Yorkeys Knob State School

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Contents

1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Review team ................................................................................................................ 3

1.2 School context ............................................................................................................. 4

1.3 Contributing stakeholders ............................................................................................ 5

1.4 Supporting documentary evidence............................................................................... 5

2. Executive summary ........................................................................................................... 6

2.1 Key findings ................................................................................................................. 6

2.2 Key improvement strategies ........................................................................................ 8

3. Findings and improvement strategies against the domains ............................................... 9

3.1 An explicit improvement agenda .................................................................................. 9

3.2 Analysis and discussion of data ................................................................................. 11

3.3 A culture that promotes learning ................................................................................ 13

3.4 Targeted use of school resources .............................................................................. 16

3.5 An expert teaching team ............................................................................................ 18

3.6 Systematic curriculum delivery .................................................................................. 20

3.7 Differentiated teaching and learning .......................................................................... 22

3.8 Effective pedagogical practices ................................................................................. 24

3.9 School-community partnerships ................................................................................. 26

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1. Introduction

This report is a product of a review carried out by a review team from the School

Improvement Unit (SIU) at Yorkeys Knob State School from 12 to 14 September 2017.

The report presents an evaluation of the school’s performance against the nine domains of

the National School Improvement Tool. It also recommends improvement strategies for the

school to consider in consultation with its regional office and school community.

The report’s executive summary outlines key findings from the review and key improvement

strategies that prioritise future directions for improvement.

Schools will publish the executive summary on the school website within two weeks of

receiving the report.

The principal will meet with their Assistant Regional Director (ARD) to discuss the review

findings and improvement strategies.

For more information regarding the SIU and reviews for Queensland state schools please

visit the SIU website.

1.1 Review team

John Bosward Internal reviewer, SIU (review chair)

Tony Mc Gruther External reviewer

Sarah-Jane Clark Peer Reviewer

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1.2 School context

Location: Clinton Street, Yorkeys Knob

Education region: Far North Queensland Region

Year opened: 1957

Year levels: Prep to Year 6

Enrolment: 243

Indigenous enrolment percentage:

17.1 per cent

Students with disability enrolment percentage:

2.5 per cent

Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) value:

992

Year principal appointed: 2016

Full-time equivalent staff: 23.6

Significant partner schools:

Tropical North Learning Academy - Smithfield High School

Significant community partnerships:

nil

Significant school programs:

Arts Extension

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1.3 Contributing stakeholders

The following stakeholders contributed to the review:

School community:

Principal, master teacher, guidance officer, Head of Special Education Services

(HOSES), special education teacher, Business Manager (BM), administrative

assistant, eight teacher aides, 12 parents, Parents and Citizens’ Association

(P&C) president, schools officer, 10 teachers, tuckshop convenor and 53

students.

Community and business groups:

Two Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) staff.

Partner schools and other educational providers:

Principal of Smithfield State High School and director of Yorkeys Kindergarten.

Government and departmental representatives:

ARD.

1.4 Supporting documentary evidence

Annual Implementation Plan 2017 Explicit Improvement Agenda 2017

Investing for Success 2017 Strategic Plan 2014-2017

2017 Teacher Handbook OneSchool

School Data Profile (Semester 2, 2017) School budget overview

Professional Development Plan 2017 Curriculum planning documents

School improvement targets Responsible Behaviour Plan 2017

School pedagogical framework 2015 Professional development plans

School data plan School newsletters and website

School differentiation plan or flowchart School Opinion Survey 2016

Behaviour Management Booklet 2017 Headline Indicators (2016, Semester 2 release)

School based curriculum, assessment and reporting framework

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2. Executive summary

2.1 Key findings

The school and community are committed to providing an educational environment

that ‘challenges ourselves every day to be the best we can be’.

Parents interviewed hold the school in high regard and express appreciation for the school’s

work across the school community. Students and parents value the interest that teachers

take in students’ learning and speak highly of the school’s efforts to meet their needs.

All staff members are dedicated to improving learning outcomes for all students.

Teachers articulate a genuine belief that all students can learn and be successful. Many

parents express the view that the professionalism and dedication of staff members are

strongly valued within the community.

