The study presented in this paper forms the second stage of a larger study on multicultural preschools in Iceland, multicultural in the sense that they are ethnically diverse both as concerns children and staff. The first stage of the study was based on focus group interviews with ethnic minority women employed as teachers and teachers´ assistants in six ethnically diverse preschools in Iceland, analysing their common as well as their individual experiences and outlooks. In the second stage of the study the emphasis is placed on the preschool leadership. Policies, outlooks and models of leadership and school development lead by the six preschool heads are considered. Data from interviews with the preschool heads is drawn upon to shed light on how different styles or models of leadership affect the school ethos in the preschools and how the preschool heads approach diversity. A special emphasis is placed on looking into the challenges and the opportunities the preschool heads are faced with in their everyday work in their ethnically diverse workplaces, how they approach these challenges and make use of the opportunities. The main research questions of this stage of the study are the following: Do the leadership styles or models of preschool heads combined with their general views on diversity influence the school ethos and do they translate into the everyday work within the preschool? In recent years schools in Iceland have generally become increasingly ethnically diverse both as concerns teachers and students. As a result of these rapid changes in staff composition, which are in line with changes in demographics in Iceland, there is a growing debate on issues such as whether conflicts of cultural and religious values affect school ethos; whether current leadership models in schools are based on equity and seek to promote ethnic diversity; whether these models exclude and marginalize; whether voices of ethnic minority employees are silenced or heard; whether leadership models promote individual abilities (Gundara, 2000; Ragnarsdóttir et. al., 2007) and cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1977). Because of the growing diversity of teachers and other staff in schools and other institutions, there is an urgent need to explore workplace realities, particularly in schools for reasons described above. Issues of ethnically diverse workplaces form a new challenge in the Icelandic context, although well known in many neighbouring countries. In interviews with the six preschool heads they were asked about their philosophies and thoughts on diversity in general, the transition in their workplaces from homogeneous to multicultural and the challenges, surprises, implications and opportunities this has offered their preschools. They were asked about their leadership models, leadership styles and the standards they applied for hiring teachers. In the paper the main findings of the interviews will be discussed in relation to the findings of the focus group interviews mentioned above. The effects of the preschool heads on the school ethos, how they manage to draw on the human resources within the diverse groups, and how their philosophies, their former experiences in employment and education affect their methods of employing their staff will be considered. Furthermore, their views on diversity in general will be discussed. A conceptual framework for the study is being developed, while the theoretical background of the study includes a discussion on multicultural/intercultural education (Banks and Banks, 2005; Gundara, 2000). The study draws upon theories and models of leadership and school development (Dimmock and Walker, 2005; Fullan, 2001; Lumby and Coleman, 2007; Ryan, 2003; Sergiovanni, 2001). Writings on multicultural organisations and cultures of organisations are also considered (Cox, 2001; Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005; Mor Barak, 2005).

The second stage of the study presented in this paper is a qualitative interview study (Flick, 2006; Kvale, 1996). Semi structured, in-depth interviews were taken with each preschool head of the six preschools (see above) from January to April 2008.

The study is ongoing. A third part is planned, where focus group interviews with Icelandic staff in the same six preschools is planned (autumn 2008). The findings of the study will presumably outline some of the realities of multicultural workplaces in Iceland within the school system, by focusing on the realities of six preschools. By interviewing all staff in different groups or as individuals, a holistic picture of these diverse workplaces is likely to appear, hopefully revealing and shedding light on issues such as the development of workplace ethos in ethnically diverse preschools, the effects of leadership models and views on workplace ethos, the importance of peer group interaction or lack of it within workplaces, the position of ethnic minority teachers in different preschool settings, possible obstacles to inclusion of staff within these workplaces, main conflicts of values, to name a few. This study attempts to look at experiences from ethnically diverse preschools and draw on these experiences in further discussions on ethnic diversity in schools in Iceland as well as suggesting school reform agendas suitable for ethnically diverse workplaces generally, concerning for example school ethos, leadership models and human resource management. The final main implications of the study will be to suggest school reform agenda which favours diversity and equity and propose inclusive models of leadership and human resource management (Fullan, 2001; Mor Barak, 2005; Sergiovanni, 2001).