The Role of Inclusive Leadership at Mutiara Bunda Elementary School

Abstract

Inclusive school leadership is a specific type of school leadership. While a 'school leader' is any person holding a key formal leadership role in a school or learning community, an 'inclusive school leader' can be someone in a formal position or anyone who demonstrates leadership through their daily actions. This research aims to document, analyze, and validate a replicable model of good inclusive leadership practice. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, this study was conducted at SD Mutiara Bunda, Bandung, utilizing technique triangulation to test data credibility. The results show that inclusive leadership is strongly implemented at SD Mutiara Bunda through the cultivation of the 5 Written School Culture Pillars (Grateful, Acceptance, Caring and Sharing, Continuous Improvement, Persistence), which establish a collaborative and accountable culture. Leadership implementation is carried out effectively at the individual level (learner-centered practice), the school level (flexible curriculum management and resource allocation based on equity), and the community level (active family involvement). This model successfully aligns Transformational and Instructional Leadership, ensuring that individual support (such as curriculum modification and adaptive assessment) is integrated with social inclusion. Overall, this research validates inclusive leadership practice as a vital foundation for realizing a fair and high-quality educational environment for all learners, providing valuable empirical reference for policy development and school leader training.