Description: The paper is a discussion of CSEP, an international Cooperative School Evaluation Project organised under the auspices of the European Network of Policy Makers for the Evaluation of Educational Systems and managed by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science in Ireland. Three member countries from the Network are participating in the project: Finland, Ireland, and Norway. The project involves a study of the planning processes underpinning the formulation of non-curricular school policies across a range of primary and secondary schools. It entails the drawing up, testing, and refinement of quality indicators for evaluating school performance in the area of policy development The aims of the project are: To develop quality indicators for evaluating schools' policy-formulation processes in non-curricular areas To compare elements of quality and practice in different education systems in relation to non-curricular policies To exchange information on new and best practice in the field of policy development in schools To prepare for publication a short inter-country report on the outcomes of the study Methodology: The methods used in the project include: Literature review Analysis of background Country Statements from participating countries Development of draft indicators for schools' policy-formulation processes in non-curricular areas Development of structured interview schedules and document review schedule as instruments to test the draft indicators Initial trial of draft indicators in 6 schools (2 in each participating country), using prepared instruments to gather data from school management, teachers, parents and pupils and from school documents Revision of draft indicators and instruments in the light of the initial trial Main trial of revised indicators in 12 schools (4 in each participating country) Conclusions: It is envisaged that the project will have the following outcomes: A deepened understanding among participants of the processes underpinning effective policy formulation in schools Shared knowledge of what constitutes good practice in the field of school policy formulation in schools in different education systems The identification of fruitful approaches to school policy formulation in the context of School Development Planning A set of tested quality indicators for evaluating schools' policy formulation processes A short inter-country report on the outcomes of the study