In this symposium we invite participants to a critical exploration of school leadership perspectives and practices from Sweden, Denmark and Norway. In a world where democracy is under threat, we consider the insights gained from examining school leadership in educational systems which strive for democracy and equity. Since the nineteenth century, “Schools for All” has been central to government policy in Scandinavia, both as an ideal and to ensure universal access to education. Historically, schools were established by the state, they were free to attend, students were not streamed according to ability and instruction was designed to promote democratic participation.

Today, schools in Sweden, Denmark and Norway continue to be defined by policies which mandate equity, participation and inclusivity. Children’s rights are fundamental, and schools are required to model democracy in action, as well as having a central role in creating future democratic societies. School leaders in Scandinavia operate within comparatively flat structures which belie a demanding complexity. They are expected to promote and safeguard equity, cultivate trust among staff and students, demonstrate a high degree of relational competence and lead the learning of their staff and students in participatory ways (Gunnulfsen & Leo, 2023). Simutaneously, however, school leaders feel the growing uneasiness” (Uljens, 2020, p. vi) of conflicting discourses (Moos et al, 2020) as governments in Scandinavia advocate for improved outcomes in education which have more to do with competition than equity. Furthermore, since the late twentieth century, research on school leadership and education programmes for Scandinavian school leaders has been heavily influenced by international trends, particularly effectiveness and accountability, due to the dominance of English-speaking research and government concerns about global competitiveness. (Møller, 2016). The democratic values at the core of the Scandinavian education systems are continually under threat from forces of marketisation, accountability and consumerism (Møller & Rönnberg, 2021). 

Due to this complexity, we propose that there is much to be learned from school leaders in Sweden, Denmark and Norway as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of leading ‘Schools for all’, which remains a unifying term and a call-to-action. How might school leaders demonstrate bravery and resilience in striving for democratic values which are continually challenged? This, we suggest, is a question which is highly relevant for school leaders around the world, and in this symposium, we seek to provide a starting point for further discussion and knowledge creation in research and practice. The presentations from Sweden, Denmark and Norway comprise descriptions of the differing contexts of school leadership. Each country is presented as a case, providing insight into existing and emerging trends in each country. In the paper from Sweden, data from research on how Swedish principals experience and respond to controversial issues is presented. The paper from Denmark applies the lens of Bourdieusian theory to an analysis of legislation, policy, and data from interviews with school leaders, highlighting tensions and opportunities. The Norwegian contribution utilises research findings from partnership projects involving schools, municipalities and universities to present and explore dilemmas felt and navigated by school leaders.

Gunnulfsen, A. E., & Leo, U. (2023). Principals’ Roles in a Nordic Education Context: Shared Responsibility and Pedagogical Engagement. In A. E. Gunnulfsen, H. Ärlestig, & M. Storgaard (Eds.), Education and Democracy in the Nordic Countries (pp. 115–132). Springer. Moos, L., Nihlfors, E., & Merok Paulsen, J. (2020). Critical Potential of Nordic School Leadership Research. In L. Moos, E. Nihlfors, & J. Merok Paulsen (Eds.), Re-centering the Critical Potential of Nordic School Leadership Research (pp. 3–36). Springer. Møller, J. (2016). Kvalifisering som skoleleder i en norsk kontekst: Et historisk tilbakeblikk og perspektiver på utdanning av skoleledere. Acta Didactica Norge, 10(4), 7-26. Møller, J., & Rönnberg, L. (2021). Critical perspectives in and approaches to educational leadership in two Nordic countries. In Steven. J. Courtney, Helen. M. Gunter, R. Niesche, & T. Trujillo (Eds.), Understanding Educational Leadership (pp. 105–120). Bloomsbury Academic. Uljens, M. (2020). Towards the Future Through a Democratic and Non-affirmative Bildung Discourse. In L. Moos, E. Nihlfors, & J. M. Paulsen (Eds.), Re-centering the Critical Potential of Nordic School Leadership (pp. v–vi). Springer.