How to evaluate and approve the school improvement plan

Your governing board should approve the school improvement plan (SIP) every year. Understand the process for doing that, what to look out for and what questions to ask. The SIP is sometimes called a school development plan or strategic plan.

Last reviewed on 1 November 2022
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 30407
Contents
  1. How the draft SIP was created
  2. Set an agenda item to approve the SIP
  3. Review the draft before the meeting
  4. Interrogate the SIP
  5. Approve the SIP

How the draft SIP was created

First, let's cast our minds back to the summer term. As a board, you should have met with the headteacher and the senior leadership team to go over:

  • Pupil performance data
  • Financial data
  • Results of staff, parent and pupil surveys
  • Previous school improvement plans (SIPs) and their outcomes
  • The self-evaluation form (SEF)
  • Your last Ofsted inspection report

Your board should have set the objectives for the SIP at that meeting. Refresh your memory of this process and your board's part in it.

Since that meeting, the headteacher and the senior leadership team (SLT) will have drafted the actual SIP. This should be a detailed plan of:

  • What specific actions to take to meet the objectives
  • When those actions will be carried out
  • Who is responsible for carrying out each action
  • How progress will be monitored
  • How you'll measure success

See the article linked above for examples of SIPs from other schools.

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