Lta State Schl Executive Summary
1. Intrductin 1.1 Backgrund This reprt is a prduct f a review carried ut at Lta State Schl frm 16 t 18 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: Richard Street, Lta Metrplitan The schl pened in: 1952 Year levels: Prep t Year 6 Current schl enrlment: 181 Indigenus enrlments: Students with disability enrlments: Index f Cmmunity Sci- Educatinal Advantage (ICSEA) value: Year principal appinted: Number f teachers: Nearby schls: Significant cmmunity partnerships: Unique schl prgrams: 4 per cent 5 per cent 1027 Term 3 2015 (Acting) 14 Full-time equivalent Manly West State Schl, Gumdale State Schl, Manly State Schl, Tingalpa State Schl, Wynnum State High Schl, Brisbane Bayside State Cllege, Wndall Heights State Schl, Wynnum State Schl Chaplaincy Prgram Adventures Camp, Envirnmental Studies Club, Dance/Drama 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 Principals Supervisr a schl visit f three days interviews with staff, students, parents and cmmunity representatives, including: Principal and leadership team 14 class teachers and specialists Five teacher aides Guidance fficer Tw administratin fficers, cleaner and grundsman 20 students Schl chaplain Tw Parent and Citizens Assciatin (P&C) representatives, 17 parents and tuckshp cnvenr Cluster principals Fur early childhd prviders Lcal State Member Jan Pease Lcal Cuncillr Peter Cummings 1.4 Review team Lyal Giles Glenn Frbes Jhn Wessell Internal reviewer, SIU (review chair) Peer reviewer External reviewer 3
2. Executive summary 2.1 Key findings There is a strng, psitive and supprtive culture f learning evident within the schl cmmunity. The tne f the schl is calm, psitive, warm and friendly. There is a strng fcus within the schl n educating students t be active citizens. Parent engagement in learning is valued and encuraged by staff. Parents feel welcmed and respected. A strng fcus f the schl is prviding a hlistic educatin fr students and the ability t engage and participate in an extensive range f extra-curricular activities run during lunch times r after schl. The schl places a strng pririty n understanding and tracking individual prgress thrugh the use f data. The schl leadership team articulates a strategic view that student data is cllected and analysed with the primary purpse f infrming the teaching in classrms. Student fcus meetings are cnducted, where teachers discuss with schl leaders and clleagues actual prgress f individual student prgress as measured by the data cllected. Each teacher is supprted in their use f data thrugh the prvisin f a class data bx, which includes a class prfile. The schl has an explicit imprvement agenda. The leadership team are united in imprving student utcmes fr students. The schl leadership team has develped and is driving a schl imprvement agenda. Schl dcumentatin identifies several agendas fr the schl. The schl has been strategically develping the reading agenda fr the past three years. Teachers and parents can describe the fcus that the schl has had n reading and the imprvements that students have made in their reading levels. An effective and cllegial caching mdel designed arund building teacher capacity is develping. A curriculum cach has been emplyed within the schl three days a week t supprt teachers in the implementatin f key prfessinal develpment pprtunities, mdelling and caching linked t the schl imprvement agenda. Teachers acknwledge the quality learning utcmes being achieved schl-wide. The bservatin and caching has supprted teachers in their develpment. 4
A student fcused mdel t differentiate and persnalise learning is evident. The leadership team cmmits staff t plan fr differentiated teaching as a whle-fschl strategy t enable all students t prgress their learning. Schl leaders facilitate differentiatin planning meetings at the beginning f each term where teachers review the previus term differentiatin plan and make the necessary adjustments t grups and strategies as determined by the mst current data available. Sme use f differentiated assessment is evident in making adjustments fr Special Educatin Prgram (SEP) students. Cntemprary research infrms pedaggy and underpins decisin making within the schl. There is clear evidence that cntemprary research underpins much f the wrk the leadership team has undertaken t explre with staff the mst effective teaching practices t imprve student learning utcmes. Bk studies are a regular agenda item at frtnightly staff meetings where schl leaders facilitate discussin and reflectin by staff as a means f establishing best practice mdels in classrm teaching practice. While all teachers are using aspects f Explicit Instructin, it is yet t be fully embedded acrss the schl at this stage. The schl has a whle-schl curriculum plan, which delivers the Australian Curriculum. The Curriculum int the Classrm (C2C) resurce is the primary driver f curriculum delivery and is implemented withut any lcalised r relevant adaptatins. Curriculum intent and assessment meetings have been intrduced by the principal t discuss the specific curriculum intent and assciated assessment f each C2C unit. 5
2.2 Key imprvement strategies Narrw and sharpen the imprvement agenda t reflect the planned imprvement fcus t develp cnsistent whle schl practice. Ensure that a narrw and sharp imprvement agenda is cmmunicated, and linked t clear targets and specific timelines. Build staff capability that enables all staff members t deliver quality cnsistent and systematic high-yield teaching strategies fr all learners and especially mre able learners. Cmmence a prcess t refrm the whle-schl curriculum plan achieving a balanced and lcally respnsive curriculum that prvides a definitive verview f what and when t teach. Include strng prcesses t track curriculum delivery bth vertically and hrizntally thrughut the schl. Embed data cnversatins acrss the schl. Extend the prcesses f data analysis s that teachers link individual student gal setting with schl imprvement targets. Build n the schl culture t embed a culture f high expectatins and student engagement within the schl. Identify strategic and innvative practices t market the unique and quality pprtunities prvided by the schl. 6