The Impact of Leadership and Targeted Interventions to Close the Achievement Gap of Disadvantaged Pupils: A Case Study

Demie, Feyisa

Abstract

This research explores the impact of effective leadership and targeted interventions in closing the achievement gap of disadvantaged pupils in primary schools. Findings suggest that the case study schools use effective school leaders and a range of targeted interventions including early intervention, small group additional teaching, one-to-one tuition, peer tutoring, parental involvement, booster class, mastery learning, pastoral care, and enrichment programmes. Each of the above success factors and intervention strategies was explored in detail in the paper. The overall conclusions of this study are that the case study schools have closed the achievement gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers through providing effective school leaders and the use of a range of effective intervention strategies. We would suggest that the case study schools’ stories of how they have closed the achievement gap through providing strong school leaders and the use of targeted interventions are of local and national significance. Our research also suggests the possibilities for further research. The recommendations from the study are that there is a need to replicate and expand this research with a larger sample of the study, in order to explore in detail what works in schools.

Citation

Demie, F. (2021). The Impact of Leadership and Targeted Interventions to Close the Achievement Gap of Disadvantaged Pupils: A Case Study. European Journal of Educational Management, 4(2), 97-108. https://doi.org/10.12973/eujem.4.2.97

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 8, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Dec 15, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Deposit Date: Jan 4, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 4, 2022
• Journal: European Journal of Educational Management
• Print ISSN: 2642-2344
• Electronic ISSN: 2642-2344
• Publisher: Eurasian Society of Educational Research
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 97-108
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.12973/eujem.4.2.97
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1218044