New-in-post leaders in challenging contexts: school improvement trajectories and the emerging dynamics of stakeholders within Multi-academy Trusts in England

Abstract

This paper draws on empirical evidence collected from new-in-post leaders in schools in challenging contexts which are part of different Multi-academy Trusts (MATs) in England. It explores the school improvement trajectory of Trust schools and it seeks to understand Trust leaders’ emerging dynamics and power relationships followed the interplay of loose and tight coupling which could influence decision making for school improvement. Data was collected on three rounds of semi-structured interviews with members of senior leadership teams of primary and secondary schools, alongside the analysis of internal and external documents. Findings show that new-in-post leaders worked on multiple strands of improvement activity simultaneously, with these strands often layered upon one another. Schools in challenging contexts operating within a Trust show evidence of loose and tight coupling, while retaining a decentralised identity. Where the Trusts expect new-in-post leaders to adopt more hierarchically controlled decision-making and implementation (e.g., curriculum development, monitoring progress), concerns were raised about the effect of standardisation and levels of autonomy in meeting individual schools’ needs. The results have potential to inform policy, research and practice within multi-group schools in challenging contexts.

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