Teachers speak of the use of item analysis from National Assessment Plan – Literacy

and Numeracy (NAPLAN) to identify areas for targeted teaching.

Follow up includes the incorporation of explicit teaching for identified gaps within class ‘warm

ups’ and in the structuring of specific interventions for individual students. The school has

achieved a significant improvement in its 2017 NAPLAN data against Similar Queensland

State Schools (SQSS). This achievement represents a justified point of celebration for the

school, one linked to their priority agenda for consistent and quality implementation of

effective pedagogy.

The school has invested significantly in its priority areas of literacy and numeracy

and has a shared common timetable for the structure of the school day.

The current focus on literacy and numeracy reflects a large proportion of available

curriculum time. Staff members, students and parents provide comment that they seek future

opportunities for open-ended inquiry and hands-on learning. The application of technology is

identified as one such opportunity.

The Australian Curriculum (AC) informs the curriculum expectations held for teachers

at the school.

Teachers report on the importance of ensuing that every student receives their full

entitlement of the AC including the general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities.

The school has a pedagogical framework that describes the school’s expectations

with respect to teaching, planning and assessment practices.

Parents report that they appreciate the high standards sought by teachers for their child.

Teachers articulate that they value pedagogical practices that develop the capabilities of

students to transfer their learning to new contexts, to develop critical thinking, to become

connected to real life learning opportunities and to develop critical interpersonal skills.

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Teachers backward map their planning from the standards described in the

Curriculum into the Classroom (C2C) for assessment in each unit.

Work is completed on the definition of mathematics expectations. Reports from staff

members suggest that teacher judgement against assessment standards is not yet fully

consistent. Guide for Making Judgements (GTMJ) and the design of assessment criteria are

identified as areas that require greater clarity and rigour.

A strong collegial culture of mutual trust and support is apparent across the school.

Interactions between staff members, students, parents and families are caring, polite and

inclusive. Students and staff members have an obvious sense of belonging and pride in the

school and visitors are made to feel welcome. Classrooms are attractive and stimulating,

and project an expectation of success in learning.

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2.2 Key improvement strategies

Engage staff members and community in informing the school’s future vision for student

achievement to provide a frame of reference for ongoing curriculum oversight and to define

accountabilities.

Establish a process for ensuring the school provides students with their full entitlement to the

AC progressively and consistently; including knowledge, skills, understandings, and the

specified general capabilities.

Align all the pedagogical practices of the school for their contribution to the attainment of the

school’s future vision, informed by the full requirements of the AC.

Complete the review of assessment and moderation across the school to ensure that

achievement is measured consistently and authentically against the planned curriculum

intentions.

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3. Findings and improvement strategies against the domains

3.1 An explicit improvement agenda

Findings

The principal and staff members are highly committed to improving outcomes for all students.

This is demonstrated in the strong commitment of staff members to student learning and

wellbeing. High expectations for all students in learning, behaviour and attendance are

apparent across the school.

All staff members are dedicated to improving learning outcomes for all students. They

articulate a genuine belief that all students can learn and be successful. Many parents

express the view that the professionalism and dedication of staff members are strongly

valued within the community.

The principal and key staff members analyse school performance data over time and are

aware of the trends in student achievement levels. This data has been utilised to develop the

Explicit Improvement Agenda (EIA).

The school leadership team has established and is driving a narrow and sharp EIA of

building and enhancing a culture that promotes learning and embedding effective

pedagogical practices.

A culture that promotes learning is enhanced through a shared belief that all students can

learn, sharing successful teaching practices through mentoring and coaching, assuming

collective accountability for all student outcomes and maintaining positive relationships built

on trust and support.

Action plans for embedding effective pedagogical practices include researching and

modelling quality teaching and providing teachers with regular feedback. Ensuring that

teaching programs are consistent with school expectations with a priority on literacy and

numeracy is a key strategy to drive the improvement agenda.

Teachers demonstrate a clear understanding of the EIA and why this agenda is a priority

focus area for the school. The Parent and Citizens’ Association (P&C) is supportive of the

school’s priorities and are important agents in assisting to drive the agenda. Conversations

with parents indicate that the communication of a sharp and narrow EIA to the broader

community is still emerging.

