The importance of school culture is well established as a significant influence on teaching, learning, staff motivation and pupil outcomes. In more general terms, organisational culture is regularly ranked as the most, or one of the most, important elements in understanding organisations and managing change. In the case of schools in particular, research has established organisational culture as highly significant in areas such as successful change and promoting excellence. School cultures that are sympathetic and supportive have been shown to be crucial to the development of staff well-being. This research enquiry is a case study of the perceived change, or lack of change, to the organisational culture of an independent school that has expanded its age range from Year 8 to Year 11 (GCSE) and doubled in pupil numbers over a six-year period. Data for the research is collected through the elicited descriptions and opinions of school staff. The theoretical lens of the research is the three-tier paradigm of organisational culture developed by Edgar Schein (1985) which is modelled using the three categories of artefacts, espoused beliefs and values, and basic underlying assumptions. The research adopts a mixed methods approach using a three-stage research design: a World Café event, online survey, and semi-structured interviews. The research contributes a case study example to the limited literature relating to changes in organisational culture in schools and sets out an example of a school’s basic underlying assumptions, the layer at which, according to Schein, the true organisational culture resides.
- Organisational culture
- School culture
- Managing change
- Edgar Schein
- Artefacts
- Underlying assumptions
A case study research enquiry into staff perceptions of changes to the organisational culture of a school that has extended its age range
Walliker, A. (Author). 19 Sep 2023
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis