This document has been developed by The Partnership for Child Development in collaboration with other agencies, including UNICEF, The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, WHO, USAID, PAHO and The World Bank. It has been field tested in five countries in Africa. The goal of the situation analysis described in this document is to guide the design and evaluation of school-based health and nutrition programmes. A situation analysis can be detailed and comprehensive, but the most appropriate initial approach is usually a low-cost, rapid survey that supplies the preliminary answers necessary for intelligent efforts to develop or strengthen school nutrition and health programmes. The approach outlined in this document is not exhaustive; there are likely to be particular sources and types of information that are relevant to a given country or situation