Much of the literature on school effectiveness focuses on whole schoolapproaches, and yet sometimes improvement occurs at a departmental ratherthan whole school level. There are cases of departments operating to someextent as a school within a school. Where there do seem to be performanceindicators which suggest that departments are performing exceptionallywell, there may be some benefits to be derived from investigating the viewsof those involved- teachers and pupils, as to what factors might explainthis success.

The paper reports on the the work of one particular history department where thereare quite striking indications of success in difficult circumstances. Ispent a day with the department, and interviewed the headteacher, allmembers of the department, and some sixth form pupils. Although there weresome shared perceptions as to what had enabled the department to succeed,there were also some interesting differences in the explanations.

There are obviously many history departments which are achievingextraordinary levels of success, in differing ways and in differentcontexts, and if time permits, it would be interesting to compile casestudies on several of them. Looking into success is another way of helpingto improve standards of education, and offers an alternative to other, moredispiriting and demoralising means of achieving this end

Terry Haydn University of East Anglia School of Education and ProfessionalDevelopment
Norwich
NR4 7TJ