Accountability and Commitment: A study of potential tensions facing Catholic school leaders in balancing accountability for raising academic standards, in secular terms, with their commitment to the development of whole child

This study focuses on the potential tensions faced by Catholic school leaders in an educational environment that is constantly changing. Increased competition between schools and challenging accountability measures have resulted in Catholic school leaders operating in a very competitive market place where they are surrounded by conflicting values. Catholic schools play a vital role in the wider Church. In fact, the Catholic Bishops, at the restoration of the hierarchy, in 1850, advocated the building of schools before churches to reach out to the Catholic population. Catholic school leaders are called to fulfil the Church’s teaching and to follow the example set by Jesus. This study focuses on two fundamental aspects of this: the call to provide a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable, and the imperative to nurture the wider gifts and talents of children through education in its widest sense. This study focuses on a range of evidence gathered to explore the potential tensions faced by Catholic school leaders if they are committed to the two fundamental aspects of the Church’s educative mission. Semi-structured interviews were held with the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher of the focus school. Members of the school’s chaplaincy team and pupils were also interviewed. The views of teaching staff and Heads of Department were sought through questionnaires. In the study the results are analysed and compared. Key conclusions are offered and a series of recommendations are presented in order to enhance the practice of the leaders of the school.