Successful leadership of schools facing challenging circumstances: insights from Western Australian primary principals

This thesis addresses the central research question, 'How do principals deal with the distinctive challenges in Schools Facing Challenging Circumstances?' In particular, the research sought to understand how principals are influenced by, and understand, the environments in which they work. The findings of the research are articulated according to three substantive themes.
The implications arising from the findings suggest there is an important need for school context to be considered alongside applicants' skills and abilities in principal selection. It would also be desirable to enhance understanding of SFCC in Western Australia by means of further research on a broader scale.