Negotiated School Review Report

Prepared for
Kings Park Primary School
Western Metropolitan Region

School Workforce Reform & School Improvement Division

Department of Education & Early Childhood Development
20 08

• School Number 5236

• Principal Doug Conway

• School Council President [ Insert name ]

• Critical Friend Glenda Holdsworth

• Author(s) of report Jodi Park Glenda Holdsworth

• Review team members Doug Conway, Jodi Park, Jaye

Giacomin, Sue Rechter

• Date of this Report (final version) [9/09/08

Table of Contents

1.0 Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................5

Use of computers/computer skills – excellent...........................................................................6

- Range of activity stations – books, computers etc to explore..........................................6

- How do you measure assess Inquiry learning – how do you show growth? – ans.
Gr 5 Can’t, subjective?...............................................................................................................................6

- Work smarter – scaffolding threads through the year levels, acknowledge and
have greater access to thinking tools, greater focus on assessment of inquiry –
What evidence of thinking do you have? What growth can you show?..........................6

*We have work to do in the area of professional learning to give teachers the
skills to teach inquiry process –skills to – find out/investigate........................................6

2.0 Aim / Purpose..........................................................................................................................................7

3.0 Methodology............................................................................................................................................7

4.0 Findings.....................................................................................................................................................9

Use of computers/computer skills – excellent.........................................................................10

- Range of activity stations – books, computers etc to explore........................................10

- How do you measure assess Inquiry learning – how do you show growth? – ans.
Gr 5 Can’t, subjective?.............................................................................................................................10

5.0 Conclusions and recommendations.......................................................................................10

[To update the above table of contents, right click anywhere on the table and select
“update field”, then “update page numbers only”. – PLEASE DELETE THIS
INSTRUCTION FROM FINAL REPORT].
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1.0 Exe cutiv e Summa ry

[ Presents a concise overview of the review including the aim/purpose, methodology,

discussion and conclusions / recommendations}

Over the past three years the school has achieved significant success and improvement
in the specified goals and priorities of the last charter period. For the school to continue
to promote continuous improvement and to support the achievement of goals identified
in the School Self Evaluation, the School Review investigated ways of improving
teaching and learning through the refinement of the schools Inquiry Based Curriculum.

The focus area was chosen after consideration of all relevant reports and data and the
fact that the school is driven by strong values and belief that every student can achieve
success. This underpins a productive and highly inclusive culture that is focused on
ensuring effective and enriched teaching and learning for all students and continuous
improvement of teaching pedagogy to improve student learning outcomes.

Our teachers consistently display evidence of innovation and creativity in improving

teaching performance consequently leading to improved student outcomes. We take
pride in creating an environment that enables all staff to sustain teaching performance at
a high level. We are committed to a cycle of continuous improvement and …....

The Review process involved the following elements:

• Briefings and regular staff meeting to feedback to staff

• A staff survey to assess perceptions, current practice and needs for an improved
Inquiry Based Curriculum

• Visits to other schools

• Professional reading and research using available literature on good practice in

delivering an Inquiry Based Curriculum

• Input from the critical friend including …..

• A Review meeting to examine and discuss information collected and to propose

recommendations to be incorporated into the Strategic Plan.

The Review identified a range of … - findings

Inquiry learning seen as a subject not a process/method

Student Engagement is good

‘More fun/interesting’ Can all teachers teach like this? Stn. No – Not organized – How
will you benefit from this type of learning? ‘I am becoming an independent learner?’
Use of computers/computer skills – excellent
- Range of activity stations – books, computers etc to explore
- How do you measure assess Inquiry learning – how do you show
growth? – ans. Gr 5 Can’t, subjective?

Reccomendations

- Work smarter – scaffolding threads through the year levels,

acknowledge and have greater access to thinking tools, greater focus
on assessment of inquiry – What evidence of thinking do you have?
What growth can you show?

Recommendations – 1.Teaching and assessing student thinking in line with VELS 2.

Review Inquiry Book – more user friendly, greater use f examples of how to…. More
practical – excellent teacher resource but not practical in supporting implementation. Key
is PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

*We have work to do in the area of professional learning to give

teachers the skills to teach inquiry process –skills to – find
out/investigate
2.0 Aim / Pu rp ose

The School Self Evaluation highlighted a need to examine the extent to which there was
consistency and congruence in the inquiry learning approach to all aspects of the curriculum
across the school.

