Leadership Strategies for Effective School Management

The text discusses leadership in education, highlighting the importance of relevant theory, effective change management, and strategic planning. It emphasizes the need for leaders to be facilitators, risk-takers, and partners, supporting innovation and keeping a focus on the future. The text also explores the challenges faced by school leaders in New Zealand, including devolution, self-management, and the need for professional leadership strategies. Ultimately, it argues that successful schools share certain characteristics, such as a strong culture and vision, data-driven decision-making, and a focus on student growth and learning.

Running head: CONTEXTUAL LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS
CONTEXTUAL LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Identification and Description of Contextual Factors......................................................................3
Ethnicity, Decile and Zoning...........................................................................................................3
History of Scots College and its Staffing........................................................................................5
Local Employment/Economic Factors............................................................................................6
Relationship with other Schools......................................................................................................7
Local Educational Politics or Policy Imperatives Impacting School..............................................7
Issues Created by Contextual Factors for School and its Leadership..............................................8
Critical Relationship between Leadership theory and Practice in School.......................................9
Leadership and Management of Change....................................................................................10
Future Innovation and Schools..................................................................................................10
Active Leadership in Education.................................................................................................10
Organization Based Change.......................................................................................................10
Strategy Based Leadership.........................................................................................................11
Present and Potential Response to Challenges Related to Leadership..........................................11
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

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Introduction
Concept of leadership is high priority concern for most of the people in education sector
nowadays. The reformers are dependent over the same. Leadership indeed is a growing industry
as there is primal, cultural, servant, and constructivist, moral, transformational and instructional
leadership. There is no surprise in the fact that most of the people are making their living touting
the latest insight regarding effective leadership in education. Ribbins (2001) states that
association in school effectiveness and leadership is accepted widely by most of the countries, by
the ministers of government who often rate the leadership quality like an important factor for
effective schools by not acknowledging or understanding that leaders in schools execute in a
context. The importance of this context and background is crucial to the outcome of school, but
behavior of the leaders has indirect impact over the performance of students. This paper
evaluates various theories and models of leadership for discerning applicability, meaning and
relevance to schools of New Zealand. It previews distinguishing features and evolution of
leadership as well as compare the chosen models for determining the importance to context of
Scots College in New Zealand to achieve effective schools. Various models of school leadership
have evolved for suiting perceptions and demands and educational reforms as well as societal
change of the researcher of education who observe school like an organization on the basis of
corporation-company model and portrayed high complexity and dynamism. All other researcher
who view school like a community which has network to interconnect people and associations
along with different degrees and intensity of conflicting expectations and commitments
therefore, developing an environment which is unique for every school. In this report, various
contextual factors will be discussed. Issues created by contextual factors for institution or school

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and its leadership will be discussed in subsequent paragraphs. Lastly, evaluation of responses to
challenges faced by leadership will also be highlighted in further paragraphs.
Identification and Description of Contextual Factors
In this section, the education system of New Zealand will be discussed in context of nature of
intake of student, school’s history and its staffing, local employment/economy factors,
association with any other school and any local educational politics or policy imperatives which
have influence over institution/school. The New Zealand’s education system is varied extremely
and is also the best in world. As per the scores, the education system there has highest value for
science, mathematics and literacy in the nation. The public system of education is the best and
top funded worldwide. New Zealand provides highest proportion of funding in public education
system all over the globe. Many indices are rating New Zealand to be the topmost nation all over
the globe for the education (Brandt, et al., 2003). Various things makes and develops uniqueness
in New Zealand and distinguish it from all other developed nations which give education to
children. The natives of New Zealand believe o give the education to everyone which they
deserve. Many schools which are private are there but as the nation is good to give the public
schools and institution the monies which they need, a lot of parents are happy to use public
system. Next reason is due to the fact that education based system concentrated over both
academic and practical achievement. Public education framework of New Zealand concentrated
on letting the children explore and be open mind therefore, allowing for learning the best way
which they can.
Ethnicity, Decile and Zoning
Three kinds of secondary and primary schools are there which are public or state funded schools,
religious schools which are state integrated and private schools which cost a huge amount every

