Educational leadership as pedagogical mediation – a non-affirmative approach

Purpose Ultimately, the study contributes to theoretical and empirical inquiry by offering a pedagogically grounded framework for understanding educational leadership. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in pedagogical theory, it highlights two key aspects of educational leadership. First, it underscores the inherently pedagogical nature of educational leadership, which is to influence teaching and learning. Second, it introduces leadership as pedagogical mediation, where principals and other educational actors navigate conflicting demands and perspectives, co-creating spaces for learning and development. Findings This approach situates leadership practices within a broader context, indicating how educational activities influence, and are influenced by institutional and societal contexts. The paper contributes to the theorisation of educational leadership by offering a processual and pedagogically grounded ontology, addressing a gap in leadership theories that often lack educational specificity. Originality/value The paper contributes to the theorisation of educational leadership by offering a processual and pedagogically grounded ontology, addressing a gap in leadership theories that often lack educational specificity.