Building Leadership Capacity and Enacting School Improvement Policy: Voices from the Field

Abstract

Education contexts engaging in reform, operate in complex environments that require the coherent implementation of education policies. Research highlights that systems that support shared leadership, strong communication practices and a sharp focus on the articulation of shared beliefs, are positioned to support strong policy interpretation though the enactment of school improvement strategies. This paper explores the inter-connected roles of a system middle leader (regional Project Officer) and a school leader (Principal) in interpreting and enacting systemic policy and direction in a state primary school within a regional context in Queensland, Australia. The case study utilised the regional Project Officer and Principal participants as co-researchers and captured their experiences through recorded narratives and narrative inquiry conversations. The thematic data analysis provides useful information about how school leaders can work with system middle leaders and their own school’s teaching teams to proactively grow the capacity, credibility and strength of teachers to translate policy into enacted school improvement strategies.