The typical conclusion of  researchers, working within both quantitative and qualitative paradigms, is that  that school leaders have small and indirect effects on student outcomes that are essentially mediated by teachers. Despite this many practitioners and policy makers view the role of school leadership as having a much greater impact on what happens in schools. School inspection reports carried out in schools in the Republic of Ireland provide clear evidence of links between high quality school outcomes and good practice with respect to leadership particularly in schools in challenging circumstances. In this regard, the Department of Education (Ireland) has invested significantly in a number of initiatives targeted a improving student outcomes particularly in literacy and numeracy . This study focus on the manner in which these initiatives were mediated by school leaders in the sample schools. It compares results collected prior to the introduction of the initiatives (2007) to test results 4 years later (2011). 

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