Professional learning opportunities for teachers and teacher aides demonstrate clear links to

the EIA. The principal is strategic in utilising the skills and talents of school staff members.

The Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) reflects the school priorities for 2017 and articulates

school-wide strategies to implement the EIA within set timeframes.

School-wide targets relating to the EIA are established and documented in strategic school

documents. Processes for systematically monitoring progress towards published school

targets and evaluating strategies for effectiveness are developed.

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The principal reports that implementing programs that positively impact on the wellbeing of

students is a key priority across the school.

Improvement strategies

Sustain an EIA with a narrow and sharp focus, communicate the EIA to the school

community and celebrate successes of the school broadly.

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3.2 Analysis and discussion of data

Findings

The school leadership team articulates a belief that reliable and timely data regarding

student outcomes is crucial to the school’s improvement agenda and to classroom planning

for effective learning. Data is utilised to inform school-level decisions, classroom teaching

practices supporting student learning, and the school’s EIA.

A schedule of data collections is developed and implemented. Currently, the systematic

collection and analysis of data focuses on the priority areas of literacy and numeracy and

includes PAT- R, PAT- M, Far North Queensland Assessment Tool, New Group Reading

Test and PM Benchmark.

The master teacher currently has the responsibility for managing the collection and the

recording of data into the OneSchool platform. The future of this role is not yet clear. Data is

entered into OneSchool by an administrative officer. A data analysis tool is utilised to display

data for closer analysis.

The school has achieved a significant improvement in its 2017 NAPLAN data against SQSS.

This achievement represents a justified point of celebration for the school, one linked to their

priority agenda for consistent and quality implementation of effective pedagogy.

Five and 10 weekly data cycles are established whereby student progress is reviewed and

analysed by teaching staff members. From these meetings, adjustments to planning and

assessment are made, levelled groups are amended and points of need identified for

individuals and groups of students. Data is utilised comprehensively to identify student

needs and establish needs-based groupings.

Data walls are utilised to collectively display student progress in reading. Similar progress

charts occur across the school for other areas including sight words for Prep.

Staff meetings regularly engage in the discussion of data with a focus on identifying gaps

and trends over time. Conversations relating to moderation reveal achievement patterns and

inform teaching practice.

Teachers speak of the use of the item analysis from NAPLAN to identify areas for targeted

teaching. Follow up includes the incorporation of explicit teaching for identified gaps within

class warm ups and in the structuring of specific interventions for individual students.

Conversations with teacher aides indicate that they have a deep knowledge of individual

students through their work across the school. This provides them with significant leverage

in engaging students and provides personal satisfaction within their roles.

Attendance data is managed by a dedicated staff member who follows up on non-

attendance within an immediate time frame.

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Staff members and parents report a decline in the incidence of classroom disruption and

inappropriate behaviour that has been an explicit focus for the school through 2016 and

2017.

Year 3 participation rates in NAPLAN range from 96.2 per cent to 100.0 per cent in 2008 and

compare to 94.3 per cent in all areas in 2017. Year 5 participation rates were 100.0 per cent

in all strands in 2008. This compares to a 2017 participation rate of 97.0 per cent across all

stands except numeracy which is 100.0 per cent.

2017 NAPLAN data indicates the Mean Scale Score (MSS) achievement for Year 3 was

above SQSS in all areas. Year 5 achievement was above SQSS in all strands.

Achievement in the Upper Two Bands (U2B) is above SQSS in all strands in Year 3 and

Year 5.

Year 3 and Year 5 achievement at or above the National Minimum Standard (NMS) is above

that of Queensland State Schools (QSS) across all strands.

Relative gain 2015-2017 Year 3 to Year 5 is above SQSS in all strands of NAPLAN.

Closing the Gap data indicates the achievement of Year 3 Indigenous students in reading is

56 scale points below that of their non-Indigenous peers and is above the mean score

Indigenous achievement in the region and for QSS.

The student support services team and teachers with particular responsibilities in special

needs monitor achievement data for students with disability.

Improvement strategies

Confirm a continuing role for a member of staff to take responsibility for the collection,

display and whole-school analysis of key data sets.

