This guide to departmental planning in British secondary school modern language programs offers suggestions for producing effective work and curriculum plans. An introductory section outlines the reasons for departmental planning and discusses briefly the format and content of effective staff meetings. The second section addresses common administrative and instructional issues in the implementation of Britain's complex national curriculum and proposes a gradual approach to implementation by identification of priorities and setting of realistic planning targets. Section 3 begins this process with a method of planning for departmental development, including sample short- and medium-to-long-term plans and specific related activities. Sections 4 and 5 provide outlines of: (1) policy considerations for staff assignment and workloads; and (2) the statutory features of the national curriculum that must be incorporated into curriculum planning. The next section describes and illustrates a method of curriculum evaluation, including appropriate forms, and, finally, section 7 discusses planning for course content not specified for modern languages in the national curriculum in greater detail. Appropriate forms are provided and related preparatory activities are described. (MSE)