Taabinga State Schl Executive Summary
1. Intrductin 1.1 Backgrund This reprt is a prduct f a review carried ut at Taabinga State Schl frm 31 August t 2 September 2015. 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: Rae Street, Kingary Darling Dwns Suth West The schl pened in: 1897 Year levels: Prep t Year 6 Current schl enrlment: 387 Indigenus enrlments: Students with disability enrlments: Index f Cmmunity Sci- Educatinal Advantage (ICSEA) value: 7 per cent 7 per cent 972 Year principal appinted: 2009 Number f teachers: 17 Nearby schls: Significant cmmunity partnerships: Unique schl prgrams: Kingary State Schl, Kingary State High Schl, Kumbia State Schl Australian Cathlic University, Plice Citizens Yuth Club, Little Athletics Penny Playrm 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, students, parents and cmmunity representatives, including: Principal and Deputy Principal 15 classrm teachers and six specialist staff Head f Curriculum (HOC), master teacher, data cach, inclusin teachers and Supprt Teacher Literacy and Numeracy (STLaN) Seven teacher aides Three administratin staff and a schl safety crssing fficer Schl chaplain and guidance fficer Tw tuckshp parents, 13 parents, including tw Parents and Citizens Assciatin (P&C) members 45 Students, cmprising f student leaders and student cuncillrs 1.4 Review team Peter Tanzer Mark Inn Christine Tm Internal reviewer, SIU (review chair) Peer reviewer External reviewer 3
2. Executive summary 2.1 Key findings Within the schl s Annual Imprvement Plan (AIP) the schl has identified the three pillars f schl imprvement. These are reading, attendance and behaviur. The leadership team and all staff articulate a shared cmmitment t schl imprvement. All staff were able t reference these as the schl s key imprvement pririties. The schl uses a cmprehensive but cmplex range f dcuments t elabrate n the schl s imprvement pririties. Targets and timelines are nt evident in relatin t the stated pririties. The schl is develping a plan fr the cllectin f a range f student assessment data that includes diagnstic data that is infrming the reading prgram in all classrms. A data wall has been established t track the perfrmance f students in relatin t year level reading expectatins. Internal spreadsheets and the OneSchl class dashbard are als used t track and mnitr student perfrmance in schl pririty areas. The data cach is wrking alngside teachers in classrms t enable a clse examinatin f Natinal Assessment Prgram Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) data t identify areas f teaching fcus particularly in Year 2 and Year 4. The schl prvides an attractive envirnment that supprts and encurages learning. Students can state the schl rules and whle-schl appraches are embedded int classrms. Students can articulate the three schl values Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be a Learner. Visual representatin f these is evident in classrms and ther shared spaces. Teachers describe a cncern fr students attending fr less than 85 per cent f the schl year. Schl data fr 2015 indicate that attendance rates fr students attending less than 90 per cent have increased. Schl-wide prcesses are evident t identify specific student learning needs and individualised planning is enacted t dcument key strategies fr adjustments. Students with disabilities (SWD) and thse with specific learning needs are well catered fr by a range f teaching staff. Individual curriculum plans are evident fr identified students. Inclusin teachers were able t clearly discuss individual strategies and gals f students. The schl places cnsiderable attentin n prfessinal learning. Staff have a cmprehensive range f pprtunities t engage in prfessinal learning frm external and internal prviders, as evidenced in the Prfessinal Learning Plan 2015. Inductin prgrams fr new staff are cmprehensive. Newly appinted teachers describe regular, practical inductin activities that supprt transitin int the schl 4
wrkfrce. Beginning teachers are supprted thrugh the mentring beginning teacher s prgram. The schl demnstrates a strng cmmitment t develping and delivering a lcally relevant curriculum, aligned t the Australian Curriculum and supprted by the Curriculum int the Classrm (C2C) resurces. The schl is nw in the prcess f develping a whle schl curriculum plan develped directly frm the Australian Curriculum cntent descriptins and scpe and sequences, and is using sme f the C2C materials t supprt schl develped units and lessns. Emphasis n crss curricula skills and the general capabilities utlined in the Australian Curriculum, relating t Infrmatin and cmmunicatins technlgy (ICT) and critical and creative thinking (higher-rder thinking) were nt evident in curriculum cnversatins with teachers r students. The leadership team prmtes the use f differentiated teaching as a strategy fr ensuring that each student is engaged and learning successfully. The implementatin f structural differentiated teaching acrss the schl is evident in the grupings f students fr reading, and in sme classes, mathematics, in all year levels. There is little evidence f differentiatin f the curriculum when using C2C t ensure that all students, especially the high achieving students, are actively engaged and challenged. There was little evidence f teachers prviding higher-rder thinking activities in their prgraming. The schl has develped detailed guides relating t the preferred pedaggy f explicit instructin. The schl leadership team regularly spends time with teachers in their classrms, mdelling effective teaching strategies, bserving teachers in actin, and prviding sme feedback t teachers n the effectiveness f their pedaggy. Sme frmal and infrmal partnerships are evident acrss the schl and supprt the develpment f academic, physical and behaviural utcmes fr students. Student transitin links frm Suth Burnett Child Care Centre are well-established and valued. This partnership includes sharing f student data, visits and prfessinal netwrking. A small percentage f prep students transitin frm this centre. Transitin prgrams with strng links with ther early childhd prviders are nt evident. 5
2.2 Key imprvement strategies Align the schl imprvement pririties t mre explicitly stated targets and timelines in a lgical chesive frame. Psitively reinfrce student attendance fr every student by celebrating and recgnising imprvements in attendance and fr students exhibiting excellent attendance rates. Prvide prfessinal learning pprtunities fr teaching staff t further develp their capabilities in the areas f curriculum and assessment planning acrss year levels and t embed crss-curricula skills and the general capabilities. Develp and quality assure the implementatin f pedaggical differentiatin strategies in all classes, especially fr the high achieving students. Extend the pre-prep transitin prgram t include the ther significant child care centres in the district. 6