Research 

This study seeks to explore the relationship between the leadership habitus of eight school principals and the specific contexts in which they lead, how these principals forged their pathways to high-status positions widely regarded as being successful and how their current practices compare and differ across contexts. Four elite schools which are different in their ethos and population of students were chosen for this study. The principals and deputy principals in each of these schools were interviewed about their past histories and current practices. The study is conceptually framed by Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, capital, field and strategies. It examines the childhood, educational and professional experiences and current practices of the principals in order to gain insight towards answering the following questions: What constitutes leadership practice in four high-achieving, high-prestige schools? How do leadership practices compare and differ across these different elite school contexts? The main findings of the study show that there is a strong alignment between the individual habitus of the principals and the institutional habitus of the schools they lead. Their past experiences enable them to draw on various forms of capital to inform their current practices. There are many similarities between the principals, especially with regards to their habitus and initial capital, but there are also differences, particularly in the way their leadership practices are adapted to their particular school contexts. 

Thesis (MEd)--University of Cape Town