The focus area ‘teaching and learning’ was chosen to increase students’ learning
experiences, the level of student engagement and improve students’ ability to apply relevant
skills, knowledge and understanding to real world situations. The exploration and use of
further innovative teaching practices could assist the school in improving outcomes even
further.
The proposal recommended that the Review investigate the following areas:
- How effective/manageable is the inquiry based learning program currently operating within
the school.
- How expertise/good practice of those teachers within the school is being utilized.
- How to further support students’ ability to develop and apply relevant skills, knowledge and
understanding to real world situations
- What resources, tools or strategies are required to develop effective teaching and learning
programs across the school.

3.0 Metho dolo gy

[Outlines the approach used for the review, for example, research activities undertaken, the
membership and operations of any working parties established, role of critical friend and
engagement with the school community – PLEASE DELETE THIS INSTRUCTION FROM
FINAL REPORT].

The methodology used for this review involved the establishment of a working party with
membership comprising of Doug Conway (principal) Jodi Park (assistant principal), Sue
Rechter (assistant principal) and Jaye Giacomin (leading teacher). In addition, Glenda
Holdsworth has acted as our critical friend and facilitated a range of classroom observations,
team meetings and several review meetings.
The Review encompassed the following elements:-
Briefing with the critical friend: The Working Party and the critical friend met on…..to
discuss the aim and purpose of the Review, to discuss the terms of reference and to provide
the critical friend some background information about the school and some ideas about the
direction the school would like to take
Staff Survey: A staff survey was developed using Survey Monkey and was conducted online
to ascertain staff perceptions, experiences and needs in reference to Inquiry Based
Curriculum. Survey monkey was used to ensure all staff were given the opportunity to
provide feedback and have some input into the future decisions and directions taken by the
school while maintaining a level of anonymity.

School visits: The Working Party visited ??? Primary Schools to determine how an effective
Inquiry Based Curriculum can be used to increase students’ learning experiences, the level
of student engagement and improve students’ ability to apply relevant skills, knowledge and
understanding to real world situations. The schools visited included: Footscray Primary
School , W…. Primary School and …..

Professional Learning: Two members of the working party (Jodi Park and Jaye Giacomin)
attended - Kath Murdoch Reggio Emilia

Research and Professional Reading: new basics, International Baccalaureate

Organisation,

Review Meeting: Two Review meetings were held and attended by the Working Party and
critical friend to discuss and compare the information gathered by the Working Party with
that gathered by the critical friend.

Role of Critical Friend:

Dates Activity Details
Classroom Observation – Glenda – 6J – Inquiry focus
Thursday 7th August
Sessions 5 & 6
Grade 5 Team Meeting – Professional Discussions with
Thursday 7th August
Glenda– Inquiry Program
3:30 – 4:30
Classroom Observation – 2P – Inquiry focus
Monday 11th August
Sessions 5 & 6
2pm Doug, Jodi, Jaye, Glenda – Review meeting
Wednesday 13th August
Grade 3 Team Meeting – Professional Discussions – Inquiry
Wednesday 13th August
Program
3:30 – 4:30
Classroom Observation – 4J – Inquiry focus
Monday 25th August
Sessions 3 & 4
Meeting Doug, Jodi, Jaye, Glenda – Review meeting – Lunch
Monday 25th August
time
Classroom Observation – JV – Inquiry focus
Monday 25th August
Sessions 5 & 6
Presentation of findings to staff
Monday 8th September

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4.0 Find ings

The school has had an Inquiry Learning model in place for …. Years and has been provide a
framework for designing a thinking curriculum that includes higher-level thinking, information
acquisition skills, multiple intelligences, learning styles, and multi-media portfolio
assessment. While this priority has been achieved in terms of the way in which it was
envisaged, changes in staffing and a more consolidated emphasis on the teaching practice
has moved on from three years ago and now to develop an Inquiry based curriculum that will
take our school and its entire learning community into an exciting future.

The Review identified a range of … - findings

Inquiry learning seen as a subject not a process/method

Student Engagement is good

‘More fun/interesting’ Can all teachers teach like this? Stn. No – Not organized – How will
you benefit from this type of learning? ‘I am becoming an independent learner?’

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Use of computers/computer skills – excellent
- Range of activity stations – books, computers etc to explore
- How do you measure assess Inquiry learning – how do you show
growth? – ans. Gr 5 Can’t, subjective?

5.0 Conc lusion s and re co mm endation s

[Presents conclusions from the review and indicates recommended goals, strategies or
targets for the school relating to the focus area under analysis.

Goals, targets, key improvement strategies (and actions) should be presented in table form
to clearly indicate the alignment between these different components.

It would be anticipated that these recommendations would be included in the new school
strategic plan. – PLEASE DELETE THIS INSTRUCTION FROM FINAL REPORT].

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