Leadership structures vary significantly from school to school according to the specific contexts and local requirements. The implementation of IB programmes may require that greater attention needs to be paid to pedagogical practices within the school. There will need to be a shift from a conception of leadership that focuses exclusively on management and administration to one that includes, or even prioritizes, pedagogical leadership as well.
Schools may need to revise the roles and responsibilities of the leadership team to guarantee that the school structure supports programme implementation. The Head of School and the coordinator(s) must demonstrate pedagogical leadership which is coherent with the IB philosophy and conducive to successful programme implementation. In cases in which schools must respond to a governing body or an education authority, it is essential that a system is in place to keep them informed about the continuous programme implementation and development in order to ensure their support.
The new evaluation procedures require that the school's leadership team is actively involved in the evaluation process and the programme development plan. It is therefore essential to determine and describe the responsibilities of the leadership team as regards programme implementation and development. The job descriptions for the Head of School and for the programme coordinator(s), both of which involve decision-making responsibilities, are crucial.
The Head of School job description indicates responsibilities for ensuring programme implementation and development.
Leadership 1.1:
(0201-01-0100)
The school clearly articulates its governance and/or leadership structure and establishes roles, responsibilities and mandates for ensuring programme implementation and development.
The job description of the programme coordinator(s) must include all the responsibilities and expectations the role requires to ensure the effective implementation and development of the programme(s). It must also include all additional responsibilities besides coordination. If there are additional responsibilities, the school must indicate the percentage of the coordinator’s weekly schedule that is devoted to complying with the coordination responsibilities.
The programme coordinator must have:
a written job description that describes the responsibilities and expectations of the role for ensuring programme implementation and development
release time to carry out the responsibilities assigned to the role
the necessary resources and support to carry out the responsibilities of the role
the organizational position to facilitate curriculum and programme development.
Leadership 1.1:
(0201-01-0100)
The school clearly articulates its governance and/or leadership structure and establishes roles, responsibilities and mandates for ensuring programme implementation and development.
Leadership 2.1:
(0201-02-0100)
The school appoints a programme coordinator with a job description, release time, necessary support, and an organizational position to facilitate curriculum and programme development.
The Programme Resource Centre provides a resource that focuses on programme coordinators (IB Coordinator Resource). This resource includes a section, "The IB programme coordinator", which offers guidance on the role of IB programme coordinators.