Fostering Educational Innovation: An example of school transformation in an Italian Lower Secondary School

This paper explores the topic of school innovation in Italy, with the objective of identifying the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of innovative practices in education. It is part of my doctoral project, which investigates how various aspects of educational leadership can effectively support the adoption of innovation processes within the Italian context, specifically during the first cycle of education (Eurydice, 2025). Considering the limited support from external governance systems (Bevilacqua, Acquaro, Girelli, 2024), the research also examines whether belonging to a pedagogical network can enhance principals’ leadership. The data presented in this proposal is based on a case study conducted at a comprehensive institute in northern Italy, where, over a 10-year period, the headteacher has led a largely bottom-up transformation contributing to improving student well-being and engagement.