Student Goal Setting and Learning Conferences  

Goal Setting  and Learning Conferences 

Educators at Lockleys North Primary School always seek evidence based research to improve student’s learning outcomes.

Evidence shows that supporting students to set personal goals relating to learning behaviours will accelerate their development.  

“When teachers show students how to set mastery goals and show them what success on these goals looks like, there is an increased attention and motivation to succeed, and there is greater success.” Hattie, 2012. 

“Students who invest in their goals, demonstrate greater persistence, creativity and risk-taking in their achievement of those goals.” (Dewett, 2007; Lepper, Greene, & Nisbett,1973)

As part of every lesson, students at LNPS are introduced to clear teacher set goals (learning intentions).  Our staff acknowledges the importance of “Approaches to Learning” to students being able to meet success criteria accompanying these learning intentions.  The “Approaches to Learning”  include: confidence, persistence, organisation, getting along and resilience. 

The purposes of a our Goal Setting and Learning Conference are: 

• joint reflection on the student’s approaches to learning so far, 
• analysis of the impact of this on his/her learning; and 
• the collaborative setting of (next steps) goals between the student, family and teacher/s.  

The purpose of these conferences is not to focus on negative behaviours but rather future thinking - “What WILL support this student to learn at his/her best?”

Goal setting and learning conferences are currently under way at LNPS, with the following format:

Students, family members and teachers:

• Reflect upon strengths and progress regarding the student’s approaches to learning
• Identify areas for growth to improve learning outcomes
• Determine goals for next steps
• Discuss strategies to ensure goals are met
• Discuss literacy and numeracy goals, which will be set and shared by the end of Term 1  

Self-assessment, independent setting of goals and acting upon feedback within a sound, research-based pedagogical framework is proven to up to double achievement over a year of learning.

Throughout 2022, students, teachers and families will strive  together to achieve optimum learning outcomes for all of our students from Reception to Year 6.