‘School is no longer a lone wolf effort’: leadership strategies for inclusive, community-based school cultures

Based on the premise that the successful implementation of inclusion is largely dependent on the educators’ commitment to inclusive ideals, this study sought to examine the ways principals promote an inclusive vision and foster the development of associated practices in their school community. The study employed an exploratory qualitative research design, collecting data through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 12 principals of highly-ranked inclusive schools from four countries: Australia, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain. In so doing, the emphasis was placed on the principals’ perspectives and practices that contribute to the development of an inclusive school culture. The iterative process of thematic analysis revealed five broad key factors that affect and impact school inclusivity, namely: institutional commitment to a collective inclusive culture; family partnership and co-responsibility; collaboration among key stakeholders (e.g. students, teachers, other staff); students’ voice and agency; and building and sustaining inter-institutional partnerships. This paper concludes by advocating a community-based approach model to school inclusion by identifying key factors on which principals can rely to navigate material, social, and political challenges.