Benchmarking for School Improvement: A Practical Guide for Comparing and Achieving Effectiveness

Whereas a business can measure its effectiveness by reference to the profits it makes or fails to make, a school or college is a more difficult enterprise in which to gauge the extent to which the institution has achieved its aims. Current OFSTED inspections judge schools against national or local averages, whereas businesses judge themselves against the best business. This practical guide helps senior management teams of schools or colleges to undertake their own benchmarking, with an aim to increase effectiveness and improvement. Tony Kelly looks at the different types of benchmarking and what should be benchmarked and why. He discusses the possibility of forming a benchmarking partnership with another organisation which is acknowledged to be better performing. He also addresses the process of forming a benchmarking team within a school or college. Practical guidance is provided on techniques such as making an effectiveness comparison, targeting for improvement, and producing target-setting tables and benchmarking comparison charts. The content of the book is based on extensive research from the UK and overseas and it provides step-by-step advice, photocopiable templates and suggestions for further reading.