Middle Leadership Mastery: A toolkit for subject and pastoral leaders

by Adam Robbins

To make the best decisions possible, middle leaders need to have a nuanced understanding of the consequences of their actions. In this pragmatic book, Adam Robbins aims to boost their role-specific expertise to help them achieve that goal - and offers them a preferable alternative to learning from their mistakes.

Instead of relying on generic leadership theories, Middle Leadership Mastery collates perspectives from psychology and cognitive science to share evidence-informed guidance on a wide range of topics - from supporting staff and students in crisis and managing wellbeing, to quality-assuring teaching and curriculum design.

Adam Robbins draws on his sixteen years' experience of teaching in a deprived area to illustrate his points with stories and anecdotes from the front line, demonstrating how middle leaders can better understand their context and deliver the best outcomes from a variety of starting points.

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2021

Reviews

[Richard Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright … just a bit … obvious?

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book for those entering Middle Leadership in a school setting.

I'm reading it about to step into the Head of Maths role and I'm finding lots of really good reminders and bits of information that I'm going to be using moving forward.

I read through the book from start to finish but you could easily dip into a chapter at a time in any order. Highly recommended reading.

[Suzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my fifth book on the list recommended for school leaders and I really enjoyed it. It’s taken a few months of dipping in and out but, and this is the sign it’s good, I have bought it up in lots of conversations with others and made reference to it. Definitely a recommend for anyone being a middle leader or trying to understand middle leaders because it was so long ago since you were one

[Catherine Nyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book! I have introduced lots of the schools I work with to this book. Can read start to finish and also dip in and out depending on the area you are working on. Useful for both young and experienced leaders - so much in there. Should be a priority book for all! Thank you Adam Robbins for this, so useful to educators at all levels. :-) x

[Annabel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall pretty obvious stuff with some very dubious nods to random half page summaries of certain theories. First chapter or two most worthwhile. Writer's self-important air really reduces credibility in later chapters.