acer national school improvement tool

8/11/2019 ACER National School Improvement Tool

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" J ~ 9 : h ~ ? l l m p r o v e m e n tTool tool) was developed by the Australian Council for Educational

~ B ~ , ~ ~ f l r n o n w e a l t hDepartment of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations based on ap ~ { ~ 1 3 r u l t a t i o n sconducted during 20 12

, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , ~ ~ ~ ~ : ~ i ~ m ~ a t e r i a ldeveloped by Professor Geoff Masters for the Australian Council for Educational, ~ vvith the Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment.

~ ; : : i ~ : i ~ ~ f g ~ r ~ ~ ~ : ; ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~Department of Education, Training and Employment) and the Australianl j 2012.


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ontents

Foreword I

An explicit improvement agenda 2

2 Analysis and discussion of data 4

3 A culture that promotes learning 6

4 Targeted use of school resources 8

5 An expert teaching team I 0

6 Systematic curriculum delivery 12

7 Differentiated teaching and learning 14

8 Effective pedagogical practices I 6

9 School community partnerships 18


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oreword

Research is revealing the powerful impact that schoolleadership teams can have in improving the quality of

teaching and learning. Effective leaders create culturesof high expectations, provide clarity about what teachersare to teach and studen ts are to learn, establish strongprofessional learning communities and lead ongoingefforts to improve teaching practices.

The National chool mprovement Tool was endorsed bythe Standing Council on School Education and EarlyChildhood (SCSEEC) at its meeting on 7 December 2012and has been made available to all Australian schools foruse in their school improvement p lanning from 2013.

The National chool mprovement Tool brings togetherfindings from internationa l research into the practicesof highly effective schools and school leaders. The Tool

assists schools to review and reflect on their efforts toimprove the quality of classroom teaching and learning.

t supports school-wide convers ations- including withparents and families, school governing bodies, localcommunities and students themse lves- about aspects of

current practice, areas for improvement and evidence thatprogress is being made.

The Tool does not describe everything that effectiveschools do, but focuses on those practices tha t are mostdirectly related to school-wide improvements, and thusoutcomes for students. n this sense, the Tool can bethought of s a core element of more comprehensiveschool improvement programs, frameworks and

initiatives.

The ultimate goal of school improvement is to improveoutcomes for students, including levels of achievementand wellbeing. For this reason, direct measures of studentoutcomes are essential to all school improvement efforts.However, school improvement fundamentally meansimproving what a school does. The Tool provides evidenceabou t a school s day-to-day work to complement, andpossibly shed light on, measures of student outcomes.

The Tool consists of nine inter-related domains . Althoughthe Tool has been designed to enable a judgement inrelation to each domain separately, experience suggeststhat the most effective way to use the Tool is to makeobservations and gather evidence broadly about a school spractices before focusing on individual domains. Schoolsmay then decide to give priori ty to particular domains in

their improvement efforts.

A key feature of the Tool is the set of performance levels,Low , Medium , High and Outstanding . These levelsenable schools to make judgements ab out where theyare on their improvement journeys, to set goals anddesign strategies for improvement, and to monitor anddemonstrate school improvement over time.

Further information about the Tool and its use is providedin this booklet.


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n explicit

improv m ntagendaThe school leadership team and or governing body have established and aredriving a strong improvement agenda for the school grounded in evidence fromresearch and practice and expressed in terms of improvements in measurablestudent outcomes. Explicit and clear school-wide targets for improvement havebeen set and communicated to parents and families teachers and students withaccompanying timelines.

The assessment of this domain includesconsideration of the extent to which:

the governing body school principal andother school leaders are united committedto and explicit about their core objective

t o improve learning outcomes for llstudents in the school;

the school has made an effort tounderstand current student achievementlevels and how achievement levels havechanged over time including for studentsin social inclusion priority groupsstudents at risk of disengaging or whohave disengaged from schooling andstudents facing disadvantage includingstudents with a disability those from non-English speaking backgrounds Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander students thosefrom low-SES backgrounds and regionaland remote areas;

explicit targets for improvement in studentachievement levels have been set andcommunicated to parents staff and thewider school community;

school staff are united in theircommitment to improve the quality ofteaching and learning throughout theschool and to address obstacles to schoolwide improvement;

the school communicates clearly that itexpects all students to learn successfullyand has high expectations for studen tattendance engagement and outcomes;

the school has clearly articulatedstrategies for improving levels of studentachievement and wellbeing; and

progress towards targets is monito red andinitiatives and programs are systematicallyevaluated for their effectiveness inproducing desired improvements instudent learning and performance.


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OutstandingThe school leadership group, including, where appropriate, the governing council, has developed and is driving anexplicit and detailed local school improvement agenda. This agenda is expressed in terms of specific improvementssought in student performances, is aligned with national a nd/or system-wide improvement priorities nd includes cleartargets with accompanying timelines which are rigorously actioned.

