Abstract
ABSTRACTThis article examines how values embedded in the biographies of principals of successful schools influence their responses to systemic policy reforms. Drawing on examples from two secondary principals with similarly strong moral purposes but contrasting value positions, the research found that, despite differences in the cultures, practices, and students’ learning experiences in their schools, they directed and shaped—in remarkably similar ways—how and to what extent external policies were incorporated in preferred, values-led cultures and practices; and that leadership and school-improvement realities in their schools were different from those portrayed in “policy enactment” research in so-called “ordinary” schools.
Highlights
This paper examines how successful secondary principals manage the demands of multiple external policy reforms, and what drives them to respond in particular and different ways
The experiences of two secondary principals – leading schools with contrasting socioeconomic pupil intakes but with similar, sustained high academic performance over a nine-year period – demonstrate that the strategies and practices to interpret, diagnose and purposefully incorporate policy demands into the improvement structures and processes of their schools are closely aligned with successful leadership practices that have been consistently reported in the research literature (e.g. Day & Leithwood, 2007; Day, Gu & Sammons, 2016; Leithwood et al, 2006), but are influenced in significant ways by their biographies
That the schools in our research were able to show sustained organisational renewal and high performance over time despite external policy demands, and that they were led by principals and leaders who are driven by unrelenting values and beliefs about education
Summary
This paper examines how successful secondary principals manage the demands of multiple external policy reforms, and what drives them to respond in particular and different ways. Rather, sustaining the quality of teaching and enriching the experience of student learning progress and performance had been an unshakeable, continuing goal and purpose Their schools were driven by a combination of shared educational values, non-negotiable standards and clearly defined purposes. What has been inadequately researched to date, is: i) how these leadership values and practices are formed and profoundly influenced by their biographies; and ii) the challenges of divergence and convergence of values in relation to government policy faced by principals. Those whose values correspond less closely are likely to face greater challenges in achieving success as defined by government than those whose values correspond more closely. Irrespective of the differences in values in this particular sense, the principals in our research, in line with findings abut successful principals internationally (Day and Leithwood, 2007) shared similar strong moral purposes and demonstrated similar strategic and interpersonal qualities in terms of how they mediated, incorporated and embedded policies in ways that secured consistency and coherence with their standards and purposes
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