School plan 2018-2020Excelsior Public School 1890

Printed on: 19 April, 2018Page 1 of 9 Excelsior Public School 1890 (2018-2020)

School background 2018–2020

School vision statement School context School planning process

At Excelsior Public School we are committed to providingquality teaching and learning programs that foster highideals, high expectations and high achievement.

 

We believe that each child brings a different set ofexperiences, knowledge and skills with them, andunderstanding these is essential to planning their learningpathways. We are looking to develop creative thinkers andproblem solvers and seek to inspire the development ofconfident, independent, resilient and innovative individuals.With this in mind we are seeking to introduce and embed aScience, Technology and Maths based program (STEM)into our school curriculum.

 

 We believe that student learning is underpinned by qualityteaching, high levels of professionalism and commitment.Teacher professional learning and growth is always a focusand along with a supportive and involved community wetake a shared responsibility for student engagement,learning, development and success.

Excelsior Public School is a K–6 school established in1972. We enjoy extensive grounds with a great deal ofopen space, play areas, gardens and trees. We are locatedon a terraced hillside and as a result we have our buildingson different levels from the top of the hill to street level.

 Excelsior Public School is a growing and changinglearning centre with a proud reputation of providing qualityteaching and learning programs resulting in excellentstudent learning outcomes. We foster strong academicresults for all our students as well as delivering currentteacher professional learning for our staff. 

Like many schools in our area we are experiencing growthand change. There will be a new building being built on siteas well as the refurbishment of current buildings, over thenext two years. This will increase student capacity, initiallyto 690 as well as create staff growth both teaching andnon–teaching. It will impact on the playground space aswell.

 We are working towards building a learning environmentbased on collaboration, innovative, critical and creativethinking where our students and staff will be responsiblelearners and reflect on their work to build future success.

 Our school population comprises approximately 520students from Kindergarten to Year 6, with 58% of ourstudents having a non–English speaking background,predominantly Chinese, Korean and students from Indiancultures. Our enrolment is growing each year with anadditional class being formed in 2017 to total 21 classes.We will grow to 22 classes in 2018.

 The school NSW FOEI (family occupation andemployment index) is 19 which is well below the average of100.

 Our school is strengthening its K–6 ethos and workinghard to build on the strong academic performances that wealready enjoy. As well as this we are striving to furtherdevelop resilience and a sense of well–being for ourstudents, staff and community.  

The 2018–2020 school plan has been underpinned by:

• The Melbourne Declaration

• NESA syllabus documents

• School Excellence Framework – Version 2

• DoE policy requirements such as the Performanceand Development Framework.

• The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

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all of which identify the essential skills and abilities forstudents and staff. The alignment of these documentscreates a strong basis for what we would like to achieve aseducators and links to the notion that the quality of stafflearning will impact on the quality of student learning.

Our school plan was developed in strong consultation withthe staff and community as a result of:

• Print surveys of staff, students and community relatingto our expansion project,

• Staff analysis of our school achievements related tothe School Excellence Framework – Version 2,

• P and C online surveys linked to current programs andsystems that were felt should be kept, changed ordeleted, communication between school and home,and school programs and practices,

• Adherence to a cycle of school evaluation that islinked to our targets and Annual School Report,

• A team based approach to evaluation which consistsof school executive, teaching staff and parentrepresentatives,

• A review of school performance data, using bothinternal and external measures of achievementagainst performance targets.

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School strategic directions 2018–2020

STRATEGICDIRECTION 1

STUDENT PERFORMANCEAND CAPACITY GROWTH

STRATEGICDIRECTION 2

QUALITY TEACHING LINKEDTO PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

STRATEGICDIRECTION 3

INSTRUCTIONALLEADERSHIP SUPPORTING

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH ANDCOMMUNTIY ENGAGEMENT

Purpose:

To provide a learning environment, incorporating visiblelearning that fosters communicative, collaborative, creative,critical and innovative thinking within a framework of solidfoundations in Literacy and Numeracy skills. Our studentswill engage strongly in their own learning and, inpartnership with teachers, will develop an individuallearning path toward their learning success. They will beactively involved in self–reflection in order to makesuccessful transitions to future learning.

