Edinburgh

I am writing this entry on a train heading to Oxford from Edinburgh, reflecting on the conference I just attended and keeping an eye on the cricket scores, as the train has Wi-Fi! The conference in Edinburgh was hosted by the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS). The theme of the Conference was "Leading Beyond the Organisation" and presenters from many universities in the UK, and from abroad, delivered papers on a variety of topics that were most informative. It was a wonderful opportunity to hear of the latest theories from the authors themselves, who were, in the main, looking at the changing nature of the role of school leaders and the skills necessary to be effective in that role. Also, it was an excellent forum to meet with teachers and lecturers from a variety of backgrounds, to compare challenges and opportunities. I gained much from the weekend and it was interesting, and pleasing, to note that what we are doing in Australia and, more particularly, at Fahan, was largely affirmed. The weather in the UK has been absolutely amazing and has provided a magnificent backdrop to our experiences as we visited a number of towns on our journey north. Stratford-upon-Avon and Berwick-upon-Tweed, where we walked around the walls of the city, still intact since medieval times, were two highlights.