Successful school leadership in Scotland: a journey to sustainable improvement

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide detailed accounts of how school principals in Scotland foster and support improvement, thereby contributing to lasting and meaningful change. It offers a deeper understanding of the dynamics and complexities underlying successful school leadership. Design/methodology/approach Using a combination of multi-perspective data, an online staff survey and documentary information, this mixed-methods research provides in-depth and insightful examples of principals’ leadership practices and how their leadership influences the structures, cultures and standards in performance of the school. Findings Findings from this study provide insight into how successful school leaders consider their entire school as a complex system with interconnected parts and build educational infrastructures to support a more continuous improvement-oriented system. The significance of building relationships through a common set of values, beliefs and expectations of members within a school community has been a fundamental driver for leading successfully. Originality/value This study builds knowledge of successful school principalship in the context of Scotland and highlights the perceptions and actions of successful principals in their efforts to build a connected school system in which all education agents work together. It considers the opportunities and constant challenges these leaders face and their response to such challenges by focusing on cultivating personal and professional sense of agency.