The school improvement agenda has been effective in focusing, and to some extent narrowing and sharpening, the whole

school s attention on core learning priorities.There is a strong and optimistic commitme nt by all staff to the school improvement strategy and a clear belief th tfurther improvement is possible. Teachers take responsibility for changes in practice required to achieve school targetsand are using data on a regular basis to monitor the effectiveness of their own efforts to meet those targets.

ighThe school has developed an agenda for improvement in partnership with parents and th e community nd schoolleaders can describe the improvements they wish to see in student behaviours and outcomes. This agenda iscommunicated in staff meetings, school newsletters, parent-teacher meetings nd on the school website using a varietyof formats to suit local needs.

The leadership team has analysed school performance data over a number of years nd is aware of trends in student

achievement levels. Targets for improvement are clear and accompanied by timelines.The school leadership team is clearly committed to finding ways to improve on current student outcomes. This isreflected in an eagerness to learn from research evidence, international experience and from other schools th t haveachieved significant improvements.

There is evidence of a school-wide commitment to every student s success an d staff of the school tell stories of significantstudent improvement.

MediumThe principal nd other school leaders articulate a shared commitment to improvement, but limited attention has beengiven to specifying detail or to developing a school-wide approach ( eg plans for improvement may lack coherence, beshort term or without a whole-school focus). Plans for improvement do not appear to have been clearly communicated,widely implemented or to have impacted significantly on teachers day-to-day work. Targets for improvement are notspecific (eg, not accompanied by timelines).

The school s focus on data is driven more by external requirements ( eg NAP LAN My School) th n by an interna l desirefor good informat ion to guide school decision making and to monito r progress.

Although there is an expressed commitment to improvement, this is not reflected in a high level of enthusiasm forpersonal change on the p rt of staff. The communication of performance data to the school community tends to besporadic and/o r is limited only to information that the school is required to report.

owThere is no obvious plan for improving on current achievement levels. School leaders appear to be more f o t ~ s e donday-to-day operational matters than on analysing and understanding school data, setting targets for whole-schoolimprovement or communicating an improvement agenda to the school community.

Minimal attention is paid to data and there is very limited communication of school results or of intentions forimprovement to parents, families and the wider school community.

Expectations for significant school improvement are low and staff tend to explain curren t achievement levels in termsof students socioeconomic backgrounds and/or geographical location. There is little evidence th t the staff of the schoolhave a shared commi tment to improving outcomes for every student, and this appears to be contributing to a cultureof underperformance. There is little evidence that the school is looking to external sources to identify evidence-basedstrategies for improvement.


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nalysis and

discussion odataA high priority s given to the school-wide analysis and discussion ofsystematically collected data on student outcomes including academicattendance and behavioural outcomes and student wellbeing. Data analysesconsider overall school performance as well as the performances of studentsfrom identified priority groups; evidence of improvement/regression over time;performances in comparison with similar schools; and in the case of data fromstandardised tests measures of growth across the years of school.


the school has developed nd isimplementing a plan for the systematiccollection of a range of student outcomedata including both test data and quality

classroom assessments; the school has identified and can

demonstrate th t it is using tests and o therassessment tools to monitor school-wideachievement and progress in areas ofnational focus such as literacy numeracyscience cross-curricular skills andattributes and levels of student resiliencewellbeing and social and emotionaldevelopment;

the school uses data to identify startingpoints for improvement and to monitorprogress over time;

arrangements have been put in place forthe collection and analysis of school-widedata and for summarising displaying andcommunica ting data including to parentsand the school community;

all teaching staff have access to a broadrange of student achievement and wellbeingdata and use it to analyse study and display

individual and cohort progress;

professional development is providedto build s taff skills in analysing andinterpreting data;

school leaders as part of theirresponsibilities regularly work with their

teams to review achievement data relatingto their areas;

time is set aside for in-dep th staffdiscussions of achievement data and ofstrategies for the cont inuous improvementof student outcomes;

the school includes in its data gatheringinput and feedback from students andparents;

the school systematically monitors otherperformance data including data relatingto student attendance school disciplinaryabsences and other behavioural data schoolcompletion student destinations andstakeholder perceptions and engagement;

data are used in building a culture ofself-evaluation nd reflection across theschool; and

the school uses data to inform school-leveldecisions interventions and initiatives.


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OutstandingThe principal and other school leaders clearly articulate their belief that reliable data on student outcomes are crucial tothe school s improveme nt agenda. The school has established and is implemen ting a systematic plan for the collection,analysis and use of a range of student achievement and wellbeing data. Test data in areas such as literacy, numeracy andscience are key elements of this plan.

Data are used throughout the school to identify gaps in student learning, to monitor improvement over time and to

monitor growth across the years of school. A hig h priori ty has been given to professional development aimed a t buildingteachers and leaders data literacy skills. Staff conversations and language reflect a sophisticated understan ding ofstudent assessment and data concepts (eg, value-added; growth; improvement; statistical significance).

Teachers are given test data for thei r classes electronically and are provided with, and use, software to analyse, displayand communicate data on individual and class performances and progress, including comparis ons of pre- and post-testresults. Teachers routinely use objective data on student achievement as evidence of successful teaching.

ighThere is evidence that the principal and other school leaders view reliable and timely student data as essential to theireffective leadership of the school. There is a document ed school plan and timetable for the annual collection of data onstudent achievement and wellbeing.

One or more members of staff have been assigned responsibility for impl ementin g the annual plan, analysing the fullrange of school data, and summarising, displaying and communicating student outcome data for the school. The schoolhas ensured that appropriat e software is available and that at least these assigned staff have been trained to undertakedata analyses.

