Evaluative thinking in the school planning process

As the video below demonstrates, the disciplines of evaluative thinking are woven throughout the school planning process. These include:

• starting with self-assessment and consultation
• planning with the end in mind
• selecting evidence-based strategies
• regular monitoring and evaluation
• the plan as a living document.

For guidance, resources and contacts relating to school planning, please follow this link to School Excellence and Accountability

Video transcript

Resources for drafting a strategic direction and milestoning a process

For schools developing or reviewing their 2018-20 plans, the following workshop activities may be of some assistance:

• download the worksheets (print these in colour, A3)
• download the slides and notes, either as a PDF or a PowerPoint file.

This scaffolded approach uses sticky-notes and a set of colour-coded steps that connect different parts of the plan, including the ‘5Ps’ of a strategic direction and the yearly milestoning of the processes within it. The approach:

• supports the School Excellence Implementation Guidelines – School Planning, which is the one source of truth for school planning
• is just one way that a school might choose to go about constructing its plan
• lends itself to a collaborative workshop environment
• highlights the prominence of evaluative thinking in the school planning process
• is an iterative and fluid process that allows you to come back and refine aspects of your earlier thinking at any point
• has been developed as part of an ongoing partnership between Principals School Leadership, High Performance and the Evaluation Capacity Building team to support schools in a consistent, transparent way.

For advice on school planning, contact a PSL or your Director.