Complement the existing data sources for literacy and numeracy with data that tracks and

monitors students’ progress in other identified areas of the school’s vision.

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3.3 A culture that promotes learning

Findings

The school and community are committed to providing an educational environment that

‘challenges ourselves every day to be the best we can be’.

Parents interviewed hold the school in high regard and express appreciation for the school’s

achievements in literacy and numeracy. Students and parents value the interest that

teachers take in students’ learning and speak highly of the school’s efforts to meet their

needs.

Parents are viewed as partners in their child’s experiences at school. Community volunteers

support curriculum activities and other school programs.

Staff members promote and maintain an environment reflective of the expectation that all

students will learn successfully. A strong collegial culture of mutual trust and support is

apparent amongst most staff members.

Interactions between staff members, students, parents and families are caring, polite and

inclusive. Students and staff members have an obvious sense of belonging and visitors to

the school are made to feel welcome.

Classrooms are attractive and stimulating, and project an expectation of success in learning.

The school grounds are neat and well presented. It is apparent that ancillary staff members

take pride in their work to maintain the school environment. Students display a sense of

pride in their school and litter is kept to a minimum.

The Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students (RBPS) provides teachers and students with a

framework for maintaining a safe and supportive school environment. The plan will be

reviewed in Term 4 2017. A Yorkeys Knob State School Behaviour Booklet supports the

RBPS being actively enacted in the school.

Central to the school’s approach to encouraging and maintaining a supportive school

environment are the school’s rules. The expectations of ‘Be safe, Be respectful, Be a learner

and Be strong’ were developed in collaboration with the community to teach and promote

high standards of responsible behaviour.

RBPS artefacts are displayed throughout the school and staff members and students are

able to clearly articulate processes for managing inappropriate behaviour. Individual classes

have established systems to reward students displaying the school rules.

Key messages relating to behaviour are covered through explicit teaching of learning and

cultural expectations in Weeks 1 and 6 of each school term. A schedule of social skills

lessons is developed and progressively taught across the school year.

A positive reinforcement system is designed to increase the quantity and quality of positive

interactions between students.

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Each fortnight students from each class are identified and rewarded for improvement in

social skills and any other area of development identified by the class teacher. Playground

Gotchas are issued and then placed in a box and winners are drawn out on parade. All

students receiving awards are formally recognised on parade and their names are published

in the newsletter.

Celebration mornings occur on the last day of each school term. All students are given the

opportunity at the start of each school term to access this celebration. A student’s behaviour

for each school term determines their involvement.

There are currently limited behavioural or engagement challenges. Classrooms are calm and

interruptions to teaching are minimal. Students are engaged and believe they are challenged.

A culture of inquiry and innovation with a focus on the use of Information and

Communication Technology (ICT) is emerging. BeeBots have been purchased to support

students’ initial engagement with coding and robotics. Teachers report that individual staff

member’s expertise and access to ICT resources impact on their ability to provide

opportunities in this area. Students report that opportunities in this area are well received.

Opportunities to develop creativity, problem solving and independent learning are provided

to selected students through participation in the Global Tropical Futures program. This

program is facilitated by Smithfield State High School.

High expectations for attendance are apparent across the school. Student attendance is

monitored by class teachers and a dedicated staff member. Same day notification processes

via SMS messaging are established to alert parents of students who are absent from school.

Sustained unexplained absences are followed up with a phone call and subsequent home

visit where necessary.

The school offers a program where students participate in a range of arts related programs.

Students report that this program is highly valued by the student body.

The 2017 year to date average attendance for the school is 93.2 per cent. This is similar to

the 2016 average attendance rate of 93.6 per cent. The attendance rate for students

currently identified as attending less than 85 per cent of the school year is 11.7 per cent, and

this compares to the 2016 rate of 13.1 per cent.

The current rate of attendance for Indigenous students is 88.4 per cent with 26.5 per cent of

Indigenous students attending for less than 85 per cent of the school year. The 2016

attendance rate for Indigenous students was 90.0 per cent, with 27.3 per cent of Indigenous

students attending for less than 85 per cent of the school year. The principal is aware of the

need to continue to monitor and provide support to families of students with less than 85 per

cent attendance.