Time is set aside ( eg, on pupil free days and in staff meetings) for the discussion of data and the implications of datafor school policies and classroom practices. These discussions occur at whole-school and team levels. The school canillustrate through case studies, meeting min utes and project plans how data have been used to identify priorities, takeaction and monitor progress.

MediumSchool leaders pay close attention to data provided to them about the performance of the school ( eg, NAP LAN results ;Year 2 results) and identify areas in which the school is performi ng relatively poorly or well.

Tests ( eg, commercially available reading tests) may be used by some teachers, but generally are not used as part of awhole-school assessment strategy.

An ad hoc approach exists to building staff skills in the analysis, interpretati on and use of classroom data.

Software may be used for the analysis of school results, including the performances of priority groups, but analysesgenerally do not extend to studies of improvement or growth.

School data are present ed to staff in meetings, but presentations tend to be for information rather than a triggerfor in depth discussions of teaching practices and school processes. In formati on about the school s performance is

communicated to the school community, but may lack explanation or analysis. There is limited engagement with parentsand families around school data.

ow

There is very little evidence of schoolieaders practical use of school-wide studen t outcome data. There is either noannual data collection plan for the school or the plan is being implemented in a minimali st fashion. The school makeslittle or no use of tests beyond those that the school is required to use.

Teachers do not systematically analyse test and other data for their classes and teachers make little use of data to reflecton their teaching. The school is unable to demonstr ate how data have been used in meetings or with parents to analyseand discuss current achievement levels and strategies for improvement.


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culture

that promotesle rningThe school is driven by a deep belief th t every student is capable of successful

learning. A high priority is given to building and maintaining positive and caring

relationships between staff students and parents. There is a strong collegial

culture of mutual trust and support among teachers and school leaders andparents are treated as partners in the promotion of student learning and

wellbeing. The school works to maintain a learning environment th t is safe

respectful tolerant inclusive and th t promotes intellectual rigour:

The assessment of this domai n includesconsideration of the extent to which:

the school promotes and maintainsan environment reflective o f its highexpectations th t all students will learnsuccessfully;

the staff of the school demonstrate anunderstanding of the importance ofpositive nd caring relationships tosuccessful learning, nd work to buildmutually respectful relationships acrossthe school community;

interactions between staff, students,parents nd families are caring, polite andinclusive;

the school views parents nd familiess integral members of the school

community nd partners in studentlearning;

the school places a high priority onstudent nd staff wellbeing and hasprocesses in place to provide bothacademic nd non-academic support toaddress individual needs;

the school appreciates nd values studentsvarying cultural backgrounds nd worksto build the cultural competence of schoolstaff;

the school has clear strategies to promoteappropriate behaviour - including

agreed responses and consequences forinappropriate student behaviour - andt ~school provides sufficient support forteachers to implement these policies;

the school works to create an attractiveand stimulating physical environment th tsupports nd encourages learning;

the school promotes a culture of inquiryand innovation, where creative explorationand independ ent learning are valued; nd

all students and staff have an obvioussense of belonging, all parents arewelcomed and all staff, students an dparents speak highly of the school.


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OutstandingThe school ethos is built around high expectations and a commit ment to excellence. There is an expectation that everystudent will learn nd achieve positive outcomes. Classrooms are calm but busy nd interruptions to teaching time arekept to a minimum. There are no obvious behavioural problems, very high rates of school attendance and engagement,and staff morale is sustained t high level. There is a happy, optimistic feel to the school.

High levels of trust are apparent across the school community. Interactions are focused on the learning nd wellbeing

of students and on continually improving the school s ability to meet the needs of all students. Parents and families arevalued as partners in student learning, and parents, school leaders and teachers work together in mutually supportiveways. There is a strong sense of belonging and pride in the school.

A strong collegial culture has been established. Teachers have an overt and shared commitment to the improvement ofteaching and an openness to critique by colleagues. This is reflected in the fact that teachers regularly invite leaders andcolleagues to visit their classrooms to observe their teaching.

ighThe tone of the school reflects a school-wide commitment to purposeful, successful learning. There are very fewobvious behavioural, attendance or engagement problems and behaviour management takes up very little, if any time ofschool leaders nd classroom teachers.

There is a strong focus on quality learning and on the creation of a culture in which all students are expected to learnsuccessfully, in their own ways and at their own pace. Individual talents are valued. Class busy work is kept to aminimum, nd an at tempt is made to ensure that all students are engaged in challenging, meaningful learning.

Respectful and caring relationships are reflected in the ways in which staff, students and parents interact and in thelanguage they use in both formal and informal settings.

Parents and families are encouraged to take a genuine and close interest in the work of the school and are welcomed aspartners in their children s learning. There are agreed guidelines on such matters as greeting visitors, taking messages,and responding to queries promptly nd respectfully.

Staff morale is generally high.

MediumClassrooms are generally orderly, although some are more so than others. Non-attendance is an issue for a smallminority of students. However, many other students appear to be minimally engaged in productive learning activities.

The school effectively implements its policies, for example, by ensur ing th t disruptive behaviour, bullying andharassment are dealt with promptly. The school has clear expectations for how students should behave nd interactwith one another, nd in the main , relationships are caring and respectful. Some staff time is taken up dealing withbehaviour problems.

