Capella State High Schl Executive Summary
1. Intrductin 1.1 Backgrund This reprt is a prduct f a review carried ut at Capella State High Schl frm 8 t 10 June 2016. It prvides an evaluatin f the schl s perfrmance against the nine dmains f the Natinal Schl Imprvement Tl. It als recmmends imprvement strategies fr the schl t cnsider in cnsultatin with its reginal ffice and schl cmmunity. The review and reprt were cmpleted by a review team frm the Schl Imprvement Unit (SIU). Fr mre infrmatin abut the SIU and the new reviews fr Queensland state schls please visit the Department f Educatin and Training (DET) website. 1.2 Schl cntext Lcatin: Educatin regin: 35-45 Grdn Street, Capella Central Queensland Regin The schl pened in: 1984 Year levels: Year 7 t Year 12 Current schl enrlment: 135 Indigenus enrlments: Students with disability enrlments: Index f Cmmunity Sci- Educatinal Advantage (ICSEA) value: 5 per cent 6 per cent 974 Year principal appinted: Acting Term 3, 2015. Permanent appintment 2016. Number f teachers: 13 Nearby schls: Significant cmmunity partnerships: Significant schl prgrams: Capella State Schl, Tieri State Schl, Emerald State High Schl Queensland Plice Service (QPS) emergency management /skilling prgrams, Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) cardipulmnary resuscitatin (CPR) Capella State Schl, Tieri State Schl Certificate II in Rural Operatins (Cattle Club) 2
1.3 Review methdlgy The review was cnducted by a team f three reviewers. The review cnsisted f: a pre-review audit f the schl s perfrmance data and ther schl infrmatin cnsultatin with the schl s Assistant Reginal Directr a schl visit f three days interviews with staff members, students, parents and cmmunity representatives, including: Principal and tw Heads f Department (HODs) Teachers and teacher aides Students Business Services Manager (BSM), administratin fficers and ancillary staff Parents and Citizens Assciatin (P&C) president, tuckshp cnvenr and parents Principal f partner primary schl Cmmunity partner representatives 1.4 Review team Anne McLauchlan Jenny Maier Frank Schnderbeek Internal reviewer, SIU (review chair) Internal reviewer, SIU External reviewer 3
2. Executive summary 2.1 Key findings The schl leadership team has articulated a clear, narrw, and explicit lcal schl imprvement agenda designed t imprve utcmes fr all students. The schl Annual Implementatin Plan (AIP) utlines tw key pririties, reading and writing, with a particular fcus n imprving the Upper Tw Bands (U2B) in bth areas. The schl tne reflects a schl-wide cmmitment t purpseful and successful learning. A culture f caring and supprt acrss staff members and students pervades the schl and many students state that the cmmunity feel f the schl is ne f its strengths. The schl has undergne cnsiderable change in the last 12 mnths. Staff members are supprtive f many f the new initiatives. The quality f cmmunicatin in terms f purpse and delivery was nt always ptimal. Staff members are hardwrking, cllegial and cmmitted t achieving imprved learning utcmes fr students. The leadership team is prviding the resurces and supprt t further enhance the prfessinalism and capability f its staff members. The whle-schl pedaggical framewrk dcument identifies Explicit Instructin (EI), Dimensins f Teaching and Learning (DTL), and Art and Science f Teaching (AST) 1 as the mdels which infrm pedaggy at the schl. EI is the schl s preferred structure fr lessn delivery. The quality f implementatin f each f the phases is varied. The impact f DTL and AST n pedaggy in the schl is still t be develped. Teaching practices acrss the schl reflect the strng belief that all students are capable f learning successfully even thugh they are at different stages in their learning. An agreed schl-wide apprach t differentiatin is dcumented. A deeper understanding f the full mdel fr differentiatin is emerging. 1 Marzan, Rbert J. The art and science f teaching: A cmprehensive framewrk fr effective instructin. Ascd, 2007. 4
Student perfrmance data is cllated and cmprehensively analysed using the Central Queensland Student Supprt System (CQ3S) data base. The schl leadership team uses the data extensively t analyse miscnceptins and areas f weakness and plan crrective prgrams accrdingly. Staff members are deplyed in ways that make the best use f available expertise and address the current learning needs f students. Many teaching staff teach utside their speciality. A wrkfrce plan that will carry the schl int the future is yet t be develped. Relatinships with the tw partner primary schls are develping and effrts are being made t strengthen these partnerships and prmte the schl as a great schl dwn the rad. Currently, apprximately 50 per cent f students frm these primary schls enrl at this high schl. Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) is incrprated within the curriculum thrugh the Curriculum int the Classrm (C2C) resurce, three level guides, tp level structure strategies and warmup activities in mathematics classes. Sme students are enrlled in the Brisbane Schl f Distance Educatin (BSDE) IMPACT critical thinking prgram. Teachers understanding and delivery f HOTS is variable. 5
2.2 Key imprvement strategies Ensure a purpseful, precise apprach t managing change, narrwing the number f mdels, cllabrating with members f the schl cmmunity and clearly cmmunicating the ratinale and prcesses behind prpsed changes. Cntinue t develp teachers skills related t Explicit Imprvement (EI). Ensure this is embedded befre prgressing t a further pedaggical apprach. Prvide prfessinal learning t deepen understanding f the differentiatin mdel t better target learning experiences fr all students and ensure all students are apprpriately engaged, challenged and extended. Develp teachers understanding f and capacity t deliver higher rder and creative thinking strategies fr all students. Develp a wrkfrce plan that will carry the schl int the future. Develp a marketing plan t supprt the prmtin f the schl and its achievements in the wider cmmunity. 6