School plan 2015 2017 21 st Century Teaching And Learning Leaders in Learning School Learning Culture
School background 2015-2017 School vision statement School context School planning process inspires lifelong learners to set high expectations in order to achieve continual improvement in their learning. Through innovative, engaging and relevant learning experiences we will challenge students in a safe, inclusive and supportive community to become self-confident, productive and respectful members of society. is a comprehensive co-educational secondary school established in 1962 with 1028 students enrolled in 2015. There are 80 teaching staff with a diverse range of experience. The growth in student numbers in recent years has enabled the school to offer a diverse curriculum while still maintaining strong, nurturing student welfare programs. 24% of students are from backgrounds where a language other than English is spoken at home and 2% of students identify as Aboriginal. The Special Education faculty consists of three support classes (1 IM, 2 IO). The school has an outstanding and proud reputation in the community for providing quality education within a supportive and well-disciplined environment. Our school's image in the community is enhanced by students' exemplary achievements in external examinations and their involvement in student leadership programs. The post school data indicates a successful school transition which is highlighted by a high level of tertiary admissions, vocational education and training and workforce employment. There are established traditions in providing a wide variety of opportunities in sport and the school has a long history of excellent student performance. There has also been a long standing Performing Arts tradition and extra-curricular Music, Dance and Drama continue to be both very popular and successful programs at. The Parents and Citizens Association and School Council support the school in partnership with teachers to collaboratively and positively influence the future directions of the school. In 2014 a comprehensive process was undertaken to review practices and gather data. The process included a review of the school strengths and areas for future development. The school used a wide range of tools and data to evaluate the 2012-14 school plan and to determine the school s future strategic directions. The school planning process is co-ordinated by the School Planning Group Leaders who have carried out an extensive situational and directional analysis through: whole school needs analysis; curriculum and whole school program evaluations; student, executive, staff and parent focus groups surveys; extensive ideas generation workshops with students, staff and parents; review of school evaluation reports and consideration of recommendations from the reports; analysis of NAPLAN and HSC result data using SMART and RAP analysis systems; analysis of school data from millennium [attendance, welfare, letters home]; on-line surveys (created by the school); the Tell Them From Me Survey; and Annual School Reports. The school community, staff, students and parents will be invited, through surveys and focus groups, to provide feedback on our current school performance and to contribute feedback through our evaluation cycle to inform our planning for 2015-2017. Page 2
School strategic directions 2015-2017 STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1 21st Century Teaching and Learning STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2 Leaders in Learning STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3 School Learning Culture To develop learners who are responsive to, and have developed the intellectual quality required to engage with and learn through the delivery of a challenging curriculum. To develop the capacity in teachers to enhance the skills of the 21 st century learner by designing and delivering a curriculum that is relevant, meaningful, rich in quality teaching and explicit literacy. To support teachers in being active facilitators of innovative, engaging and relevant learning experiences which cater to the needs of all students to maximise their learning outcomes. To encourage teachers to continually develop and reflect on their practice through a focus on quality teaching. To foster and enhance staff leadership opportunities and processes to build capacity and develop staff to take on more roles within the school and to be able to manage change as it occurs. To support an educational environment where students actively take ownership of their learning, continually striving for improvement. This will result in all students achieving at a higher level. To encourage, acknowledge and reward improvements in student achievement in our school. To continue with and further develop strong and viable partnerships with both the local and wider community in order to enhance the educational learning experiences and achievements of our students. Page 3