Most parents take an obvious interest in their children s learning. Engagement is primarily through regularly scheduledparent-teacher interviews.

Staff morale is satisfactory.

ow

Behavioural problems, disengagement and non-attendance are issues for a significant propor tion of students. In anumber of classrooms students are clearly not engaged in productive learning activities.

The school may have policies nd agreed procedures relating to student behaviour but these appear to have had littleimpact in practice. Much of the time of school leaders and teachers is taken up dealing with inappropria te behaviour.Interactions between parents, staff nd students are not always productive and respectful. Staff tend not to value orengage parents as.partners in student learning.

Some teachers appear to work in isolation from colleagues. Staff morale is low and staff turnover is high.


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argeted use oschool resourceshe school applies its resources staff time, experti se, funds, facilities, materials)

in a targeted manner to meet the learning and wellbeing needs of all students. t

has school-wide policies, practices and programs in place to assist in identifying

and addressing student needs. Flexible structures and processes enable theschool to respond appropriately to the needs of individual learners.


the school has processes to identify andrespond to student needs through theallocation of staff and resources;

staff are deployed in ways that bes t addressthe learning needs of ll students in theschool and that make best use of available

staff expertise and interests; there are school-wide programs and

approaches for students requiringadditional or specialist support;

in its use of discretionary school funds, theschool gives priority to initiatives aimed atimproving outcomes for students;

flexible curr iculum delivery arrangementshave been established to enable sta ff tobetter address the needs of individuallearners;

the school effectively uses its physicalenvironment and available facilities tomaximise studen t learning; and

the school budget aligns local and systempriorities.


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OutstandingThe principal and other school leaders have given a very high prior ity to understanding an d addressing the learningneeds of all students in the school. This is reflected in the implementation of systematic strategies for identifying studentneeds and the development of creative school-wide solutions for addressing those needs.

A school-wide process has been established for identifying specific student learning needs. This process includessystematic testing to establish learning gaps and special needs. School records of individual student needs, achievements

and progress are maintained centrally and shared across year levels.A range of initiatives eg, across-class and across-grade groupings for literacy nd numeracy; the sharing of specialistteachers with neighbouring schools, if they exist) is being implemented tq make more effective use of available resourcesto enhance teaching nd learning. The school deploys staff in ways that make best use of their expertise eg specialistreading/ science teachers).

ighThe principal nd other school leaders have int roduced programs and strategies to identify and address the needs ofstudents in the school nd are sourcing and applying available resources to meet those needs.

The school has developed processes eg, systematic testing and assessment) for identifying student learning needs,although there may not always be good school records of student achievement nd progress.

Programs to meet individual learning needs eg programs for gifted students, students with learning difficulties,students for whom English is a second language, Indigenous students, refugees) are prioritised, where possible, in theschool budget.

Physical spaces and technology are used effectively to maximise studen t learning. Learning spaces are organised forwhole group work, small group work and individual work.

MediumThe school uses its hum n and physical resources to address the needs of students, although this may not be preceded bya systematic analysis of those needs.

Specialist diagnostic testing is organised for a small number of students with special needs, but teachers do not routinelyadminister tests to better understand specific learning difficulties eg problems in learning to read) or individual

learning needs eg, LBOTE, gifted).There are very few school-wide programs or policies designed to address the learning needs of particular stude ntgroups eg gifted students, students wi th disabilities, students for whom English is a second language). School leadersencourage teachers to address individual learning needs in classrooms, but there are very few agreed school-widestrategies for doing this.

Physical learning spaces are used creatively and technology is accessible to the majority of staff and students.

ow

The improvement of stud ent outcomes does not appear to be the driving consideration in theallocation of school resources eg, the use of discretionary school funds).

There is very little, if any, systematic testing of students to identify individual learning needs.

The school does not always make best use of available staff expertise.

School leaders have developed very few if any school-wide policies or programs to address individual needs, which areleft to classroom teachers.

School learning spaces tend to be used traditionally, with limited flexibility to support different kinds of learners andlearning.


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n expertte ching teamThe school has found ways to build a school-wide, professional team of highlyable teachers, including teachers who take an active leadership role beyondthe classroom. Strong procedures are in place to encourage a school-wide,shared responsibility for student learning and success, and to encourage thedevelopment of a culture of continuous professional improvement that includesclassroom-based learning mentoring and coaching arrangements.


the school places a priority on attracting,retaining and developing the best possibleteachers;

the leadership team has strategies in placeto assist teachers to continue to develop

and share deep understandings of howstudents learn subjects/content, includingpre-requisite skills and knowledge,common student misunderstandings anderrors, learning difficulties and effectiveinterventions;

teachers in the school are experts in thefields in which they teach, have high levelsof confidence in teaching in those fieldsand are eager to expand their subjectknowledge to learn how to improve ontheir curren t teaching practices;

the school expects all teachers to be

highly com111itted to the continuousimprovement of their own teaching andto be focused on the development ofknowledge nd skills required to improvestudent learning;

the principal and other school leaders leadnd model professional learning in the

school;

the principal and other school leadersbuild networked school relationshipsthat support leadership development,including principal-principal mentoringrelationships;

school leaders ensure that opportuniti esare created for teachers to work togetherand to lea rn from each other s practices,including through online professionalcommunities;

the school works to ensure the continuityof a culture of collaboration andteamwork over time across cohorts ofteachers;

the school uses agreed formal processes tomanage unsatisfactory performance; and

the school has in place a professionallearning plan nd associated budge t tosupport local and, where appropriate,system priorities.


