Abstract
Standardised international assessments have become a defining feature of school accountability in the United Arab Emirates. The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test, originally designed as a diagnostic tool, is now used to evaluate school quality and leadership effectiveness. This study examined how transformational instructional leadership supports the integration of MAP Reading data into English instruction to improve literacy outcomes for Grade 6 boys in an International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) context. Adopting a qualitative case study design within a constructivist–interpretivist paradigm, the research explored how leaders and teachers interpret, apply and sustain data-informed practices. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns in leadership strategies, teacher experiences and organisational practices influencing literacy improvement. The findings showed that transformational instructional leadership promotes a culture of shared accountability, collaboration and reflective practice. Leadership actions such as structured data meetings, distributed responsibility, and targeted professional development were found to strengthen instructional coherence and teacher confidence in using MAP Reading strand data for differentiated instruction. The study further revealed that sustained improvement depends on aligning data use with MYP inquiry principles and addressing cultural and motivational barriers affecting boys’ engagement. This research contributes to understanding how leadership can integrate external assessment data into holistic, inquiry-based curricula while supporting sustainable literacy growth in international schools.