International Perspectives of Principal Preparation: How does Australia fare?

This article examines the utility of different approaches to the initial preparation ofschool principals. Although the perplexing issues surrounding the principalship travel acrossinternational boundaries, very different arrangements exist for building the capacity ofprincipalsat the preparation stage. With reference to the International Study of Principal Preparation(ISPP) project, the article compares the formal structured programmes that aspiring principalsare required to complete in England and Scotland with the more ad hoc and unsystematicapproaches adopted towards preparation for the principalship in Western Australia and Mexico.This comparison of approaches to role preparation situated at opposite ends of the leadershipdevelopment continuum prompts questions about the capacity of the respective approaches toequip school leaders for the challenges ofthe principal's office.