Education plays a key role in fighting against social exclusion and works towards social justice understood as three dimensions: redistribution, recognition and participation. Schools, as fundamental educational element, are basic elements in a fairer society through their work in and for Social Justice (Murillo and Hernández-Castilla, 2011). In that context are school leaders who are, finally, the capability to prevent or promote inclusion actions, integration and social cohesion (Murillo, Krichesky, Castro and Hernández-Castilla, 2010).

In this paper we present the research funded R & D + i (EDU2010-18 224) results which try to find what are characteristics and behaviours that have become more successful schools that work towards a fairer society.

Research agrees there is no special practices that characterize these leaders, or a particular type of leadership is the key for inclusion and social justice but on the contrary, we must be willing to change a leadership style and grabbing strategies that work best for each challenge (Harris and Chapman, 2002; Kugelmass, 2003; Muijs et al., 2007). Without necessarily contradicting the previous idea, various empirical studies have made some interesting contributions that help to give guidance about models and leadership practices that appear to be on the basis of social justice leadership conception. In this context it is interesting to distinguish two aspects of leadership; the processes and the content, so is the style and leadership practices.

Empirical studies that have attempted to determine the model or style of leadership for social justice do not always agree. Indeed, while Hopkins (2001) remarks that it is educational and transformational leadership, others indicate that these leaders are characterized by an autocratic style in schools with special process or with serious trouble, but it is also found that these principals are not satisfactory (Chapman, 2005; Muijs et al., 2007). It also stressed the distributed leadership significance as the best way to begin, but above all, sustaining change in heterogeneous schools (eg Harris and Chapman, 2002). However, there is a leadership characteristic exercised in schools that achieve inclusion, and it lies in the emphasis that the focus is made on democratic and participative leadership.

It is likely that what defines the inclusive leadership style are not the practices that are promoted, linked to a series of values and principles related to social justice. Some of them, according to research, are (Blackmore, 2002; Bogotch, 2002; Riester, Pursch, & Skrla, 2002, Brown, 2004, Marshall & Olivia, 2006; Ryan, 2006; Frattura & Capper, 2007): Identifying and articulating the vision of the school, developing people, strengthening inclusive school culture, focus on improving the teaching and learning, promote the creation of professional learning communities, and promote collaboration between school and family, promoting the development of educational cultures in families.

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