2021-2024 galston high school sip - amazon s3

Strategic Improvement Plan 2021-2024

Galston High School 8481

Printed on: 1 April, 2021 of 9 Galston High School (8481) -2021-2024

School vision and context

School vision statement School context

Galston High School is a community of teachers and students focused on deliveringexceptional education for every child. Supported by best practice, innovative pedagogy anddifferentiation that caters to every learner, our teachers are committed to developing lifelonglearners equipped with 21st century skills and a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy.

By fostering a culture of high expectations matched to high support, Galston High Schoolprovides the conditions in which students are able to achieve their personal best. Throughpartnering with the community, we constantly refine our practices to reflect current needsand standards.

As a comprehensive high school, Galston High School offers a full range of educationalpathways to ensure that every student can transition effectively to work or further studies,taking with them core values essential to being a productive and responsible citizen.

Galston High School is a co-educational, comprehensive secondary school located in asemi-rural area of North-West Sydney. The school has an enrolment of 610 students,including 28 students in the Special Education Unit. Students come from a wide socio-economic background with 0.2% of children identifying as having an Aboriginal or TorresStrait Islander background.

The school prides itself on a tradition of academic, agricultural, leadership, sporting andcultural excellence. Held in high regard by the community, the school enjoys a cohesive andsupportive relationship with its partner primary schools (the Galston Community of Schools).Students participate in a wide range of learning experiences spanning 21st century skills toliteracy and numeracy fundamentals.

The school's staffing entitlement in 2021 is 58 teaching staff and 26 non-teaching staff. Theschool also employs a Business Manager, CAFÉ manager, IT coordinator, andHead Teacher PDHPE/CAPA from school funds. The executive staff is stable with themajority having been at the school for more than five years. The school has a good mix ofearly career and experienced teachers with a strong ethos of collegial collaboration andprofessional learning. 10% of our staff are in their early career as teachers.

The school's situational analysis has identified a need for data-driven practices to ensure allstudents have access to appropriate and differentiated learning. Professional developmenton high-quality, explicit and differentiated instruction has been identified as a goal, withparticular emphasis on catering to students with additional needs, including those identifiedas high potential. Through NAPLAN gap analysis, the school has further identified system-negotiated target areas in reading and numeracy and maintains a continued focus onimproving student literacy and numeracy outcomes in the junior years. In the senior years,there is a sustained focus on Higher School Certificate performance. Professional learningon detailed data analysis informs both individual and group support programs, with eachfaculty developing strategies to maximise student results.

The school's strategic directions are built around student attainment & growth, evidencebased teaching & learning, and culture of teaching & learning. The school is committed to acontinual cycle of improvement in effective classroom practice underpinned by targetedprofessional learning, improved data collection and analysis to achieve effectiveindividualised and differentiated learning. This approach also informs the approach toliteracy and numeracy targets.

Galston High School has outstanding student leadership and welfare programs. As aPositive Behaviour for Learners (PBL) school, our Three Keys (K3YS) of Respect,Responsibility and Personal Best serve as the foundation of all academic, social and extra-curricular programs within the school. Our school offers a broad curriculum catering for theacademic and vocational needs of students with extensive extra-curricular activitiesincluding creative and performing arts, sport, Duke of Edinburgh and agriculturalopportunities.


Strategic Direction 1: Student growth and attainment

Purpose

Differentiation, Literacy and Numeracy

Purpose: Our purpose is to implement and embed newhigh impact strategies that improve student outcomes inidentified areas (SD1). Through supported whole-schoolprofessional learning and resources, our teachers buildtheir capacity in explicit, high impact and collaborativestrategies that ultimately become embedded practice(SD3).

Improvement measures

Target year: 2024

• 5% improvement in the percentage of studentsachieving expected growth in reading and numeracy.

• 5% improvement in the percentage of studentsachieving in top two bands for NAPLAN.

• All students achieve Minimum Standard qualificationby Year 10.

• 10% improvement in the percentage of studentsachieving in top two bands for HSC course results.

• All teachers demonstrate high quality skills in explicitteaching in differentiation, literacy and numeracy.

Target year: 2023





• Majority teachers demonstrate high quality skills inexplicit teaching in differentiation, literacy andnumeracy.

Target year: 2022

Initiatives

Literacy and Numeracy

We will implement literacy and numeracy programs thatunderpin learning across the curriculum, promoting bothacademic performance and participation in everyday life.Our programs focus on faster diagnostic assessments;early intervention; quality training for teachers in literacyand numeracy; explicit teaching; and rigorous evaluationand refinement of what works best.

(Adapted from: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/literacy-and-numeracy/strategy)

Differentiation

We will implement programs that allow teachers todifferentiate through a range of instructional andmanagement strategies, classroom elements (content,process, product and learning environment) and studentneeds (readiness, interest and learning profile) so that allstudents can engage with their learning and achieve tothe best of their ability.