School Opinion Survey (SOS) 2016 results indicate that overall parent satisfaction with the

school is at 88.9 per cent. This compares with 92.7 per cent for the Like Schools Group

(LSG). Students’ overall rating for all survey items is 94.5 per cent and compares to 94.1 per

cent for the LSG. Staff overall satisfaction level is 97.4 per cent and the LSG recorded 91.8

per cent satisfaction.

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The school communicates with parents through the school newsletter, informal and formal

conversations and the P&C. The P&C manages a Facebook page.

The Special Education Program (SEP) teacher, guidance officer and principal regularly

monitor and support students with disability in regards to School Disciplinary Absences

(SDAs), attendance and any related part-time programs to ensure appropriate support

provisions.

Improvement strategies

Closely monitor school attendance with particular attention to strategies that engage families

with students attending less than 85 per cent of the school year.

Continue to build a culture of inquiry and innovation throughout the school whereby creative

exploration and independent learning are promoted and valued.

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3.4 Targeted use of school resources

Findings

The principal gives priority to understanding and addressing the learning and wellbeing

needs of all students. This is reflected in the alignment of resources to school-wide programs

and strategies that are designed to address the needs of students in a holistic manner.

The Business Manager (BM) and the principal develop the school budget collaboratively with

input from other key staff members. Budget processes are open and transparent with the

budget being shared with the school staff and the P&C.

The principal makes operational decisions regarding curriculum, teaching and teaching in

consultation with key staff members to ensure that appropriate allocations are provided to

key cost centres. Human resources are strategically distributed to best support learning.

The principal and BM meet regularly to discuss the budget including adjustments, resource

allocations and purchasing requirements. The budget aligns to the school’s and

department’s priority areas. The cash at bank balance at the time of the review is $202 879.

Significant resources are invested each year to maintain the school’s facilities. The

complexities of maintaining the school’s ageing infrastructure present some challenges for

the principal and BM. The BM reports that the removal of asbestos and the provision of

facilities for its drama/ dance and visual arts programs are emerging facilities needs.

In 2017, Investing for Success (I4S) funding of $114 910 targets school priorities through a

range of initiatives. These initiatives include employing and training specialist aides,

allocating and purchasing additional aide time, providing opportunities for teachers to

regularly conduct in-depth analysis of student reading progress and purchasing additional

reading resources.

There is strong support for these school-funded strategies and these roles significantly

enhance the development of teaching capacity, student improvement and wellbeing across

the school. The continuation of many of these strategies is viewed as critical to the

sustainability of high levels of wellbeing, and curriculum and teaching improvement in the

future.

The Student Support Team guides the development and implementation of programs that

support the additional learning needs of identified students. The SEP teacher, guidance

officer and teacher aides have a pivotal role in the development and implementation of

intervention strategies.

Classroom teachers are provided with an allocation of curriculum release time each term.

Teachers speak positively of the time provided for planning and other curriculum activities.

Most teachers indicate that the school allocates appropriate resourcing to classrooms to

effectively implement the curriculum. Processes are developed that allow teachers to seek

additional classroom resources.

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Teacher aides are valued members of the school team and are utilised flexibly across the

school. Teacher aides report they work in classrooms to support the learning of students and

that they are well prepared for this work through the school’s Professional Development (PD)

program.

Regular meetings whereby teacher aides have the opportunity to discuss their work and their

priorities for further personal growth are highly valued. Some teacher aides articulate a

desire to participate in further PD related to numeracy and to further align their Annual

Performance Development Plans (APDP) to current school priorities.

The school grounds are well maintained and there is a strong sense of pride in the way the

school is presented.

Teachers present their classrooms as inviting places in which to learn. Artefacts to support

student learning and displays of student work are apparent in most classrooms.

The school has an active P&C that provides valuable funds through fundraising activities.

The P&C operates the school’s Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) program and a

tuckshop and uniform shop that open two days each week. The P&C works with the principal

to identify collaboratively agreed projects.

ICT is apparent in the school. A dedicated computer lab together with further computers

located in the library provide access to desktop computers. Some iPads are available for

student use. Teachers and students articulate a desire to increase access to ICTs. The

integration of ICT within the curriculum varies across the school.

