Strategic Planning for Schools A complete and practical guide to establishing a strategic plan for your school

What this guide contains Based on sound management principles Developed for schools Contains key issues needed to create a strategic plan Presentation slides and explanation notes and exercises for workshops.

Based on sound management principles

Developed for schools

Contains key issues needed to create a strategic plan

Presentation slides and explanation notes and exercises for workshops.

Strategic Planning Chapter One. Definition, Purpose, Function and Process

What is Strategic Planning? The word ‘strategy’ comes from the Greek. It refers to: “The office of the General”… Therefore the concept of Strategy is about planning and attaining objectives

The word ‘strategy’ comes from the Greek. It refers to: “The office of the General”…

Therefore the concept of Strategy is about planning and attaining objectives

Why do we Strategically Plan? To allow many to join the process of achieving the goals TEAM DEVELOPMENT To ensure the goals are well planned To ensure that there is a process to achieve the goals that is realistic. Underlying Strategic planning is the belief that if you plan you will achieve more than if you don’t plan

To allow many to join the process of achieving the goals

TEAM DEVELOPMENT

To ensure the goals are well planned

To ensure that there is a process to achieve the goals that is realistic.

Underlying Strategic planning is the belief that if you plan you will achieve more than if you don’t plan

The Outcome of Not Planning? Teams are impossible to create Coordination is difficult In the worst case situations there can be significant factional division New Board member question directions and decisions because they were not planned Little planning leads to poor articulation of decisions

Teams are impossible to create

Coordination is difficult

In the worst case situations there can be significant factional division

New Board member question directions and decisions because they were not planned

Little planning leads to poor articulation of decisions

The ‘Strategic Plan’ players: The Sponsors The Board The Head Their staff and senior staff Key donors Key school groups: P&F, Old Scholars Most ‘strategic plans’ are created as a result of the interaction and decision making that emerges from these groups. The Head is usually crucial in presenting to the Board the Vision they have for the ‘strategic plan’ and its implementation. The Board will ensure that the process is thorough and judge its Visionary quality for the school. The Board will consider the resources implications and whether the future of the school will be secured by the ‘strategic plan’. The best ‘strategic plans’ become the Head and the Board’s and is also that of the wider school community

The Board

The Head

Their staff and senior staff

Key donors

Key school groups: P&F, Old Scholars

Most ‘strategic plans’ are created as a result of the interaction and decision making that emerges from these groups.

The Head is usually crucial in presenting to the Board the Vision they have for the ‘strategic plan’ and its implementation.

The Board will ensure that the process is thorough and judge its Visionary quality for the school.

The Board will consider the resources implications and whether the future of the school will be secured by the ‘strategic plan’.

The best ‘strategic plans’ become the Head and the Board’s and is also that of the wider school community

The Board as Sponsor They should play as a single voice in the context of The ownership The school long term interests The interests of the Board as represented at the time WHICH IS DOMINANT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW!!

They should play as a single voice in the context of

The ownership

The school long term interests

The interests of the Board as represented at the time

The Head as Sponsor The Head Plays in the context of: Long term interests of the school Long term interests of education Short term educational needs Building preferences Pressure from the Board ESSENTIAL TO KNOW THE KEY INFLUENCES

The Head Plays in the context of:

Long term interests of the school

Long term interests of education

Short term educational needs

Building preferences

Pressure from the Board

Key Donors as Sponsors They can change the priorities of a school through the donation of money They can influence key groups in the school to create a political need

They can change the priorities of a school through the donation of money

They can influence key groups in the school to create a political need

Key School Groups as Sponsors They can create agendas that influence strategic plans They can have great pet projects! When is influence distortion? When is interest narrow and destructive or creative and enhancing??

They can create agendas that influence strategic plans

They can have great pet projects!

When is influence distortion?

When is interest narrow and destructive or creative and enhancing??

The Strategic Environment Educational Objectives / Visions What are they? Agree on what to pursue and what not to develop within the school’s strategic future Political Environment Old Scholars and Key pressure groups Board Individuals: the Headmaster’s perspective Leadership Environment Head’s Visions Chair ambitions Board Senior staff The Financial Environment What can we afford to do? Give a Number. Develop the time line for the implementation of the Strategic plan 1 10 WHERE ARE YOU? SUCCESS CONTINUMN??

Educational Objectives / Visions

What are they?

Agree on what to pursue and what not to develop within the school’s strategic future

Political Environment

Old Scholars and Key pressure groups

Board

Individuals: the Headmaster’s perspective

Leadership Environment

Head’s Visions

Chair ambitions

Board

Senior staff

The Financial Environment

What can we afford to do? Give a Number.