Inclusivity underpins the provision of welfare structures thatwill enhance the resilience and well–being of all thestakeholders that form our school.

Purpose:

To provide a responsive curriculum to meet the diverseneeds of present and future students. We aim to provide aworking environment where teachers are stronglycommitted to improving teacher practice in order to improvethe learning outcomes. Teachers will work individually,collaboratively and at a whole school level, to evaluate theeffectiveness of their teaching practice with links to theTeaching Standards. Teaching and learning programs andassociated assessment plans will be evidence based anddata informed. We will aim to provide a transparentlearning culture, incorporating student learning goals aswell as observations of each other’s practice.

Purpose:

To provide strong, strategic and effective leadership thatwill enable a self–sustaining and self–improving learningcommunity. We will aim for quality instructional leadershipthat is committed to the development of future leaders.

We aim to be responsive to our school community andembed a culture of high expectations. We will regularlyseek and address community feedback from allstakeholders in order tobuild a cohesive educationalcommunity.

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Strategic Direction 1: STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND CAPACITY GROWTH

Purpose

To provide a learning environment,incorporating visible learning that fosterscommunicative, collaborative, creative,critical and innovative thinking within aframework of solid foundations in Literacyand Numeracy skills. Our students willengage strongly in their own learning and,in partnership with teachers, will develop anindividual learning path toward theirlearning success. They will be activelyinvolved in self–reflection in order to makesuccessful transitions to future learning.

Inclusivity underpins the provision ofwelfare structures that will enhance theresilience and well–being of all thestakeholders that form our school.

Improvement Measures

• School based achievement data willshow 8% growth in students reachingabove grade expectations in literacyand numeracy over a three (3) yearperiod.

• NAPLAN data will show an 8% increasein students achieving proficient bands inreading writing and numeracy.

• Value added measures will increase byone level in years K to 7.

• Students will show evidence ofachievement of their learning goals.

People

Students

• Will be responsive to teacher feedbackto improve their own outcomes.

• Understand and set meaningful andachievable learning goals andself–assess

• Engage in inquiry based andcollaborative learning utilising the 8learning modes across all curriculumareas.

• Comply with usage guidelines tocollaborate and reflect on their ownwork and the work of others.

• Build Design & Production and DigitalTechnology skills to solve real worldproblems, to engage with authentictasks and to work collaboratively inteams.

Staff

• Teachers provide opportunities forstudents to work in collaborative groupsand to problem solve.

• Design assessment tasks to align withwhole school assessment strategy.

• Engage students in authentic rich andopen–ended design challenges.

Parents/Carers

• Have a shared understanding of FutureFocused Learning in a variety oflearning spaces.

• Understand what, why and howstudents are learning STEM. 

Leaders

• Provide teacher professional learning to

Processes

• Teaching and learning programs willinclude opportunities for highlyengaging, inquiry based learningincorporating STEM

• Implement processes to allow studentsto set their learning goals based on selfassessment, quality feedback andreflection in order to self direct furtherapplication.

• Build the capacity of students to take anactive role in their learning and todevelop a growth mindset.

• Embed extension (XT) differentiationand opportunities in all classes whilststill continuing our XT program intargeted learning areas.

• Develop a whole school assessmentstrategy that is reflected in teaching andlearning programs. Assessment taskswill be designed to match scope andsequences and centrally stored.

• Students and parents/carers understandthe assessment approaches.

• Teachers design 'Bump It Up Walls'(BIUW) incorporating success criteria tomatch group and individual needs.Students use these to assist in settingtheir learning goals.

• Reporting practices will be refined toreflect collective decisions related tostudent learning.