Improvement strategies

Build on the current strategies to ensure digital technologies are being effectively resourced

and utilised in all classrooms to support and enhance learning outcomes for students.

Consider future resource allocations to enable the sustainability of roles critical to the

improvement of student achievement, curriculum, teaching and wellbeing.

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3.5 An expert teaching team

Findings

The principal places a great deal of importance on retaining and employing the best possible

teachers and members of staff. This includes the identification and employment of staff

members to facilitate specialist programs.

Staff meetings, additional release time and planning days are utilised to assist teachers to

continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of expectations within the AC.

Backward mapping from C2C assessment pieces and the use of GTMJ are explored at this

time.

Many teachers articulate a desire to investigate the alignment of student achievement data

between A to E Levels of Achievement (LOA), NAPLAN and other school assessment data.

Members of the school team are enthusiastic, dedicated and professional and share

responsibility for student learning and success. Parents and students speak highly of the

dedication of school leaders, teachers and support staff members.

The principal has identified teachers within the school to share their practice and support the

coaching and mentoring model within the school. All staff members have an APDP.

A series of lesson observation templates are developed to support feedback and the majority

of staff find this resource purposeful and supportive. The leadership team is passionate and

drives high expectations across the school. There are processes established to determine

and manage unsatisfactory performance when required.

The role of teacher aides is valued and coaching and feedback opportunities are provided to

facilitate their development as paraprofessionals. Support staff members speak positively of

engaging in school meetings and school PD opportunities and value the time and support

given to them.

The principal and the master teacher currently lead and model most professional learning in

the school. Provision is made for staff members to engage in observations, feedback and

mentoring with experienced colleagues. The majority of PD opportunities are provided

internally whilst some teachers have had the opportunity to visit other schools and build

collegial partnerships. The principal frequently invites other schools to view their practices.

The school has started on the journey towards building networks and relationships within

their own cluster and in the broader Far North Queensland Region. This has included staff

visiting other schools and the principal collaboratively working with other principals.

Networking and leadership development for other current or potential school leaders is less

apparent.

School PD days at the beginning of the year and a staff handbook are utilised to establish

school culture, high expectations for teaching and learning and to develop consistency of

practice across the school team. Due to staffing changes some members of the school’s

team are new to their roles.

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Improvement strategies

Further develop the capability of all existing and potential school leaders to operate as

instructional leaders.

Collaboratively investigate the relationship between LOA in all learning areas, systemic and

other school-wide assessment data to ensure alignment of outcomes against agreed

standards.

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3.6 Systematic curriculum delivery

Findings

The school’s leadership team and teaching staff express a commitment to implementing

curriculum relating to learning areas aligned to the AC.

The AC informs routine planning days. Teachers are released to plan their units of work with

reference to using C2C as a resource.

Teachers are encouraged to backward map their planning from the standards described in

the AC for assessment in each unit. C2C units form the basis of planning for history,

geography, science and technology.

Templates for planning are embedded in planning practices for writing and mathematics.

Recent work has been completed on the definition of mathematics expectations. Reports

from staff members suggest that teacher judgements against assessment standards are not

yet fully consistent. GTMJ and the design of assessment criteria are identified as areas that

require greater clarity and rigour.

The school has invested significantly in its priority area of literacy and has a shared common

timetable for the structure of the school day. The delivery of the key elements of the learning

blocks related to literacy and numeracy is closely monitored by leadership, through

walkthroughs, classroom observations and feedback conversations. The timetable reflects

an investment of 85 per cent of available curriculum time into these priority focus areas.

Teachers report variably on their confidence that they are able to provide the full entitlement

of the AC within the timetable. This refers to the content descriptors and the full depth of the

required general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities.

The plan for curriculum delivery is shared with parents and families through newsletters, the

school’s website, information sessions and informal conversations throughout the year.

Staff members, students and parents articulate that they value future opportunities for open-

ended inquiry and hands-on learning. The application of technology is identified as one such

opportunity.

