An Examination of Leadership Practices and their Influence on School Effectiveness in British Curriculum Schools in Dubai

Doctoral Research Project by Michelle Hinds, Doctoral Candidate & Head of English at Deira International School

This research examines the relationship between leadership practices and school effectiveness within British Curriculum schools in Dubai. While leadership is widely recognised as a significant influence on school performance, there is no universally agreed definition or measure of “school effectiveness.” In the UAE context, schools are evaluated through multiple frameworks, including inspections by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the former Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspections, and internal quality assurance processes across school groups. Although effectiveness is often judged primarily through examination outcomes, this overlooks wider contextual influences such as staff and student motivation, school culture, governance, and pupil background. The study investigates how different leadership practices shape school effectiveness beyond attainment data alone, with the aim of identifying evidence informed approaches that support sustainable improvement in British Curriculum schools in Dubai.

The results of this research will be posted shortly.