Given what is known about the impact of principal leadership in schools and its place in improving the learning and life of students it is important that we understand where beginning principals are coming from (in terms of motivation and preparation), what they are expected to do and what they actually do (how effective they are), the problems they face, how to support them (professionally and psychologically) and how to turn them onto ongoing learning and improvement. Exploring such questions must be the joint responsibility of policy-makers, pre-and in-service providers and, perhaps most importantly, the profession itself. They should be addressed both within and across organisational, societal, cultural, ethnic, gender and structural milieus. Three interrelated areas help set the context of beginning principals internationally and are teased out in various ways by the articles which comprise this special issue. These include the expectations facing new principals and the shortage of potential principals, the “life” of beginning principals and the preparation for the principalship. Although these relate to beginning principals, they are inextricably linked to broader expectations for schools and principals already ensconced in post.