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year. Incredibly, Higher Education is significant and eight universities are there all through the
nation, as per 18 technology institutions as well as more than 600 schools for training are there
which can aid in specialized skills. Public schools or state funding schools are free which have
minor costs for uniforms, school supplies and books (if the books are in use, as most of them are
used in Schools of New Zealand. The school which is attended by child is on the basis of their
living as the divisions are easily found. State-integrated schools which are religion based in
which there are a lot of schools which are religious that are integrated in structure of public
school. Of course, there are options and choices for the parents who want their children to get
religious education (Cuban, et al., 1988). Also, all these schools give their students free access to
every other item like uniforms, school supplies and less cost of books. Every year, the private
schools have expenditure of around 4000 dollars to 28000 dollars. These can be religious and
they can be academically more intense and give options as per the wants of parents. Various
differences are there in secondary and primary schools which are described below:
Primary school: Most of the primary schools allows maximum 29 students for every teacher and
they are age-group between 6 years to 12 years. The primary schools can include the pre-school
who work on their own and there is no requirement of Pre-schooling.
Secondary School is also known as college or high school and there are maximum 23 students
under one teacher and also can be 10 at maximum of the school is state-integrated or private.
Every secondary school make use of practical curriculum for helping the students to prepare for
higher education.
Higher Education is significant and also is very laid back. Though, if there is a need for meeting
vigorous needs and have to perform a specific task for staying over student visa, there is a great
education by not having cost of mental health in process, a good advantage is there irrespective

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who the person is. Regarding ethnicity, Physical discipline like strapping, caning or smacking is
not permitted for children in New Zealand. Therefore, the school punishments involve usually
the extra work or detention (being sustained even after school. It is not legal for anyone in New
Zealand to make use of force for disciplining the child. The parent can only make use of force
for preventing the child from any harm or danger but teacher cannot make use of force for any
situation (Garratt, et al., 2003). A regional services for community law has great publication
regarding children and the conduct of schools regarding discipline of students.
History of Scots College and its Staffing
Scots College in Wellington is world class and autonomous Presbyterian Boarding school only
for boys who are aged from 1 year to 13 years. Being an international Business World School,
this College provides vibrant environment for learning for boys which encourage excellence for
every facet regarding the education. In this college, they create global citizens who are socially
aware, motivated, compassionate, balanced and equipped for life. The motto of Scots College is
to create an All Round Man through education and emphasis the commitment towards holistic
education as well as developing all-rounder young people. The school strives for instilling a long
term commitment for learning in every student and give an environment that is nurturing where
young men can get their academic, social, cultural, physical and spiritual potential for highest
service and good to others (Kuhnert, et al., 1987). By giving the students a lot of opportunities
outside and inside the classrooms, they encourage and motivate them not to recognize and
explore only the diversity and variety of their abilities and talents but for developing the essential
skills of leadership. Scots College is very proud for being only boys’ school. They have a notion
that boys always excel in the environment which is dedicated to meet the specific needs. Also
they have dedicated and excellent staff who is working hard for encouraging and supporting their

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students. The significant characteristics of college are academic support, personalized pastoral
care, tutor groups and small class sizes. The family of school is very strong and also work in
close gesture with parents for obtaining best outcome and result for the children. At Scots
college, the knowledge gained by students, the value which is adopted by the students and
friends which he makes at the time of his school years may play a significant role to shape his
future.
Local Employment/Economic Factors
Scots College helps to prepare the students in international region for seamless movement to
tertiary education. The senior students can choose from among two international based
recognized qualifications which are NCEA or International Business Diploma. Both the
qualifications give pathways for Top most universities of New Zealand as well as all over the
globe. Every year, 95 percent of students pave their way towards studying in universities
(O’Toole, et al., 1996). Tough many are choosing for staying in New Zealand, a lot of students
are making option for the offshore study which includes Ivy League Organizations like
Cambridge, Oxford, MIT and Yale. New Zealand claims eight universities which offer and
provide various international based post and under graduate courses. Each one of them respected
internationally for the research and academic performance. The environment which is highly
competitive and dynamic may cause the shortages of teaches which force the schools for
employing teachers who are Non-specialist. For instance, the teachers who have done their
graduation from the New Zealand based departments are required for teaching the subjects where
there is no training provided to them like science or mathematics. The association between
schools of New Zealand and other schools is dependent on several factors. The initial factor
involves association between every school’s principal. The next factor involves Ministry Of

