Data were collected over three phases. Firstly, school principals identified policy initiatives which had the greatest impact on their schools and explained how they interpreted/mediated policy. Second, interviews with senior and middle leaders (n=6-8) and classroom teachers (n=6-8) permitted progressive focusing (Parlett & Hamilton, 1976) on how policies were understood, communicated and enacted in each school. Third, a further visit explored emergent themes with key staff members. Raising standards of teaching and learning in schools is a key focus of recent educational reforms. The purpose of this research is to contribute new knowledge of the complex interface between policy intentions and educational practices and outcomes through a comparative analysis of the ways in which the intended outcomes of such reforms are mediated and enacted by school leaders and teachers in a diverse range of effective and improving secondary schools in England and Hong Kong. The research will begin with a mapping exercise of perceived challenges of current government reforms in Hong Kong and England and a secondary analysis of two existing national surveys on senior and middle leaders' perceptions of their principals' contribution to change and improvement in their schools. These analyses will inform case studies of eight successful secondary schools (four in each country) across diversified school populations in different socio-economic contexts. Pupil surveys will also be conducted to explore their views on the impact of changes (or no change) in their schools and classrooms on their motivation to learn and achieve. The research will make a distinctive contribution to knowledge of how mandated reforms are enacted in schools for the improvement of pupil outcomes.

The data were collected as part of case studies of four most improved and effective secondary schools across diversified school populations in different socio-economic contexts. These focussed upon the ways in which government reforms were mediated by principals, senior and middle leaders and teachers in order to assess the extent to which the primary intentions had been translated into practice and sustained; and if not, why not. Data were collected over three phases. Firstly, school principals identified policy initiatives which had the greatest impact on their schools and explained how they interpreted/mediated policy. Second, interviews with senior and middle leaders (n=6-8) and classroom teachers (n=6-8) permitted progressive focusing (Parlett & Hamilton, 1976) on how policies were understood, communicated and enacted in each school. Third, a further visit explored emergent themes with key staff members.