The Emergence of a Catholic Heritage School: an Investigation into the Impact and Management of Divergent Authoritative Sources within a Multicultural, Catholic Independent School in England.

Flood, Leanne Marie (2026) The Emergence of a Catholic Heritage School: an Investigation into the Impact and Management of Divergent Authoritative Sources within a Multicultural, Catholic Independent School in England. Doctoral thesis, Birmingham City University.

Text Leanne Marie Flood EdD Thesis_Final Version_Final Award May 2026.pdf - Accepted Version Restricted to Repository staff only until 19 May 2028. Download (2MB)

Abstract

The evolution of Catholic Heritage School (to be referred to as CHS hereafter) in England is a relatively new phenomenon within independent education, where there exists little explicit research. Previous literature exemplifies the appeal of Catholic education to a wider faith demographic and details the different sources of power that school leaders manage. Existing literature also examines the challenges of accommodating inspection criteria in schools with multicultural cohorts; however, limited literature and research exist to explain what a CHS is or provide insight into the ideology behind their evolution.

The requirement of Diocesan Inspectors to measure a school against prescriptive requirements for religious practice has led some Independent Schools to leave the jurisdiction of the Diocese, to better accommodate their multicultural cohorts. The concept of the CHS is engendered by the challenges posed by the Diocesan Catholic inspection of schools serving highly multicultural communities.

This thesis investigates the challenges faced by senior leaders of a Catholic Independent ‘Through School’ in managing different priorities from divergent stakeholders, seeks to understand the impact of the Catholic inspection on a multicultural community, and consolidates the ideology of the CHS. This study utilises reflective diaries from eight senior and middle leaders, employing qualitative research methods, to investigate how school leaders manage the nature and impact of different power sources operating on a Catholic Independent School as they navigate the journey towards becoming a CHS. In addition, the ideology behind becoming a CHS is investigated alongside the effects and consequences. The change process was contextualised using Kotter’s (1996) eight stages of change management, and responses were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) method of data analysis. It also identifies the ideology of transitioning to a Catholic Heritage school through Verter’s lens of spiritual capital, which builds upon Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital.

Key findings indicate that the main source of power prior to the change was the Catholic Diocese and the confines of the Catholic Inspection framework, which negatively impacted leaders who aimed to satisfy inspection targets at the expense of the needs of the multicultural community. Following the change, the ethos and values of the founding religious society and the educational philosophy of the foundress, Cornelia Connelly, are valued highly by the community and quickly became the dominant ideology. It is this ethos and value system, based on the school’s history, that forms the heart of the Catholic Heritage school alongside a celebration of multi-faith and multicultural diversity. The implications of this study lie in its potential as a guide to be used by other school leaders who are considering a change to a Catholic Heritage school, and in its potential to open up transparent conversations around one-size-fits-all religious inspections in multicultural schools to impact current and future policy.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Dates:	Date Event 15 May 2026 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Catholic Independent Education, Catholic Inspection, Catholic Heritage Schools
Subjects:	CAH20 - historical, philosophical and religious studies > CAH20-01 - history and archaeology > CAH20-01-04 - heritage studies 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:	19 May 2026 15:19
Last Modified:	19 May 2026 15:19
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/17059

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