Informative reading for those governers who may wish to gain insight in to this area of school planning' - "Teacher Development

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Development plans have become a feature of almost every school in the UK and most policy-makers and practitioners assume that by having such a plan a school will become more effective.

But do they really make a difference? What impact does a development plan have on the management and organisation of the school, on the professional development of teachers and, most importantly, on pupils' learning in the classroom? Can the development planning process be used as a school improvement strategy or would schools be better investing their time and energy in other ways?

`Transforming Learning and Teaching is well worth reading. The story of five schools acting together to improve what they do is a heroic and admirable one, especially in the present climate. The pressure to comply with prevailing orthodoxy, rather than devise orginal treatments, has been too strong for many to act with the same courage and insight as the five Redbridge schools, but it can be done with enthusiasm and integrity, as these teachers, heads and pupils show' - Ted Wragg, The Times Educational Supplement, Friday Magazine `Rigorous, realistic, accessible and eye-opening - this book ought to be at the well-thumbed heart of any primary school where building children's "learning power" is a genuine priority' - Guy Claxton, Professor of the Learning Sciences, University of Bristol This book shows how a group of primary schools transformed their learning and teaching. The authors share the practical strategies the schools used for supporting and enhancing - children's learning - teachers' learning - the schools' capacity for learning. They show how the focus on learning led to significant improvements in children's motivation, behaviour, engagement in learning and learning outcomes. This book reminds us that there is more to education than a narrow concentration on target setting and league tables. Based on an action research project in which five schools focused on developing children's learning and thinking skills, it tells how the schools committed themselves to inclusive education and the provision of a broad curriculum. Through this commitment, the schools enabled young people to develop their confidence, their self esteem and the attitudes needed to become lifelong learners. The authors describe what worked and draw out the main lessons for: children teachers; support staff; headteachers; parents; external consultants. This book is for school leaders at all levels and for practising teachers. It will also be useful to student teachers, those who work with schools in an advisory capacity and those involved with school improvement, educational leadership and developing learning and teaching in the classroom.

In writing The Intelligent School, the authors offer a practical resource to schools to help them maximize their improvement efforts. The aim is to help schools to be intelligent organizations; to be the type of school that can synthesize different kinds of knowledge, experience and ideas in order to be confident about current achievements, and be able to decide what to do next.

The second edition has been fully revised in the light of New Labour's term of office, global social and economic changes, and new research evidence. It brings fresh thinking about the nine intelligences and new ideas about school improvement including the exploration of spiritual, ethical and emotional intelligence. It also includes examples of Intelligent Schools in action written by practitioners.