Today's staff training session, at which we were introduced to mission statements, goals, objectives, values etc., reminded me just how confusing these terms can be.
Specifically, we were shown the school's mission statement:
We were then shown the six values that members of the school community are enjoined to rally behind:
- Contributing positively to the community
- Applying knowledge with compassion
- Solving problems collaboratively
- Solving problems creatively
- Making just choices
- Facing challenges with determination
Next followed the (strategically sensitive) objectives for the school.
But how do these all hang together? Well, a trawl of the internet reveals disagreements and muddled thinking on the issue, even amongst the academy. However, the diagram below seemed to me to be the most convincing way of piecing the various terms together into a coherent whole. In defining the terms too, as it does, it is helpful for people looking for clarity in this important area of school leadership:
