A school improvement plan template should convert diagnosis into disciplined action. The strongest plans are short enough to manage, specific enough to monitor and evidence-based enough to show whether improvement is actually happening.
School improvement plan template
| Priority problem | Baseline evidence | Desired outcome | Actions | Owner | Timeline | Success indicators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Six quality checks
- Each priority is based on evidence, not preference.
- Actions address likely root causes rather than only symptoms.
- Owners and timelines are explicit.
- Success indicators include meaningful student, teacher or system evidence.
- The plan contains a small number of high-leverage priorities.
- Progress is reviewed on a fixed cycle and actions change when evidence changes.
What should count as baseline evidence?
Depending on the priority, evidence may include classroom observations, assessment results, student work, attendance, parent feedback, staff data, behaviour patterns, admissions/retention data or implementation records. Avoid using a single metric when several sources can provide a more accurate picture.
Use the School Transformation Index, School Transformation Self-Assessment and the School Academic Audit Checklist to identify priorities before writing the plan.
Review cycle
- Confirm baseline and intended outcome.
- Review implementation evidence.
- Check whether the expected change is visible.
- Continue, adapt or stop actions based on evidence.
- Record learning for the next review cycle.
Free editable Word version: download and adapt the School Improvement Plan Template for your school.
Download School Improvement Plan Template (.docx)
Free for professional and school use with attribution. Please link to this page rather than redistributing the file from another website.
Explore the Resources library and subscribe to the Education Leadership Newsletter for new school-improvement tools.