Developing your school’s long-term strategic plan

Be clear on the difference between a long-term strategic plan and the school development plan

Your school’s strategic plan and school development or improvement plan (SDP) go hand-in-hand. However, there are key differences between the two:

Lean on school leaders and governors for their expertise

To develop a clear strategic plan, every headteacher will need to collaborate with senior leaders and governors (and trustees and trust leaders where applicable). However, how much input these individuals have will depend on your school’s context and the experience of those around you. To help you develop your plan, you may need to lean on others for their expertise. You will want to involve your senior leaders, but who else you pull in will depend on any gaps in experience. For example, you may need individuals who have experience in business strategy (members of your board) or a specific area of focus such as curriculum or wellbeing (school leaders with those areas of responsibility).