Develop the time line for the implementation of the Strategic plan

Success in the Strategic Environment Sociability (the essential Board attribute to ensure success) Focus on resolving problems Order of problem solving Crisis management of arising problems Confidence in problem solving Understanding of the School environment and how it works!! PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITY

Sociability (the essential Board attribute to ensure success)

Focus on resolving problems

Order of problem solving

Crisis management of arising problems

Confidence in problem solving

Understanding of the School environment and how it works!!

Strategic planning framework: assessing the starting points Define context and intended outcomes……. Growth pathway or sustainable programmes pathway

Define context and intended outcomes…….

Growth pathway or sustainable programmes pathway

Understanding the objectives of Strategic Planning will help you evaluate success

AIM FOR THE ISSUES THAT IMPACT ON THE KEY PARTS OF THE SCHOOL

AIM FOR THE ISSUES THAT IMPACT ON THE KEY PARTS OF THE SCHOOL

Students and their achievement Relationships in the school Reporting within the school School Initiatives School Reputation Academic Pastoral Spiritual Cultural Sporting Staff to Students Staff to Parents Staff to Staff Students to Students Written Oral To Parents To Students To other Staff Personal Professional Departmental Programme School Specific Image Community perception Vision and Mission

AIM TO DEVELOP THE SCHOOL ACROSS THE RANGE OF FUTURE PERSPECTIVES VISION MISSION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONAL OPERATIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL

The school Strategic Plan Initiatives Reputation Reporting Relationships Student Achievement Vision (societal) Mission (organizational) Management (operational) Core Dimension / Perspective

Strategic planning: assessing the starting points – external issues External to the school there may be some important strategic planning matters Associations that the school belongs to may be in need of reflection. These may include: Sporting and Academic associations Any new associations or groups that need to be joined or created What should be participated in at the wider than local school level Active participation in Independent school associations Political debate Funding debate Litigious matters Decide who and how much time

External to the school there may be some important strategic planning matters

Associations that the school belongs to may be in need of reflection. These may include:

Sporting and

Academic associations

Any new associations or groups that need to be joined or created

What should be participated in at the wider than local school level

Active participation in Independent school associations

Political debate

Funding debate

Litigious matters

The Strategic Roadmap Direction Identification of projects Funding Implementation THE SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN

Establishing the Criteria that will guide your Strategic Plan We value …. Reputation We value…. Initiatives We value… Reporting (Communications) We value …. Relationships We value…. Student achievement Embed Your Core (Foundation) Values In Real School Activity Core Dimensions of the School (The Drivers of Performance)

Getting Started 1 At Board level: Pass a minute about developing the Strategic Plan a.s.a.p. Develop a policy about the Strategic Plan Purpose, scope, intent. Define the expected quality of the school you want to see develop Appoint the Management Committee Define a budget Allocate a time expectation These are your evaluation criteria

At Board level:

Pass a minute about developing the Strategic Plan a.s.a.p.

Develop a policy about the Strategic Plan

Purpose, scope, intent.

Define the expected quality of the school you want to see develop

Appoint the Management Committee

Define a budget

Allocate a time expectation

Getting Started 2 Select a Planning Team to coordinate the Strategic Planning process Suggest Head Finance Director Board Representative

Select a Planning Team to coordinate the Strategic Planning process

Suggest

Head

Finance Director

Board Representative

Getting Started 3 Appoint tactical support Suggest Architect with Master Planning capacity and with appropriate design brief Should include design preferences eg contextual architecture and modern interiors; building standards for 100 years of school use Consultant engineers

Appoint tactical support

Suggest

Architect with Master Planning capacity and with appropriate design brief

Should include design preferences eg contextual architecture and modern interiors; building standards for 100 years of school use

Consultant engineers

Getting Started 4 Establish a line of communications with the Local Council Refine the school connections to local gov’t Defining and refining the school’s aspirations with the local council is never complete. Appoint a person responsible. Brief and wheel out the Head frequently. Invite Local Council member frequently to the school Write articles for the local press frequently. At least once a week. Share Master Plan with the local council

Establish a line of communications with the Local Council

Refine the school connections to local gov’t

Defining and refining the school’s aspirations with the local council is never complete.

Appoint a person responsible.

Brief and wheel out the Head frequently.

Invite Local Council member frequently to the school

Write articles for the local press frequently. At least once a week.

Share Master Plan with the local council

The school Strategic Plan Initiatives Reputation Reporting Relationships Student Achievement Vision (societal) Mission (organizational) Management (operational) Core Dimension / Perspective

The Strategic Scaffold: Level One The Strategy: A clear statement about what we want to achieve Broad Initiatives Indicate what we will do to achieve the Strategy Resources Money,Time, Skill development Evaluation Criteria Knowing you are on track and being successful

The Strategy:

A clear statement about what we want to achieve

Broad Initiatives

Indicate what we will do to achieve the Strategy

Resources

Money,Time, Skill development

Evaluation Criteria

Knowing you are on track and being successful