In this book, Robin Brooke-Smith explores the dynamics of schools as complex organisations. He presents a radical departure from established school improvement and effectiveness orthodoxies, offering a refreshing new approach to managing change and enhancing collective learning.Based on the author's own experience of managing and leading schools, this book explores such questions as:* How can schools learn as a generative process?* How can schools become adaptive and co-evolve with their internal and external environments?* How can education leaders 'navigate' their institutions out of the comfort zone and into the creative state?The book concludes with a series of practical lessons for leading schools in complex conditions and will be of great value to reflective, action-orientated heads, principals and deputies, as well as academics and researchers in education management.

List of Figures, List of Tables, Foreword, Acknowledgements, Abbreviations, Introduction, 1. A tale of two schools, 2. Old paradigm, new paradigm, 3. Dynamical Systems Theory: a new approach to school improvement, 4. Micro-politics: understanding the shadow system, 5. Deep Learning and Professional Development in the learning organization, 6. Lessons and principles for schools from Dynamical Systems Theory, Bibliography, Index