Abstract
Across the world, schools rely on middle leaders to translate big-picture visions into the daily realities of
teaching and learning. They bridge the gap between senior leadership and the classroom, playing an
instrumental role in shaping the curriculum, supporting teachers and students, and promoting a shared
sense of vision and purpose. Yet, their influence in international school contexts has largely been
unresearched. This study addresses critical gaps in the literature and concludes with practical
recommendations for the role of middle leaders in international and national school contexts.
The focus was the instructional leadership role of middle leaders through the lens of the International
Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP). An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design
situated within the interpretivist paradigm investigated the perspectives of coordinators and teachers from
diverse cultural and geographic contexts. Hallinger’s (1983) Principals’ Instructional Management Rating
Scale (PIMRS) was adapted to create the MYP Instructional Management Rating Scale (MYPIMRS) for the
context of middle leadership. Follow-up interviews with coordinators and teachers explored the challenges
and relationships behind the MYPIMRS data.
Findings revealed a consistent pattern in which coordinators rated their instructional leadership
competencies higher than their teacher colleagues did, particularly in communicating mission and vision,
implementing the MYP, overseeing teaching and learning and building staff motivation. The data revealed
tensions, blind spots, successes and challenges that shaped the differing views.
The study provides an original contribution to knowledge about middle leadership in IB schools. It calls for
recognising the vital role of middle leaders and for professional development that bridges perception gaps,
deepens trust, and empowers them as agents of innovation and change. There are implications for future
policy in IB schools, and clear implications for changes in practice, particularly in role clarity, collaborative
structures, and supporting middle leaders to enact their instructional leadership with greater confidence and
coherence.