(Adapted from: https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/teacher-quality-and-accreditation/strong-start-great-teachers/refining-practice/differentiating-learning)

Success criteria for this strategic direction

Literacy and Numeracy

Interventions and Supports - Year 7-10 students withdeficits in literacy and numeracy are identified,documented and given specific and timely interventions toremediate their learning.

SEF > Student Performance Measure > StudentGrowth

Explicit Teaching - Staff confidently and consistentlyutilise explicitly teaching strategies across all KLAs toimprove students' literacy and numeracy.

SEF > Effective Classroom Practice > ExplicitTeaching

What Works Best - Collaborative practice occurs acrossthe school to reinforce whole-school approaches toliteracy and numeracy, as well as upskill all staff in bestpractice and What Works Best.

SEF > Curriculum > Curriculum Provision

Differentiation

Staff Training in Differentiation - All staff are trained inand utilise differentiation strategies (including highpotential strategies) that ensure all students are able toaccess the curriculum and achieve to their potential.

SEF > Curriculum > Differentiation

Project Based Learning - PBL is embedded in the juniorcurriculum to foster engagement, 21C learning andrelevance through the middle secondary years.

SEF > Assessment > Student Engagement

Enrichment - Enrichment activities regularly occur acrossall aspects of the curriculum, deepening engagement withand valuing of the learning in the classroom.

SEF > Learning Culture > High Expectations


https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/literacy-and-numeracy/strategy

https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/literacy-and-numeracy/strategy

https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/teacher-quality-and-accreditation/strong-start-great-teachers/refining-practice/differentiating-learning




Strategic Direction 1: Student growth and attainment






• All teachers engaged in high quality professionallearning in explicit teaching in differentiation, literacyand numeracy.

Evaluation plan for this strategic direction

Question: What has been the impact of explicit strategiesin literacy, numeracy and differentiation in lifting growthand achievement across all students. Have all teachersimplemented these explicit strategies to create aconsistent pedagogy across the school from which todraw conclusions on the efficacy of these initiatives?

Data:

The following data sources will be used to determinesuccess:

• NAPLAN data

• HSC data

• Minimum Standards data

• Faculty units of work/assessment/resources

• Lesson observations

• PDPs

• PLSPs, SLPs and PLPs

• SmartLab

• Plan2

• Teacher voice

• Student voice

• Presentations to staff

• Presentations to executive

• MyPL/ETAMS logs

• School calendar

Analysis:

Analyse the data to determine the extent to which thepurpose has been achieved.Implications: Where do we go from here? Futuredirections and next steps.


Strategic Direction 2: Excellence in evidence-based teaching and learning

Purpose

Data, Research and Best Practice

Purpose: Our purpose is to identify areas for studentgrowth and teacher improvement through rigorouslygathering, analysing and interpreting data. Informed bydata and guided by best practice, our teachers engage inrelevant, timely and targeted professional learning thatmaximises their capacity to effect meaningful andconsistent improvement in students.


Target year: 2024

SEF - 'Assessment" and "Data skills and use' are bothvalidated at Excelling.

Target year: 2024

• 7% increase of students in the top two bands forwriting in year 9.

• All faculties have embedded into programs the use ofwriting progressions - crafting text and grammar.

• Students are provided with the opportunity in allclasses to routinely write for learning.

Initiatives

Data informed teaching and learning

Increase the capabilities of staff to analyse studentperformance data through formative assessment practicesto improve teacher effectiveness, system-negotiatedtarget intervention and improve student outcomes. Toachieve this:

• Analyse Best Start 7, NAPLAN, HSC and minimumstandard data to identify target areas

• Review and improve the use of formative datasources, monitoring and reflecting on teachingeffectiveness.

• Embed the use of formative data collection, use ofLearning Progressions for goal setting leading tochanges to explicit teaching practice. Literacy andnumeracy practice is informed by research.

• Whole school adoption of Literacy and NumeracyLearning Progressions and PLAN.

Writing in Secondary Project

Change teaching practice to ensure teachers areeffectively teaching writing and utilising writing for learningand learning to write.

To achieve this:

• Writing is explicitly embedded into teaching practiceacross all KLAs.

• Students are writing regularly and teachers usewriting progressions indicators to support andchallenge students.

• Teachers are provided with Professional Learningwhich enhances their self-efficacy in teaching writingskills, knowledge and strategies.


Teachers collaborate to share curriculum knowledge,data, feedback and other information about studentprogress and achievement which meet the learning needsof all students.

(SEF > Data skills and use > Data use and teaching)

Assessments are developed/sourced and used regularlyacross the whole school to help promote consistent andcomparable judgement of student learning, monitorstudent learning progress, and identify skill gaps forimprovement and areas for extension.

(SEF > Assessment > Formative Assessment)

School data demonstrates that student progress andachievement is greater than students at statistically similarschools on external measures. This is consistent withstrong student progress and achievement on internalmeasures.

