Strategic Planning
In the autumn of 2009 the Aiglon Board of Governors identified the need to undertake a review of the school’s key strategic priorities and to establish a strategic plan that addressed these. The planning process began in May 2011, and the first major phase culminated in a strategic planning workshop in late August 2011 involving the Board, the Head Master, the School Council (Senior Management Team), alumni, parents, and former parents.
To drive the process, the Board hired the dynamic and highly experienced educational consultant John Littleford, who has a long career of advising schools around the world on the development of strategic plans. The process included him interviewing a number of focus groups involving over 150 people, from which he was able to identify the recurrent issues that were seen to be of strategic importance by members of the Aiglon community.
In the culminating workshop John Littleford listed 39 issues, many overlapping, that covered the spectrum of strategic priorities which emerged from the focus groups. In the course of the workshop, participants were invited to vote on their top issues, reducing the list to 7-8 priorities, which were subsequently debated in breakout groups. Further distillation of the issues revealed 5 major topics. These will be the subject of intensive analysis by the following project teams over the next few months:
1) Branding – How can Aiglon successfully display and communicate its commitment to its aim of achieving “the balanced development of mind, body and spirit”? A project team to investigate this issue will be led by Governor and Alumnus Egon Vorfeld. The goals of this project are:
4) Student Achievement – How can Aiglon ensure that all its students achieve their full potential, academically and in all other areas of endeavour? A project team to investigate this issue will be led by Governor Allan Graham (former headmaster of four schools). The goals of this project are:
A further major topic prioritised by the workshop participants was the issue of Board health and continuity in leadership. The Board has expanded the scope of its Governance Committee, on the advice of John Littleford, to address this important long-term strategic priority. The Board will report regularly via the school website on initiatives it is taking in these areas.
The Board will provide further updates in due course on the progress of these project teams.
To drive the process, the Board hired the dynamic and highly experienced educational consultant John Littleford, who has a long career of advising schools around the world on the development of strategic plans. The process included him interviewing a number of focus groups involving over 150 people, from which he was able to identify the recurrent issues that were seen to be of strategic importance by members of the Aiglon community.
In the culminating workshop John Littleford listed 39 issues, many overlapping, that covered the spectrum of strategic priorities which emerged from the focus groups. In the course of the workshop, participants were invited to vote on their top issues, reducing the list to 7-8 priorities, which were subsequently debated in breakout groups. Further distillation of the issues revealed 5 major topics. These will be the subject of intensive analysis by the following project teams over the next few months:
1) Branding – How can Aiglon successfully display and communicate its commitment to its aim of achieving “the balanced development of mind, body and spirit”? A project team to investigate this issue will be led by Governor and Alumnus Egon Vorfeld. The goals of this project are:
- To ensure the clear, consistent, widespread and highly visible positioning of Aiglon College as one of the world’s leading international boarding schools
- To establish a global reputation that ensures stability and growth in student enrolment and staff recruitment of high quality.
- To identify and develop opportunities to increase revenue through fund-raising activities
- To evaluate the philanthropic potential of Aiglon’s constituencies
- To identify the structure and resources needed to achieve these goals.
- To identify and develop opportunities to increase revenue through commercial activities
- To help contribute to the school’s long-term financial stability and growth.
4) Student Achievement – How can Aiglon ensure that all its students achieve their full potential, academically and in all other areas of endeavour? A project team to investigate this issue will be led by Governor Allan Graham (former headmaster of four schools). The goals of this project are:
- To develop mechanisms that establish student potential at entry to Aiglon (academic and co-curricular)
- To develop mechanisms that monitor and promote individual student progress (academic and co-curricular) and evaluate “added value”
- To establish a high quality college and careers counselling service which ensures that students gain access to universities and colleges best suited to their aspirations and continuing development
- To implement and exercise rigour of practice in academic and co-curricular programmes
- To provide staffing, facilities and resources that optimise student achievement
- To establish a strong culture of aspiration at Aiglon College.
- To safeguard and promote student well-being and personal growth with particular regard to health, safety, social integration, life skills, responsible choices, respectful behaviours and personal fulfilment
- To provide student services of the highest standard in the areas of residential life, healthcare and personal guidance and support
- To provide staffing, facilities and resources that optimise student welfare.
A further major topic prioritised by the workshop participants was the issue of Board health and continuity in leadership. The Board has expanded the scope of its Governance Committee, on the advice of John Littleford, to address this important long-term strategic priority. The Board will report regularly via the school website on initiatives it is taking in these areas.
The Board will provide further updates in due course on the progress of these project teams.
