What is Stakeholder engagement?
Stakeholder Engagement touches every aspect of school life and its presence, either through conscious application or as a happy consequence of good management, is a vital factor in ensuring that your school is capable of helping every individual pupil achieve their potential. It has never been more important than it is today.
Your stakeholders are people who are affected by your school or who have an effect on you. They will include obvious groups such as those who make up your school community: parents, staff and critically - your pupils. It will also include your local community and perhaps the business community.
Stakeholder Engagement is the process by which any institution can reassure all its stakeholders that decisions taken are not made on a whim. In essence it is a demonstration of the intent of consideration for others, carrying at its heart the vision that schools exist to develop the potential of all young people.
The delivery of that vision requires the active participation and support of disparate groups, some of whom will be more involved with the school than others. For various reasons, individuals from within those groups will feel that they all have a stake in what happens within your school. The understanding and thoughtful application of Stakeholder Engagement demonstrates an acknowledgement to those individuals that their views are welcomed and valued; that they will be kept informed and, where appropriate, they will be included in the decision-making process.
A strong statement about Stakeholder Engagement is also an open declaration that your school aims to sit at the centre of its community, acting as a positive force for the benefit of all.
The importance of Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder Engagement is the conscious effort of making a strategic plan to ensure the ethos of your school community, or organisation meets the needs of your stakeholders.
Attitudes towards establishment institutions have changed markedly over the last 20 years, a process that has accelerated rapidly since 2008. Authority alone is no longer seen as a good enough reason to accept what we are told by those running the great vehicles of State. People are more cynical. Words are not enough. As a public we question more, we expect answers, and the delivery of this expectation requires a fundamental change in the client/provider relationship.
Schools serve their communities. They must have the best interest of those communities at the heart of what they do. How does your school demonstrate that Stakeholder Engagement matters?
Stakeholder engagement is about:
- how your organisation demonstrates that individuals and groups are important to you
- how seriously you take them
- how you have them in mind when making decisions that affect them
- The unique nature of every school means that the establishment of effective stakeholder engagement has to be explored on a school by school basis. You can learn about stakeholder engagement through our courses or a more bespoke approach can be gained through consultation.
At national, regional and commercial policy formation level we offer:
- briefings based on a deep insight into our exploration of what schools need to do to ensure that all of their work with their stakeholder groups is focused on strategies that have a direct benefit to pupil achievement and attainment through the development of meaningful social capital and how national institutions and organisations can respond to enable this
- keynote speeches that inspire educationalists by providing challenge through thought, coupled with solutions that work
At school and MAT level we offer:
- briefings for school leaders that enable the formation of a vision, policy and strategy for delivery
- a transformational course that enables the development of policies and strategies leading to cultural change within schools, creating more harmonious relationships with all stakeholder groups to improve pupil achievement and attainment
