The changing role of the deputy principal in selected independent schools in Victoria

Master of EducationThe purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which the role of the deputy principal has changed within the current administrative structures of selected independent schools in Victoria. While recognizing the temporal nature of some findings, it was initially decided that the objectives of this study should be to ascertain what recent changes in structure and practice have taken place. Secondly, it was also of interest to investigate how these changes have affected both the role of the deputy principal and the person occupying the position or its equivalent. It was further decided to determine the levels of satisfaction among deputy principals in relation to role expectations according to school type. Ten subjects representing a sample of approximately ten per cent of the independent schools in Victoria were selected to participate in the inquiry, the methodology for which was based on naturalistic evaluation techniques including observation and interview. The general findings indicated that a number of changes in structure and/or organization have affected the distribution of deputy principals' tasks and responsibilities during the last three to five years. There also appeared to be changes in the levels of satisfaction according to these new duties. Finally it can be claimed that team management strategies are becoming increasingly apparent in independent schools in relation to the size of the student population and the complexity of organizational procedures