(SEF > Data skills and use > Data use and teaching)

Learning Support team is collaborative and builds thecapabilities of all teachers and are an integral componentof whole school approaches to literacy and numeracyprograms.

(SEF > Curriculum > Teaching and learningprograms)

School analyses student progress utilising the learningprogressions and respond to trends in studentachievement, at individual, group and whole school levels.

(SEF > Assessment > Summative Assessment)

Students confidently write regularly utilising a range ofstrategies, knowledge and skills.

(SEF > Curriculum > Teaching and learning programs)



Strategic Direction 2: Excellence in evidence-based teaching and learning


Question: What has been the impact of using consistent,data informed teaching and learning practices, on studentperformance? Do teachers collaborate to evaluate, reflecton and document adapt practice?

Data:


• HSC minimum standard

• Audit of assessment matrix in line with courseperformance descriptors

• RoSA requirements

• Faculty assessment tasks

• Lesson observations

• Student work samples

• PLSPs and PLPs

• Student voice

• NAPLAN

• HSC monitoring folder (online)

• Plan2

• Teacher voice

• Writing self-efficacy survey

Analysis:

Analyse the data to determine the extent to which thepurpose has been achieved.Implications: Where do we go from here? Futuredirections and next steps


Strategic Direction 3: Culture of teaching and learning

Purpose

Consistency of Pedagogy and Student Engagement

Purpose: Our purpose is to create consistent classroomsin which both teachers & students have the conditions toachieve their best. Supported by school-wide pedagogies,student learning needs documentation, welfare-basedprograms & consistent expectations for learning, ourteachers engage every student, every day to learn to theirpotential.


Target year: 2024

K3YS to Personal Best

• 100% of students will have a Personalised learningplan which is reviewed annually

• 100% of teachers will be utilising PersonalisedLearning plans to support learning out comes.

• 75% or greater number of students reportingexpectations for success; advocacy and sense ofbelonging at school

Target year: 2024

Consistent self-organised Pedagogy

• 100% of staff are consistently utilising Galston HighSchool's self-organised pedagogy strategies tosupport teachers to engage the student learner

Target year: 2024

Attendance

• 85% of students attend more than 90% of the time

Initiatives


Students will have personalised learning plans focused onidentifying where the student is academically and howlearning will be progressed to ensure learning outcomesare achieved.


Consistentteaching and learning practices to encourage students tothrive and succeed toimprove learning outcomes. It will encourage studentsself-organise for their learning.

Attendance

Develop monitoring and incentive programs to improveattendance for targeted students between 85-90%.



• Teachers (YA) collaborate with students to developindividualised learning plans through the pastoralcare programs and mentoring program/s.

• Staff utilise these plans to assist with differentiationand student learning to enhance learning outcomes.

• Increased number of students reporting increasedexpectation for success; advocacy and sense ofbelong at school.

(SEF - Learning domain; Learning culture -> Highexpectations, Transitions and continuity of learning;Wellbeing -> Individual learning needs; Curriculum ->Teaching and learning programs, Differentiation;Student Performance measures -> Internal andexternal measures against syllabus standards)


• Activities are embedded into teaching and learningprograms.

• All GHS teaching and learning initiatives areconsistently implemented across the school.

• Collaboratively build the capabilities of all teachers toimplement whole school approaches to consistentself-organised pedagogy.

• The school identifies expected growth for eachstudent. Students are achieving higher thanexpected growth on internal school progress andachievement data.

(SEF - Learning domain; Learning culture -> Highexpectations; Wellbeing -> individual learning needs,Behaviour;Curriculum -> Differentiation; Teachingdomain -> Effective classroom practice ->Lessonplanning, Explicit teaching, Classroom management;Professional learning)

Attendance

• Sustainable programs are in place to maintain goodattendance.




• Incentive programs are embedded to sustain goodattendance.

(SEF - Learning domain -> Learning Culture -> HighExpectations, Attendance; Wellbeing -> Caring forstudents)


Question:

What has been the impact of providing a consistent,supported and focused learning environment across theschool? Are our teachers utilising personalised learningplans and engaging every student and providing theconditions for them to achieve their personal best?

Data:



• Student Personalised learning plans

• PLAN2

• NAPLAN analysis

• Best Start analysis

• Minimum standards analysis

• HSC result analysis

• Pastoral care scope and sequences

• TTFM data

• Lesson observation


• Teaching and learning programs

• Staff surveys




• Student surveys

• TTFM data

• Student work samples

• Lesson observation survey

• Classroom walk around

Attendance

• Scout attendance data

• Sentral attendance monitoring data

Analysis:

Analyse the data to determine the extent to which thepurpose has been achieved.

Implications:

Where do we go from here? Future directions and nextsteps.


2021-2024 galston high school sip - amazon s3

Documents