Book excerpt: Focusing on the Improving Schools Project in South Wales, Effective Change in Schools explores the process of successful and substantial educational change. The 32 schools which took part in the project all made significant changes in their practice in order to improve pupil achievement. This book describes and analyses the central features of that educational transformation process. The authors include: *information about the project, its aims and purposes *fresh and innovative perspective on the change process in schools and the leadership and management of change *examination of the key aspects of school effectiveness and improvement *description of the strategies adopted by the schools to initiate change and an outline of the issues that the schools faced as they attempted to move forward *consideration of the role of leadership in educational transformation and the essence of the successful leader. This is an invaluable guide to anyone endeavouring to bring about change in their own school or who has an interest in educational management and leadership.