Examination of the factors that impact the decision-making of community governors in an inner-city junior school in England.

Reilly, Bernadette Margaret Mary (2025) Examination of the factors that impact the decision-making of community governors in an inner-city junior school in England. Doctoral thesis, Birmingham City University.

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Abstract

The value ascribed to the voice, capital, and agency of community governors (CGs) engaged in decision-making has critical implications for inner-city schools ‘stuck’ in Ofsted-imposed special measures (SM) (Spielman, 2019). This doctoral research study aimed to collaborate with CGs to develop a consciousness of school governance habitus through life histories, creating a praxis for empowerment in decision-making (Bourdieu, 1977). The contribution to knowledge in this enquiry was in response to a deficit in literature findings of current CG’s positioning, leading to a reimagining through a lens of sharing life histories. In terms of governance practice, a conceptualisation of transformed CG contributions was achieved through an empowered governor voice operating within an inclusive framework. The timeline and catalyst for the thesis focus were attributed to the White Paper 'The Importance of Teaching’ (2010) and its implications for CG positioning. The applications of Habitus (Bourdieu, 1984) and Communities of Practice (COP) (Lave & Wenger, 1991) enabled this enquiry to identify social and cultural factors impacting CGs’ decision-making as these factors intersected with English education governance policy. The methodological design captured the CGs’ voices by sharing stories and focusing on life histories. I achieved this by working with four CGs, conducting an identity box exercise (Gauntlett, 2007), and conducting walking interviews (Evans & Jones, 2011b). The findings illuminated critical thinking about decision-making and insights into factors that impacted their practice. In addressing the research questions, a key finding was the invisibility of cultural capital and agency undervalued by the school’s governance context and exacerbated by ad hoc induction and training. CGs’ reflections revealed that democracy and social justice appeared lost in translation in the current governance mechanism, creating feelings of marginalisation and isolation. There was evidence that COP was integral to governance learning in the community and could be further developed to empower the CGs’ voice. Further research opportunities may include additional attention to capital and agency brought consciously into the habitus of governance, offering a transformative praxis in effective decision-making in raising school improvement as measured by Ofsted.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Dates:	Date Event 8 August 2025 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	School Governance Habitus, Communities of Practice (COP), participatory methodologies, identity box, walking interview.
Subjects:	CAH15 - social sciences > CAH15-01 - sociology, social policy and anthropology > CAH15-01-01 - social sciences (non-specific) CAH22 - education and teaching > CAH22-01 - education and teaching > CAH22-01-01 - education
Divisions:	Doctoral Research College > Doctoral Theses Collection Law and Social Sciences > Education
Depositing User:	Louise Muldowney
Date Deposited:	09 Sep 2025 08:46
Last Modified:	09 Sep 2025 08:46
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16638

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