Headstrong: 11 Lessons of School Leadership

Dame Sally Coates is currently named in Britain's 500 most influential people by Debrett's. She has gained a national profile through speaking at the 2011 Conservative Party Conference and by chairing the government's Teachers' Standards review. She regularly speaks at educational conferences in the UK and overseas and appears frequently on national news media discussing educational policy. Dame Sally became principal of Burlington Danes in 2008, when just 35% of students gained the national benchmark of 5A-C grades at GCSE. This figure now stands at nearly 80%, and the school has won national awards in recognition of this transformation. In September 2014 Dame Sally joined United Learning, the largest chain of academies in England, as Director of their southern academies. In 2012 she was made Dame Commander of the British Empire.

CONTENTSIntroduction: The tragedy of a failing schoolLesson 1: Lead from the frontLesson 2: Be courageous: have high expectations of allLesson 3: Create a professional culture of good will and mutual supportLesson 4: Let teachers teachLesson 5: Establish a culture of transparency and accountabilityLesson 6: Treat students as individuals and provide personalised interventionLesson 7: Create clear systems and structuresLesson 8: Cultivate a bullet-proof culture and ethosLesson 9: Develop the whole childLesson 10: Schools don't operate in a vacuumLesson 11: The pebble and the mountainConclusion: Headstrong

Richard Garner, the Independent: "Dame Sally Coates' book is a must read for all those involved in improving standards in inner city schools - exceptionally readable."; Michael Gove: "A great headteacher" (Conservative Party Conference 2011); Toby Young in the Telegraph, October 2011: "Burlington Danes in Shepherd's Bush is a fantastic comprehensive, one that's been completely transformed by the leadership of its excellent headmistress Sally Coates."