2023 School Review

The Department of Education (DE) conducts reviews of schools every 4-5 years. This rigorous process is conducted by the Victorian Registration & Qualifications Authority (VRQA) and the evaluation is completed with support from a DE appointed external reviewer. The school review supports each school to differentiate its improvement journey by building on current strengths and assisting it to respond to challenges. It emphasises continuous improvement and affirms that every student, no matter their background or circumstances, has a right to learn in a school committed to improvement. It maintains that every school can improve.  

The review:

• welcomes school community participation in the review
• embraces the input of experts from both within and beyond the school
• forges links between evidence, school review, and strategic and annual planning
• seeks multiple perspectives, engagement with the whole school community and openness to challenge for improvement
• celebrates strengths and achievements.

The result of this is the development of the School Strategic Plan (SSP).

This page of our website will be dedicated to the sharing of information about our school which I hope will help inform the consultation process to take place over Term 1 of 2020 and leading into our Review in Term 2 of 2020. Through this page you will be able to access a range of documents including:

• Reports related to the school’s academic achievement
• Reports detailing the results of surveys of key stake holders including students, parents and teachers
• School policy documents which are also looked at as part of the Review.

If you have any questions about this process please feel free to contact me via the School Office.

From the 2023 parent survey for the school review....

If you could change one thing about our school, what would it be?

• School interviews – the first interview is conducted before the teacher has the opportunity to know the child and the second interview is with the child, therefore it’s difficult to raise certain queries (as the child is there).  Therefore would be great to have an interview that is just parent and teacher but not too early
• More students but I know you wish for this too!
• We’d love to see if a school could offer a gymnastic program as well
• One thing that could be changed would be when a student receives an award, a courtesy call to the parents to come watch assembly would be great!
• Add a bike shed so that students can commute by bike.
• Make school to participate in more out of school academic and art competitions and festivals
• I am not sure if this is feasible given the smaller size of the school, but a school production annually would be good to give more opportunities to the children to participate.
• Less teacher changes or interruptions.  We have had a few teacher or specialist changes over the years and while the reasons for change are understandable, the kids do take a while to respond, though kids are pretty resilient and adaptable.
• Fitness and sporting programs.  Encourage teamwork and team building.  Communicate with each other in a team environment.
• Reducing the rewards focus on learning.  The goal setting and values are great but often lead to extrinsic payoff instead of satisfaction of reaching goal.
• Single communication channel – currently received through newsletter, emails, Schoolstream, handouts, PFA …
• Inquiry learning approach focussing on thinking skills, public speaking program.
• Upgrade some instruments in music class
• To complete the renovation faster
• Alternate Performing Arts with a 6 month music program (instruments and voice)
• Would love to have one portal for all information, ie., newsletters within Schoolstream. 
• Would like to see more engagement from more parents in Council and PFA – seems to be the usual suspects.
• Add more specialist music/instrument classes with specialist teachers.
• Add more sporting facilities to the school grounds, eg., a track in the oval area.

What would you like to see our school doing well in the next four years?

• Increased enrolment
• Increased participation and opportunities outside the school, eg. Kids who excel in certain areas have opportunity to partake in camps/programs outside school
• Student learning and wellbeing
• I would like to see the kitchen garden program return to it’s previous schedule, one kitchen session and one garden session each week.
• Mindfulness practices being incorporated into daily routine.
• Appreciate the current facilities.  Hopefully the school could excel more in academic and non-academic activities.
• Continue to thrive and excel in all areas – as you are already doing!
• Continue doing what you are doing well
• Doing more kitchen and garden programs and activities.  Get involved in environmental projects.
• Doing student talent show for families and friends
• Maintaining that very special community culture – we are all living in one caring community and encourage each other to learn well in a positive environment.
• Continue with its own values and beliefs and involvement with the families.
• Increase music programs.
• Continuing to build on individualised programs for kids. Extending kids who are naturally gifted academically, musically, STEAM, etc (within school rather than external providers like Fast Learners).
• Wellbeing programs that can be brought home too.
• Excursions and incursions
• Better classrooms and more facilities
• Participating in more maths activities and science incursions/excursions
• Continued focus on physical activity, eg., encouraging children to walk to school, better soccer nets, gaga pit, down ball, elastics
• For the school to grow it’s numbers of students and even expand into high school.
• The school is hidden and needs it’s promotion to be high.