Strategic Direction 1: 21 st Century Teaching and Learning Purpose People Processes s and s To develop learners who are responsive to, and have developed the intellectual quality Students Through participating in a variety of learning Innovative Curriculum Develop and deliver a deep and rich required to engage with and learn through experiences, students extend their curriculum that embraces 21 st Century the delivery of a challenging curriculum. knowledge, understanding, skills and values in various settings. To develop the capacity in teachers to enhance the skills of the 21 st century learner by designing and delivering a curriculum that is relevant, meaningful, rich in quality teaching and explicit literacy. 1. Increase on TTFM Benchmark data from Years 7-11 in areas of Effective learning time (6.6/10) Relevance (5.8/10) Rigor (6.2/10) 2. School Growth data shows an upward trend in NAPLAN Literacy areas compared to current benchmarks. 3. Evidence of explicit literacy, QTL and instructional pedagogy in Stages 4 and 5 Teaching, Learning and Assessment programs. 4. All class teachers develop a deep understanding of the Literacy Continuum. 5. Reduction of negative student referrals, including Aboriginal students in Millennium data, including Academic Concern, N Awards and Behaviour. Aboriginal students will be encouraged and assisted to actively engage with their Personal Learning Plans. Parents and Carers Parents and carers are engaged and involved in the school as learning partners to understand and support their child s individual learning needs. Teachers Teachers engage in professional learning and collegial practice to increase capability in learning design, delivery and knowledge of pedagogy. Leaders Leadership capability is planned and developed through providing authentic leadership opportunities in decision making and management of school strategic directions. Teaching and Learning which best caters for individual student s learning styles through holistic, innovative and dynamic teaching and learning that includes: ICT Information and Communication Technologies, PBL Project Based Learning, QTL Quality Teaching and Learning. Literacy Improve Literacy outcomes of all students through: Explicit literacy strategies in all teaching and learning programs; Embedded literacy in assessment and reporting; Targeted literacy programs; and Increased staff capacity in implementing strategies to increase student literacy capability. Evaluation Plan Analysis of Benchmark Learning Data (TTFM, NAPLAN, Literacy Continuum) Delivery of annual TTFM survey Evaluation of Teaching and Learning programs Classroom observation data and reports Delivery of Teachers as Learning Partners survey Students participate in high quality learning experiences that are intellectually challenging, engaging and relevant. Teachers deliver a highly engaging and academically rigorous curriculum based on instructional learning and the QTL framework. Students develop skills in Fullan s 6C s Communication Creativity Critical Thinking Collaboration Citizenship Character Education by accessing high quality, differentiated and innovative teaching, learning and assessment. Students demonstrate an increased depth and level of learned literacy, which is reflected through added growth in NAPLAN data-sets and HSC achievement. All teachers, through their teaching programs, demonstrate explicit and planned learning strategies in aspects of critical literacy. All faculties embed literacy strategies and report against Literacy Continuum markers through high quality formative assessment. Page 4
Strategic Direction 2: Leaders in Learning Purpose People Processes s and s To support teachers in being active Professional Growth facilitators of innovative, engaging and Refine and implement the school s teacher relevant learning experiences which cater to professional development programs the needs of all students to maximise their learning outcomes. through reflective and evidence based practices, by: To encourage teachers to continually develop and reflect on their practice through a focus on quality teaching. To foster and enhance staff leadership opportunities and processes to build capacity and develop staff to take on more roles within the school and to be able to manage change as it occurs. 1. All teachers have successfully achieved accreditation at Proficient with an increasing number achieving Highly Accomplished and Lead career levels. 2. An increase in the number of students who are intellectually engaged, interested and motivated in class as observed through lesson observations and TTFM survey data with an increase from 42% for intellectual engagement and 20% for interest and motivation. 3. At least 10% of staff are successful in attaining substantive leadership positions. Teachers Consistent structures will be in place for staff to collaborate with colleagues, engage in and reflect on their own professional learning. Teachers completing accreditation at Proficient or higher levels of accreditation will receive training on the requirements of the process. Non-Teachers Opportunities will be provided for nonteachers to identify their professional learning needs and the learning will be provided through external and internal programs of learning. Structures will be developed to implement change. Leaders Opportunities will be provided for leaders to develop and enhance their skills through structured processes and professional learning. Parents and Carers Parents and carers will be informed on how they can contribute and provide feedback to the school about areas that affect their child s learning. Parents will receive ongoing information about school activities. establishing structured rounds that enable teachers to collaborate, share practice and reflect to inform their own practice; further developing the mentoring and early career teacher program; establishing an Accreditation team to implement structures and support teachers in meeting the requirements of accreditation at proficient and higher levels; establishing a deep understanding of the APST s and QTF; and refining the lesson observation program to increase the effectiveness of teacher feedback and reflection. Build the capacity of non-teachers to prepare for change and develop their professional practice through professional learning. Leadership Refine the succession