Networking for educational change: concepts, impediments and opportunities for primary school professional learning communities

This article discusses approaches to collaborative practice amongst primary school headteachers in the implementation of inter‐school networks. ‘Learning networks’ and ‘learning communities’ have been subject to increasing educational attention in England as part of a broader policy shift in favour of collaborative approaches to school improvement. In this small‐scale study, the interactions amongst groups of headteachers were observed over a five‐year period. While the study reveals the tentative beginnings of positive inter‐school professional exchange, these interactions take place in contexts where ‘networked learning’ and ‘community’ are often ill‐defined. Corroborating findings from other contemporary studies in the field, observations reveal that inter‐school collaboration is frequently hampered by a lack of conscious attention to theories and processes of change. This article challenges the implicit assumption that schools are easily equipped to engage in meaningful collaborative educational activity and highlights key areas in the preparation of collaborative educational practice and professional renewal.