An introduction to strategic planning and reporting
After consulting with their communities, boards develop strategic plans that outline their goals to be achieved over a specific period, usually three years.
Annual plans contain the specific actions and targets to be achieved each year.
Because boards are accountable for the performance of their school or kura, they use reporting to monitor progress toward the annual and strategic plans.
Key information about progress is then shared with the community.
This article explores the benefits of strategic planning and reporting.
Note: The government uses the term “school planning and reporting.” We use the term "strategic planning and reporting" to avoid confusion with school management and its responsibilities.
Why is strategic planning and reporting necessary?
An effective planning and reporting process will help you meet your board’s paramount objective (to raise educational achievement), as set out in Section 127open_in_new of the Education and Training Act 2020.
However, merely complying with legal obligations isn’t particularly inspiring.
In truth, strategic planning and reporting underpin everything a board does, and when done right, they help make good schools great.
Research shows that great schools and kura:
- Strive for continuous improvement to maximise the success of each student.
- Have a strong community-owned vision for the future.
- Use data and research to analyse strengths and areas for improvement.
- Plan and set targets for the success of all its students in alignment with the school's obligations and the school’s special character.
- Use regular reporting to track the impact of their efforts on student outcomes.
Setting and regularly reviewing yearly targets and evaluating overall student achievement are among the key expectations of boards.
Having a strong strategic plan, alongside a clear policy framework, will enable your board to guide the school's overall performance on behalf of the school community.
Board members serve their community by hearing their aspirations for the school and their ākonga (students), setting goals that lead to that shared vision, and tracking progress.
What exactly is strategic planning and reporting?
Strategic planning is the process of envisioning a desired future, translating this vision into defined goals or objectives, and making an action plan to achieve them.
The strategic plan comprises a limited number of aspirational yet defined goals or objectives that focus on areas requiring the most change.
Setting a suitable timeframe is essential. It will help you consider what you must do each year to achieve your goals or objectives.
The annual implementation plan is the action plan to achieve these goals or objectives.
Monitoring and reporting are essential for your action plan, allowing you to make changes as needed.
What are the stages of strategic planning and reporting?
The planning and reporting process should be collaborative.
Collaboration with your community is an opportunity to develop shared aims and targets to serve learners and their whānau.
There are seven stages to strategic planning:
- Prepare for planning
- Understand who is in your community
- Engage with your school community
- Set your school direction
- Share your plan
- Deliver and improve
- Reflect on progress
The planning and reporting cycle is continuous; you cannot do one without the other.
Therefore, you need a solid understanding of last year's outcomes to plan effectively for this and the coming year.
Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua.
(Look back and reflect so you can move forward.)
What requirements must boards follow when strategic planning?
These are outlined in:
- Education (School Planning and Reporting) Regulations 2023open_in_new
- Education and Training Act 2020open_in_new (sections 127, 134-146, 152, 164, and 204)
You can read more about these in our school planning and reporting regulations article.
Questions your board could ask
- Are we aware of the requirements in the planning and reporting framework?
- Are we meeting the paramount objective of boards, and how do we know?
- Do we have plans to support student attendance, engagement, progress, and achievement?
- What support might our staff require to effectively implement the updated New Zealand curriculum, especially for literacy and numeracy achievement?
- Are we meeting our obligations to provide an emotionally and physically safe workplace?
- Are we inclusive of and do we cater for students with differing needs? What evidence do we have?
- Are we achieving equitable outcomes for our Māori students?
- Are we taking all reasonable steps to ensure that our policies and practices reflect New Zealand’s cultural diversity?
- Have we identified who makes up our school community?
- Do we have a plan for engaging with each of our key community groups?
Templates, resources, and references
Click on the link(s) below to access this topic’s templates, resources, and references.
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Links from us
Ministry of Education
Education and Training Act 2020
- Section 127 – Paramount objective of boards in governing schoolsopen_in_new
- Sections 134-137 – Statements of variance and annual reportsopen_in_new
- Sections 138-146 – Strategic planning and reportingopen_in_new
- Section 152 – Board to be financially responsibleopen_in_new
- Section 204 – Designated character schoolsopen_in_new