The working day of the subject leader and the impact of interruptions on teaching and learning in secondary schools

This short report summarizes the outcomes of observation of 56 subject lead ers at work on one day in March 1998. It considers the extent to which the nonteaching time of subject leaders is spent in aspects of leadership, mana gement and administration at whole-school and subject department level. Ove rall, the evidence indicates that there are many subject leaders who are st ill caught up in administrative rather than leadership activity, and that t here are schools where the culture is such that interruption by other teach ers or students is considered to be acceptable despite detrimental effects on continuity of teaching and learning.