Rationale for the 2004 survey
Gender plays an important and sometimes unrecognised part in working lives,
impacting in particular on women and men who challenge stereotypes. Women who
aspire to senior positions, particularly headship are still likely to face gender related
barriers as they seek promotion, as is evidenced in this report. There is still a
common expectation that a headteacher, particularly of a secondary school will be a
man, so women headteachers may also face resistance once in post. Men who work
with young children may face difficulties and prejudice when working in areas usually
associated with women.
Both men and women seek a balance in their lives between family and work, but
family and domestic responsibilities usually impact more on women. Attempting to
get a work/life balance can therefore be a particular challenge to women senior
leaders and managers.
The stereotype that women leaders tend to be soft and caring and that men tend to
be tough and dominant tends to act against women who aspire to be leaders as it
may be assumed that they will not be as good at leadership as aspiring men. How
do the headteachers see themselves as leaders? Do they relate to these gender
stereotypes?
The research reported here (and also the earlier 1990s research) looked at the
following questions.
1. What are the experiences and reflections of women and men on their routes to
headship? How can gender related barriers be overcome?
2. What are the gender related work/life balance issues? What can we learn from
the heads' views about work/life balance issues?
3. What is the impact of gender on the working life of headteachers?
4. Do women and men headteachers report that they lead in different gender-related
ways?
In the 1990s the research was only with secondary school headteachers. The 2004
survey also included a sample of primary and special school headteachers, so an
additional question in 2004 is:
Are there particular gender-related differences in the experiences of primary, and
secondary school headteachers?
In addition, comparing the 2004 findings to those of the earlier surveys enables us to
see what changes have occurred in the experience and views of the secondary
headteachers over the last few years.
Limitations
The sample of special school heads was small, and as their results were generally
very similar to those for secondary school teachers, this report does not consider
special school heads separately although data from their responses is included.