This thesis has investigated how positive relationships between school leaders, teachers, and students can enhance school leadership. Adopting a case-study approach the study used semi-structured interviews with eight Heads of School and five members of the teaching staff: two assistant heads, a Head of Department, and two teachers, a questionnaire to all the teaching staff, and eight focus groups with students from different schools in one state college in Malta. The findings presented in this thesis offer practical insights for educational leaders in Malta in order to enhance school leadership through positive relationships.
The major outcome of this study is the conceptual framework presented in a cyclical model, showing clearly that communication, trust, motivation, sense of community, and the fact that people matter, all result from positive relationships. The emerging themes of communication, trust, motivation, sense of community, and ‘people matter’ which emerged from the data, all contribute towards enhancing school leadership, and the thesis invites consideration of the term ‘Leadership that Loves’, to describe a focus on leadership in schools which features care, respect, and love. Findings indicate that the link between positive relationships and the emerging themes is highly dependent on how a school leader goes about nurturing all of these qualities.
Currently, Malta is facing a crisis in education and whilst major reforms have been implemented, it is necessary to address the role of positive relationships of school leaders in order to better support every teacher and student, whilst aiming for effective school leadership in Malta. The way forward for school leadership in Malta is highlighted in the light of the findings emanating from this research study. Recommendations for policy and practice are also given.
