ISQAM Level 2: The Role of the HoD Within Whole-School Planning v6NRD

Leading Change 
with Parents
ISQAM Level 2 Conference
Novotel London City South 3rd November 2015
Dr Nick Dennis, BSc, MSc, PhD
Deputy Head, Berkhamsted Boys/Deputy Head (Academic) Nottingham High School
ISQAM Level 2 Module 8: 
 
The Role of the HoD Within
Whole-School Planning

1. Whole-School Strategic
Planning
2. Whole-School Development
Planning
3. How to write a Departmental
Development Plan
4. How to Manage a
Departmental Budget
O

Whole-School Strategic Planning

Whole-School Strategic and Development Planning 
Purpose

Strategy v. Development
Your School

Strategy is concerned with defining the shape
and extent of the organisation
Your School

Development is concerned
with how the organisation is
going to adapt and improve
– within the strategic
parameters

• Strategy is the creation of a unique and valuable position for the
school;
• Strategy also requires you to say no - you also choose what not to
do;
• Strategy creates a ‘fit’ between the school’s organisation - all the
activities should reinforce each other.

Some Key Strategic Issues
Optimum Size of
School
Structure ofSchool
Curriculum
Type
Co-ed /Single Sex
Market
Niche
Boarding / Day
Pastoral
Care
Structure

Some Key Strategic Issues
Opportunities
Mergers with other schools
Closure of other schools
Threats
Recession – Affordability
Strong Rivals
New Rivals
Academies, Free Schools
Changes in Regulations
Anticipating Change

Some Key Development Issues
School
Improvement
Plan
CurriculumDevelopment Plan
Estates Plan
Marketing
Plan
Extra-curricular
Development Plan
Communication
Plan

Strategic Planning is
concerned with
determining what “B”
looks like.

Development Planning is concerned with
determining the steps that will take us from
“A” to “B”?
Strategic Planning is
concerned with
determining what “B”
looks like.

Whole-School Strategic Development Planning 
The Strategic Process
Determine Direction Vision
Where are we going?
Why are we going there?
Decide Fundamentals Size/ Structure of School
Boarding/ Day; Single-sex / Co-ed
Market Niche
Core Aims and Values What are our core values?
What do we stand for?
What are we trying to achieve?
Background Research Stakeholders
Market Research
SWOT Analysis

The Strategic Process: Background Research 
Consult Stakeholders
Governors
Teaching Staff
Support Staff
Current Parents
Prospective Parents
Former Pupils
Local Community
Feeder Prep Schools

Data Analysis
Analysis of Boy and Girl Numbers 2008-09
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Year Group
NumberofPupils
Girl
Boy
Girl 14 26 25 28 28 33 33 43 60 60 64 64 61 64 70
Boy 14 23 17 30 36 31 35 37 61 52 112 109 109 99 85
SS1 SS2 Yr1 Yr2 Yr3 Yr4 Yr5 Yr6 Yr7 Yr8 Yr9 Yr10 Yr11 Yr12 Yr13

Market Research

SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats

The Strategic Process

The Strategic Process: 
Core Values and Aims
The Importance of “Why?”
Simon Sinek Ted Talk

The Strategic Process: 
Core Values and Aims
What
How
WhySimon Sinek
The
Importance of
core beliefs

The Strategic Process: Values and Aims 
School’s Charitable Objects
“The objects of the Charity are to promote the
education (including social and physical training) of
boys and girls and . . . . to conduct and maintain
day or day boarding schools in or near
Berkhamsted at which Religious Education in
accordance with the Church of England is
provided.”
Berkhamsted Schools Group Charity No 310630
Charitable Objects (Charity Commission Website)

Core Values
Community Committedto a broad
view ofEducation
Developing
the Individual
ServiceChristian
Ethos and
Values
Independence

Educational Aims
1. To place pupils at the heart of a strong, supportive school
community.
2. To nurture pupils’ enjoyment of learning, engendering a
spirit of enquiry and intellectual independence; encouraging
the pursuit of excellence within a disciplined and stimulating
learning environment.
3. To equip our students with the skills and qualifications they
need to meet their aspirations in preparation for higher
education, the world of employment and adult life.

