School Strategic Plan 

2018-22

FISO2.0 Core Element:

Leadership

The Panel found that a key school community highlight was the development of a new leadership structure for the school. The panel heard that the school had worked within the typical structure of a current primary school model that has incrementally growing enrolments. The current School Strategic Plan [SSP] started with a newly appointed Assistant Principal, a role that has not been at the school for more than 15 years. As a result of increasing enrolments and strategic use of funding, the school now has two Leading Teachers assigned to developing and monitoring our Literacy & Mathematics curriculums across the school.

The school started 2021 with two teachers in the Primary Mathematics Science Specialists Initiative. This initiative was embraced by all staff, both English and Spanish teachers alike. Providing two teachers outside the classroom to research, mentor, and coach teachers, provoked enormous change. The opportunity to reduce variability within the classroom and across the school was only possible with these two leadership roles. Staff commented to the panel on the impact of this initiative and the changes to practice.

FISO2.0 Core Element:

Choose an item

The panel heard that the school continued to develop and refine its bilingual approach to teaching Spanish Foundation to Year 6 and engaging the Specialists programs – Visual Arts, Music, Performing Arts and Physical Education.

The panel heard that in 2019 the school was recognised by DET officially as a school providing at least 10 hours of learning in Spanish from Foundation to Year 6. This recognition brought significant funding to the school to support bilingual teaching and development. This was seen as a turning point for the school as it allowed it to drive its aspirations to develop Spanish and expand the opportunities for teachers to resource Spanish learning and showcase the benefits to the community.

The school has seen several observable successes:

•           Teacher engagement from non-Spanish teachers has improved, and now they have ‘teaching pairs’ working in Year level teams. This has created greater awareness of language learning for students, professional conversations have improved, and knowledge of language learning informs planning and implementation at the classroom level.

•           Students are more involved in learning Spanish and have embraced the new ‘norm’ of learning through both languages.

•           The community has continued to support the learning of Spanish and has embraced the learning of Spanish. They are beginning to understand that a bilingual approach to education is not a deficit model that delays or hinders learning English.

Newlands has, through this SSP, laid the foundations for creating an exemplary learning environment where a viable Spanish bilingual approach underpins student success.

FISO2.0 Core Element:

Teaching and Learning

Professional planning became a catalyst for the school to develop the Newlands Planning Framework, which is now embedded into the school. The school, in 2022, has its two leading teachers support teams through the Newlands Planning Framework. Teams in 2022 are allocated five hours dedicated to analysing and evaluating data, building a collaborative understanding of the best practice through professional reading, and creating a series of learning experiences in Spanish and English that meets the needs of the students. 

As a part of this process, teams have built their knowledge of assessments, scope and sequences, and curriculum to ensure a consistent understanding of expectations.

The panel saw evidence of the planning model in [place and heard from staff the benefits that this has provided to them in terms of improving their practice.

FISO2.0 Core Element:

Leadership

The panel heard that in 2019 the school created a very clear instructional model that is owned and used by all staff. The panel saw evidence of the Instructional Model visible in the classroom, and members of the schooling community were heard using the language described in the model.

In 2020, senior staff attended the Numeracy BASTOW Initiative. As a result of the learnings that took place during the program, the school led a change/refinement to the instructional model to ensure that the school was embedding evidence-based practices. The school continued to develop and refine its Builders Numeracy Program. 

In 2022, the school refined its literacy program, implementing a new series of learning experiences called the Code. The Code focuses on developing students' understanding of phonics through a systematic synthetic phonics approach alongside explicit teaching of grammar skills. The school has purchased many professional readings and resources for students to support this newly implemented approach.

The panel, during focus group sessions, heard and saw evidence of these models and the impact that they were having on improving learning outcomes. The panel agree that this was a highlight for the school.

Performance against the School Strategic Plan (SSP) goals and targets

SSP Goal 1: 

The 2018–2 School Strategic Plan for Newlands Primary School set a goal to improve all students' literacy and numeracy achievement. The Panel found that the school partially met this goal, with one of the three targets achieved. 

SSP Goal 2:  

The second goal was to improve student engagement in their learning. The Panel found the school did not meet this goal, with all three targets not being achieved. 

SSP Goal 3:

The third goal was to improve student health and wellbeing. The panel found that the school did not meet this goal, with all three targets not being achieved. 

Findings against the Terms of Reference Focus Questions

Terms of Reference Focus Question 1: To what extent do all staff collaborate and feel a shared sense of responsibility for the outcomes of all students?

The Panel found that the school utilised a consistent approach to teaching and learning when delivering the curriculum both in English and Spanish. It was observed that the school’s instructional model had been effective in generating consistencies of practice and that planning had enabled the school to ensure curriculum coverage. At the same time, students also learnt a new language. The Panel determined that further development of teacher knowledge and using other High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) was an opportunity for the school to continue improving student outcomes in literacy and numeracy.

Terms of Reference Focus Question 2: To what extent do student voice and agency support student learning?

The Panel found that school wide student leadership roles were embedded, and work had been undertaken in establishing student voice in decision making. It was noted that student agency was less evident in classrooms. There was a varied understanding of learning goals, goal setting and future learning directions by students.

Terms of Reference Focus Question 3: To what extent is the school wellbeing program known, understood, evaluated, and communicated?

The panel found that the school had strong wellbeing leadership and many wellbeing initiatives in place. Knowledge of the initiatives and how to engage them was varied. The panel recommended developing a whole school leadership group to promote these programs and to look at how these might be timetabled on a regular basis.

The School Review Panel recommends the following key directions for the next SSP:

• Continuing literacy and Numeracy learning integrated with Spanish teaching
• Data usage and curriculum coverage
• Formalised student feedback structures
• Student agency in learning
• Student social and emotional health