Unpacking School Culture and School Climate: A Critical Review and Analysis

A. N. Obed-Chukwuka; O. J. Moses-Promise; V. F. Peretomode

A. N. Obed-Chukwuka PhD, Lecturer, Department of Educational Management & Foundations, Faculty of Education, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria
O. J. Moses-Promise PhD, Lecturer, Department of Educational Management & Foundations, Faculty of Education, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria
V. F. Peretomode Professor of Educational Administration & Higher Education Administration, Department of Educational Management & Foundations, Delta State University, Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria

Keywords: Academic achievement, Climate, Culture, School

Abstract

The literature identifies four sets of factors—learner‑specific, familial, school‑based, and external/environmental—as pivotal to successful school leadership, teacher effectiveness, and student academic achievement. This article zeroes in on two school‑based constructs: school culture and school climate. Though interrelated and both are vital to school success, they are distinct, representing different dimensions of the school environment. Therefore, conflating them obscures their unique contributions and hampers improvement efforts. This critical review analyses their definitions, characteristics of each, delineates their differences using the Hall's Cultural Iceberg Model, and examines the synergistic effects of aligning them. The analysis concludes that many educational reforms in Nigeria fail because they target the observable climate or observable cultural aspects without addressing the deeper, and enduring foundational elements of school culture. Consequently, the paper recommends that for policies and school‑level interventions to succeed, it is essential for government to apply a holistic approach that integrates and addresses both culture and climate in order to achieve sustainable improvement in our school system.

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