Hedvig Neerland Abrahamsen

• Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2026). Middle leadership and reform work in schools in Norway: coupling agents, gatekeepers, and door openers. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. p. 1–15. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2026.2727854. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper explores the role of middle leaders in realizing the reform intentions of the Norwegian national curriculum, “Læreplanverket for Kunnskapsløftet 2020” (LK20). The study focuses on how middle leaders navigate the complex interplay of central policy demands while fostering collaboration within the school system. The concept of loose coupling is employed as an analytical framework to highlight the connectivity within school organizations. Through qualitative data collection, including interviews and observations, the findings indicate that middle leaders function as both door openers and gatekeepers at the school level, enhancing the professional actors’ realization of policy demands. Middle leaders serve as coupling agents between school authorities, principals, teachers, students, and parents, playing a key role in interpreting policy expectations and functioning as drivers for reform work. Their ability to inspire and facilitate understanding among teachers is crucial in addressing the complexities of national policy intentions in a curriculum reform.

• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2026). The principal and school leadership team leading organizational learning. A Norwegian case. International Journal of Leadership in Education. ISSN 1360-3124. doi: 10.1080/13603124.2026.2703961. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  A substantial body of research emphasizes the critical role of leadership in fostering collective professional learning at all levels in schools, and highlights how capacity building in professional learning communities seems vital for the development of schools as learning organizations. This article examines how the principal and department heads in the leadership team of a Norwegian upper secondary school develop their capacity to lead discussions on school change and improvement by looking back and learning through reflexive practices. It analyses how leading discussions contributes to individual and collective team learning and models professional learning communities that contribute to the development of the school as a learning organization. The purpose is to contribute knowledge on leading change and development processes in schools as learning organizations. Steps in leading professional group discussions are employed as analytical framework. Drawing on interview data from an in-depth longitudinal study, the findings indicate that leading professional group discussions seem to be a promising leadership practice for developing a learning organization. The principal and department heads need awareness and skills in leading professional group discussions for developing the school as a learning organization.

• Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Jensen, Ruth & Helstad, Kristin (2025). Langvarige partnerskap som mulighetsrom for utviklingsarbeid i ledelsesverksteder. Uniped - Tidsskrift for universitets- og høgskolepedagogikk. ISSN 1500-4538. 48(2-3), p. 153–164. doi: 10.18261/uniped.48.2-3.7. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Partnerskap mellom universitets og høyskolesektoren og ansatte i skolen representerer en sentral styringsintensjon når det gjelder å støtte skoler i utviklingsarbeid. I denne artikkelen rapporterer vi fra et utviklings- og forskningsprosjekt hvor det ble inngått et partnerskap mellom tre videregående skoler og to universiteter over en toårsperiode. Formålet med artikkelen er å bidra med kunnskap om hvordan skoleledere og forskere har erfart deltakelse i partnerskap i det vi omtaler som ledelsesverksteder, hvor målet har vært å styrke skoleledernes arbeid med å realisere intensjonene i læreplanverket. Analysene bygger på intervjuer med rektorer og forskere som deltok. Oppmerksomheten har vært rettet mot hvilke erfaringer rektorene har fra deltakelse i ledelsesverksteder som arena for partnerskap og reformarbeid, og hvilke refleksjoner forskerne gjør seg etter å ha intervenert i ledergrupper med spesifikke verktøy for å trigge ledelse av reformarbeid. Analysene viser at partnerskapet har hatt relevans for begge parter. Både skoleledere og forskere ser positivt på bruken av verktøy som speil på ledernes praksis for videre refleksjon, men begge parter erfarer bruk av teori som utfordrende. Siden de viktigste formålene til institusjoner som skole og universitet er delvis ulike og skolesektoren og universitets- og høyskolesektoren har ulike roller i samfunnet, argumenterer vi for å vie mer oppmerksomhet til hvordan komplementære roller kan gi næring til kollektiv læring gjennom langvarige partnerskap.

• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2025). Rektors arbeid for å beholde elever i videregående opplæring, Fullført og bestått – lovende og frafallshemmende praksiser for å beholde elevene i opplæringsløpet. Cappelen Damm Akademisk. ISSN 9788202815141. p. 73–89. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth (2024). Successful School Principals Balancing Ethical, Personal and Collective - A Norwegian Case. Education Sciences. 14(9). doi: 10.3390/educsci14091014. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Over the past two decades, there has been extensive research into what constitutes successful school principal leadership under the assumption that leaders’ practices are significant and context-dependent on their school organization. By investigating how successful principals balance their personal ethical leadership dispositions and their intention of sharing leadership, this paper aims to contribute to the knowledge of how school principals need to balance the ethical, personal, and collective as the top leader of the school. Findings from the interviews suggested that a central aspect in the Norwegian school principals’ characteristics of their leadership practices is student wellbeing and collaborative effort for school quality and student learning. Norwegian successful school principals seem to be relatively unaware of aspects of power use in their leadership practices. Dilemmas arise in the complexity of ensuring individual and collective effort and responsibility for the school to function in accordance with the societal mandate.

• Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2024). School leadership and the realizing of a curriculum reform: supporting resources, external actors, and dilemmas. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. 69(7), p. 1464–1476. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2024.2434821. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The aim of this study is to shed light on the reform work of school leaders in Norway and their collaboration with external supporting resources to realize curriculum intentions. A number of external actors are often involved in local school processes, from initiation of a reform to the realization of actual change, during which process there can be a range of power issues, challenges, and dilemmas. This qualitative case study with interviews with four school principals makes use of a micropolitical perspective, in which leadership can be exercised by actors other than formal leaders. The findings show that school leadership and partnerships in reform work occur in complex contexts with multiple degrees of involvement, and there is a need to identify and recognize the division of power and control and the room for maneuver that school leaders have.

• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2024). Speil som trigger for ekspansiv læring. In Jensen, Ruth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (Ed.), Ledelsesverksteder - arena for utforsking av utviklingsarbeid i skolen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215071558. p. 97–115. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Jensen, Ruth (2024). Forskningsdesign og metoder. In Jensen, Ruth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (Ed.), Ledelsesverksteder - arena for utforsking av utviklingsarbeid i skolen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215071558. p. 46–59. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2024). Hvilke erfaringer har skoleledere med ledelsesverksteder som partnerskapsmetode for å endre ledelsespraksis? In Jensen, Ruth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (Ed.), Ledelsesverksteder - arena for utforsking av utviklingsarbeid i skolen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215071558. p. 159–181. Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2024). Bokens konklusjoner. In Jensen, Ruth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (Ed.), Ledelsesverksteder - arena for utforsking av utviklingsarbeid i skolen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215071558. p. 195–200. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Helstad, Kristin (2024). Teacher leadership: leading professional learning among peers. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0031-3831. doi: 10.1080/00313831.2024.2323652. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Research has shown the importance of teacher leaders in improving professional learning and schools. This case study investigates the development of a new teacher leader position at a Norwegian upper-secondary school with the responsibility for leading peer teachers’ collective professional development. Our aim is to understand the interplay between cultural/structural conditions and dynamic processes in the practice of leading one’s peers. Our findings show that teacher leaders and their practices switch between leading and reflecting on equal terms with their peers and by showing loyalty to the teaching profession. We argue that establishing a teacher leader position has the potential to change and develop teachers’ practices from individual to increased collective professionalism.

• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth & Kleveland, Heidi Merete (2024). The Importance of School Principals in Building Teacher and Student Well-Beeing and Promoting Academic and Social Learning: The Norwegian Case. In Day, Christopher & Gurr, David (Ed.), How Successful Schools Are More than Effective Principals Who Build and Sustain Teacher and Student Wellbeing and Achievement. Springer. ISSN 9783031627347. p. 145–166. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Aas, Marit (2023). Deputy heads—leadership and power in change? International Journal of Leadership in Education. ISSN 1360-3124. doi: 10.1080/13603124.2023.2258108. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Much current research emphasizes the importance of leadership as an interactive activity in leading school change and improvement. In the Norwegian context, there is growing interest in redesigning the historical hierarchical leadership structure, with a single school leader at the top to a more distributed leadership model that includes several middle leader levels, including deputy heads. While research has been conducted on middle leaders and distrib- uted leadership as an interactive activity, few empirical studies to date have investigated how changing leadership structures affect the relation between leadership and power and how this situation can influence deputy heads’ room for maneuvering. In this article we use data from a Norwegian case to investigate deputy heads’ increased responsibility toward leading school change and improvement and how these changes influence questions of power. The analysis indicates that different forms of power influ- ence deputy heads’ room for maneuvering.

• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2022). Mellomleder i skolen - nøkkel for lærende profesjonsfellesskap? In Aas, Marit & Paulsen, Jan Merok (Ed.), Ledelse i fremtidens skole 2. utgave. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 9788245037968. p. 187–203. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Viig, Nina Grieg (2021). Hvordan planlegger skoleledere å lede det tverrfaglige temaet folkehelse og livsmestring? In Tjomsland, Hege Eikeland; Viig, Nina Grieg & Resaland, Geir Kåre (Ed.), Folkehelse og livsmestring i skolen; i fag, på tvers av fag og som en helhetlig tilnærming. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 9788245034592. p. 183–200. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2021). Skolens ledergruppe - informasjonsarena eller refleksjons- og diskuksjonsarena? In Aas, Marit & Vennebo, Kirsten Foshaug (Ed.), Ledelse av profesjonelle læringsfellesskap i skolen. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 9788245035575. p. 211–231. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Internasjonal forskning viser at utdanningsreformer er avhengig av læreres og lederes individuelle og kollektive kapasitet og skolens samlede innsats for å forbedre elevenes læring. Utvikling av profesjonelle læringsfellesskap gir individer, grupper, hele skolen og skolesystemet mulighet til å være involvert i og påvirke læring over tid. Profesjonelle læringsfellesskap kan neppe utvikles i en skole uten aktiv støtte fra ledere på alle nivåer. Gjennom bokas kapitler viser norske forskere tilknyttet nasjonal rektorutdanning at ideen om profesjonelle læringsfellesskap er på vei inn i det norske utdanningssystemet ved at slike fellesskap etableres både på skole-, kommune- og regionalt nivå. Forfatterne bygger kapitlene på sin egen forskning på og mangeårige erfaring med profesjonsutvikling av norske skoleledere. Kapitlene undersøker ulike utfordringer norske skoleledere møter i ledelse av etablering, utvikling og ledelse av profesjonelle fellesskap, og hvordan de møter disse utfordringene.

• Helstad, Kristin & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2020). Leadership in Upper Secondary School: Exploring New Roles When Teachers Are Leaders. In Moos, Lejf; Nihlfors, Elisabeth & Paulsen, Jan Merok (Ed.), Re-centering the critical potential of Nordic school leadership research: Fundamental but often forgotten perspectives. Springer. ISSN 9783030550271. p. 173–189. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-55027-1_10. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2019). Avdelingslederfunksjonen i skolen - verktøy for rektors eller lederteamets ledelse? In Helstad, Kristin & Mausethagen, Sølvi (Ed.), Nye lærer- og lederroller i skolen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215034072. p. 91–106. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2018). Redesigning the role of deputy heads in Norwegian Schools - tensions between control and autonomy? International Journal of Leadership in Education. ISSN 1360-3124. 21(3), p. 327–343. doi: 10.1080/13603124.2017.1294265. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2017). Skoleledelse for fremtiden: Heroisk rektor eller distribuert ledelse i team? In Aas, Marit & Paulsen, Jan Merok (Ed.), Ledelse i fremtidens skole. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 9788245020168. p. 193–210. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Syse, Ingrid & Øydvin, Astrid (2016). Utdanna skoleleiar - nye spenningar? Acta Didactica Norge. 10(4), p. 201–217. doi: 10.5617/adno.2945. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Føremålet med studien er å auke kunnskapen om den norske rektorutdanninga ved å undersøkje korleis eit utval skoleleiarar beskriv kva nye spenningar dei opplever i leiarkvardagen sin etter at dei har gjennomført studiet. Gjennom analyse av fokusgruppeintervju og e-postintervju med skoleleiarar identifiserer vi tre område for spenning. Vi beskriv desse som balanseøvingar som skoleleiarane opplever at dei må handtere i kvardagen. Den første er forventningar og nye krav, den andre er balansen mellom nærleik og distanse til lærarane, og den tredje handlar om å balansere ulik kompetanse. Det teoretiske rammeverket belyser perspektiv på leiing som individualistisk eller systemisk og korleis kopling mellom teori og praksis aukar profesjonsforståinga. Utvikling av fagspråk er eit sentralt element i dette. Ein av implikasjonane som blir løfta fram, er at rektorutdanninga bør bevisstgjere studentane på at ny kompetanse og endra forståing av leiarrolla kan gi nye spenningar.

• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Aas, Marit (2016). School leadership for the future: heroic or distributed? Translating international discourses in Norwegian policy documents. Journal of Educational Administration & History. ISSN 0022-0620. 48(1), p. 68–88. doi: 10.1080/00220620.2016.1092426. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Aas, Marit & Hellekjær, Glenn Ole (2015). How do principals make sense of school leadership in Norwegian reorganised leadership teams? School Leadership and Management. ISSN 1363-2434. 35(1), p. 62–78. doi: 10.1080/13632434.2014.992775. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig & Aas, Marit (2014). Avdelingsledere – en ny profesjon innenfor skoleledelse? In Elstad, Eyvind & Helstad, Kristin (Ed.), Profesjonsutvikling i skolen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215023557. p. 300–314. Full text in Research Archive

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• Jensen, Ruth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2024). Ledelsesverksteder - arena for utforsking av utviklingsarbeid i skolen. Universitetsforlaget. ISBN 9788215071558. 216 p. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Aas, Marit (2019). Mellomleder i skolen. Fagbokforlaget. ISBN 9788245021547. 142 p. Full text in Research Archive

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• Welle, Kjersti Beate Rørstad & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2026). Power Dynamics in Navigating School Crisis. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The study enhances understanding of the implications of school leadership and governance in times of crisis, highlighting contributions to future educational leadership research and the international academic field.

• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth & Jacobsen, Hilde Marie Madsø (2025). Successful school leadership in times of uncertainty and change:Balancing the tensions between managerial, professional, and personal accountability. Full text in Research Archive
• Welle, Kjersti Beate Rørstad & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2025). School Leadership and Power Dynamics in Navigating Crisis. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2025). Rektors arbeid for å beholde elever i videregående opplæring. Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth & Helstad, Kristin (2024). Introduksjon. In Jensen, Ruth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (Ed.), Ledelsesverksteder - arena for utforsking av utviklingsarbeid i skolen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215071558. p. 15–24. Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Helstad, Kristin & Ødegaard, Kjersti Løken (2024). Forord. In Jensen, Ruth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (Ed.), Ledelsesverksteder - arena for utforsking av utviklingsarbeid i skolen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215071558. p. 11–12. Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth; Helstad, Kristin; Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2024). School Leadership Workshops as an Arena for Research-Practice Partnership. Full text in Research Archive
• Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Helstad, Kristin; Jensen, Ruth & Ødegaard, Kjersti Løken (2024). The potentials and challenges of Change Lead as an arena and method for expansive learning in school leadership teams. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2024). Skolelederes erfaringer i ledelsesverksteder, Change Lead. Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Helstad, Kristin (2024). The institutional and Strategic work of School Leaders and Teachers to accommodate students’ needs in Secondary Education. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Jensen, Ruth & Helstad, Kristin (2024). How do principals work to retain students in upper secondary education? Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Jensen, Ruth & Helstad, Kristin (2024). The potential of change lead as a method for expansive learning in leadeship teams in upper secondary schools. Full text in Research Archive
• Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2024). School leadership and power tensions in realizing curriculum reform. Supporting resources external actors and dilemmas. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Helstad, Kristin (2023). Teachers leading colleagues’ collective professional learning. Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth; Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Ødegaard, Kjersti Løken & Helstad, Kristin (2023). Leading Reform work with Change Laboratories in Upper Secondary Schools - an Innovational Approach. Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth; Ødegaard, Kjersti Løken; Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Helstad, Kristin (2023). School Leadership Development as School University Partnership – Tracing Relationships Across Episodes. Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Helstad, Kristin (2023). The strategic work of school leaders and teachers to retaining students. Full text in Research Archive
• Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Jensen, Ruth (2023). Multiple perspectives of Succsessful School Principalship New Cases in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth; Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Helstad, Kristin & Ødegaard, Kjersti Løken (2021). Leading Reform Work in Upper Secondary Schools- Change Laboratories as Method (ChangeLead). Full text in Research Archive
• Jensen, Ruth; Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Helstad, Kristin & Ødegaard, Kjersti Løken (2021). Formative Interventions in School Leadership Teams in Upper Secondary Schools. Full text in Research Archive
• Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2021). Formative Interventions in School Leadership Teams in Upper Secondary Schools. Full text in Research Archive
• Viig, Nina Grieg & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2019). Leading Towards the Future – “Public health and life skills” – a new cross curricular theme in the Norwegian National curriculum. Full text in Research Archive
• Helstad, Kristin & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2019). Leadership in Upper Seconday Schools: Teachers as Leaders. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Dempster, Neil (2017). Supporting Principals and Leadership Teams in an Age of Accountability:What Recent Research finds Necessary. Full text in Research Archive
• Syse, Ingrid & Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2016). School Leadership Training New demands on school leadership practices for quality improvement and accountability? Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland & Syse, Ingrid (2016). School Leadership Training - New demands om school leadership practices for quality improvement and accountability? Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2014). Reorganising school leadership for quality improvement. Full text in Research Archive
• Øydvin, Astrid & Abrahamsen, Hedvig N. (2007). Students? voice in evaluation ? What do students express in internal and external evaluation? Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The presentation will present and explore the students? role and co-responsibility in evaluation. Examples are given on partly internal, partly external evaluation, and discussed in the perspective of synergy between internal and external evaluation in education. Main focus in the presentation is ?Students investigation? in Norway and internal evaluation in Norwegian schools; Teacher-student review and reflection.