Educational Aims
4. To immerse pupils in a diverse co-curricular programme for
acquiring broader skills and interests which promote self-
esteem and a sense of well-being.
5. To encourage independence, responsibility, leadership and a
commitment to service.
6. To foster moral and spiritual values through the Christian
tradition of the School, placing emphasis on integrity,
tolerance and respect for others.

Operational Aims
7. To ensure that the School has a motivated and effective
teaching and support staff, which has the best possible
resources.
8. To maintain and improve a sustainable structure and
infrastructure for the School that will ensure flexibility and
financial stability for the foreseeable future.
9. To improve how the School presents itself to the outside
world in order to grow the School’s reputation and to ensure
high demand for the foreseeable future.
10. To deliver effective and sustainable governance and
leadership that will secure the future success of the School.

The Strategic Process: Decide Fundamentals 
Constraints
Some Constraints to Consider:
Tradition
Market Niche
Parental Expectation
Finance
Volume of Change
Planning Issues

The Strategic Process: Decide Fundamentals 
Optimum Size and Structure
School Age Range Numbers
Boys Girls Total
Day Nursery Co-ed 5 months – 3 years 30 30 60
Pre-Prep Co-ed aged 3 - 7 108 108 216
Prep Co-ed aged 7 - 11 180 180 360
Boys Boys aged 11 - 16 435 435
Girls Girls aged 11 - 16 360 360
Sixth Co-ed aged 16 - 18 180 180 360
TOTAL 933 858 1791

The Strategic Process: Determine Direction 
Vision
What is the
vision?
What does
“B” look like?

Who should set the strategy?
Teachers
Support Staff
Governors
Middle
Leaders
Head
SMT

Governors
HoDs
Head
Teachers
Pupils
SMT
School
Hierarchy

Governors
HoDs
Head
Teachers
SMT
Pupils
Upside
Down
Thinking

Whole-School Development
Planning
2

Whole-School Development Planning 
Purpose
What are the steps that will take
us from “A” to “B”?

Development Planning Process
6. Decision What we are going to do.
5. Planning What is the scope of this
project?
4. Proposals What might we do?
3. Ideas What about this?
2. Direction Where are we going as a
School?
1. Values and Aims What do we stand for?
Development Planning builds on the
foundations laid down by the Strategic
Plan

project?
School?
1. Values and Aims What do we stand for?

3. Ideas: “Blue-sky thinking”
Only cats shouldn’t think
out of the box.

What experiences do you want pupils to have 
as part of the curriculum at each Key Stage?

What experiences do you want pupils to have 
Learn a
Language
To give a
presentation
To be
inspired to
read
To be
creative
Develop
independent
study
Learn tocook and toeat healthily
Key Stage 3

4. Proposals
e.g. Proposals for the KS3 Curriculum
– Introduce Food Technology to KS3.
– English curriculum to include greater emphasis on
reading for pleasure.
– Key subjects to incorporate presentations into
schemes of work.
– Introduce Research Project fortnight into Y8
curriculum?

Group Exercise 
Planning: Introducing Food Tech

Group Exercise 
You are the HoD of Design Technology, you have been
asked to write a Planning Paper for Governors:
What factors need to be considered in introducing Food
Technology to the KS3 Curriculum?

Group Exercise 
You are the HoD of Design Technology, you have been
asked to write a Planning Paper for Governors:
The Pre-mortem process:
Food Technology was introduced two years ago and it
was a disaster. What went wrong?

Group Exercise 
What factors need to be considered in introducing Food
Technology to the KS3 Curriculum?
GROUP FEEDBACK

Group Exercise 
Curriculum/ Timetable Implications
– Timetable Allocation
• How much time / lesson / week?
– Food Technology as an additional subject or part of
Design Technology allocation?
• Rotation of subjects on Half
– Class sizes for Food Technology?
• What is the optimum size? What is the maximum size?

