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SDPI Summer School 23rd August 2006

Inspired Planning Workshop

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Theme: Keeping Ethos at the heart of SDP

What we mean by Ethos/Characteristic Spirit

Cultivating Ethos - Ideal .v. Actual Ethos

Reviewing and Evaluating Ethos

Accounting for Ethos

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Defining Ethos (Characteristic Spirit)

Ethos arises from the Inspiration, Purpose and Core Values of Founders

Ethos is shaped by Founders History Context Staff (especially successive leaders)

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Elements of Ethos Inspiration

Core Purpose Core Values

Ethos

CharacteristicSpirit

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The Education Act states that the Characteristic Spirit of a school

is determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions

which inform and are characteristic of

the objectives and conduct of the school

Art 15.2.b

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The Board of Management is required to uphold the Characteristic Spirit of the school

How does your Board strive to uphold the Characteristic Spirit of the school?

What deliberate steps are taken, at any level, to uphold the Characteristic Spirit of the school?

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Why have a Mission Statement ?

A Mission Statement can be a source of energy and life for all

The Characteristic Spirit is embodied in Your Mission Statement

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The Mission Statement …..

…expresses the core purpose of the school, its vision for the development of the human person

…sets out the values to which the school is committed and which the school seeks to embody in its policies and practices and in its relationships with all who make up the school community

  …is an inspiration to all in the school community …is a reminder to all of the ultimate goals of the school  …is the means by which the school wishes to be judged …must be at the heart of School Development Planning

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The Mission Statement …

Core Values are a small number of central and enduring principles

which guide all aspects of our behaviour and decision-making

e.g. Respect:

We respect the unique and intrinsic value of every person

can be represented by its

underlying Core Values

Values

Purpose

Inspiration

Ethos

CharacteristicSpirit

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Summarising Mission Statement: Core Values

Exercise 1 What are the Core Values of your

Mission Statement?

Core Values are a small number of central and enduring principles

which guide all aspects of our behaviour and decision-making

e.g. Respect:

We respect the unique and intrinsic value of every person

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Mission Statement - Core Values

One family,

Inspired to learn

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Mission Statement - Core Values

One family,

Each member unique,

Each inspired to learn, develop and act

in light of Gospel values

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The Core Values of the Mission Statement represent our aspirations

The day-to-day reality on the ground

may be quite different

Concept of Mission Integrity

The extent to which the daily practice of the school actually embodies its core values

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Cultivating Mission Integrity

Two Key Steps: How do you ……

Step 1: Identify, Promote & Review Core Values?

Step 2: Review & Evaluate Integrity to Core Values

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Step 1

Identify, Promote & Review Core Values

Exercise 1 Identifying the Core Values of your school (See Ex.3)

Exercise 2a Promoting the Core Values

Exercise 2b Reviewing the Mission Statement & Core Values

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Step 2

Review and Evaluation in light of Core Values

Review & Evaluation are vital to SDP

REMEMBER: If you don’t review & evaluate what YOU value,

you will come to value only whatever others review & evaluate

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Why?

What? How?

Action is needed

to turn theaspirations

of theMission

Statement into

reality

Mission

Statement

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Why?

What? How?

The process of School

Development Planning

moves the school closer to its Vision

SDP

Vision

Characteristic Spirit

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Vision is …….. a combination of………

The organisation’s fundamental reason for being (Core Purpose) Its timeless and unchanging Core Values The Goals it sets for implementation (short-term and long-term)

An organisation with Vision becomes truly Visionary when it creates alignment between the three elements of Vision.

While the Core Purpose and Core Values never change, they do inspire change. A deep understanding of Core Purpose and Core Values is vital to the well-being of any organisation.

Purpose

Values

Goals (SDP)

Vision

Review and Evaluation are essential to ensure alignment.

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Do you have a clear Review process? How does your school establish development targets

each year …… and at what levels of school life?

SDPI Guidelines have much to offer

Need for Review Exercises that focus on Core Values

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Exercise 3

Review Areas of School Life .v. Core Values

Exercise 4 Designing for Improvement Grid

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Other Possibilities for Cultivating Core Values

Develop Value Themes by Term or Half-Term

Develop Value Themes for each Year Group

Core Values Feedback Card

Critical Incident Analysis and Core Values

LAOS Excel Grid

Develop a list of behaviours that promote the values … for staff, students and parents ….. What cultivates and promotes ….? …..what inhibits or erodes?

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Evaluating against Core Values

Exercise 5How are the Core Values reflected in the

Rationale, Goals and Content of school Policies?

Aims, Structures, Reporting Mechanisms and Outcomes of school programmes?

Aims, Implementation Strategies, Reporting mechanisms and Outcomes of management structures and other action projects?

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The Board of Management is …

… accountable to the patron (Trustees)

for upholding the Characteristic Spirit of the school.

How does your Board give an account of its integrity to Core Values to the Trustees?

How do the Trustees engage with you about it?

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Giving an Account of Integrity to Mission

Who gives an account to Whom? Internal .v. External Accounts What kind of account? Simple .v. Justifying Accounts

SDP Annual Report should have a strong focus on integrity to Core Values

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Inspired Planning in Action!