In this chapter, I outline the rationale for the chosen research design, discuss the research problem and my position as a researcher, and explain the choice of methods based upon guidance in the literature. In addition, I outline the purpose of this study, clarify the research questions and explain the choice of population and sample.
4.1.1 The research problem
Governments and educators over the years have considered every aspect of school system design in search of strategies which could be replicated in every school to ensure that all students reach their potential (Barber & Mourshed, 2007; Greany & Earley, 2017). Most of these methods have focused on entire system re-designs or school restructures; the
development of standardised curricula, specific school improvement tools and pedagogical initiatives have been prominent (Fullan, 1996; Kyriakides, Creemers, Antonio & Demetriou, 2010; Hopkins, Stringfield, Harris, Stoll & Mackay, 2014). Very few studies have focused on the role school culture plays in the creation of successful schools (Morris, 2018). None have considered the development of school culture in schools newly amalgamated or upon joining a multi-academy trust. A focus on schools that are products of mergers or a formal
partnership is relevant to the contemporary English educational landscape. In this context, it is likely that school culture will be more embryonic, possibly fragile and evolving in a manner, which, if not consciously, is capable of manipulation. In a newly merged or amalgamated school, there is therefore a rich context, ripe for the study of cultural development.
This study seeks to contribute to the knowledge base by exploring the creation and
development of school culture using a mixed methods approach in a longitudinal context. Hitherto, there has been little investigation of school culture, particularly in English schools, which has employed a combination of research methodologies. Several studies, such as Maslowski (2001) and Hobby (2004), have attempted to measure the health of school culture
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but many have limited their approach to monomethod analysis. 22 of the 26 studies examined by Pritchett (2012) in her extensive study of school culture were monomethod in design, 17 of these were qualitative research. Many studies which have used quantitative techniques were designed to establish a link between school culture and student outcomes, rather than any consideration of how culture develops or how it can be strengthened.
This study therefore tries to provide an understanding of school culture and the internal and external factors which influence its development. A mixed methods longitudinal approach is useful since it enables comparative generalisations to be made from a large population of teachers in three secondary schools, whilst at the same time providing detailed views of teacher perspectives over a twelve-month time period. This study is distinctive because it explores school culture in the context of amalgamated schools or multi-academy trusts and therefore provides a detailed insight into cultural development in schools that are products of mergers or formal partnerships.
This aspect of the research is significant for four reasons. Firstly, it may provide educational policy-makers with knowledge about the development of school culture where school re- structures are being considered as part of strategic school improvement. For example, this study considers leadership strategies and factors both internal and external to schools, which influence the health of school culture and potentially impact the capacity of schools to improve student achievement. Secondly, whilst secondary school mergers or amalgamations are features of educational reorganisations worldwide, the concept of multi-academy trusts, or academies working in ‘chains’ or partnership, is a peculiarly English strategy since 2010; this research is therefore specific to the English domestic context and potentially useful for educational policy-makers. Thirdly, this study contributes to other academic studies on school culture from the perspective of a mixed methods analysis, in contrast to most studies which focus solely on monomethod approaches.
Finally, my experience as a secondary school headteacher has led me to reflect on a variety of school improvement measures across my 23 years in senior leadership. Most school
improvement strategies necessarily focus on the most efficient and effective means to improve student outcomes, but scant regard is paid to the teachers who are the key to delivering success. My experience suggests that school culture in an amalgamated school differs considerably from that in an established school, where customs, traditions and
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working practices have developed over years and are embedded. This is why investigation of school culture in schools forged together or joined in partnership is so fascinating: charting the emergence of cultural traits and examining how this development is affected. From a headteacher perspective, I believe that a healthy school culture helps retain and motivate teachers thereby making structural change a more feasible means of delivering school
improvement in which student success is more likely. Research into school culture is a means of understanding school dynamics, teacher retention and motivation. It helps us understand how to create a better learning environment in which students can prosper and thrive.
4.1.2 Purpose statement
The purpose of this study is to explore the creation and development of school culture in amalgamated schools and multi-academy trusts. This study examines the factors that create a healthy school culture over time from the perspective of teachers in three case study
secondary schools. Using a convergent mixed methods longitudinal approach, this study also seeks to combine quantitative and qualitative techniques to analyse the components of school culture and assess how leadership strategies together with other factors influence teacher perceptions. In this way, the study hopes to provide a greater understanding of school culture as it develops in schools that are products of mergers or formal partnerships and, at the same time, contribute to the field of school improvement research.