Novice principals experience intense work situations and various solutions have been suggested to handle them. This paper explores western Swedish novice principals' attitudes toward support in their leadership. Specific questions addressed are whether the principals believe that two approaches, the so-called "heroic" and…

The Swedish education system has undergone an extensive transformation and a new policy context characterised by external control, marketing and managerial accountability is now in place. In previous research, the new context has been presented as something school leaders have to "balance against" democratic professionalism but…