A Whole School Approach: A Synthesis of Interconnected Policy, Practice, and Research Conceptualisations

This explorative study examines the principles, problematics, and prospects of a Whole School Approach (WSA) by comparing 27 distinct, but inter-connected, WSA conceptualisations purposively selected from curriculum frameworks, policy documents, and academic literature. A WSA from an Education for Sustainable Development perspective forms the departure point of the study, conceptualisations from Education for Health and Wellbeing and Global Citizenship Education are then introduced. The chapter concludes that if a WSA is adopted to integrate individual education initiatives, such as reducing bullying, or a whole school climate action, it still runs the risk of further fostering siloed thinking and creating competition over what is prioritised. Instead, an inclusive understanding of the role of a WSA is essential, to ensure synergies between different but interconnected educational innovations are made: By framing a WSA as a reflexive thinking tool for general quality educational change processes, grounded in holistic, systemic, and sustainable perspectives, a WSA has potential to support the integration of continual educational innovation processes and foster a proactive ‘culture of change and reflexivity’ within schools.