She received a Diploma in Radiography from the Australasian Institute of Radiologists and Radiographers, a BA from the Open University, a PGCE from the Institute of Education, University of London (now UCL IOE), an MPhil from the Cambridge Institute of Education/UEA and a PhD from De Montfort University, UK.[2]
Leask worked as a teacher and government policy officer.[2] She has written several books for Routledge and is the series editor, with Susan Capel, of the book series, Learning to Teach in the Secondary School,[3] used in training secondary-school teachers in the UK.[4]
Hargreaves, D, and Hopkins, D, with Leask, M. (1991) The Empowered School: The management and practice of development planning. London: Continuum.
Goddard D., Leask M. (1992). The Search for Quality: Planning for Improvement and Managing Change. London: Paul Chapman Publishing/Sage Publications.[6]
Leask M., Terrell I. (1997). Development Planning and School Improvement for Middle Managers. London: Kogan Page.[7]
Leask M., Meadows J. (eds). (2000) Learning to Teach with ICT in the Primary School. London: Routledge.
Leask M., with Dawes L., Litchfield B. (2000) Keybytes for Teachers. Evesham: Summerfield Publishing.[8]
Leask M. (ed.) (2001) Issues in Teaching with ICT. London: Routledge.
Capel S., Leask M., Turner T. (2nd edition 2004, 1996). Starting to Teach in the Secondary School. London: Routledge.
Younie S., Capel S., Leask M. (2009) Supporting Teaching and Learning in the Secondary School: a companion for higher level teaching assistants. London. Routledge.
Capel S., Leask M., Turner T. (2009) Reading for Learning to Teach in the Secondary School. London: Routledge.
Younie S., Leask M. (2013) The Essential Guide to Teaching with Technologies. MK: Open University Press.
Leask M., Pachler, N. (eds) (3rd edition 2013). Teaching and Learning with ICT in the Secondary School. Abingdon: Routledge.
Younie S., Leask M., Burden K. (2014, 2nd edition) Teaching and Learning with ICT in the Primary School. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN1317667603
Capel S., Leask M., Turner T. (2019, 8th edition) Learning to Teach in the Secondary School. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN978-0415518369
Hudson, B., Leask, M and Younie, S. (eds) (2020) Education System Design: Foundations, Policy Options and Consequences. Routledge. ISBN9780429261190
^Perry, Pauline (1993). "Book Review: The Search for Quality: Planning for Improvement and Managing Change". British Journal of Educational Studies. 41 (2): 189. doi:10.2307/3121630. ISSN0007-1005. JSTOR3121630.
^Brown, Jean (1 September 1999). "Book Review: Development Planning and School Improvement for Middle Managers". School Effectiveness and School Improvement. 10 (3). Informa UK Limited: 367–370. doi:10.1076/sesi.10.3.367.3501. ISSN0924-3453.