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Education who may organize arrangement of cooperative work. For example, if a teacher is there
who is specialized in a specific educational field, the ministry of education can make a request
that the school may make arrangement for him for training the teachers in all other schools.
Relationship with other Schools
Most of the Leaders today in Community, business and education development are realizing that
alone schools may not prepare the youth for creative adulthood. Evidently, the communities and
schools must closely work together with each other for meeting the mutual objectives and goals.
The schools may provide good support to staff, families and students if they are integral and core
part of community (Senge, et al., 1995). At the other side, the agencies may make the services
accessible for families and youth by associating with schools. Also they can better connect with
the client which are not easy to reach. Effective and appropriate teaming and collaboration are
like key factors for the development of community, learning and self-sufficiency of family.
Partnerships must be considered like an association between community and school resources.
The partnership should include using neighborhood or school equipment and facilities, sharing
resources, grant application and raising of collaborative fund, building and recreation the sense
of community, jobs, expansion of opportunities regarding internship, evaluation and
implementation of services and programs, shared accountability for planning, public and
recognition relations, networking, information dissemination and sharing, training and mentoring
from professionals with special guidance and expertise and volunteer assistance. Partnership
between community and school may interconnect various strategies and resources for enhancing
the communities which can support and aid all the youngsters and the families. They may make
improvement in schools, causing a reduction of problems in young people which is noticeable
and strengthen neighborhood. Development of these kind of partnerships needs latest

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multifaceted role, creative leadership, strategic planning and visioning for professionals who ate
working in communities and schools.
Local Educational Politics or Policy Imperatives Impacting School
The unequal achievements in school is highlighted in latest articles of The New Zealand Herald
because it is considered as one of the most huge problems which confronts the nation at present
and does not show any sign of moving away. The arguments regarding what needs to be done
and the reason for it to have solutions are short on causes. But it is the reasons which need to be
understood and learned if the interventions have any causable chance for success to reduce the
inequality that is captured by expression of long tail and trail of school underachievement
(Wheatley, et al., 1994). Many researchers have given their contributions in the debate of
parents, commentators, principles, teachers, academic, policy makers and politicians but at the
end, the single person counts if it comes to conducting any activity regarding it if it is counted in
actual: Education Minister. If there is distribution of differences all across the children as per
their family income, ethnicity, gender or social class, so that few groups of these children may do
well and other children’s group do not perform good, then these differences become and
constitute inequalities. When equality is held like fundamental, then these inequalities take the
dimensions of ethics to correct any wrong practice. For achieving the equality require to treat
unequal equally so that the individuals who are least benefitted are advantaged enough for
gaining the equality.
Issues Created by Contextual Factors for School and its Leadership
Various studies have made their investigations in issues which impede the effective leadership in
schools. Particularly, it helps to examine the perception of principles of these issues which
impede the effective leadership in schools. An international literature is there which focus over

