Exploring interactions of the dimensions of agency through the experiences of aspiring school leaders in Scotland, UK

Abstract

Agency has increasingly become a central concept in educational leadership research, yet its application to those preparing to enter school leadership roles remains underexplored. Drawing on the conceptual framework of the ecological approach to teacher agency, we explored how and in what ways aspiring school leaders in Scotland (n = 21) experience agency as they undertake a national programme of professional learning designed to support their entry into school leadership—Into Headship. Drawing on data gathered from critical incidents (n = 56) provided by the school leaders and written during their completion of the Into Headship programme during 2021–2024, we explored the ways in which the different dimensions of agency were visible and how they interact. We found a strong presence of the cultural and structural aspect of the practical-evaluative dimension of agency and evident interactions between the practical-evaluative, iterative and projective dimensions of agency. We also noted how aspiring school leaders identify and create spaces of agency for others. In the context of educational reform, this research highlights the importance of agency as a key concept, which informs the educational structures created by government and the professional learning programmes and networks, which support aspiring school leaders’ practice.