Evaluation Plan

Practices and Products

Practices

•  Our school has systematic and reliableassessment information to evaluatestudent learning over time andimplements changes in teaching thatleads to measurable improvement.

• Students will be skilful users oftechnology and incorporate its use asan intrinsic part of learning in a futurefocused environment.

• Students will be resilient and adaptablelearners who can respond to theopportunities and demands of changingto a future focused learningenvironment.

• Students will use a common process torecord, reflect and self assess theachievement of aspirational learninggoals.

• Students' goals will be shared andmonitored at home to strengthenpartnerships in student learning.

Products

• School based achievement data willshow 8% growth in students reachingabove grade expectations in literacyand numeracy over a three (3) yearperiod.

• NAPLAN data will show an 8% increasein students achieving proficient bands inreading writing and numeracy.

• Value added measures will increase byone level in years K to 7.

• Students will show evidence ofachievement of their learning goals.

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Strategic Direction 1: STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND CAPACITY GROWTH

People

support high quality, engaging teachingand learning programs that reflect futurefocused pedagogy.

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Strategic Direction 2: QUALITY TEACHING LINKED TO PROFESSIONALGROWTH

Purpose

To provide a responsive curriculum to meetthe diverse needs of present and futurestudents. We aim to provide a workingenvironment where teachers are stronglycommitted to improving teacher practice inorder to improve the learning outcomes.Teachers will work individually,collaboratively and at a whole school level,to evaluate the effectiveness of theirteaching practice with links to the TeachingStandards. Teaching and learningprograms and associated assessmentplans will be evidence based and datainformed. We will aim to provide atransparent learning culture, incorporatingstudent learning goals as well asobservations of each other’s practice.

Improvement Measures

• All teaching & learning programs willreflect current NESA syllabi and will becollaboratively planned and deliveredfor a future focused learningenvironment.

• Scope and sequences and units of workwill include inquiry based lessons toprepare for the future learning spaces.

• The school's assessment and reportingpolicy will outline our methods ofcollecting data to monitor studentprogress and inform future teaching.

People

Staff

• Deliver teaching and learning programsthat incorporate STEM, visible learningand future focused pedagogy.

• Implement and Inquiry based learningprograms that reflect the 8 modes oflearning, utilising spaces effectively.

• Give effective feedback to enhance theachievement of learning goals.

Leaders

• Ensure all mandatory requirements andaccountability standards are met.

• Actively monitor and provideopportunities for staff to meet theirprofessional goals.

Parents/Carers

• Understand and engage with children'slearning and goal setting.

Processes

• Provide professional learning related tochanges in NESA curriculumdocuments. 

• Re–evaluate school scope andsequence documents in order to alignwith NESA requirements.

• Implement a common school wide, webbased application for the collaborativeplanning and organisational tasks inteam or focus groups.

• Teachers establish classroom practicesthat will allow for quality feedback totheir students in order to monitor andevaluate the achievement of learninggoals.

• Teachers collaborate to refinetheir assessment andreporting practices to reflect a sharedresponsibility for all learners in an openenvironment.

• Administrative and pastoral carepractices will be developed so that allstake holders have a sharedunderstanding of requiredaccountabilities and responsibilities toensure that every child is known..

• Teaching and learning programs will bemonitored and reflect the inclusion ofinquiry based learning and STEMpedagogy.

• A 'focus group' model will be used todevelop and refine new initiatives andtheir implementation across the school.

• All school documentation, includingscope and sequences, programs andadministration, will be centrally storedfor whole school use.

Practices and Products

Practices

• Teachers have knowledge and are ableto show the use of the 8 learning modesin their teaching and learning programs.

• Staff will monitor and analyse studentachievement data and be responsive totrends in student achievement. 

• Teachers will actively evaluate, shareand discuss their learning from targetedprofessional development related totheir PDP's in order to continually buildtheir capacity to adapt their pedagogyfor today's learners.

