This book is essential reading for all those involved in the development of schools. In addition, it is to be highly recommended to those who are following the academic or professional courses in the area of governance. The authors acutely analyse the shortcomings in the present thinking found in school development plans, especially their lack of a proactive perspective in tackling the long term position of the school as an organization. In the last decade there has been a mushroom growth of texts in this sector, most of which struggle to rise above the mundane. This text by Davies and Ellison is the refreshing exception, in that it provides a detailed framework that hard pressed managers can apply. However, more importantly, the authors both stress and provide a new paradigm on how managers must perceive schools, if they are to survive in the new competitive market that has now taken hold in education.
The text consists of ten chapters that systematically develop the authors′ approach to planning, chapter eleven by Robert Gwynne is a perceptive example of how the authors′ model can be applied in practice. This book is extremely well supported by over 50 figures that prevent it becoming a dry text, and is well referenced.