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OutstandingThe teaching staff of the school are experts in the fields in which they teach and have very high levels of pedagogicalknowledge and skill, including expert knowledge of evidence-based teaching strategies.

Teachers and school leaders take personal and collective responsibility for improving student learning and wellbeing,working together and learning from each other s practices. The sharing and showcasing of best practice are common.In team meetings there is an emphasis on the joint analysis of student work and on teaching strategies for improving

student learning. Teachers collaboratively plan, deliver and review the effectiveness of lessons.School leaders place a very high priority on the ongoing professional learning of all staff and on the development of aschool-wide, self-reflective culture focused on improving classroom teaching.

School leaders participate in professional learning activities, learning alongside teachers, and the school supportsteachers to continue formal study and celebrates professional success.

ighThere is evidence th t the principal a nd o ther school leaders see the development of staff into an expert and coherentschool-wide teaching team s central to improving outcomes for all students.

There is a documented professional learning plan and the school has arrangements in place for mentoring and coaching.Teachers visit each other s classrooms and welcome opportunities to have principals and other school leaders observe

and discuss their work with them.

Attention is paid to strengths and weaknesses in the school-wide team, with strategies in place to recruit staff withparticular expertise, to train staff to address particular needs, and to support staff who find it difficult to commi t to theschool s improvement agenda.

The school provides opportuniti es for teachers to take on leadership roles outside the classroom.

MediumThe school undertakes professional learning activities, although these may not always focus on the development of

knowledge an d skills required to improve student learning and there may not be a coherent, documented learning plan.

The principal nd leadership team are seen s supportive of, but not generally involved in, the day-to-day practice andlearning of teachers.

Teachers are open to constructive feedback nd provide feedback to colleagues, although there may not be formalmentoring or coaching arrangements in place.

The school is implementing a formal process for conducting professional discussions with staff.

The school s professional learning agenda is made explicit to staff at induction, an d in staff handbooks.

Where it is necessary to manage unsatisfactory staff performance, this is done professionally and effectively, and inaccordance with agreed guidelines.

ow

The development of a professional school-wide team does not appear to be a driving consideration of the principalor other school leaders (eg, no reference is made to the National Professional Standards for Teachers, there are no

mentoring arrangements in place, teachers work largely in isolation from one another behi nd closed doors ).

There is little evidence th t school leaders are proactive in the recruitment and retention of staff.

There is little sense of a whole-school coordinated approach to professional learning nd a low priority is given toenhancing staff performance.


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ystematic

curriculumdeliveryThe school has a coherent, sequenced plan for curriculum delivery that ensuresconsistent teaching and learning expectations and a clear reference for monitoringlearning across the year levels.The plan within which evidence-based teachingpractices are embedded, and to which assessment and reporting procedures arealigned has been developed with reference to the Australian Curriculum or otherapproved curriculum and refined collaboratively to provide a shared vision forcurriculum practice. This plan s shared with parents and families.

The assessment of this doma in includesconsideration of the extent to which:

the school has an explicit, coherent,sequenced plan for curriculum deliveryacross the years of school which makesclear what (and when) teachers shouldteach and students should learn;

the plan for curric ulum delivery is sharedwith parents, families and the widercommunity nd feedback is sought onways to make the school curriculumresponsive to local needs;

staff of the school are familiar withand work within the school s sharedcurricu lum expectations;

the curriculum is used as a basis for ongoingstaff discussions about the best ways tomaximise student learning and wellbeing;

school leaders focus attention and energy

on priority curriculum areas and onensuring th at all students are proficientin the basics, as well as on the appropriatekey learning areas in Years 10-12;

the school curriculum includes a strongfocus on the development of crosscurricular skills and attributes such asliteracy, numeracy, information andcommunication technology capability,

critical and creative thinking, personal ndsocial capability, ethical behaviour andintercultural understanding.;

a priority is given to constructing learningexperiences th t are accessible, engagingand challenging for all students, includingthose with particu lar needs;

the school places a priority on making thecurricu lum locally relevant and adopts astrengths-based approach to recognising,valuing and building on students existingknowledge and skills;

assessment processes are aligned wit h thecurriculum nd are designed to clarifylearning intentions, establish whereindividual students are in their learning,diagnose details of student learning ( eggaps in knowledge and understanding) ,and to monitor learning progress acrossthe years of school;

reporting processes are aligned with thecurricu lum and designed to Rrovideparents, families and students themselveswith information about the achievementof curriculum intentions nd progressover time; and

professional development is provided tobuild staff skills in curriculum planningand development.


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OutstandingThe school has a clearly docu mented whole-school plan for cur ricu lum delivery. This plan is aligned with the Australianor other approved curr iculum and, where appropriate, system curriculum documents. The plan makes explicit what(and when) teachers should teach and students should learn. The curricul um delivery plan is being implementedthroughout the school and is shared with parents and the wider community.

