School leaders’ perspectives of Welsh education reform

Abstract

ABSTRACT Education in Wales is undergoing an unprecedentedly ambitious period of reform with the introduction of a new curriculum and assessment arrangements for pupils aged 3–16. Education reform enables the potential for innovation and progression, yet it can also be fraught with complexity around the facilitation of change processes into practice. This study aimed to explore the transitional processes of this education reform through the realist perspectives of eight school leaders. Data was collated using semi-structured interviews and analysed inductively through thematic analysis. Findings indicated positivity towards the pupil centred stance of the reform and its ambitions in raising the professionalism of teachers, through increased agency and the building of professional capacity. Yet, major concerns were highlighted for the changing professional identity of teachers, with uncertainty around the extent of agency being afforded and diverging perceptions being reported towards capacity building initiatives. Furthermore, the positioning of skills and knowledge within the curriculum raised worrying ambiguity. These findings illustrate the complexity of education reform and highlight significant implications that demand consideration by the Welsh Government.