School leadership in disadvantaged contexts in Spain: obstacles and improvements

What is it about?

The increase in child poverty in Spain highlights the importance of equality and inclusion of students at risk of social exclusion in the Spanish educational system. Recent research emphasises the importance of educational leadership, particularly from school principals, as a tool to improve the learning of these students. The main aim of this study is to establish the characteristics of school management in disadvantaged contexts in western Andalusia (Spain), placing special emphasis on the factors considered to hinder or aid effective leadership from principals. A mixed methodology was used in this process, surveying 282 teachers and interviewing 14 principals, and employing descriptive and contrastive statistics techniques. According to the teachers surveyed, principals tend to follow good educational leadership practices. However, the disadvantaged contexts present obstacles to their effective execution. While improvements are observed in the continuity of teaching staff, there is an urgent need to improve the qualifications of teachers working with students at risk of exclusion. In conclusion, principals need greater autonomy in relation to teachers and teaching practice.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This research is based on two main aims. Firstly, to ascertain the opinions held by teachers on the leadership capacities of principals in disadvantaged schools, using a specially designed questionnaire. In addition, interviews are used to analyse the factors which according to the principals themselves hinder or aid effective leadership by the principals in these schools.