Headteacher Maria de la Cruz Galán Raymond is taking part in a pilot project to develop standards for school leaders in Mexican schools. This offers an introduction to the new standards as we follow Maria through a typical school day at Escuela Primaria Matutina Adalberto Casas Rodríguez, in the bustling town of Córdoba, Veracruz. The standards cover all aspects of school leadership, from leading on learning to team building and accountability. They inform how Maria interacts with parents, teachers, pupils and the local authorities. Maria now holds drop-in sessions for parents and regular meetings with the Parents' Association, collaborates with local authorities to raise pupils' self-esteem, and makes time to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. The strategies are already having a measurable impact: the school results in ENLACE, the national exams, are improving annually; and Maria - on the verge of retirement - has rediscovered her passion for the job.

Video Series: School Leadership
Release Date 2009