“… walk in your own leadership shoes” The experiences of deputy principal and principal educational psychologists in leadership roles: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Dhingsa, Dino 2026. “… walk in your own leadership shoes” The experiences of deputy principal and principal educational psychologists in leadership roles: an interpretative phenomenological analysis. DEdPsy Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Aims: Utilising leadership approaches has been positioned as an important element of educational psychology practice within the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards of proficiency (HCPC, 2023). Despite this, the existing literature highlights a lack of discourse regarding leadership in professional practice and a significant gap in research regarding the experiences of educational psychologists in leadership positions. By centring on the voices of deputy principal and principal educational psychologists, this research intends to address that gap. Method: Employing Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants working in Local Authorities as either deputy principal or principal educational psychologist Analysis: The analysis revealed three overarching Group Experiential Themes (GETs) and corresponding subthemes that underscored the importance of how the participants valued leadership in their practice, how they made leadership decisions based on informed decision making, and how they gained capacity in responding to the challenges they encountered. Findings: The GETs reflect the views of the participants that little importance is attributed to leadership by the wider educational psychology profession. The participants highlight how leadership theories, models, and frameworks are used tacitly in their roles. Additionally, it is suggested that there can be greater focus on supporting the professional development of educational psychologists throughout their careers and to improve the systems of support while working in the principal educational psychologist role. Limitations and implications: Limitations pertaining to the methodology of the current research are explored. Implications regarding the definition of leadership, how leadership approaches can be supported within professional practice, and the systems of support for educational psychologists in formal leadership roles are discussed.

Item Type:	Thesis (DEdPsy)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Psychology
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	22 July 2026
Last Modified:	28 Jul 2026 10:56
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/188405

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