Building Better Schools Together: Key Strategies Every School Leader Needs

Every school aims to be a nurturing environment where all students can learn, grow, and excel. However, many communities struggle to bridge the gap between this vision and reality. While educators, families, and leaders all desire the best outcomes for children, achieving substantial progress requires a systematic, inclusive, and ongoing approach.

Thus, school improvement extends beyond merely addressing issues as they emerge. It’s about fostering a shared culture of reflection, purpose, and teamwork. By committing to a defined and collaborative process of improvement, schools establish a foundation for meaningful change and enhanced results for every student (Fullan, 2011).

Three Core Elements of School Improvement

Successful school improvement strategies are built on three fundamental priorities: curriculum implementation, school environment, and parental involvement. Together, these components ensure that both educational content and students’ overall experiences are addressed.

• Curriculum Implementation

The effectiveness of learning outcomes hinges on the delivery of the curriculum. Teachers need to be informed not only about the expected learning goals but also about the students’ progress. To facilitate meaningful advancements, schools must analyse reliable data, such as standardized test scores, report cards, and examples of student work, to identify areas of strength and areas needing improvement (Hattie, 2009). For  instance, if many students have difficulties with writing, the school can aim to enhance writing instruction across all grades. This might include targeted professional development, leveraging evidence-based teaching methods, and encouraging collaboration among teachers to share successful practices. Moreover, establishing clear, measurable goals allows everyone to understand what success means and monitor growth over time.

• School Environment

A safe, organized, and respectful atmosphere is fundamental for learning. Studies indicate that schools with a clear vision, high expectations, ongoing monitoring, and strong relationships are generally more successful (Leithwood, Harris, & Hopkins, 2020). Therefore, efforts to enhance the school environment could focus on reducing instances of bullying, fostering student leadership, and improving attendance.

For example, if surveys reveal that some students feel unsafe or excluded, prioritizing the creation of a supportive and inclusive environment becomes essential. When students feel respected and valued, they tend to engage better and realize their potential.

• Parental Involvement

Parents are crucial partners in education rather than passive observers. Research shows that when parents are actively involved, students attend school more regularly, complete more homeworks, and achieve higher academic performance (Epstein, 2018). Schools can facilitate parental participation through various means, including volunteering, attending workshops, assisting with homework, and taking part in decision-making processes.

However, parental engagement must be adaptable and inclusive. Not all families can volunteer during school hours or attend meetings in person. Therefore, schools should implement creative options, such as hosting evening events, providing translated materials, and offering home-based reading programs to ensure every family can engage meaningfully.

Shared Responsibility for Improvement

A key principle of school improvement is recognizing that success is a shared responsibility. Each participant plays a vital role:

• The Ministry of Education : sets the overall vision and provides the necessary resources to support schools while ensuring that improvement plans align with wider goals and policies.
• Municipal Directors and School Improvement Support Officers: assist schools in analysing data, facilitating professional development, and tracking progress.
• Head teachers: steers the process, coordinates efforts, and communicate priorities transparently. They cultivate a culture where collaboration and accountability coexist (Leithwood et al., 2020).
• Teachers: bring improvement plans into action within the classroom, modifying instruction, assessing student progress, and building partnerships with families.
• School Management Committees and Parents: offer insights and advocate for the community’s needs and values.
• Students, particularly in higher grades, can express their viewpoints, help set goals, and participate in generating positive changes.

When everyone understands their role and feels appreciated, our schools can foster the trust and momentum necessary for improvement.

A Structured Approach to Change

Effective improvement does not occur by chance. It demands a transparent and systematic approach:

• Establishing a Planning Team– Form a diverse team representing the entire school community teachers, parents, students, and local members to lead the process, gather insights, and prioritize actions.
• Data Collection and Assessment– Decisions should be evidence-based. Schools must gather information about student performance, attendance, behaviour, and community needs. Surveys of parents and students provide valuable perspectives that may not be reflected in test scores.
• Identifying Priorities– The planning team collaborates to determine the most pressing areas for focus. To ensure collective input, some schools use structured activities like brainstorming sessions and voting to finalize priorities.
• Creating Action Plans– Action plans convert goals into actionable steps, comprising:

1. Clear objectives and performance targets
2. Specific strategies and timelines
3. Success indicators
4. Assigned roles and responsibilities
5. Monitoring processes

For example, if enhancing math performance is a priority, strategies may include scheduled extra support sessions, the adoption of new instructional resources, and family math nights to assist parents in supporting their children’s learning at home.

• Execution and Communication– Effective implementation requires strong communication. Schools should regularly report progress to staff, families, and the broader community to foster trust and encourage ongoing involvement.
• Evaluation and Continuous Development– Improvement is a continual process. Schools must gather new data, compare it with established benchmarks, and adjust strategies as necessary. Celebrating achievements and milestones can help maintain motivation and reinforce a culture of progress.

Flexibility to Address Varied Needs

Each school faces unique contexts and challenges, thus the improvement processes must adapt to reflect local needs, values, and cultures. For example, communicating with families who speak multiple languages may require translated materials. In rural settings, partnerships may differ from urban ones, and schools linked to faith or cultural institutions will incorporate those priorities into their plans. Such adaptability ensures that the path to improvement is tailored rather than a uniform exercise, respecting each school’s distinct identity.

Fostering a Culture of Excellence

At the core of school improvement is the conviction that all students can succeed when the right conditions are established. Achieving this requires the courage to face challenging truths, discipline to follow through on commitments, and humility to learn and adjust.

Despite the challenges, the benefits are significant. By adopting a culture of continuous improvement, schools can transform not only academic outcomes but also the lives of families and the vitality of communities.

Together, with clarity, intent, and shared responsibility, every school can progress toward a vision of successful learning for all.

WRITTEN BY: WISDOM KOUDJO KLU, EDUCATION EXPERT/COLUMNIST, GREATER ACCRA REGION. [email protected]