Schools are likely to be more successful in achieving in-depth learning when leaders work with staff and the community to build a collective educational vision that is clear, compelling, and connected to teaching and learning. This collective vision helps focus attention on what is important, motivates staff and students, and increases the sense of shared responsibility for student learning. Organisations need to know where they are heading and what they are trying to accomplish and to state this clearly for getting there is dependent on the efforts of a large number of people – not all of whom can just be assumed to instinctively know what the collective goal is. An institution’s vision statement is thus an articulation of its major goals and ambitions. The organisation which does not articulate its vision for the future will not necessarily fail, indeed it may continue to ‘tick over’ quite nicely, but nor is it likely to thrive. It stands less chance of growing, expanding and improving because it has no clear idea of what direction or form this growth, expansion or improvement should take. Not every good idea can be funded and not every opportunity pursued. Without a clear idea of where the institution is heading there is no sound basis for prioritising these decisions, resulting in an institution which is paddling as hard as