Group Exercise 
Classroom Space Implications
– Create a Food Technology Specialist Classroom/s
• New build or Conversion? Where? Cost?
• Classroom Design Specification. Food Storage.
• Fit out Specification
• Additional Cleaning Hours required?
– How many classrooms?
• Depends on class size/ year group size
– Planning Permission

Group Exercise 
Staffing Implications
– Appointment of Food Technology Teacher
• Do we have the skills? New appointment? Cost?
– Appointment of Food Technology Technician
• Do we have skills? New appointment? Cost?

Group Exercise 
Training Implications
– Retraining/ Up-skilling of Staff
– Staff to get food handling and hygiene
qualifications (new or renew).

Group Exercise 
Cost Implications
– Capital Project
• What will it cost?
• How will we fund the build/ refit?
– Fit-out Costs
• How much will it cost to fit out the classrooms?
• How long will the fit-out last?
– Staffing Costs
• How will we fund the teachers/ technicians?
– Running Costs
• What are the annual running costs likely to be?

5. Planning: Think Scarce Resources
Scarce Resources
Time
People
Space
Training
Costs

Scarce Resources In School Terms:
Curriculum Allocation
Teaching and Support Staff
Classrooms
Training, Inset, CPD
Capital/ Fit-out/ Staffing and Running
Cost
Time
People
Space
Training
Costs

Scarce Resources In School Terms:
Curriculum Allocation
Teaching and Support Staff
Classrooms
Training, Inset, CPD
Capital/ Fit-out/ Staffing and Running
Cost
Time
People
Space
Training
Costs
How else could we use
these resources?

Scarce Resources
Time
People
Space
Training
Costs
Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5

“Plans are of little
importance,
but planning
is essential.”
Winston Churchill
Plans are of
little
importance,
but planning
is essential.

6. Decision
Key Questions:
What are we going to do?
When are we going to do it?
How are we going to pay for it?
Who is responsible for getting it done?
Why are we doing it?

Cycle of Review

Questions and Debates

How to Write a Departmental
Development Plan
3

School
Development 
Plan
Department
Development 
Plan

project?
department?
1. Values and Aims What are we trying to
achieve as a department?

Five Minute Personal Reflection Exercise 
Values and Aims

Values and Aims
Considering your Department’s curriculum as a whole
(Y7-Y13 or Y9 to Y13):
• What do you think are the overall aims of your
Department?
• What are you trying to achieve?
• What does it mean to be educated in your
department?

Department Development Planning 
Values and Aims
What are the aims of your department?
• To maximise results?
– at any cost? Spoon-feeding? Drilling for the exam?
• To attract more pupils to the subject?
– for GCSE, A-level?
– who go on to read the subject at university?
• To lay the foundations for the next level of study?
• To give a grounding in the subject that they will
take through life?

Values and Aims
Now consider the Key Stage 3 Curriculum for your
subject:
• What are you trying to achieve with it?
• What is the underlying agenda?
• How does KS3 contribute to the overall aims of
the Department?
• Why are you teaching what you teach at KS3?
• Are you happy with your answers?

Values and Aims
What are your aims as HoD?
• What are you trying to
achieve as a Head of
Department?
• When you look back on
your time as HoD, what will
you want to have achieved?
• What difference will you
have made?

2. Direction
What is the direction of your department?
What is your vision for the department?
What are the indicators of success?

Vision
What does “B” look like for your department?
What is your vision for the department?
How will you know when you have reached “B”?
What difference will it 
make for pupils?

“At every crossway on the road that leads
to the future, each progressive spirit is
opposed by men appointed to guard the
past”
Maurice Maeterlinck

What
Experiences/ Skills/ Knowledge/ Understanding
do we want pupils to have 

Department “Blue-Sky” Thinking Exercise
What
knowledge/ understanding/ skills/ experiences  
do we want pupils to have 
in Year 10?

Annual Strategic Priorities
Fives areas in which the school want to see a
significant improvement in the coming academic
year.

