ABSTRACT
This chapter takes someone through the steps needed to develop a compelling and meaningful vision for the school. It explains how to ensure the vision is grounded and that it has real meaning for parents, teachers, students and governors. It then provides understanding of how to identify the gaps that exist between the vision and reality. A vision statement is an aspirational description of what school would like to achieve in the future. The National Standards state that school leaders should "communicate compellingly the school's vision and drive the strategic leadership, empowering all pupils and staff to excel". Ofsted inspectors measure how well the leaders' and governors' vision and ambition for the school are communicated to staff, parents and pupils. Without a vision, any organisation will struggle to share its direction for the long term in a way that really creates a sense of unity. This common vision also enables a school to build a strong reputation.
