Middle leaders are important conduits for school policy and are often required to lead, champion and monitor change initiatives in their departments. This paper examines secondary school middle leaders’ self-reported theories, promotion and leadership of culturally responsive teaching approaches for student equity. The study participants (n = 170) are curriculum leaders in state secondary schools throughout New Zealand, serving a range of diverse populations, including Indigenous Māori students. The quantitative and qualitative data for this project were thematically analysed to inquire into middle leaders’ articulation of their culturally responsive theories, practices, and pedagogical and curriculum leadership to assist members of their departments in supporting Māori student educational success. The study found that although middle leaders could clearly articulate culturally responsive, sustaining and revitalising pedagogies and leadership in alignment with government policies and expectations, they were less clear about the measures they used to evidence these practices. In addition, less than 30% of the middle leader participants mentioned academic achievement as an element of Māori student success, and few mentioned the importance of systematic monitoring of achievement data, or using them to support better learning outcomes for Māori students (184).

This study reports the quantitative results of middle leaders’ self-reported practices and compares their responses to the perceptions of the teachers who report to them (n = 158). Likert scale questionnaires were used to measure the extent to which middle leaders focused on goal orientation, professional collaboration, effective instructional practices, and supporting teacher development within their department. The analysis provides insight into this phenomenon within six different state-funded secondary schools, with results showing middle leaders almost always rate their practices more effectively than the teachers who report to them. Common areas identified as requiring increased effectiveness were middle leaders’ use of resources to support learning, use of data to support the instructional programme, and identification of effective professional learning opportunities for teachers. Reported levels of effectiveness compared with student academic achievement in the senior secondary school setting align with agreement ratings and the socio-economic status of students who attend the school. This paper highlights the need for the ongoing support of middle leaders to be provided with deliberate support and development for leading teachers.