Addressing School Violence in the Foundation Phase: The Role of Leadership and Community Involvement in Rural Areas

Abstract

School violence in rural Foundation Phase schools, particularly in South Africa’s Vhembe District, is an increasing concern linked to poverty and limited resources. Learners in Grades R to 3 often face bullying, aggression, and classroom disruptions, which harm both their emotional well-being and academic progress. Although school leadership and community involvement play a crucial role in creating safer school environments, there is limited research on their effectiveness in rural contexts. This study investigates how leadership and community participation can help address violence in rural Foundation Phase schools. Using Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory, the study follows an interpretive paradigm and qualitative case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations involving 30 purposively selected participants, including principals, Foundation Phase teachers, and community members from six rural schools. Thematic analysis revealed that while school leaders are key to implementing anti-violence measures, they often lack training and resources. Community involvement is recognised as vital, but actual collaboration between schools and local stakeholders remains limited. The study highlights the need to strengthen school-community partnerships and improve leadership capacity. Measures to ensure trustworthiness included member checking, detailed contextual descriptions, and maintaining an audit trail. Ethical considerations such as informed consent, confidentiality, and ethical clearance were also observed. The article recommends targeted leadership training in conflict resolution and violence prevention, along with structured community engagement initiatives. These strategies aim to improve school safety and support young learners' holistic development in rural settings