Careers and Partnerships: The Strategies of Secondary Headteachers

This paper considers the importance of the personal dimension in individuals' experiences of careers in teaching. The career and partnership strategies of a group of twenty comprehensive headteachers, ten women and ten men, are classified into three main types: single career, dual career and marital breakdown. The concept of ‘strategy’ is discussed and the main alternative strategies within the three types are described. Finally, gender differences in respect of career/partnership strategies are suggested.