Francis Thompson - Principal Intern

UP Principal Internship

Warm greetings my name is Francis Thompson and I have been fortunate to undertake an enthralling Principal Internship at McClelland College this term. 

Mr Ferra is an exceptional educational leader who is adept at ‘putting himself in some one else’s shoes’ and has consistently modelled high expectations, empathy, inclusion, transparency and genuine respect for all.  This school culture then pervades through the Principal team, School Leaders and all staff.  I have been impressed with the genuine commitment from school leaders to the schools vision of “Education by Design” and have witnessed many dedicated staff and students working together to develop Personalised Learning Programmes that build on students’ individual strengths. 

SWPB

The School Wide Positive Behaviour (SWPB) focus has also been inspiring.  From the moment I first arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a teacher using positive language to address a student who was not doing the “right” thing.  The conversation ended with the teacher thanking the student for listening respectfully.  I have witnessed many staff interacting in this same calm, positive manner with students and one another.  MCC really values respectful relationships and all staff work diligently and mindfully to model this expectation on a day to day basis.  This is just one of the many “different” things MCC does to ensure staff get to know all of the students and value them as individuals.  This is just another sign of a high achieving school. 

Personalised Reading Support

During my internship I have led a process to redesign the Accelerated Reading initiative, which will begin next term.  NAPLAN data, and recent assessments indicate that we need to provide more support for some students to improve their academic reading so they are able to fully engage with the secondary curriculum.  A team of literacy experts within the school was identified to research, develop and redesign the support we offer in reading.  We have found an approach that will help us to boost reading in a short period of time.  We are really excited about working with some students on this.  We are looking for a select group of students in Year 7 who are willing to participate and commit to improving their reading levels.  The course will be targeted, short and intensive. Students would be really well supported with 1:1 and small group tuition that is personalised to meet their needs.  The whole school is supporting this project.  We have created a beautiful new space and have bought thousands of new and interesting books that we can’t wait to share. We see this as an opportunity for students to build on the skills they already have and practise them so they are a confident and effective reader across a range of learning areas.  The teachers can’t wait to work with you!  The Accelerated reading team includes Mrs Henderson, Mrs Crerar and Mrs Bucher. I have been genuinely impressed with the school wide support for this programme and the inclusive processes that are used before any new initiatives are undertaken.  Another perfect example of personalised learning designed at MCC.

Community, Ownership and Growth

I am indebted to Mr Ferra and his Principal Team that have allowed me to enjoy a memorable internship with many highlights.  My thanks also to all the staff for welcoming me and sharing ideas.  MCC is certainly a “hidden gem”, that is full of caring and dedicated staff who work collectively to support students and the school values of community, ownership and growth.  The schools commitment to ‘Personalised Learning’ and ‘Education by Design’ is something to be celebrated and is an enviable asset to any school.  In my professional opinion MCC does provide a framework that genuinely enables students to design their own future and will certainly enable students to leave here with a clear vocational or tertiary pathway in place.  Teachers teach students here, not subjects and I have witnessed that numerous times during my internship.  Education by design or default?  I know what I’d choose!