George Spencer p.l.c., an autonomous school, managed in a businesslike manner

Abstract

George Spencer Grant-Maintained School and Technology College in Nottingham, England, is an autonomous school, managed in a businesslike manner. The strategic planning at the school is enabling the organisation to create and achieve its future because it is providing the energising force to drive this transformation. What having Grant-Maintained and Technology College Status means to a school, is discussed with reference to George Spencer School. The school has Investors in People status. This means that the school gives great emphasis to the professional development of its staff. The curriculum of the school, while meeting the National Minimum requirement, stresses the importance of Technology, Science, and Information and Communication Technology. Market principles have transformed education in the last years and schools can learn a lot from business. Although many of the things observed at George Spencer School cannot be applied to the Maltese situation, there am many lessons to be learnt from this experience.