Shared principalship of schools: a way to control workload and reduce stress?

Abstract

This thesis is about shared principalship of schools. The key focus is upon the ways co-principals share or divide their responsibilities and workload and the effect this has on their daily working lives. The research question is 'In what ways does sharing a principal's job impact upon their workload?' The research design is that of a qualitative case study, based in a critical theory paradigm and employing a feminist approach. Telephone interviews and case study observations were used to gather information; participants were involved in the analysis of the data. Key findings were that for some co-principals, sharing their jobs meant they had more time for family and other interests. For others, the job did not take less of their time, but they were spending it differently; they were better informed about their school, some chose to spend more time teaching, they were able to be more reflective. Those who had established their co-principalships with the intention of reducing their workload had been largely successful in doing so. For all of them sharing the leadership of their schools had been instrumental in reducing the stress and loneliness of the principals' job. It is suggested that readier access to the option of shared principalship could help overcome the problems recruiting and retaining principals some schools are currently experiencing.