Bridging policy and practice: a review of school leadership in differentiation from a system perspective

This study presents a literature review exploring how school leaders conceptualize and implement differentiation at the system level, with a focus on fostering inclusion in complex educational settings. Fifteen articles (n = 15) were thematically analyzed, resulting in two overarching themes: system and leadership practices, with sub-themes such as students' rights, principals' system mindset, and links between leadership and differentiated instruction (DI). A key finding is the connection between distributed leadership and DI, where shared responsibilities promote collaborative cultures that support inclusive teaching. The review highlights principals' central role in advancing DI and inclusion, requiring systemic understanding and responsive leadership. Challenges such as administrative constraints and teacher resistance underline the need for collaboration, professional learning and policy alignment. Methodologically, the review was inspired by Gough and Thomas's approach. The study addresses a research gap on system-level differentiation and emphasizes the importance of school leadership in bridging policy and practice to promote educational equity.