Author Information
Jennifer Silva, University of Aveiro, PortugalAlexandre Ventura, University of Aveiro, Portugal
Diana Oliveira, University of Aveiro, Portugal
Abstract
In Portugal, within the context of New Public Management, schools’ autonomy has been strengthened and greater responsibility has been placed on school leaders to implement inclusive responses tailored to student diversity. Since 2018, the third cycle of the External Evaluation of Schools Programme (PAEE), led by the Inspectorate-General of Education and Science (IGEC), has been under way, emphasising equitable and inclusive practices aligned with the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals. This study examines how the headteacher and the coordinator of the Multidisciplinary Team for Inclusive Education operationalise the principles of inclusive education in a school cluster in Portugal, in the light of the PAEE Reference Framework and the strengths and areas for improvement identified by IGEC. A qualitative case study design is adopted, combining document analysis (the IGEC report and the cluster’s core documents) and interviews with both leaders. Thematic analysis, supported by MAXQDA, is structured around three dimensions: (i) planning and internal policies; (ii) pedagogical and support practices; and (iii) monitoring and continuous improvement. The findings indicate challenges associated with a significant increase in student numbers, with impacts on class overcrowding, specialised support and curriculum organisation. IGEC’s evaluation fosters self-reflection and incremental change; however, gaps persist in internal mechanisms for follow-up and impact assessment. It is recommended that human resources and school infrastructure be strengthened, and that formal mechanisms for monitoring action plans be institutionalised to ensure the impact and sustainability of inclusive policies and practices.
Paper Information
Conference: BCE2025Stream: Educational policy
This paper is part of the BCE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Silva J., Ventura A., & Oliveira D. (2025) From the School Inspection Report to Inclusive Impacts: Challenges and Leadership Perspectives in Portugal ISSN: 2435-9467 – The Barcelona Conference on Education 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 351-362) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9467.2025.28
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9467.2025.28
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