Services Provided:

School Review    Board Governance: Policy and Practice    

Strategic Planning Facilitation

  Head Selection    Appraisal of Heads     Leadership Development    

Mentoring Heads    Staff Appraisal    Professional Development    

School Climate    Special Function Orations    

    International School Accreditation Facilitation 

School Review

A whole school review or sectional reviews can be undertaken by this education consultancy. 

Sectional school reviews could  include review of :

An initial meeting with the school will include discussion centered on the breadth of the review and the preferred approach. School review can be undertaken through interviews, written survey, group discussion, observation and other methods as appropriate. Perceptions of students, parents and staff, perceptions of school effectiveness and communication can assist in setting goals, benchmarks and strategic direction.

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Board Governance: Policy and Practice

Boards can be assisted to develop a policy document for their operation. Existing sub-committee structures can be reviewed as well as and facilitating re-structuring of Board operations as appropriate. Discussion regarding the boundaries of establishing  policy and the implementation and management of the policy can be facilitated. Board accountability, evaluation and the establishing of priorities can be facilitating through discussion. Discussion can be facilitated through a range of scenarios and hypotheticals  regarding the Board and the Head’s view of the delineation of policy and management issues. This allows Head and Board to  better understand each other’s role in the context of the particular school.

This can be done at Board level, staff level, or through the wider school community. A school’s strategy consists of the competitive moves, internal operating approaches and action plans devised by management to produce successful performance. The questions  ‘Where are we now?’, ‘Where do we want to go?’, ‘How will we get there?’ will be addressed. A well-conceived vision and mission statement serves to crystallise senior management's own view about the school’s long term direction and helps keep that direction. A rigorous SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). Analysis helps to craft a better strategy, and a Board can be led through their own SWOT analysis by this consultancy as part of the strategic planning process. Following this, having established priorities, the strategic plan will be written by the Board and Senior management, facilitated by this consultancy.

Head selection and senior staff selection can be undertaken by either assisting a selection panel or the total management of the process.

Reviewing the performance of Heads using an agreed approach can be undertaken. Performance can be reviewed against position description, previously agreed goals and/or Key Performance Indicators if already in place. A professional development plan including short and long term goals for the Head would then be written. If required a 360 degree approach can be applied. Once the appraisal is complete the Head should have priority areas of performance and operation to which they wish to attend.

Once an appraisal is completed Heads will have priority areas of performance and operation to which they wish to attend, leading to a professional development plan for the Head being written. A Leadership Development plan would be written in conjunction with the Head built on the profile established through the appraisal process.

A Head may need an experienced, confidential mentor to discuss ideas and scenarios. The mentor approach allows a Head to talk through planning and management issues with an experienced confidant who is not a stakeholder in the school. This consultancy can provide a wide experience in educational administration coupled with a confidential, supportive and professional manner.

Staff performance can be reviewed against position descriptions using an agreed appraisal approach. This would lead on to staff development of their own career planning and professional development plan. If position descriptions are not in place, this consultancy would assist in this process leading then to the appraisal.

Professional development for staff can be provided through whole staff seminars with   presentation on an agreed area, in staff teams or individually depending on the needs of the staff and the school.

Reports can be prepared on school climate and morale issues, either by written survey or interview. Perceptions of students, parents and staff, perceptions of school effectiveness and communication can assist in setting goals and benchmarks.

Presentations can be made as appropriate at special functions such as Year 12 inductions, valedictory assemblies, Speech Nights, Special Topic Seminars for parents, conference presentations or as an after dinner speaker. 

Schools may seek information regarding international accreditation.