School plan 2015 2017

HELENSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOL

2153

2016
A Culture
of
Learning

Partnerships and
Community

Dynamic
Teaching

Helensburgh Public School

School background 2015 - 2017

School vision statement

A quality school, working with

its community, to inspire all
students to be lifelong learners,
through dynamic educational
experiences.

School context

School planning process

Our students are drawn from the town of Helensburgh

and surrounding areas of Stanwell Tops and Darkes
Forest. Traditionally a coal mining town, the area has
seen an influx of professional and semi-professionals
who commute to Sydney. There has also been a
noticeable increase in those who work part-time
and/or from home.

The school engaged with all sections of its community to

develop a clear and generally accepted School Vision. The
school Planning and Evaluation Committee commissioned
student, parents and staff surveys. Committee members
attended P & C meetings and also gathered responses
from the school SRC. An online survey was also designed
which allowed for community feedback. Results were
presented to staff meetings and a detailed analysis of the
results was produced using an online graphics tool.

Situated in the Northern Illawarra, but at the southern

gateway to Sydney, our students have the benefit of
selecting secondary education from both the Illawarra
and Southern Sydney suburbs.
The school has had a long history of healthy, active,
lifestyle programs and a wide ranging interschool
sport programs. This has been supplemented with a
range of creative and performing arts initiatives
including, public speaking, debating, school band and
choir. Academically challenging co-curricula activities
form part of the schools ongoing program.
Our students enjoy the additional benefits and
support received from a highly active and motivated
Parents and Citizens committee who play an integral
part in the schools decision making processes.
Students with special needs are supported through a
variety of learning support programs and a multicategorical class.
The school is an active member of both the Sea Cliff
Community of schools based around Bulli High School
and the Community of Schools on the Park based
around Heathcote and Engadine High Schools. In 2014
the school population was 486 students.
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A parent focus group evening was held to refine the

wording for the Vision and to give feedback on the
schools Strategic Directions.
The Planning and Evaluation committee led a session at
the School Development Day to finalise the school vision
and directions.
The newly formed School Leadership Team refined the
5Ps for each strategic direction in preparation for review
by Planning and Evaluation Committee for final adoption
by staff.

School strategic directions 2015 - 2017

Partnerships
and
Community

A Culture
of Learning

Dynamic
Teaching

Purpose:

Purpose:

Purpose:

Building individual and collective capacity to

provide stimulating and challenging teaching
that fosters in both the teacher and the
learner, lifelong learning.

Building stronger relationships as an educational

community by leading and inspiring a culture of
collaboration, empowerment, reflective
practices and instructional leadership.
Fostering leadership across the school
community to empower innovative learning.

Designing and utilising educational programs

and initiatives that are responsive and flexible
to differentiated teaching and learning for a
range of learning needs.
Meeting every child at their point of need and
lifting student outcomes and levels of
engagement.

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Strategic Direction 1:

A Culture of Learning

Purpose

People

Building individual and collective

capacity to provide stimulating
and challenging teaching that
fosters in both the teacher and
the learner, lifelong learning.

Develop our students capabilities to

analyse their own learning progress and
performance
to
make
informed
judgements about their success and
achievements.
Teachers will demonstrate instructional
leadership, promoting and modelling
effective, evidence based practice.

Improvement Measures
Improved achievement in literacy
and numeracy as measured by school
based assessment data, PLAN and
NAPLAN for both Aboriginal and NonAboriginal students

Evidence of differentiated curriculum

enables every student to become
successful learners who engage
positively and independently in quality
learning programs to achieve their
personal learning goals.

Processes
Students will be provided with quality
teacher feedback and reflection strategies
that will inform teaching and learning
experiences
TPL focuses on aspects of key evidence
based initiatives of Focus on Reading, L3,
L2 and TOWN to build teacher capacity
Learning programs are informed by quality
assessment and individualised student
performance evidence based on PLAN

Teachers will design and implement

quality assessment and use performance
data to guide their teaching and to
measure the performance of their own
teaching practices.