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the area that contributed to this study. Therefore, context based specificity is significant
underlying element of most of the studies. The significant findings and outcomes of the study
have identified various factors which inhibit efficient leadership in school. These involve lack of
support and training for the on-going learning of professionals, issues which pertain to
partnerships in school and community, cultural and social issues, systematic and policy issues,
low personnel support, less adequate and appropriate financial resources, poor infrastructure of
administration, poor school infrastructure and facilities, poor practice of quality of profession of
teachers, Unfavorable service conditions,
Critical Relationship between Leadership theory and Practice in School
New leadership models and concepts assert the understanding and knowledge to promote shared
vision instead of setting goals and accomplishing the tasks. They are categorized as
transcendental, transactional and transformational visionary/charismatic. They share a common
characteristics of leadership for charismatic, inspirational and heroism style of leadership.
Theories give a platform of reinforcement and forcing of good practices similarly the theories of
leadership should be relevant to reinforce the good practice and actions in education. According
to Wayne and Holmes in 1989, there is no specific and empirical theory designed for school and
organization. The leaders must not indulge in duplicating their experiments and experiences in
implementation of theory of leadership as a theory which works in one segment may not be
executed successfully in other segment especially in New Zealand. Initially, the staff of school
must be motivated by way of encouraging the performance by giving rewards in every month
and also explain others regarding their performance in last/previous month and what all could be
improved. Also, the dedication of the teacher should be improved by making them more
participative in making opinions or giving suggestions for creating a change which is positive for

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both the development of the school as well as their personal development (Kuhnert, et al., 1987).
Lastly, instead of concentrating on the activities regarding their daily tasks, they should focus on
addressing the big picture relating to the future of the school and its development. Ribbins in
2001 had also given the warning that the researchers involved in the management of education
and the leadership who look out for theory of organization to guide in attempt for understanding
and managing the institutions or education may not find any single theory which is applicable
but multiple approaches. Theories for traditional leadership were on the basis of concepts of
educational institutes like organizations, where all the leaders were allowed to maintain the
functional stability in schools. The emphasis of school leaders was to improve the learning and
teaching methods, schools and resource facilities. That approach however was not able to yield
expected results. In this consistently dynamic environment, there is a vigorous search for the
leaders who can be the facilitators, risk takers and partners. The schools nowadays are viewed as
a relationship built communities that are based on goals, shared values with clear mission and
vision and ability for communicating and building commitment for achieving the goals.
Leadership and Management of Change
Managing the change in school is the most crucial task in school leadership. The leaders of the
schools must understand the process of change for leading and managing the improvement and
change efforts efficiently. Some leaders of school are taking advantage of pockets of the success
in their learners. The experience and evidence which underpin these examples are significant for
hearing about and learning from because eth success may be shared widely.
Future Innovation and Schools

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Effective leaders in school support consciously the innovation as well as keep their concentration
over the forever dynamic landscape of education as it heads towards the future.
Active Leadership in Education
Many principals in primary schools take part in initiate which ask them for connecting the model
of educational leadership with change which they were applying in their school
Organization Based Change
The learning organizations which are productive, adaptive and flexible will succeed in duration
of the speedy and rapid change. Invariably, this change on large scale requires an approach to the
leadership by the team (Senge, et al., 1995).
Strategy Based Leadership
Leadership based on strategy is on the basis of planning done for long term. It comprise of
maintaining and establishing systems and framework, communication o vision and allocation of
resources. The principles require for maintain the concentration clearly over the central and vital
vison in the school.
Present and Potential Response to Challenges Related to Leadership
School system of New Zealand has various characteristics which distinguish it and makes it
unique from any other system. The Waitangi Treaty of New Zealand is symbolic of and central
to the national future, identify and heritage of the nation. The commitment and determination
towards the principles concerning the treaty makes obligatory a unique concertation to ensure
excellent outcome of education. Success in education is significant for enabling the students live
a high standard life in whole world which is fi=fundamental for the equitable and justifies
distribution ad access of education system. Another feature of System of New Zealand is the

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approach for schools which are self-managing. This system which is highly decentralized
provides various opportunities to principles for working closely and in collaboration with
trustee’s boards as chief executive and professional leaders. It has helped to promote wider
participation in community in making of decision and has also allowed the schools for better
responding to particular requirements and expectations of their students and community.
Decision making which is decentralized has provided the principals as well as board the
capability for setting the direction and way and align and allocate the resources to targets and
goals of school, who are expected for reflecting the priorities of the nation (Brandt, et al., 2003).
The principal has been held responsible to implement the direction which is agreed upon by
board. In all the schools of New Zealand, ultimately the principals are responsible and
accountable for effectiveness and quality of multiple, multifaceted and interconnected aspects of
management and leadership related to education. The devolution which is self-managing has
developed various examples of partnership and innovative curricula between families of the
schools and the schools itself because they together have worked for meeting the specific
requirements of young people. The curriculum of New Zealand provides subsequent
opportunities to schools for designing the curriculum that is particular to own context as well as
to make strong the association of families, parents to support the learning of children. Though
devolution has permitted the principles for developing the systems while responding the
student’s needs, it also has increased their workload in administration. Many research have
evidenced that principles in New Zealand almost spend twice as much duration over
administration as their international colleagues. Several demands of administration and
leadership can be formed as a tension source for principles while deciding the prioritization of
attention and time. Principals of New Zealand positively respond to challenges of devolved

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framework by working out the ways for serving the best welfares an interest of students, teachers
and schools. Principles show their supportive nature to system of self-management as it permits
them for making the decision as well as direct the resources of schools for pursuing goals of
education that are agreed with board. Through the vision of New Zealand for principal ship in
the schools of New Zealand as well as the application of a professional strategy of leadership, the
schooling system in New Zealand seek for addressing the challenges which are faced by the
schooling system in New Zealand especially those which relates to sustainability in leadership,
succession, retention and supply.
Conclusion
The communities, practices and cultures which are linked with successful educational institutions
are unique. However, the schools which make transformational and positive change share the
central tenets. Schools which are strong address the present challenges in emerging trend’s
context, and approach its leadership practice in a way which involves gathering the control
instead to be controlled and monitored and make a strong and shared culture and vision of
achievement prior to the trials for implementation of new initiatives. The schools approach the
educational dynamism in systematic framework which focus to impact learning of students
instead of changing practice or components in isolation of huge context. Ultimately, the efficient
schools use their data in holistic way by looking at the growth of students over time as well as
analysis of data related to systematic innovations and instructional initiatives. The significant
difference in leaders of fast improving districts and schools involves that these take the control
and power of agenda of education. In most of the educational institutions, the leaders also feel
like the victims which are controlled by internal and external demands and forces. For taking full
control, leaders who are successful develop a culture which support and aid the change as well as

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create a wholesome agreed upon mission and vision. It focusses to provide every student along
with relevant and rigorous program for instruction as well as the support which they require for
succeeding. Various traditions, practices, policies, tenure contracts, certifications, regulations,
rules and laws anchor the schools in New Zealand. Many of these elements have protectors of
themselves. The aggregated effect involves high pressure for maintain the status quotient and
deep and profound resistance and confrontation to change if it threatens and intimidates the
comfort zone of people. Today the social media enables the group which is concerned for
effectively and quickly mobilizing the resistance to all the factors which they oppose. The
challenge to deal with disagreement and resistance to change was never difficult, however, the
key step is to take the control by leadership.

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REFERENCES
Brandt, R. (2003). Is this school a learning organization? 10 ways to tell. Journal of Staff
Development, 24(1).
Cuban, L. (1988). The managerial imperative and the practice of leadership
in schools. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Garratt, B. (2003). Developing strategic thought. London, UK: McGraw-Hill.
Kuhnert, K. W. & Lewis, P. (1987). Transactional and transformational
leadership: A constructive/developmental analysis. Academy of Management
Review, 12(4), 548–657.
O’Toole, J. (1996). Leading Change: The Argument for Value-Based Leadership. New York,
NY: Ballantine Books.
Senge, Peter (1995) Article in 'Educational Leadership' April 1995 - On Schools as Learning
Organizations.

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Wheatley, M. (1994). Leadership and the new science: Learning about
organization from an orderly universe, San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler
Publishers.