The Challenge
Student disengagement is one of the most urgent issues facing schools. In some communities, attendance rates are falling, and students at risk of leaving education early face compounding disadvantages. For leaders, disengagement is not just an educational issue — it’s social, economic, and cultural.
At Katherine High School, leaders recognised that tackling disengagement required more than classroom strategies. They needed to understand the lived experiences of students and families.
The Leadership Response
Partnering with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and the University of Melbourne Graduate School of Education, the project began by listening directly to students about what was pushing or pulling them away from school.
But as the work unfolded, it became clear that families held crucial insights too. Parents highlighted barriers such as inconsistent communication, cultural disconnects, and limited flexibility in responding to individual needs.
Leaders responded by extending the project’s terms of reference to include family voices.
Complexity Leadership in Action
This was complexity leadership in practice:
- Symbiotic leadership by bringing students, families, and educators into co-created solutions.
- Adaptive responses as the project expanded to address previously unseen barriers.
- Community-centred leadership recognising that re-engagement requires trust beyond the school gates.
Results and Insights
The expanded scope gave leaders richer insights into disengagement. By involving parents, the school discovered systemic issues that would never have surfaced from student perspectives alone. The process also strengthened trust between families and the school, laying foundations for ongoing collaboration.
Implications for Schools
This case shows that disengagement cannot be solved in isolation. Leadership that listens, includes, and co-creates with communities is essential for sustainable solutions.
At the Menzies Leadership Foundation, we believe student re-engagement begins with recognising that disengagement is not just a classroom issue, but a community one.
The work at Katherine High School shows how leadership shifts when families are invited into the conversation — revealing deeper barriers, strengthening trust and enabling shared responsibility for change.
This is complexity leadership in practice: listening beyond the school gates, adapting as new insights emerge, and co-creating solutions with the community.
Join us as we continue exploring how inclusive, community-centred leadership can re-engage students and strengthen schools for the greater good.