program which is supported through an aspiring leaders and shadows program that enables staff to expand their skills and leadership potential through clearly defined roles and expectations. Evaluation Plan Millennium data TTFM survey data Lesson observations Milestone evaluations An increase in the number of students who are intellectually engaged, interested and motivated in their learning through TTFM survey results and lesson observation data. Teachers deliver engaging and challenging learning experiences designed to meet the needs of all students. A culture of collaborative professional learning is established that is valued for meeting the needs of staff and improving teacher practice. Classroom teachers collaborate, observe, reflect and use evidence to develop their Performance and Development Plans. All teachers have developed authentic and challenging Performance and Development Plans. Staff take ownership of their own professional learning and practice through authentic and challenging Performance and Development Plans. Structures are in place to support the increase in all teachers maintaining their level of accreditation and those who apply for the higher levels of accreditation. There is an increase in the number of staff who confidently take on leadership roles and relieve in higher positions to increase leadership density and systemic leadership. Page 5
Strategic Direction 3: School Learning Culture Purpose People Processes s and s To support an educational environment where students actively take ownership of Staff Professional learning aimed at developing Culture of High Expectations Staff follow a process to assist Stage 4 and their learning, continually striving for the skills in staff to analyse student Stage 5 students to develop, review and improvement. This will result in all students performance and then plan and implement communicate individual learning plans that achieving at a higher level. programs to deliver improved student focus on student improvement. performances. To encourage, acknowledge and reward improvements in student achievement in our school. To continue with and further develop strong and viable partnerships with both the local and wider community in order to enhance the educational learning experiences and achievements of our students. 1. Improved academic performance in all subjects using Grade Point Average (GPA). 2. Increased student interest and motivation in their learning (an improvement from the TTFM survey of 20% of students against the NSW pilot norm for these years of 25%). 3. Improved positive staff and student relationships (an improvement from the TTFM survey of 6/10 against the NSW pilot norm of 5.6/10). 4. Improved levels of advocacy for students (having someone at home or in their community who consistently provides encouragement and can be turned to for advice (an improvement from the TTFM survey of 5.2/10 against the NSW pilot norm of 4.6/10). 5. All Aboriginal students are provided with the opportunity to engage with Aboriginal culture through a variety of experiences. Staff will cater for individual learning needs and promote the importance of improving individual performance. Students Provide students with opportunities to take greater responsibility and accept the importance of actively engaging in their own learning through teacher feedback, surveys, goal setting, self-reflection and ILPs. Parents and Carers Develop greater confidence and understanding in parents to contribute to, encourage and support improvements in their children s learning. Community Strengthen collaborative community partnerships that will improve the education outcomes for all students through increased access to learning opportunities, pathways, initiatives and experiences. Teachers provide increased challenge for students, encourage deep learning, monitor success and use formative and summative assessment to provide regular, constructive and explicit feedback on how to improve their learning (observed through lesson observations). Staff provided with targeted Professional Learning opportunities to use data to inform their practice in the classroom with a view to student improvement. Staff provided with targeted Professional Learning to further their skills in developing even more positive teacher / student relationships. Community Partnerships The school builds, develops and achieves meaningful parent and community partnerships that enhance and strengthen the learning outcomes for students. Evaluation Plan Analysis of GPA data TTFM surveys Classroom observations Number of student PEPs Increased student interest and motivation in their learning (an improvement from the Tell Them From Me survey of 20% of students against the NSW pilot norm for these years of 25%). All students in Stage 4 and Stage 5 participate successfully in creating, implementing and reviewing their own personal Education Plan. Students engage in their learning with greater confidence and responsibility through weekly goal setting and reviewing of their goals. Improved positive staff and student relationships (an improvement from the Tell Them From Me survey of 6 out of 10 against the NSW pilot norm of 5.6 out of 10). Staff engage in targeted professional learning on an ongoing basis to maintain high quality teacher and student relationships. Strengthened partnerships with parents and community members in actively engaging in and supporting school programs to enhance student learning experiences and achievement. Staff confidently share their expertise and promote all aspects of the school with parents and community partners in order to enhance the learning outcomes of students. Page 6