A strong alignment has b een achieved between the overall curriculum delivery plan, term and unit plans, classroom

teaching and the regular assessment of student progress in relation to curricul um expectations.Considerable attenti on has b een given to ensuring vertical alignment of the curriculum so that there is continuit y andprogression of learning across the years of school, with teaching in each year buildin g on to and extending learning inprevious years. General capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities are understood, valued and used as active learningstreams for all students.

A high priority in curri culum pl anning is given to the progressive development of students deep understandings ofconcepts, principles and big ideas wit hin learning areas, as well s to the ongoing development of cross-curri cular skillsand attributes, including teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, and the evaluation of information and evidence.

The school places a priority on making the cur riculum locally relevant and accessible to all students and values and builds onto students existing knowledge and varying backgrounds.

ighThe school s curriculum delivery plan identifies curriculum, teaching and learning priorities and requirements. Thecurri culum delivery plan reflects a shared vision (by the school s governing body, principal, schoo l leadership team,and teachers) for the school, and provides a context for delivering the curriculum as detailed in the Australian or otherapproved curricul um and, where relevant, system curriculum documents.

The school curriculum plan and curriculum delivery (including the time allocated to particular learning) balance requirementst dclress ll learning areas, to give priority to English, mathematics and science, and o embed the fundamental skills ofliteracy,numeracy and higher order thinking in ll school subjects.

The school leadership team ensures that the enacted curricu lum remains a focus for discussion among, andcollaboration between, teachers and that the curr icul um plan is the reference against which flexible delivery is designed,assessment tasks are developed and student learning is reported. Curriculum delivery is designed to meet the needs ofthe range of students wi thi n each year level as well as those wi th disabilities and other particular needs.

MediumThe school has a documented p lan for curricu lum delivery that includes year level and term plans, but the progression oflearning from year to year is not lw ys obvious and t he relationship between the pieces of the plan the year, term and unitplans) would benefit from further clarification.

School leaders talk about embedding fundamental cross-curricular skills such s literacy, numeracy and higher orderthinking within all subjects, but there is little evidence that school-wide t r ~ ~ t e g i e sare in place to drive a consistentapproach. Literacy tends to be seen as the responsib ility of English teachers and numeracy, the responsibility ofmathematics teachers.

Discussions about curriculu m delivery tend to be sporadic and reactive with a year level focus rather than being drivenby a leadership team with a whole-school approach.

ow

School leaders and teachers have limited familiarity with national or system-wide curr iculu m documents.

The school may have a documented pl an for curricu lum delivery but there is little evidence that the whole-school pl andrives the lesson plans of individual teachers.

The enacted school curricu lum is not seen as a central concern of all teachers ( eg, it is not a regular topic of conversation,a focus for assessment design or a framework against which stu dent learning is reported).


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ifferentiated

te ching ndle rningThe school places a high priority on ensuring that, in their day-to-day teaching,classroom teachers identify and address the learning needs of individual students,including high-achieving students.Teachers are encouraged and supported tomonitor closely the progress of individuals identify learning difficulties and tailorclassroom activities to levels of readiness and need.


teaching practices across the schoolreflect the belief that, although studentsare at different stages in their learningand may be progressing at differentrates, all students are capable oflearningsuccessfully if motivated and givenappropriate learning opportunities andnecessary support;

teachers work at understanding wherestudents are in their learning - includingtheir curren t knowledge, skills, learningdifficulties and misunderstandings - toidentify starting points for teaching;

teachers work to ensure that all studentsincluding high-achieving students are

appropriately engaged, challenged andextended by designing classroom activitiesto meet studen ts learning needs, levelsof readiness, interests, aspirations andmotivations;

teachers consult with parents and withstudents themselves to ensure thatreasonable adjustments are made to meetthe needs of students with disabilities,including through the development ofindividual learning plans;

teachers closely moni tor the progress ofindividual students and continually adjust

their teaching in response to the progressthat individuals are making;

teachers encourage and assist studentsto moni tor their own learning and to setgoals for future learning;

communication with parents andfamilies provides information aboutwhere students are in their learning,what progress they have made over time,and what they might do to suppor t theirchildren s fur ther learning; and

tailored, early and sustained interventionsare in place for students identified asrequiring additional support, includingstudents re turning to school after a periodof absence/disengagement.


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OutstandingThe school leadership team actively promotes the use of differentiated teaching as a strategy for ensuring that everystudent is engaged nd learning successfully. t is recognised throughout the school that some students require significantadjustments to their learning programs (eg, accelerated programs, special support ) if they are to be optimally engagedand challenged, and individual learning plans have been developed for those students requiring them. Differentiation is apriority of the school and a feature of every teacher s practice.

Regular data on the achievements, progress, strengths and weaknesses of individual students are used in all classrooms tomake judgements bout individual needs, to identify appropriate starting points for teaching and to personalise teachingand learning activities. Reports to parents nd carers include details of how learning opportunities have been tailored toindividual needs and of the progress individuals have made.

ighSchool leaders explicitly encourage teachers to tailor their teaching to s tudent needs and readiness. This includes thesystematic use of assessment ins truments (standardised assessment tasks a nd teacher developed assessment tools) toestablish where individuals are in their learning and to identify skill gaps and misunderstandings. Teachers also areencouraged to res pond to differences in cultural knowledge and experiences and t o cater for individual differences byoffering multiple means of representation, engagement and expression.

