Pupil-centred spiritual leadership: an empirical study of thirteen church primary school headteachers in England

The place of Church school headteachers as spiritual leaders the community is rarely highlighted. This article investigates how 13 primary (Catholic England, and Methodist) interpret this role. It draws on Faith in Nexus research which investigated church schools nurtured pupils’ development facilitated faith activity home. head teacher interviews revealed several recurring themes, such empowering children, collective worship, relationships with parents, visibility school. brings together a comparison leadership approaches from Catholic Anglican headteachers. Evidence differences emerged; tended to use ‘overtly religious’ language while many employed more ‘secular’ express their vision leadership. A Shaw’s (Citation2015, 2017) model ‘ethotic leadership’, highlighted much common. headteachers’ ethos was pupil-centric shaped by focus child. An adaptation offered places child at centre.