Schools are messy, complex environments, and many argue this complexity continues to grow. As a result, the work of the school principal has become increasingly challenging and there is evidence to suggest this is impacting the ability to effectively lead while remaining mentally and physically well. The reasons for this are as complex and broad as the school environments themselves. One factor identified in the literature is the increasing rates of diversity and the expectation on school principals to create and sustain a culture that supports the learning and wellbeing outcomes of all students – a culture that is inclusive.
Inclusive education (IE) is a social construct; by definition, it is the process whereby people are included into a socially constructed environment, or alternatively excluded from it. Given the social nature of IE, any attempt to study the construct as a whole, or aspects of it, must consider the relationships between various people and societal systems involved in its creation, from the individuals being ‘included’ to the national and global contexts within which it is situated. Bronfenbrenner’s ‘ecological systems theory’, provides a structure to identify and organise the influencing factors that sit within different environments, and to study the relationships and interconnections between them. This theory was reconceptualised to interrogate the role of the school principal as a leader for all students - a leader for inclusive education. The ‘ecology of inclusive education’ provided a conceptual framework that guided a qualitative case-study conducted within ten state primary schools located in Queensland, Australia. Principals from each school participated in two in-depth semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.
Key themes identified missing elements in the ‘ecology of inclusive education’ framework. Principals talked extensively about the challenges of negotiating the often competing agendas of the importance of place - the communities in which they sat – alongside systemic expectations. This presentation will explore the role of communities and the system within the ecological model through the voices of the principals. We will then posit a new framework that may better reflect the realities and truth of the work principals engage in each and every day, as leaders for inclusive education.