Culturally responsive leadership practices in secondary schools that lead to positive academic achievement for Māori and Pacific students

This study provides an analysis of the culturally responsive leadership practices in New Zealand secondary schools which have positive academic results for Māori and Pacific school leavers. An analysis of academic results in New Zealand secondary schools identified 94 schools where Māori, and 23 schools where Pacific, students gained University Entrance (UE) at rates that were above national norms. Researchers developed a survey instrument based on established theories of culturally responsive practice to illicit quantitative and qualitative responses from middle leaders in those schools. This paper reports the results of the surveys from 31 middle leader participants in seven of these academically high-performing schools alongside the UE results for Māori/Pacific students to demonstrate the deliberate strategies leaders report as having an impact on these often-under-served groups of students in senior secondary school. Middle leaders in these academically high-performing schools reported supporting students with career planning alongside their parents, careful subject selection with no exclusions, delivering meaningful curriculum and assessment strategies as well as a focus on data and evidence to inform decisions. Middle leaders reported these strategies as enabling a positive, relational, inclusive and high expectations culture for academic success.