This article reports on an internship project developed by the Department for Education and Skills (UK) to prepare headteachers (principals) for schools facing challenging circumstances. The project placed experienced deputies (assistant principals) in secondary schools to work alongside mentor headteachers who had demonstrated leadership competence for school improvement. We provide an extensive review of the knowledge base on school leader socialization, internship, and mentoring and describe the internship project. In addition, we report on an evaluation of the project using participants’ perceptions to identify strengths and areas for improvement. The conclusion discusses implications for learning to lead toward school improvement.
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