Differentiating the curriculum to target

high ability students. Writing a &
implementation of new History/Geography
units on a grade basis

School leaders and teachers engage in

professional learning activities that
strengthen knowledge and skills in
achieving improved student results.

Active parent involvement in classroom

and special curriculum based days will be
encouraged. Parents focus groups,
reference groups, evaluation committees
and the P & C,

Parents
participate
in
learning
partnerships and collaborate with
teachers to build transparency in the
directions and priorities of the school.

Workshops for parents and teachers will be

held to build the skills and knowledge
necessary to inform the evaluation of
school programs

The schools leadership team will build

collective capacity of teachers and the school
community to evaluate the effectiveness of
school programs and initiatives and inform the
strategic directions of the school.

Evaluation Plan:

Team evaluations
Surveys
Analysis of student data

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Products and Practices

Improved achievement in literacy and

numeracy as measured by school based
assessment data, PLAN and NAPLAN for both
Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal students

Evidence of differentiated curriculum

enables every student to become successful
learners who engage positively and
independently in quality learning programs to
achieve their personal learning goals.

High ability students will be challenged with

differentiated learning that inspire higher
order thinking skills, risk taking and subject
specialisation, creativity, music and design.
Providing opportunities that motivate and
resource students through collaboration and
innovation. Meeting their needs through Core,
Adjusted and Extended learning activities.
All staff have a portfolio of evidence to
demonstrate the achievement of their
Performance and Development Plan.
School performance indicators (milestones)
will be regularly reported to parents through
the P & C.
The school will be regularly engage with
parents through focus groups to evaluate the
schools priorities.

Strategic Direction 2:
Purpose

Building stronger relationships as

an educational community by
leading and inspiring a culture of
collaboration, empowerment,
reflective practices and
instructional leadership.
Fostering leadership across the
school community to empower
innovative learning.

Improvement Measures

Increased number of student led

individualised learning goals and
active decision making opportunities
across the school
% increase in the number of staff
demonstrating confidence in their
capacity to lead and/or share their
curriculum expertise
% increase of parent feedback and
participation showing success of the
schools educational programs K - 6

Partnerships and Community

People
Students will be provided with opportunities
to engage in feedback across aspects of
school life

Processes
Students will, actively participate in decision
making across the school, through expanded
student leadership opportunities

Products and Practices

Increased number of student lead
individualised learning goals and
active decision making opportunities
across the school
% increase in the number of staff
demonstrating confidence in their
capacity to lead and/or share their
curriculum expertise

Students will be setting personal learning

goals and evaluating their own learning

Students in concert with their class teachers will

be developing individualised learning goals, set
personal targets through reflection of their own
learning intentions

Teachers will confidently share their

professional knowledge and expertise, work
collaboratively, reflect on their practice and
support professional dialogue

Programming of TPL will focus on aspects of key

initiatives with the school plan, Focus on
Reading, L3, L2 and TOWN to build teacher
capacity to be agents of change in relation to the
learning goals of students

Differentiated curriculum delivery enriched with

student driven learning goals will foster positive and
independent learners

A school leadership team will be formed to guide

the implementation of aspects of the school
plan related to curriculum and student
performance. Aspiring leaders will be mentored
and coached in their selected curriculum
responsibilities

The teachers will design and create teacher

professional learning that emphases at its core the
key elements of collaboration, reflection and
specialisation and parent involvement.

