Transcript SPENDING FOR LEARNING

EFFECTIVE SCHOOL
IMPROVEMENT PLANNING
•Successfully combining the strategic and the responsive
•Raising achievement through effective planning
Development Planning
– An Ofsted Viewpoint
Governors need to be sure that the financial decisions have
been effective in bringing about the desired improvements
in standards, pupils’ learning and the quality of education
provided. They do this by:
• Monitoring the implementation of the school’s
development/improvement plan
• Evaluating how effective the school has been in achieving the
targets set in its development plan
• Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of decisions by weighing the
resource inputs against the outcomes and benefits
Development Planning
– Ofsted Viewpoint (Old Framework)
An effective process of development planning will focus on
improving educational outcomes and relate expenditure to
this. Even where the room for manoeuvre on the use of
funding is marginal, the school should be able to demonstrate
that it budgets systematically for new and well-focused
expenditure, for example on learning resources, rather than
relying on previous patterns – but minute detail should not be
expected. Inspectors should look for evidence that the school
plans ahead. It would be reasonable to expect detailed
planning to be under way for the forthcoming year, with
outline planning for at least one or two years beyond.
Development Planning
– New Ofsted Framework
• Self-evaluation and audit – compare with
Specialist Schools applications
• Setting priorities that match Self-Evaluation
• Capacity to improve
• Resources targeted to areas for improvement
Some Common Methods of Development
Planning
• The Headteacher does it
• A Deputy Head does it
• The ‘wish list’ method
• The ‘include absolutely everything’ method
• The ‘do it and forget it’ method
• The reactive method
The Starting Point
– Some Basic Priorities for Planning
• A shared vision
• A shared understanding of the issues
• Strategic versus operational
• Clear understanding of the various roles
• A shared belief in the value of
development/improvement planning
Development Planning Cycles
• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to be?
• How will we get there?
• How will we know when we have got
there?
• What will we do if we haven’t?
• What are the training needs?
• What are the costs?
Task 1
• How is the Development/Improvement Plan
constructed in your school?
• What are the links with self-evaluation?
• How is it costed? How are costs apportioned?
Is funding targeted at priority areas?
• How are links with budget headings identified
• The cost/value matrix
• Moving from low to high value
• Achieving value for money
A Possible Annual Cycle
October/November
Budget setting commences for following financial
year – training budgets initially allocated. Review
of PM objectives completed. Role of School
Improvement Partner
January/February
Leadership Group and Governors review strategic
objectives and previous SDP.
A Possible Annual Cycle (2)
May/June
Strategic School Improvement and Area
Improvement Plans.
Area training plans developed, drawing on
PM and needs arising from Development
Plans.
A Possible Annual Cycle (3)
September
School and Area Improvement Plans updated
and extended, drawing on the full effects of selfevaluation post-exams. Role of School
Improvement Partner.
Whole School Training Plan incorporates Area
Training Plans as appropriate, alongside
national priorities, SDP priorities and individual
priorities.
Costings – What Should be Included?
• Resources from the school’s budget,
identified as appropriate
• Time, including cover
• Reprographics
• Opportunity costs?
• Management costs
• Other expenses
• The issue of training – separate items or costs
against all items
Best Value Principles
• Compare
• Challenge
• Consult
• Compete
Prioritising CPD in the Development
Planning Process
• Leadership Group focus
• Governor attachment
• Budget percentages
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Everything has a potential training cost
• Where does the training plan lie – an integral part of
the SDP or a ‘file annex’?
Identifying Training and Development Needs
• National priorities and examination courses
• Performance management
• Area development plans
• Professional development portfolios
• Professional development interviews
• Individual requests
• Lesson observations
• School development plan
How is the Development Plan Monitored?
• The role of the Governing Body
• The role of the Leadership Group
• The role of other staff
• Be specific about the people responsible and
their accountability
Successful Improvement Planning
– In Summary
• Successful schools are invariably led by men and women who are
aware of the gap between what should be, and what is, happening,
who have the determination to tackle problems, and more generally,
the determination to develop a culture which takes nothing for
granted. They recognise that only so much can be done at once
and they have the courage, whatever the pressures, external
and internal, to prioritise. They deal with decisions with down-toearth management efficiency, and, most important of all, they
themselves know what constitutes high-quality teaching and
educational excellence.
Chief Inspector’s Annual Report 1997/98