FROM A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL TO SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Abstract

The article follows the trends leading to the improvement of quality in education which is offered by educa-tional institutions. The key concepts of these trends become the concepts of successful school and school improvement. Literature introduced the concept of a successful school in the 70ies of the last century. In the 80ies literature finds out the concept of school improvement. The definition of a successful school itself is problematic. Many authors view successful school as a school where pupils reach very good results in elementary skills, measured by corresponding tests. The authors suggest criteria of a successful school on the basis of research. The concept of school improvement is more practically oriented on school. It in-cludes the teacher as a researcher and the process of self-evaluation of a school and school evaluation. At the end of 90ies both concepts interconnect which leads to a lot of wider research. The research of world-wide successful school improvement point out to a range of key principles. These principles offer basic orientation leading to school improvement. It is needed to monitor the quality of offered education. Quality of school, its success and continuous improvement are basic challenge to quality of European education. Key words: successful school, school improvement, learning organization, principles of school improve-ment, student outcomes orientation, process orientation, schools of second millennium, schools of third millennium.