External Validation and Matchsticks!

External Validation

Last term our school participated in a process called External Validation. This process is undertaken by all schools, basically to see how well the school is doing its job! The Principal and staff examine certain areas, such as Wellbeing, Effective Classroom Practice and Learning Culture and then collect and present data to show what is being done and how it is done in our school. An independent team then meet with school staff and comment on and validate what the school is doing.

Of the fourteen areas the school examined, it was determined that we were Delivering the required services at the expected standard in ten areas (such as Management Practices and Processes and Reporting). In four of the areas, we were Sustaining and Growing in our practice (areas of Curriculum and Assessment, for example). 

The outcome of this process is that we are able to reflect on our achievements more clearly and then see areas that we can improve in or focus on. The team assessing our school were very happy with the data produced and agreed with our analysis of where the school is sitting with reference to the Schools Excellence Framework. It was a labour intensive, but ultimately valuable process.

Matchstick Art

A couple of weeks ago we did a bit of cleaning and sorting out in our storerooms and during that process rediscovered a large number of plain and coloured matchsticks… A very large number… So, what can you do with hundreds, perhaps thousands of matchsticks I hear you ask? Why Art of course!

As usual, the children took the idea and off they went, designing 2D and 3D creations ranging from words made from matchsticks, to buildings, to rafts complete with oars! Many of the students also discovered the joy of attempting to glue your fingers together with wood glue, but thankfully failed in that little venture… It’s all about discovery and learning after all!