Effective Primary School Leadership

Description

Creating and sustaining a positive learning environment is one of the key responsibilities of school leadership.

For primary school leaders, this means considering the classroom and the school environment not just as a physical space, but also as an emotional and social environment.

By understanding the environment as a threefold, physical, emotional, and social, participants will learn how a positive, inclusive environment can influence academics, social-emotional development, and promote inclusivity and mental health. 

This course is aimed at helping primary school leadership staff to reflect on their current practices.

The focus will be on the three possible types of learning environment, which will be explored using the CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) framework, the SSE (School Social Environment) factors, metacognition, and its strategies.

Throughout the course, participants will learn how to consider the impact of schedules and routines, classroom organization, seating arrangements, and their impact on students’ independence, mental health, and learning.

Particular attention will also be given to supporting neurodiverse learners and students with different learning needs. 

Alongside all of that, the course will also bring in perspectives on adult learning and professional development. Concepts from Robert Kegan’s constructive-developmental theory, Malcolm Knowles’ four ways of knowing, and Donald Winnicott’s notion of the “holding environment” will be reimagined for the school context.

Throughout the week, participants will engage in interactive workshops, group reflections, and collaborative planning sessions.

In fact, those understandings will guide the conceptualization of a School Environment Action Plan designed to diffuse this week’s learning through targeted professional development and foster a growth-oriented culture amongst educators. 

Participants will possess the basic knowledge to make positive changes in the environment, impacting students’ attitudes, behavior, and motivation through engaging their school team in professional development around the subject and beyond.

By the end of the course, they will be equipped with both practical strategies and theoretical insights to create primary school environments that are nurturing, stimulating, and inclusive for students, while also supporting the professional development of teachers and staff.

Concept by Marilia Lauria

Learning outcomes

The course will help participants to:

• Explain how the physical, social, and emotional dimensions of the learning environment affect students’ well-being, motivation, and academic success; 
• Evaluate their own school’s environment and identify strengths, gaps, and areas for improvement; 
• Apply strategies to create an inclusive school culture that fosters belonging, resilience, and continuous growth for all students, including those with diverse learning needs; 
• Reflect on the physical layout of their school and recognize the impact of different designs on aspects like collaboration, independence, and emotional safety; 
• Integrate adult learning theories (Kegan, Knowles, Winnicott) into professional development initiatives that build staff capacity and strengthen teamwork; 
• Design a tailored school environment action plan to implement sustainable improvements and foster a growth-oriented school culture; 
• Foster a growth-oriented school culture by engaging colleagues in reflective practice, peer learning, and shared responsibility for student well-being.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Course introduction

• Introduction to the course, the school, and the external week activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools;
• Overview of the three types of learning environment (physical, emotional, social).

Day 2 – Emotional and social environment

• Exploring School Social Environment (SSE) Factors: relationships, policies, and practices; 
• Introduction to CASEL Social emotional Learning framework;  
• Metacognition and its role in emotional regulation and learning.

Day 3 – Physical environment and inclusivity

• Designing for independence and community: the role of schedules and routines;  
• Classroom layout and inclusivity: seating, representation, and integration of nature; 
• Strategies for creating sensory-friendly spaces and supporting neurodiverse learners; 
• Workshop: analyzing and redesigning physical environments.

Day 4 – Leadership and adult development

• Exploring different concepts of adult learning and identity development; 
• Applying Kegan’s developmental model and Knowles’ andragogy principles; 
• Reimagining Winnicott’s ‘holding environment’ for school leadership and staff growth; 
• Case studies: examples of professional learning environments; 
• Group activity: translating theory into staff development strategies.

Day 5 – Looking ahead: action planning for sustainable change

• Developing a School Environment Action Plan tailored to participants’ contexts; 
• Designing professional learning strategies aligned with staff needs and school culture; 
• Peer presentations of draft plans with group feedback and refinement;  
• Consolidating learning: from insights to actionable steps.

Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.

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