Instructional Headship: Rethinking School Leadership for Improvement

In contemporary times, the role of educational leadership has greatly advanced. Head teachers acts as both administrators enforcing rules and managing operations; they are now seen as educational leaders focused on boosting the quality of teaching and learning.

This perspective demands an understanding of the curriculum, teaching methods, teacher development and decision-making. The success of the school largely depends on how well Head teachers manage the curriculum, encourage innovative teaching methods, assisting professional development and using research to enhance informed decisions.

Studies show that with inadequate resources, the responsibilities are even more demanding. School leaders should implement national standards and local conditions, providing supportive learning environments, and uphold accountability without compromising reliability. The success of schools today heavily relies on how effectively head teachers incorporate these roles into a unified improvement strategy.

Curriculum Leadership

Curriculum leadership serves as an essential basis for effective leadership. Chan, Ridley, and Morris (2022) argue that principals who get in-depth understanding of the curriculum, pedagogies and assessment are more determined to establish collective goals. Their research stresses the importance of adapting the curriculum to meet both the needs of student and implementing policy mandates.

Although the study underscores the centrality of curriculum, its emphasis on structural alignment may neglect the localized challenges faced by under-resourced schools, where inflexible standards can burden teachers.

Instructional Practices

Amels, Krüger, Suhre, and van Veen (2021) demonstrate that distributed leadership enhances teachers’ capacity for innovation and change. Sharing responsibilities empowers staff and fosters accountability for instructional quality.

The concept of distributed leadership presupposes that teacher possess the necessary skills to take on added roles. However, many teachers lack ongoing professional development, making it essential for leaders to first build teacher capacity before fully delegating leadership responsibilities.

School Organization and Learning Communities

Ho, Ong, and Tan (2020) show that effective leaders support professional learning communities (PLCs) by combining strict accountability structures with flexible opportunities for teacher autonomy, thereby encouraging collaboration and creativity.

Their findings are derived from well-resourced schools in Singapore, raising questions about the applicability of such models in resource-limited settings, where strict bureaucracies and scarce resources may hinder collaboration.

Teacher Development

Sezgin, Sönmez, and Naillioğlu Kaymak (2020) assert that mentoring-based learning cultures boost teacher confidence, reflection, and professional growth, offering an economical means of supporting teachers, especially when formal training is limited.

Although mentoring is beneficial, establishing such cultures demands time and stability, which can be difficult in larger schools with high staff turnover. Leaders must tailor mentoring approaches to suit their specific contexts.

Data-Informed Leadership

Townsley and Snyder (2022) investigate how educational leaders interpret and utilize data. Some concentrate narrowly on accountability, while others use data to enhance instruction. They advocate for a balanced approach where data serves as a guide rather than a directive.

While their study provides valuable insights, it tends to overlook the significance of qualitative data such as classroom observations, student perspectives, and community input, which can offer a more comprehensive understanding of teaching and learning.

Recommendations

Based on the synthesis of these studies, effective instructional headship should be guided by the following recommendations:

• Adapt curriculum to context: Ensure national standards reflect the specific needs and realities of local schools.
• Encourage distributed leadership: Share responsibilities with teachers to enhance accountability and their capacity for innovation.
• Develop professional learning communities: Balance clear accountability with teacher autonomy to promote sustained collaboration and creativity.
• Strengthen teacher development: Implement mentoring and peer-support systems to foster professional growth, especially in resource-limited environments.
• Apply data responsibly: Combine quantitative test results with qualitative insights from classroom observations and student feedback to inform well-rounded decision-making.

Summary

Instructional headship is best viewed as an integrated leadership approach that encompasses curriculum management, shared responsibilities, collaborative school systems, teacher development, and evidence-informed decision-making. The works by Chan et al. (2022) highlight curriculum alignment, Amels et al. (2021) emphasize distributed leadership, Ho et al. (2020) focus on professional learning communities, Sezgin et al. (2020) stress the importance of mentoring cultures, and Townsley and Snyder (2022) advocate for balanced data utilization.

These studies indicate that the most effective instructional headship emerges from combining these elements into a unified strategy. However, critiques point out that much of the literature assumes a resource-rich context and adequately prepared teachers, which does not reflect the realities of all schools. Therefore, instructional headship must be thoughtfully adapted to diverse environments.

Conclusion

It is important to understand that, instructional headship is not merely a set of isolated tasks but rather a dynamic and adaptable form of leadership. Its success relies on integration and merging curriculum leadership, collaborative instructional practices, supportive school structures, mentoring, and balanced data use.

Head teachers who adopt this integrated approach can advance schools beyond mere routine management, cultivating professional communities that foster growth and equity. Such leadership prepares learners for not only academic success but also lifelong learning, creativity, and active citizenship. Thus, instructional headship presents both challenges and opportunities for school leaders aiming to transform education in the 21st century.

WRITTE BY:

WISDOM KOUDJ KLU,

EDUCATION EXPERT/COLUMNIST,

GREATER ACCRA REGION.

[email protected]