In this film, headteacher Lucia de Sousa Periera introduces us to her school, Escola Maciel Pinheiro, in Recife, north-east Brazil. The neighbourhood is blighted by drugs-related crime, but Lucia makes sure that respect reigns inside the school and that standards of teaching and learning are constantly improving. Each year she draws up an action plan after a school self-evaluation exercise, and carefully documents evidence that the action points are being implemented. She has introduced a student union and school council and the school recently came third in the region in the latest national exam for secondary education. In recognition of her strong leadership and her dedication, Lucia was chosen for an international school leadership project and visited schools in England. As a result, she has introduced classroom observation, something which is not generally done in Brazil. Several students from the school take part in a video conference with their partner school in England.

Video Series: School Leadership
Release Date 2009