6 Summary

As a school leader, you need to establish an evidence-based understanding of the diversity in your school. This is so that you can avoid some students being disadvantaged in their learning outcomes and enrich the curriculum and culture of the school by valuing that diversity.

In this unit you have considered what data you might gather, how to gather it and then how to analyse and share the results. You have looked at how to make this a cooperative and collaborative activity that provides direct benefits to the school and enlivens the curriculum by promoting engagement by students and their parents, relating their education to the realities of their lives. Such data can also inform lesson planning and specific interventions to tackle those factors that adversely affect some students’ learning outcomes.

You would have also noted that data on diversity issues is sensitive and needs to be addressed, used and stored carefully only with the purpose of improving learning outcomes for all.

This unit is part of the set or family of units that relate to the key area of perspective on leadership (aligned to the National College of School Leadership). You may find it useful to look next at other units in this set to build your knowledge and skills:

• Building a shared vision for your school
• Leading the school’s self-review
• Leading the school development plan
• Planning and leading change in your school
• Implementing change in your school.