Auditing staff-management communication in schools: a framework for evaluating performance

Communication is the lifeblood of any organisation. The need for effective internal communication systems is particularly crucial when organisations, such as schools, are operating in a turbulent environment of rapid and sustained change. Schools must be innovative to be able to respond and adapt to the challenges presented by such changes. It is now increasingly evident that those organisations which promote good internal communication reap positive dividends in meeting these challenges. However, there is a need for hard data on the nature, structure, flow and practice of communication to ensure that the most effective systems are put in place and are working to the optimal level. To achieve this a method of investigation, the communication audit, has been developed which allows for a thorough-going analysis of internal organisational communication. Explores the principal tools utilised in the implementation of a communication audit, and discusses the benefits which this approach offers to school management teams.