Post-pandemic ponderings: leadership learning from the 2020 Coronavirus crisis

In this chapter, Precey and Fisher provide a critical analysis of the transformative leadership actions taken by the leaders of a federation of primary schools in a deprived area of Lon-don, during the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020. Using Precey’s (2015) framework for effective transformative leadership, the authors analyse the values-based leadership decisions and actions taken to minimise any widening of the attainment gap between the most vulnerable pupils and their peers, as a direct consequence of lockdown.The authors examine the gap between the directives from central government and their implementation in the local community. They explore three key facets of transformative leadership: Firstly, the type of values-driven leadership that is most likely to be effective, both now and in the future. Secondly, they consider the importance of learning at all levels of the institution, for leaders, teachers and pupils. Thirdly, drawing on rhizomatic theory as an illustration of the complexity of the coronavirus crisis, they propose the attributes required for leaders to be even more effective: Principals with principles. The authors conclude that the shock of the pandemic is a clarion call to transform edu-cation, arguing that school leaders need better preparation to lead in complex, sometimes ambiguous circumstances. The authors advocate a more community-minded approach to school leadership, along responsible, rather than responsive lines. They call for the prioriti-sation of training, for both current and future leaders, in transformative approaches, so that they can prepare children for life in the post-pandemic “new normal” and beyond.