Exploring hybrid leadership’s influence on school-based support teams in no-fee primary schools

Background: School-based support teams (SBSTs) play a crucial role in facilitating inclusive education in South African schools; however, their effectiveness often depends on the leadership style adopted within the school. Aim: This study explored how different leadership styles influence the functioning of SBSTs in two no-fee public primary schools in South Africa to identify practices that support effective and collaborative learner support. Setting: The study was conducted in two no-fee public primary schools in a socio-economically challenged township in the Gauteng province, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative narrative case study design guided by transformational and distributed leadership theories was adopted for this study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion involving 13 participants, including SBST members and deputy principals. Results: Leadership practices dominated by autocratic and laissez-faire styles negatively affected team morale, collaboration and overall effectiveness. Limited communication, lack of recognition and insufficient structured support hindered team cohesion and learner support delivery. Without transformational traits such as inspirational motivation and individualised consideration, staff morale was further lowered. While distributed leadership was limited, its few instances indicated potential for more collaborative practice. Conclusion: A hybrid leadership model integrating transformational, distributed and participative elements can strengthen SBST functioning, particularly in under-resourced contexts. Contribution: The study provides evidence for adopting context-sensitive, equity-oriented leadership approaches to enhance collaboration, morale and learner support in inclusive education.