Teachers will be provided with leadership

opportunities in a variety of curriculum and
school management settings

Parents and carers will work collaboratively

with the school, gaining a broad
understanding of school directions and
expectations of student learning

Positive respectful relationships across the

school will underpin the productive learning
environment fostering cooperation and
improved school culture
School administrative staff will embrace
school administration and financial reforms
while maintaining a high level of customer
service

Parents will through their participation in focus

groups, reference groups, evaluation
committees and the P & C, contribute to the
growth of a positive and inclusive school
community

Tracking and monitoring of student performance,

data wall construction, program(project) Seesaw app
& Class Dojo. implementation will be guided,
resourced and evaluated against planned outcomes

School will celebrate its achievements, affirm its

commitment to student wellbeing initiatives and
communicate in a transparent manner. Utilising
SeeSaw app, social media, Class Dojo a & blogs

Sharing expertise and enthusiasm from the school

community to build stronger well-resourced learning
experiences that increase student outcomes by
working collaboratively to build efficient and
effective methods of communication

Training will be provided for SASS staff in SAP

and SALM elements of LMBR to lift their capacity
and confidence, contributing to a positive and
welcoming environment

SASS staff will be well prepared and confident to lead

the introduction of school administration reforms in
an atmosphere of customer and staff satisfaction.

Evaluation Plan
Tracking SRC decisions and projects
Staff surveys and program
supervision
Parent surveys and focus groups

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Strategic Direction 3:
Purpose

People

Designing and utilising

educational programs and
initiatives that are responsive and
flexible to differentiated teaching
and learning for a range of
learning needs.
Meeting every child at their point
of need and lifting student
outcomes and levels of
engagement.
Improvement Measures

Dynamic Teaching

Every teacher will

show strong evidence
of performance
against the
Australian Teaching
Standards.

Quality reflective practices will be

evident across teaching and learning
with all staff engaged in regular
reflection and the use of formal and
informal feedback

Processes
Tracking and analyzing student data to
differentiate and individualise learning.

Students will be engaged in quality

learning experiences that will focus on
achieving excellent results in all subject
areas.

Students talents are identified through

COGAT testing and nurtured through
engagement in extension and enrichment
programs.

Teachers are engaged in quality

professional learning that will improve
teaching practice focusing on the
delivery of a differentiated curriculum
and improved student learning
outcomes.

Student achievement and growth in

literacy and numeracy will be maximised
through a whole school commitment to
L3, TEN, Focus on Reading and Taking Off
With Numeracy (TOWN) pedagogies.
School evaluation processes are aligned
with identified, student performance
targets and outcomes supporting
meaningful information for parents.

Teachers will have access to quality

professional learning in Language,
Literacy and Learning (L3) in Early
Stage 1 and Stage 1, (L2) for Year 2,
Focus on Reading and Taking Off With
Numeracy (TOWN) Years 3 to 6 to
ensure improved student performance
in literacy and numeracy.

Building teacher capacity through

application of Quality teaching framework
through QTSS initiative, mentoring and
collaborative unit writing.
School leadership teams will plan and
evaluate school strategic directions in
collaboration with all stakeholders to
ensure the delivery and sustainability of
quality educational programs.

School leaders and aspiring school

leaders will engage in structured
leadership development that will
ensure that identified school priorities
are targeted.

Evaluation Plan

Networking across the Seacliff Community

of Schools will strengthen teaching and
learning programs and student outcomes
through shared professional learning.

Supervision of teacher programs

Staff personal development plans
Classroom Observations
Analysis of student performance data

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Products and Practices

Every teacher will show strong

evidence of performance
against the Australian
Teaching Standards.
Quality reflective practices will be
evident across teaching and learning with
all staff engaged in regular reflection and
the use of formal and informal feedback

Quality educational outcomes are supported

and enriched through technology with an
inquiry based methodology intrinsically
motivating high achievement and success.
Teaching and learning sequences are
designed and implemented reflecting a
comprehensive
knowledge
and
understanding of the Australian curriculum.
Parent and community engagement will be
a valued part of school decision making
processes
Practices
A culture of shared responsibility in student
achievement is developed and maintained
through consultation and communication
with members of the school community.
Collegial sharing and networking within the
school and across our community of schools
will ensure quality delivery of best practice.