Role of principals’ leadership styles in promoting grade-12 learner performance in Western Cape township high schools

Ethical Clearance Ref: EFEC 01-05/2024This study investigated the roles of principals' leadership styles in improving grade-12 learner performance in high-performing quintile 1-3 schools in impoverished Western Cape townships, South Africa. Despite facing numerous socio-economic issues, these schools have sustained an average grade-12 pass rate of 70% or above over the past five years. This qualitative multi-case study used a purposive sample of eight principals from purposefully selected schools. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews and documents in the form of minutes of meetings were used to collect data on the roles of principals’ leadership styles in improving grade-12 learner performance. Data was analysed using colour-coding and emergent themes. The interviews focused on the challenges that mitigated against grade-12 learners’ high performance, participants’ leadership styles, and the roles that their leadership styles played in improving grade-12 learner performance.