Purpose. In turbulent times with societal changes all over the globe, schools and their quality are essential to educate the next generation. Preparing students to meet and understand future challenges and possibilities requires the ability of school leaders to navigate across expectations emanating from national and local policy and culture. Our purpose in this symposium is to understand and explain how various school actors understand and contribute to what they see as good schooling for students in relation to academic results, ethics, and wellness. Conceptualisation. Earlier findings show that successful principals have more similarities than differences in their toolbox despite various contexts (Leithwood et.al, 2021). Successful principals are able to navigate across local and national contexts and policies in a way that benefits teaching and learning. In this process, they attend to diverse issues simultaneously as they engage others in collective competencies towards mutual objectives. Shared understandings, interaction, and communication are crucial to create supportive prerequisites for student learning (Johansson & Ärlestig, 2022). In order to support student learning, school leaders also need to build agency on various levels in the local school system (Biesta & Tedder, 2007; Bronfenbrenner, 1977). Method. The findings build upon the new ISSPP protocols. The empirical data derives from two compulsory schools where school leaders have been employed for more than three years and during that time improved the school outcomes. By using the ISSPP protocols it becomes possible to understand what principals, deputy principals, teachers, students, and parents value and find challenging in teaching and learning. It also enables a deeper understanding about actors’ agency, and priorities in combination with collective interactions and understandings as they strive to meet policy objectives and enhance students’ learning and well-being. Preliminary findings. In this paper we let various actors give their view of contributing factors to school success with regards to structure, culture, and leadership. In focus are the expectations on principals’ and deputy principals’ roles in navigating between existing structures and cultures while simultaneously addressing current and upcoming challenges. Schedules and other structural elements aim to promote a good working environment for everyone involved. How principals and teachers communicate aims and intentions and plan teaching become significant for students’ willingness to accept and contribute to schoolwork. It is also crucial to encourage parents to support teacher- and principal leadership for student learning.

Biesta, G., & Tedder, M. (2007). Agency and learning in the lifecourse: Towards an ecological perspective. Studies in the Education of Adults, 39(2), 132–149. https://doi.org/10.1080/02660830.2007.11661545 Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. The American Psychologist, 32(7), 513–531. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.32.7.513 Johansson, O., & Ärlestig, H. (2022). Democratic governing ideals and the power of intervening spaces as prerequisite for student learning. Journal of Educational Administration, 60(3), 340–353. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-04-2021-0079 Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2019.1596077