This systematic literature review synthesises empirical evidence on the leadership practices of school leaders, including headteachers and principals, in implementing character education and fostering students’ character development in school settings. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines to ensure transparency, rigour and systematic documentation of the review process. A structured search was carried out in Scopus, Web of Science (WoS) and UJAR for studies published between 2021 and 2025. The search strategy used keywords related to school leadership, character education, character development and implementation in schools. A total of 1,999 records were initially identified. After duplicates and records that did not meet the basic eligibility criteria were removed, 94 records were screened based on title and abstract. Subsequently, 54 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 17 studies were included in the final synthesis. The findings reveal three main themes. First, school leaders play an important role as values-based role models who influence school culture, climate and the moral direction of the school community. Second, effective character education requires whole-school implementation through curricular integration, behavioural habituation, teacher professional development and consistent daily practices. Third, the implementation of character education is shaped by enabling and constraining factors, including shared understanding among school members, school–family communication, resource availability and the tendency for character education to be implemented as episodic or programme-based activities rather than sustained school practices. Overall, the review suggests that character education is more effective when it is guided by consistent values-based leadership, embedded in the school’s culture and routines, and supported through continuous collaboration among school leaders, teachers, students and families.
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