The school leadership team confirms that the current curriculum vision for the school is

focused on the attainment of high standards in literacy and numeracy. Dance, drama, music,

media and visual arts specialist programs are timetabled and engage all students from the

Preparatory Year through to Year 6 in a weekly lesson over three terms. Instrumental music

is provided as an elective for students. Students report positively on their engagement in

these key learning areas and in the elective extension options.

Internal moderation processes occur each semester. Teachers report informal moderation

processes occur with colleagues in an endeavour to ensure a consistency of teacher

judgement.

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Processes to make curriculum locally relevant and accessible to all students, building on

their existing knowledge and varying backgrounds are emerging.

Reporting processes align with departmental expectations. Written reports are provided to

parents twice a year with parent teacher interviews available in Term 1 and Term 3.

Parents indicate that they are satisfied with the information they receive regarding their

child’s learning.

Improvement strategies

Engage staff members and the community in informing the school’s future vision for

curriculum and student achievement to provide a frame of reference for ongoing curriculum

development and to define accountabilities.

Establish and implement a process for ensuring the school provides students with their full

entitlement to the AC including knowledge, skills, understandings, and the specified general

capabilities.

Complete the review of assessment and moderation across the school to ensure that

achievement is measured consistently and authentically against the planned curriculum

intentions.

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3.7 Differentiated teaching and learning

Findings

The school has established an environment that is inclusive, caring and driven by a concern

for individual learning and the welfare of every student. There is a mix of single year level

and multi-age classes that are ability grouped to support teaching and learning.

The school places a priority on ensuring that classroom teachers identify and address the

learning needs of individual students, including high achieving students. Teachers are

encouraged and supported to closely monitor the progress of individuals, identify learning

difficulties and tailor classroom activities to levels of readiness and need.

Some systematic processes are established to track, monitor and evaluate targeted and

individual support programs including Individual Curriculum Plan (ICP). Whole-school

processes to develop support programs in close collaboration with parents are still

developing.

The belief that all students are at a different stage in their learning, and therefore require

differentiation of instruction, is strongly held by school staff members. Supporting the

identified needs of the student body is strongly focused on intensive teaching and focused

intervention through teacher aide support.

Targeted support includes intervention programs, ability groupings for lessons of instruction

and academic achievement streaming for establishing class lists.

A clear process for the referral of students has been reviewed and is currently being

established. Students are identified and referred to the student services committee by class

teachers utilising student data and teacher reports. Actions are determined, managed and

reviewed by the committee in collaboration with the class teacher. Conversations with

relevant staff members indicate that this process is in the early stages and will require further

time to be refined and embedded in practice.

Staff members state the belief that all students are capable of learning at their own individual

rate, and are able to articulate some learning goals for students. Students are flexibly

grouped to meet individual learning needs and provide challenging opportunities.

The use of differentiation strategies and ensuring high expectations for learning is articulated

as part of the Staff Handbook Charter of Expectations and is expanded within the teaching

scripts provided.

All teachers work at understanding where students are in their learning. Teachers are at

different stages in their ability to utilise student achievement data to determine starting points

for learning and to consistently cater for the range of student abilities in their classroom

teaching practices.

School documents outline how teachers encourage and assist students to set goals for

future learning during parent teacher conferences. Some parents and teachers identify this

as an area requiring further development to make it a more meaningful process.

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The principal and staff members are united and committed to the core objective of improving

the learning outcomes for all students in the school. Celebration of student achievement is

apparent within the school through celebration assemblies, celebration activities and

personal goal achievements.

Students identify that teachers effectively tailor the level of difficulty of class learning to

challenge them and that teachers encourage and support persistence with learning.

Students are proud of their achievements.

Improvement strategies

Explore additional opportunities for staff members to further develop their skills and

utilisation of differentiation within classrooms and like-ability groupings.

Continue to embed the referral process to support staff, students and families to meet the

needs all learners.

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3.8 Effective pedagogical practices

Findings

The principal has accepted personal responsibility for driving the improvements in teaching

throughout the school. Quality teaching practice is recognised as being central to driving the

school’s improvement agenda.

The school has a pedagogical framework that describes, in broad terms, the school’s

expectations with respect to teaching, planning and assessment practices. Parents report

that they value the high standards sought by teachers for their child.

