matters and school standards case studies (2008) (251kb, 45 pages)
The ECM Premium Project was a study to identify the evidence base for a link between the Every Child Matters (ECM) agenda and improvements in school standards, and to identify the nature and quality of leadership that underpins it. These case studies form part of a suite of resources resulting from the project.
(Download only)
ECM Premium Project school leadership, Every Child Matters and school standards. Levers for leaders and learning: a toolkit for leadership development in extended schools (2008) (269kb, 36 pages)
This is a resource drawn from the outcomes of research into the identification of the evidence base for a link between Every Child Matters (ECM) and improvements in school standards. Its primary focus is on the core values and purposes of extended schools, how these are realised in practice and how they may become integral to improvement planning.
ECM: leading challenge workshops (2007) (1.4Mb, 24 pages)
This publication is designed to provide you with the tools and techniques needed to run your own challenge workshop. It will take you through the development and design of a workshop, giving you an insight into some of the national and local challenge workshops that took place during the challenge workshop year.
(Download only)
ECM: why it matters to leaders (2006) (485kb, 36 pages)
This publication outlines the importance of the ECM agenda for all school leaders and shares opportunities for your leadership development in this area. In it, school leaders talk about their direct experience of leading schools offering access to extended services as part of their commitment to Every Child Matters.
A printed copy is available free of charge by clicking on the order button below.
Every Child Matters: how school leaders in extended schools respond to local needs (2007) (828kb, 8 pages)
This report describes the findings of research into how school leaders contextualised the principles of Every Child Matters (ECM) and the leadership of extended schools for their local area. It explores how school leaders aligned ECM, extended schools and standards agendas, the ways in which school leaders adapted ECM for their own context and investigated whether responses to the principles of ECM varied according to the socio-economic levels of the community that the school served.
Full report (1.4Mb, 57 pages)
(Download only)
Healthy body healthy mind: how headteachers are managing their schools to help improve children’s health (2008) (79kb, 6 pages)
Barry Dawson, Colleen Taylor, Gordon Schoefield, Marie Egerton-Jones
This study focuses on the way headteachers are managing their schools in response to the challenge of promoting children’s health as well as delivering higher standards. It aims to highlight successful strategies implemented in a variety of settings in order to enable others to adapt and reflect on practice. It also makes recommendations for school leaders’ agencies seeking to improve children’s health.
Healthy body healthy mind – full report (369kb, 18 pages)
Indicators of a school’s contribution to well-being. NCSL events in support of the Ofsted/DCSF Consultation (2009) (112kb, 8 pages)
Ofsted has recently managed a consultation exercise on behalf of DCSF into proposed well-being indicators for pupil well-being. NCSL commissioned consultant Dr Denis Mongon to summarise key issues raised during a series of events and online consultations at which school leaders were invited to provide direct feedback to Ofsted.
(Download only)
Leading under pressure: leadership for social inclusion (2007)
This study looked at leadership issues in relation to social inclusion, through a series of six case studies in three districts showing high levels of disadvantage. We interviewed the head, senior managers, middle managers, classroom teachers, pupils and where possible, parents.
(294kb, 4 pages) (440kb, 31 pages) (285kb, 15 pages)The summary is available to order as a printed copy, free of charge.
Lessons from the extended school (2006) (364kb, 32 pages)
Extended schools are intended to ensure improved access to a range of services for children and their families, moving towards a focus on the needs of the whole child. This is one of a number of documents that explore in more detail the implications of extended schools for their leaders.
A printed version is available, priced £5.
Realising leadership: children’s centre leaders in action (741kb, 52 pages)
This report studies the impact of the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership (NPQICL) on children’s centre leaders and their centre.
(Download only)
School Improvement Planning Framework (2008)
A suite of tools and techniques designed to help schools take their planning, strategic thinking and implementation to the next level. For more information and to order your copy, go to www.tda.gov.uk/schoolimprovement.
What we are learning about: leadership of Every Child Matters (2008) (296kb, 30 pages)
This paper focuses on current knowledge and thinking about Every Child Matters and school leadership. Its findings are summarised in six key messages.
What we are learning about: leadership of Every Child Matters – summary report (2008) (73kb, 11 pages)
A printed copy of the summary report is available free of charge by clicking on the order button below.
The Every Child Matters and Standards agenda has brought a fresh challenge to school leaders. The practical application of Every Child Matters (ECM) and Standards has raised many issues as it relies on multi-agency working. This presents challenges both in terms of day-to-day leadership and management and in merging the cultures of different sectors. NCSL is working hard to find the best strategies of leading this agenda and to share good practice and knowledge throughout the school system.
The publications in this section are about, and related to, ECM and the Standards agenda.