Strategic Priorities 2015-16
1. Building Learning Power
2. Wellbeing
3. Managing Curriculum Development
4. Pupil/Student Responsibility
5. Homework Review

Scarce Resources
• Time
• People
• Space
• Skills
• Cost
In School Terms:
• Curriculum Allocation
• Teaching and Support Staff
• Classrooms and Fit out
• Training, CPD, INSET
• Capital Costs, Staffing Costs and
Running Costs
Time
People
Space
Skills
Cash

5a. Planning: Time - Curriculum
• Time
• Do we use the time we
have well?
• Do we need more time?
• What would we do with
more time?
• How would we cope with
less time?
• Do we use homework/ prep
time well?
• How will we respond to
curriculum changes?
• Which Specification?
• Which Exam Board?
• Is what we are teaching
interesting?
• Do we get the right balance
between teaching and
independent learning?
Time Curriculum

5b. Planning: People - Staff
• Time
• Have we got suitably
qualified teachers?
• Is our subject growing/
contracting?
• Have we got enough/ too
many teachers? In future?
• Succession/ Retirement
Planning
• Do we use technicians/
language assistants/
Teaching Assistants
effectively?
• What difference do
support staff make?
• Have we got sufficient
technical support?
Teachers Support Staff

5c. Planning: Space - Classrooms
• Time
• Do we have enough
classrooms?
• Have we got the most
suitable classroom
layout?
• Will curriculum changes
necessitate more
classrooms/ different
layouts?
• Can we use ICT easily in
the classroom?
• Do we have/need easy
access to Internet?
• Do we have all the
equipment we need?
• Do we make best use of
the equipment that we
have?
Classrooms Fit-out

5d. Planning: Skills - INSET
• Do we all have up to
date knowledge of
• Are we aware of “best
practice” in pedagogy?
• Do we all have sufficient
ICT competence?
• Can we handle difficult
conversations?
Training Needs

5d. Planning: Skills - INSET
• Do we all have up to
date knowledge of
• Are we aware of “best
practice” in pedagogy?
• Do we all have sufficient
ICT competence?
• Can we handle difficult
conversations?
• External Courses?
– HMCPD / GSAPD
• Internal Twilight
Sessions?
• Online courses
– MS Academy of ICT
• Coaching/ Mentoring?
Training Needs INSET Delivery

5e. Planning: Cash - Costs
This will be covered
later in the session:
Managing a
Departmental Budget

Decision
Objective
Action
Person Responsible
Timeframe
Cost
Resources/INSET required
Date Achieved

Ten Minute Planning/ Decision Exercise 
Decision
Choose three initiatives that you would like to
take forward in your department.
• Complete the Grid for each of the three
initiatives.

Cycle of Review

Questions and Debates

How to Manage a Departmental
Budget
4

How to Manage a Departmental
Budget
AKA: How to Get What You Want
4

Departmental Budgets Made Simple 
Departmental Budgets Made Simple
Annual 
on-going
running costs
One-off
projects
and new
equipment

Annual 
on-going
running
Costs
One-off
projects
and new
equipment
New member of Staff
Annual Software Licences
New 3D Printer
New Laptop

Essential Desirable Dream
Capital Projects
Equipment
Consumables
ICT
Staffing/ Support
INSET

Status Quo Improved Best
Capital Projects
Equipment
Consumables
ICT
Staffing/ Support
INSET

This Year Next Year Sometime
Capital Projects
Equipment
Consumables
ICT
Staffing/ Support
INSET

“The victorious strategist only seeks battle
after the victory has been won,  
whereas he who is destined to defeat first
fights and afterwards looks for victory.”
Sun Tzu The Art of War

Departmental Budget 
• What difference will it make to teaching and
learning to have this piece of equipment?
• What are the “on-costs”?
– Is this a genuine one-off cost?
– What are there associated financial costs going
forward?
• e.g. Licences, Servicing, Replacement Policies
Equipment

Departmental Budget 
• What difference will it make to teaching and
learning to have this piece of equipment?
• What are the “on-costs”?
– Is this a genuine one-off cost?
– What are there associated financial costs going
forward?
• e.g. Licences, Servicing, Replacement Policies
Equipment
Cost – Benefit Analysis

Final Questions and Debates

Dr Nick Dennis
Email: ndennis@berkhamstedschool.org
dennis.nr@nomnghamhigh.co.uk
LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/nickdennis
Blog: hnp://www.nickdennis.com/blog

ISQAM Level 2: The Role of the HoD Within Whole-School Planning v6NRD

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