• Øydvin, Astrid; Heggheim, Svein & Abrahamsen, Hedvig N. (2006). When numbers are supposed to be more than counting and narratives more than good stories Teachers? beliefs and attitudes concerning school self evaluation ? the Norwegian perspective. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The presentation will provide a closer look at different types of data in internal/external school evaluation, how school work with interpretation and development based on evaluation analysis. We raise questions how evaluation activities create new roles for teachers - and discuss it through a comparison between Finland and Norway. In this presentation the Norwegian perspective is fore grounded.

• Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Hall, Jeffrey & Jacobsen, Hilde Marie Madsø (2024). Styring og ledelse i realiseringen av nytt læreplanverk: Tillit, tolkning og tid. Det utdanningsvitenskapelige fakultet. ISSN 9788293847151. Full text in Research Archive
• Gunnulfsen, Ann Elisabeth; Jensen, Ruth; Hall, Jeffrey Brooks; Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland; Kleveland, Heidi Merete & Olsen, Rolf Vegar (2022). Underveis med nytt læreplanverk: Ledelse, styring og støtteressurser. Det utdanningsvitenskapelige fakultet. ISSN 9788293847090. Full text in Research Archive
• Abrahamsen, Hedvig Neerland (2016). School Leadership as Educational Discourses in an Age of Increased Accountability. Universitetet i Oslo. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis contributes to the field of educational leadership, and has the following research question: What characterises the interplay between national policy constructions of school leadership in a context of increased external accountability, and local sensemaking of leadership roles and practices at school level? The article-based thesis has a qualitative research design, and includes three articles and an extended abstract. The thesis draws on empirical data comprising white papers, participant observations of leadership team meetings, individual interviews and focus group interviews. Findings from the thesis show that constructions of school leadership at the national policy level are characterised by tensions between an individualised and a distributed perspective on school leadership, and have led to the reorganisation of school leadership in many local communities by the local education authorities (LEA). This is linked to a reform agenda characterised by demands for hands-on instructional leadership and increased accountability. In this process principals function as coupling agents between national policy reform and local schools, and the reorganised deputy head role can be characterised as being in the middle, between autonomy and control. The thesis shows that the interplay between national policy and local sensemaking on school leadership is constituted in similar structural designs but with different interpretations in the investigated local communities. This can create tensions when developing school leader roles and practices. The present thesis highlights the need to integrate perspectives on school leadership between local policy and school leaders as professionals. Further, the professional training of school leaders who are to lead and participate in school leadership teams should include a focus on developing the ability to reflect on practice. Third, as the deputy head management role is changing from an administrative towards a leader-of-learning role, this should be given attention in school leader education programmes. Finally, LEA should provide arenas within, and across local communities which can give school leaders room and space for reflections on the development of their new role.

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