• Teaching and learning programs areconsistent and reflect deep knowledgeof evidence based practices and currentNESA syllabi. 

Products

• All teaching & learning programs willreflect current NESA syllabi and will becollaboratively planned and deliveredfor a future focused learningenvironment.

• Scope and sequences and units of workwill include inquiry based lessons toprepare for the future learning spaces.

• The school's assessment and reportingpolicy will outline our methods ofcollecting data to monitor studentprogress and inform future teaching.

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Strategic Direction 2: QUALITY TEACHING LINKED TO PROFESSIONALGROWTH

ProcessesEvaluation Plan

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Strategic Direction 3: INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP SUPPORTINGSUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND COMMUNTIY ENGAGEMENT

Purpose

To provide strong, strategic and effectiveleadership that will enable a self–sustainingand self–improving learning community.We will aim for quality instructionalleadership that is committed to thedevelopment of future leaders.

We aim to be responsive to our schoolcommunity and embed a culture of highexpectations. We will regularly seek andaddress community feedback from allstakeholders in order tobuild a cohesiveeducational community.

Improvement Measures

• A clear and visible processes are inplace to both solicit  and addressfeedback on school performance for allstakeholders.

• A model of distributive leadership will bedeveloped where instructional leaderswill build the capacity of others.

• The leadership team supports thedevelopment of teaching andnon–teaching staff to proactively seek toimprove performance.

• There is a whole school approach toimproving service delivery and customerexperience.

• The leadership team takes a creativeapproach to use of the physicalenvironment to ensure that it optimiseslearning, within the constraints of theschool design and setting.

People

Staff

• Staff use instructional leadership skillsto mentor others through team teaching,modelling and TPL sessions.

Leaders

• Instructional Leaders model bestpractice to deliver future focusedlearning programs.

• Ensure programs are fully resourced.

Parents/Carers

• Engage in community consultationregarding the future focusedteaching/learning programs and spacesresults in well informed, supportive,actively involved parents.

Students

• take on leadership roles to demonstratetheir learning to a wider audience.

Processes

• Mentor and support teachers in theimplementation of new pedagogy.

• Staff will have broad opportunities totake on the role of instructional leaderand to use their expertise to buildcollective teacher efficacy.  

• A variety of ways will be used, eg webbased surveys, forums and workshops,to gather ideas and feedback form allstakeholders.

• Provide opportunities to enable staffleaders to share expertise to developothers, build capacity and sustain aculture of ongoing improvement.

• Expert technological skills andresources are shared with colleagues toimprove teaching and learning.

• All staff are engaged in the planning oftimelines and milestones in orderto reach school targets to effectivelyimplement the school plan.

Evaluation Plan

Practices and Products

Practices

• A variety of methods will be used toboth involve and inform the communityin management practices andprocesses surrounding school growthand change

• Teacher professional learning (TPL)surrounding technology and its regularuse in the classroom will be included inthe TPL plan for the school.

• A hierarchy of distributed leadership willbe embedded and understood.

• A more sophisticatedschool communication system will bedeveloped and implemented to betterconnect with our community.

• All staff will be responsive and adapt tothe physical changes and constraintsthat will occur in order to enhance andmaintain the learning and wellbeing ofall stakeholders.

Products

• A clear and visible processes are inplace to both solicit  and addressfeedback on school performance for allstakeholders.

• A model of distributive leadership will bedeveloped where instructional leaderswill build the capacity of others.

• The leadership team supports thedevelopment of teaching andnon–teaching staff to proactively seek toimprove performance.

• There is a whole school approach toimproving service delivery and customerexperience.

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Strategic Direction 3: INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP SUPPORTINGSUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND COMMUNTIY ENGAGEMENT

Practices and Products

• The leadership team takes a creativeapproach to use of the physicalenvironment to ensure that it optimiseslearning, within the constraints of theschool design and setting.

Printed on: 19 April, 2018Page 9 of 9 Excelsior Public School 1890 (2018-2020)