This essay deals with the issue how to define the concept successful school and what ingredients it includes. To aim this task I have interviewed four principals at upper secondary schools, two placed in community schools and the other two working for non-community schools. We have discussed how the principals define a successful school, whether they believe that the principal has a major part in contributing to the schools success or not and further if they think that schools have anything in common with private companies.

The principals all agreed on what components they believe a successful school consists of, that is good school results from the pupils, a high comfort level for the pupils at school, professional management from the principal and a high level of young people who wants to attend the particular school.

Further I have studied Swedish and foreign research in the area of successful schools and management in schools to get at good background in this matter.