Book excerpt: The National Development Centre for school management training was established by the DES in September 1983. On the completion of its first three year phase, a review was made of the best practice that had evolved during that period. This book is the result and it contains contributions from leading providers of management training and a section on some of the significant outcomes of the NDC's work. Individual chapters cover action learning, the management of special educational needs, the role of management courses in a total training programme, the LEA's perspective on school management training and the work of the NDC in an international context.