Chris completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of Wales (Swansea) before embarking on a career in teaching. He worked for some years as a senior leader in schools and was appointed as a school inspector in both the primary and secondary phases. In 1997, he joined the School of Education at the University of Wolverhampton and became Principal Lecturer and Director of the Postgraduate and Professional Studies programme with responsibility for over 1000 students. In the School of Education at the University of Birmingham, he directs the Doctor of Education (EdD) degree in Leaders and Leadership in Education and was formerly Head of the Department of Professional Education.
He is a member of the School Executive Committee.
His interests include leadership and management in education, professional learning and professional development in education, coaching, mentoring and peer-networking. Most recently, he has pursued research interests in leadership succession management which encompasses leadership talent identification, leadership development, succession planning and retention. This work has been supported by a number of external bodies, including the National College for School Leadership.
His research incorporates a wide variety of methodologies and methods, including the analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data.
Knowledge exchange and impact
Chris has recently stood down as a Foundation governor at Bishop Vesey Grammar School for Boys in Sutton Coldfield. During his tenure he was involved with their teaching and learning committee, strategic committee and other aspects of school life.
Chris has acted as external examiner at the Universities of Lancaster, Lincoln, Leicester and Warwick and has examined PhD and EdD theses at the Universities of Nottingham, Liverpool JM, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester and Leicester. He is a member of the editorial board of the journals Educational Management Administration and Leadership, Educational Review, International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education and Management in Education and peer-reviews articles for leading academic journals within the field. He is also joint editor of International Studies in Educational Administration. He was a foundation governor of a secondary school and an OFSTED school inspector in both the primary and secondary Sectors.
Rhodes, C.P. (2012) Should leadership talent management in schools also include the management of self-belief? School Leadership and Management, 32(5) pp439-451. DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2012.724671
Brundrett, M. and Rhodes, C. P. (2010) Leadership for Quality and Accountability in Education, London: RoutledgeFalmer. Book Details
Rhodes, C. P. and Brundrett, M. (2009) Growing the Leadership Talent Pool: The Perceptions of Heads, Middle Leaders and Classroom Teachers About Professional Development and Leadership Succession Planning Within Their Own Schools, Professional Development in Education, 35(3), 381-398. DOI: 10.1080/19415250902987122
Rhodes, C. P., Brundrett, M. and Nevill, A. (2008) Leadership Talent Identification and Development, Educational Management Administration and Leadership, 36(3), 301-325. DOI: 10.1177/1741143208090592
Rhodes, C. P. Hollinshead, A. and Nevill, A. (2007) Changing times, changing lives: a new look at job satisfaction in two university Schools of Education located in the English West Midlands, Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 12(1), 71-89. DOI: 10.1080/13596740601155421
Rhodes, C. P. and Brundrett, M. (2006) The Identification, Development, Succession and Retention of Leadership Talent in Contextually Different Primary Schools: A Case Study Located within the English West Midlands, School Leadership and Management, 26(3), 269-287. DOI: 10.1177/1741143208090592
Rhodes, C. P. (2006) The Impact of Leadership and Management on the Construction of Professional Identity in School Learning Mentors, Educational Studies, 32(2), 157-169. DOI: 10.1080/03055690600631051
Publications 2008 - 2010 (PDF 128KB, opens new window)
Publications 2001 - 2007 (PDF 142KB, opens new window)