Explicit Instruction (EI) is identified, and referenced by all staff, as the school’s pedagogical

framework. From this model, a number of specific routines, practices and resources that are

consistently applied in daily practice ensue. These are clearly described within the Staff

Handbook.

Teachers report positively regarding the structures the pedagogical model provides for

focused teaching and articulate being at different stages of fluency with the prescribed

strategies. Teachers are supported through explicit modeling and observation processes in

their progressive attainment of mastery.

The principal has established agreement with staff regarding the precise pedagogical

improvements sought in daily practice. A coaching and mentoring process is focused on the

sharing of expertise across these practices of EI.

The master teacher and the principal conduct walkthroughs and classroom observations

identifying the needs of teachers in the implementation of the EI model. Teachers report that

the feedback received is detailed, supportive and linked directly to the pedagogical practices

of the model.

Conversations with parents indicate that the current long-term goal setting conferences are

not impacting on students and parents in a meaningful way.

Teacher aides provide focused interventions and deliver scripted programs addressing

specific points of student need. Teacher aides report that when working with students their

use of precise short-term goals in reading interventions has created a motivating focus for

the students. This practice reinforces the teacher aide’s contribution to student achievement.

Conversations with students indicate that feedback from teachers regarding their learning

varies across the school. They report that teachers are providing explicit feedback regarding

reading levels and comprehension skills. Some teachers provide predominantly verbal

feedback and some feedback comments on student effort and participation. Some feedback

clearly identifies the next steps in learning.

Some staff members report a need to review pedagogical practices into the future to

complement the successes achieved through the school’s intense literacy and numeracy

focus. They identify a need to develop and implement pedagogical practices that develop the

capabilities of students to transfer their learning to new problems, to develop critical thinking,

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to become connected to real life learning opportunities and to develop critical interpersonal

skills.

Improvement strategies

Align all the pedagogical practices of the school for their contribution to the attainment of the

school’s future vision, informed by the full requirements of the AC.

Review the student goal setting processes to focus, track and acknowledge the individual

progress of students.

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3.9 School-community partnerships

Findings

The school is endeavouring to establish and develop partnerships with local businesses and

community members, and recognises productive partnerships are important to improving

learning outcomes for students.

Parents speak of the important role that the school plays in the lives of families and express

their high regard for the work of staff members and the contribution they make to the

education and welfare of their child. Parents look for opportunities to be invited into the

school and be active partners with staff members.

The school has begun to identify potential community partners including a local real estate

agent. The principal is exploring how these partnerships will add value to improve student

achievement and/or wellbeing.

The partnership with the local kindergarten has been established in response to an identified

need to improve lower school student outcomes and transition to Prep. Conversations with

stakeholders indicate that a philosophical difference between the two organisations is

currently proving to be a barrier to enhanced understandings and transition processes.

There is a recognised partnership with the local high school, designed to enhance student

outcomes. Broadening student knowledge, building new skills and facilitating successful

transitions are current key initiatives within this partnership.

Selected students have the opportunity to further their skills by participating in programs run

through the local high school. Students would like to see fun opportunities expanded further

into the school and be available to all those interested in participating.

Staff members articulate strong support of the school’s high expectations for all students in

learning, behaviour, attendance and wellbeing.

There is an active P&C that makes important contributions to the school, including

fundraising and the provision of a Facebook page to inform and engage parents in school

events and developments.

P&C members are aware of some aspects of the school’s strategic planning and are

supportive of the school’s priorities. They would like to continue to be important agents in

driving the school’s agendas and promote the great things the school is doing within the

community.

Parents and families are recognised as important members of the school community and

partners in their child’s education. 2016 SOS responses reveal a positive view of the school,

with 100.0 per cent of staff, 90.3 per cent of parents and 96.0 per cent of student

respondents indicating that they believe 'This is a good school'. Parents interviewed indicate

that they feel well supported by the school and its teachers.

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Improvement strategies

Develop a strategic approach and explore opportunities for building a range of partnerships

outside the school to enhance students’ learning and wellbeing.

Build on established partnerships with early childhood providers to facilitate smooth

transitions for all students.