Planning shows how the different needs of students are addressed, and how multiple opportunities to learn are provided,

including multiple pathways for transi tion to external studies (eg, apprenticeships) for students in Years 10-12. Studentsworkbooks also illustrate differentiated tasks and feedback.

Reports to parents show progress over time and include suggestions for ways in which parents can support theirchildren s learning.

MediumSchool leaders are commi tted to success for all, but do not drive a strong classroom agenda to assess an d identifyindividual learning needs or to differentiate teaching according to students needs. .

Some use is made of assessment inst ruments to identify individual strengths and weaknesses nd starting points forteaching, but this appears to be at the initiative of individual teachers rather th n a school-wide expectation.

Some use is made of differentiated teaching ( eg differentiated reading groups in the early prim ry years), but in mostclasses teachers teach the same curriculum to all students with similar levels of individual support.

Regular assessments of student learning are undertaken, but these often are summative nd disconnected ( eg, relating todifferent topics) r ather th n exploring long-term progress in students knowledge, skills and understandings over time.

Reports to parents generally do not show progress or provide guidance to parents on actions they might take.

ow

School leaders do not place a high priority on teachers identifying and addressing individual learning needs, but aremore focused on ensuring th t all teachers are teaching the core year level curriculum.

Little or no classroom use is made of assessment instruments to establish starting points for teaching. Assessments t endto be used only to establish summatively how much of the taught content students have learnt.

Teachers tend to teach to the middle of the class, with the expectation th t some students will not master the content,and finding ways to occupy more able students who finish work early.

Reports to parents te nd to be summative reports of how students have performed, with little guidance on what parentsmight do to assist in their children s learning.


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ffective

pedagogicalpracticesThe school principal and other school leaders recognise that highly effectiveteaching s the key to improving student learning throughout the school. Theytake a strong leadership role, encouraging the use of research-based teaching

practices in all classrooms to ensure that every student s engaged, challengedand learning successfully All teachers understand and use effective teachingmethods - including explicit instruction t o maximise student learning


the school leadership team keeps abreastof research on effective teaching practices;

the school leadership team establishesand communicates clear expectationsconcerning the use of effective teaching

strategies throughout the school; school leaders, including the principal,

spend time working with teachers,providing feedback on teaching and, whereappropriate, modelling effective teachingstrategies;

school leaders actively promote a rangeof evidence-based teaching strategies,including;

creating classroom and applied learningenvironments in which all students areengaged, challenged, feel safe to takerisks and are supported to learn

connecting new material to pastlearning an d assisting students to seethe con tinuity in their learning overtime

demonst rating explicitly,what studentsare to do, discussing this with students,and then questioning nd checking thatlearning is occurring

promoting deep learning byemphasising underlying principles,concepts and big ideas th t aredeveloped over time

setting high expectations for everystudent s progress and ambitious targetsfor improving classroom performances

working to build students beliefsin their own capacities to learnsuccessfully and their understandingof the relationship between effort andsuccess

providing regular and timely feedbackto students in forms th t make clearwhat actions individuals can take tomake further learning progress

routinely evaluating the effectiveness ofteaching and using these evaluations tomake adjustments to practice; and

school leaders provide teachers with

ongoing detailed feedback on theirclassroom practices.


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OutstandingThe principal and other school leaders have accepted personal responsibility for driving improvements in teachingthroughout the school. They demonstrate a strong conviction that improved teaching is the key to improved studentlearning and have clear and well-known positions on the kinds of teaching that they wish to see occurring.

All teachers nd leaders are committe d to identifying, understanding and imp lementing better teaching methods, nda high prio rity is given to evidence-based teaching strategies (strategies th t have been demonstrated through research

nd practice to be highly effective).School leaders spend t ime working wi th teachers to improve their teaching practices, including modelling, evaluating

nd providing feedback on classroom teaching.

ighSchool leaders are committed to continuous improvement in teaching practices throughout the school and expect teamleaders and teachers to identify ways of doing this, although the principal and other senior leaders may not themselveshave clear positions on the kinds of teaching they wish to see occurring across the school or be hands on in drivingimproved teaching practices.

There is a particular focus on improved teaching methods in reading, writing, mathematics and science, and professionallearning activities are focused on building teachers understandings of highly effective teaching strategies in these areas.

Clarity about what s tudents are expected to learn and be able to do, high expectations of every student s learning, explicitteaching of skills and content, individualised attention as required, and timely feedback to guide s tudent action are keyelements of the school s push for improved teaching and learning.

MediumSchool leaders are explicit about their desire to see effective teaching occurr ing thr ougho ut the school, but are less clearabout wha t this might look like. They do not appear to be driving a strong agenda to improve and/or enhance teachingpractices across the school, except perhaps indirectly through a focus on school results nd targets. School leaders takea close interest in the school s literacy and numeracy results, but generally do not engage in discussions with staff abouteffective teaching strategies.

Discussions of specific teaching practices are rare nd generally occur only in the context of concerns abou t a teacher sperformance.

