Leadership preparation, career pathways and the policy context: Irish novice principals’ perceptions of their experiences

Given recent large-scale reform of school leadership and management policy with implications for leadership preparation, the Republic of Ireland is an interesting context in which to explore leadership preparation. Although policy reforms have influenced the preparation and development of school leaders at all levels in the system, there is little available research on principals’ perceptions of their preparation to lead schools in the contemporary policy context. Addressing this gap in the research, in this study 12 recently appointed, novice primary and post-primary principals’ perceptions of their preparation to become a school leader and the reformed policy context are documented and analysed. Thematic analysis of principals’ accounts exposes a range of dualities they must navigate owing to recent reforms. Their accounts also paint their diverse pathways towards the principalship, illuminate challenges and complexities on this pathway and in their current position. Their perspectives inform a more dynamic framework of leadership preparation than that of the leadership pipeline, a common metaphor in leadership preparation, with relevance for many actors in the system, including policy-makers, researchers, practitioners and those involved in selection and appointment. Implications are drawn for the Irish context but may also be relevant to other jurisdictions considering or implementing reform of school leadership preparation.