This article explores the role of heads of department in a small sample of secondary
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case study schools. The outcome was that there is a large gap between how middle
managers perceive their actual responsibilities and what they wish those
responsibilities might be. The situation revealed by the research was contrasted
with the situation common in Western schools as we move towards a situation of
distributed leadership as a means of developing effective schools. While it is
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need for schools in China to review their thinking with regard to the role of the
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