There is some clarity about wha t students are expected to learn, but a lack of balance in teaching methods ( eg overreliance on whole-group teaching or very little explicit teaching).

owSchool leaders do not appear to have strong views on the characteristics of highly effective teaching. There is littleevidence that they are driving an agenda to change or enhance teaching practices across the school.

The principal and other school leaders spend very little time on issues related to teaching. Questions of pedagogy appearto be viewed solely as the responsibility of teachers. There is little obvious school-wide discussion or consideration ofhighly effective teaching methods.

There may be a lack of explicitness about what students are expected to know nd be able to do as a result of classroomactivities, very little explicit teaching, limited attention to individual learning needs, or low expectations on the partof teachers tha t all students in the room will master the content of lessons. Classroom activities frequently have theappearance of busywork .


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hool-

communityp rtnershipsThe school actively seeks ways to enhance student learning and wellbeing bypartnering with parents and families, other education and training institutions,local businesses and community organisations. Parents and families are recognised

as integral members of the school community and partners in their children seducation. Partnerships are strategically established to address identified

student needs and operate by providing access to experiences, support andintellectual and or physical resources not available within the school. ll partnersare committed to the common purposes and goals of partnership activities.

Procedures are in place to ensure effective communications and to monitor and

evaluate the intended impacts of the school s partner ships.


the school builds partnerships withparents, families, local businesses andcommunity organisations (includingallied health, family support, counsellingand rehabilitation services) to improveopportunities and outcomes for students;

the school identifies potential communi typartners on the basis of their capacityto contribute to improved studentachievement a nd/or wellbeing;

identified partners are involved incollaborative planning and are committedto the purposes and objectives of the

partnership; the senior leadership teams in the partner

organisations are involved, committedand play a role in achieving staffcommitment and participation withintheir organisations;

there is clarity around pa rtner roles andresponsibilities;

major partnership decisions are madecollaboratively and partnersh ip activitiesare designed to make best use of partnersexpertise;

goals, progress and achievements aresystematically and regularly monitoredand refined as required;

adequate resources are committed toensure the effectiveness and success ofpartnerships;

the school collects evidence to evaluatewhether partnerships are having theirintended impact in improving outcomes

for students; and the school s partnerships are sustainable

and have become an accepted part of theculture of the school community andpartner organisations.


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OutstandingThe school leadership team makes deliberate and strategic use of partnerships wi th families, local businesses andcommuni ty organisations to access intellectual, physical and or other resources not available within the school for thepurposes of improving stud ent outcomes. There is a range of currently operating partnerships, each carefully plannedand designed to enhance student outcomes {for example, to broaden student knowledge, build new skills, developmore positive attitudes, increase engagement levels, create applied learning opportunities for students, or facilitatesuccessful transitions to work or further education or training).

Each partnership has been established in response to an identified need. Considerable effort has been put intounderstanding students' needs, identifying appropriate partners to address those needs, planning the details ofpartnership programs and clarifying partner roles and responsibilities.

Careful consideration has been given to the benefits of the partnership to each participating partner. Explicitprocesses are in place to ensure ongoing and effective communication - sometimes across networks of partners - andthere are documented plans for monitorin g and reviewing the effectiveness of each partnership.

The school's pa rtnerships are being successfully implemented and appear to be adequately resourced and sustainable.There is clear evidence that partnerships are having their intende d impact.

ighThe school has established one or more partnerships with families, local businesses and or community organisationswith the express purpose of improving outcomes for students. Partnerships have generally been initiated by the seniorleadership team and have their support .

Each partnership brings staff and students of the school together with external partne rs such s families, othereducation or training institutions, local businesses and /or communi ty organisations. All part ners have a high level ofunderstand ing of, and commitment to, the purposes of the partnership and clear objectives have been set, expressed interms of improved outcomes for students.

Attention has been given to communication and to the sharing of experiences within the partnership; however, theremay be no formal plan for reviewing the partnership's outcomes and effectiveness.

There is evidence that the school's partnerships are being implemented s intended. However, there may be limitedevidence of improved student outcomes s a result of partnership act ivit ies - possibly because there has been insufficienttime for them to demonstrate an effect.

MediumThe school has external 'partnerships', but rather than being built around a coherent, jointly planned program ofactivities to improve outcomes for students, these 'partnerships ' tend to be mutually convenient arrangements ( eg,exchanges of expertise or the sharing of facilities between institutions or organisations). Such 'partnerships' often areestablished by individual members of staff and have limited whole school suppor t or engagement.

The studen t needs that partnerships are designed to address may not be made explicit and, rather than being carefullyplanned, individual partnerships te nd to be opportuni stic in nature. Communications between partners are largelyunplanned and infrequent.

No plans exist to systematically review the effectiveness of partnerships, which typically are very dependent on the effortsof a small number of individuals and so have limited sustainability.

ow

There is no evidence of planned, deliberate partnerships with other institutions or organisations. Contacts with families,other education and training institutions, local businesses and communi ty organisations, when they occur, are limitedto isolated events. Although references may be made to 'partnerships', these partnerships are not based on collaborativelyplanned programs of activities with clear goals, roles and responsibilities.


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acer national school improvement tool

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