A scoping review of followership literature in compulsory schooling contexts

Followership, an integral yet underexplored aspect of school leadership, has received limited attention compared to leadership in educational research. This scoping review examines 61 peer- reviewed studies on followership in compulsory schooling, published between 1984 and 2024, to map existing research and identify gaps in the literature. The analysis focuses on publication trends, intellectual traditions, and develops a conceptual framework to map followership studies. The review reveals that followership research is predominantly quantitative, with limited emphasis on relational and co-constructive frameworks that highlight reciprocal leader-follower dynamics. Geographic and contextual gaps are evident, with underrepresentation in cross- cultural studies and certain educational roles, such as middle leadership. The findings underscore a lack of attention to developing followership capacity in schools and insufficient exploration of its impact on school culture and effectiveness. While followership is acknowledged as critical to organisational success, current studies often overlook its potential for both positive and negative influences. This review calls for further research to address these gaps, particularly through diverse methodological approaches, research on the effectiveness of interventions for building followership capacity, and a stronger focus on socio-cultural and contextual factors. By broadening the understanding of followership within educational settings, this review aims to inform future studies and practices that foster collaborative and sustainable leadership in schools.