I met recently with the representatives of the Association of Headteachers and Deputes Scotland (AHDS)

The association is concerned about the development planning process:

“Unfortunately, the reality for many
headteachers and staff is that Development Planning has been reduced to a mechanistic tick-box exercise which fails to address genuine needs of the school.”

I’m sympathetic to this concern although our recent move to the five questions approach has reduced the bureaucratic tick box experience. Our questions are:

1. What do you want to do?

2. Why do you want to do it?

3. How are you going to do it?

4. When are you going to do it? and

5. What difference will it make to children’s learning?

If we can’t answer question 5 in a positive manner it should not be on the plan.

We are in the process of putting together our next Service Improvement Plan and will be asking ourselves the same question (i.e. 5) for each of the priorities we identify.