Leadership development in schools play an imperative role in driving school improvement, Hattie (2012) points out that school leadership can make the second biggest impact on learner outcomes in schools. Post- pandemic, school leaders, and in particular senior leaders, are stepping away from leadership roles more often, which highlights the importance of capacity building in leadership (Breslin, 2020). However, due to the challenges in schools, leaders often need to develop their own skills to provide mentoring and coaching support to those they lead (Oberholzer and Boyle, 2024).

This qualitative case study, investigates, how developing school leaders’ ability to mentor future leaders within their schools enable their teams to develop capacity, but also supports teacher retention. The study aimed to investigate this phenomenon, with the aim to understand how mentoring can play a significant role in developing leaders’ professional learning, and their understanding of the professional learning of others, to enable them to support their teams, to help them to make the most of their talents. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, as well as focus groups, to help evaluate and understand the lived experiences of school leaders as they were developing their mentoring skills, and supporting that of others. The data were thematically analysed drawing on Braun and Clarke’s (2020) 6 phase model.

The data revealed that by engaging in mentoring, and modelling the behaviour leaders wanted to foster in their teams, they were able to not only develop future leaders, but develop strategic leadership practices within their teams, and open a co-constructive professional learning opportunity for future leaders to collaborate with leaders. Modelling, feedback, and continuous support led to significant growth and capacity building of future leaders. The study emphasises that due to the changing conductions in education, mentoring can be a valuable intervention to help take action to develop others to develop as future leaders through their professional learning journeys.

References: Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3 (2). pp.77–101. ISSN 1478–088. Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. Oxon: Routledge. Oberholzer, L. & Boyle, D. (2023). Mentoring and coaching in education: A guide to coaching and mentoring teachers at every stage of their careers. UK: Bloomsbury