P1 highlights the necessity for ongoing quality never just settle for what “you might be good echoes of Obama (2007), good enough” (P1/64), “better isn’t She cautions against allowing the development of a narrow focus on enough”. literacy and numeracy scores and putting us danger of losing so much of what “in is good about our system and the breadth in (ibid). She has created a that’s it” culture involving an accessible principal, accessible teachers, ‘open’ policy, uncomfortable for teachers who come from more rigid systems. Pupils and parents alike had reacted positively leading to a dynamic school community. The generous response from parents that been doing the right “affirms you’ve thing” (P1/68), in (1993a) parlance, right rather than Starratt’s ‘doing things’ ‘doing things right’. All of our principals would in one way or another share the purposes and the values outlined by P4 when he described his school as a springboard where are enabled to be able to forge ahead in life and to avail of all of “children life’s This focus on children as central to the value system and opportunities” (P4/42). moral purpose of the school while unsurprising is nevertheless overwhelming in the voices of the principals and it is to this aspect I will turn now. 4.5.4.2 Children Questions on what are the high points in your principalship and what do you like most evoked responses that almost universally included remarks about children. The central place of children is prominent throughout all the conversations, for example: are our first “children responsibility” (P4/90, (P2/82), (P1/102); “happy (P3/54), (P11/22, 64, 90), (P10/74). P1 develops the concept of first children” responsibility to the children; she talks of a and stable and nurturing “safe educational (P1/102), she talks of smiling children in the environment” schoolyard as a success indicator and she talks of the aspiration of those children potential in that partnership between you as a school and their achieving “their parents and their homes. And that you have to get that balance (ibid). The right”
P1 highlights the necessity for ongoing quality “you never just settle for what might be good enough” (P1/64), echoes of Obama (2007), “better isn’t good enough”. She cautions against allowing the development of a narrow focus on literacy and numeracy scores and putting us “in danger of losing so much of what is good about our system and the breadth that’s in it” (ibid). She has created a culture involving an ‘open’ policy, accessible principal, accessible teachers, uncomfortable for teachers who come from more rigid systems. Pupils and parents alike had reacted positively leading to a dynamic school community. The generous response from parents “affirms that you’ve been doing the right thing” (P1/68), in Starratt’s (1993a) parlance, ‘doing right things’ rather than ‘doing things right’. All of our principals would in one way or another share the purposes and the values outlined by P4 when he described his school as a springboard where “children are enabled to be able to forge ahead in life and to avail of all of life’s opportunities” (P4/42). This focus on children as central to the value system and moral purpose of the school while unsurprising is nevertheless overwhelming in the voices of the principals and it is to this aspect I will turn now. 4.5.4.2 Children Questions on what are the high points in your principalship and what do you like most evoked responses that almost universally included remarks about children. The central place of children is prominent throughout all the conversations, for example: “children are our first responsibility” (P4/90, (P2/82), (P1/102); “happy children” (P3/54), (P11/22, 64, 90), (P10/74). P1 develops the concept of first responsibility to the children; she talks of a “safe and stable and nurturing educational environment” (P1/102), she talks of smiling children in the schoolyard as a success indicator and she talks of the aspiration of those children achieving “their potential in that partnership between you as a school and their parents and their homes. And that you have to get that balance right” (ibid). The