A 32-month project has been designed to study the process of school development planning in British primary schools and to evaluate the impact of such planning on the work of individual schools, the learning opportunities for individual pupils, and the professional development of individual teachers. When completed in June 1994, this project should be able to provide answers to the following questions: (1) what impact do school development plans and the planning process have on whole school management, classroom learning, and pupil learning; (2) are some plans more effective than others;(3) what are the key elements of successful practice and the implications of these for Local Education Authorities (LEAs) and schools; and (4) do the theoretical postulates apply to the results, or do they need to be modified in light of the study? Interviews, classroom obrervations, and questionnaires are beinL used to gather data in 18 classrooms in 9 schools, all located in 3 contrasting LEAs. (MDM)

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This paper asks the question `Is school self-improvement improving or is it something that has been tried and tested and has failed?' . In an attempt to answer this question, particular attention is paid to some of the international research literature on school self-review and evaluation, two commonly used self-improvement strategies. Approaches to self-evaluation in England and Wales and how these compare with developments elsewhere are also examined. The conclusion reached is that school self-improvement is an essential complement to external improvement initiatives if schools are to become more effective. However, more needs to be done to ensure that self-improvement is suf® ciently rigorous and systematic if it is to make a difference where it matters most, namely in bringing about improvements in the quality of teaching and learning in classrooms. The paper concludes by suggesting that a way in which this can be achieved is through a multi-dimensional approach to self-improvement. Three types of self-evaluation are identi® ed and described. Used in combination they enable a school to make a direct connection between improvements within and beyond the classroom and pupils' progress and achievement.

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