Strategic Improvement Plan

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Strategic Improvement Plan 2021-2024

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School vision and context

School vision statement

School context

Every student's social and academic potential is fostered through high expectations, best teaching practices and strong relationships.

Warwick Farm Public School is a small, culturally diverse government public school in South Western Sydney with approximately 214 students. Our community is transient as indicated by a high mobility rate and our families represent over 40 nationalities. 4.6% of our students identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and 77% of our students come from families identified as having a Language Background other than English.

In 2021, Mainsbridge School will be relocating to their new location directly behind our school. A shared school multipurpose hall and joint use of a sporting field will enhance the recently upgraded library and community room located on the school grounds.

The school currently has 9 stage-based regular classes taught by a mix of early career and experienced staff members who are focused on delivering student focused evidence-based teaching programs to improve student learning outcomes. We have a small number of specialist teachers at the school to cater for the broad range of needs within our community. These teachers include an English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) and a Learning and Support Teacher. The school executive team consists of an Instructional Leader, two Assistant Principals and an Assistant Principal, Learning and Support. The school is also the base for the Liverpool Vision Team and the Senior School Psychologist. The school has strong community connections. We collaborate with other schools through our Community of Schools and projects such as The Attendance Project. We support our students through working with community organisations such as Liverpool Neighbourhood Connections and South West Connect. All stakeholders contribute and strive towards achieving our school vision.

The school has a Family Occupation and Education Index of 141 and an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage of 945. The school uses its equity funding to support a diverse range of student needs, both through staffing allocation such as an Assistant Principal Learning and Support and a Community Liaison Officer; and specialist programs such as Macqlit and PCIT (Parent Child Interaction Therapy).

As a result of a rigorous Situational Analysis and community consultation, the school has identified that the focus for our 2021-24 Strategic Improvement Plan centres around:

1. Improvement through Student Attainment and Growth. Through collaboration and using data informed practices, we will achieve at or above system and school negotiated targets, in terms of student achievement.

2. Improvement through Strong Relationships. Through our 'belonging' initiatives we will strengthen our community partnerships, family engagement and student

connectedness to the school. We will also provide targeted strategies to grow student self-efficacy and self-regulation.

3. Improvement through Effective Practices. Through our narrow and deep focus on quality teaching practices and expertise and innovation, we will ensure that our improvement measures are met across the 2021-24 Strategic Improvement Plan.

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Strategic Direction 1: Student growth and attainment

Purpose

To ensure continued growth in student learning through explicit, consistent and evidence-based teaching as a result of collaboration and effective use of data.

Improvement measures

Target year: 2022

Increase the proportion of students achieving in the top 2 NAPLAN numeracy bands by 3%.

Increase the proportion of students achieving in the top 2 NAPLAN reading bands by 3%.

Increase the percentage of students achieving expected growth in NAPLAN numeracy by 6.4%.

Increase the percentage of students achieving expected growth in NAPLAN reading by 5.6%.

At least 90% of students in Years 2-6 will demonstrate growth when comparing the start to the end of year scale score in the Progressive Achievement Test (PAT) in numeracy.

80% of K-6 students achieve stage appropriate reading levels.

An improvement in the Elements of Assessment and Data Skills and Use to the level of Excelling as measured by the School

Initiatives

Collaboration

To embed explicit systems for collaboration that facilitate professional dialogue through continuous, coherent and applied professional learning .

• Systematic and adaptive planning of literacy and numeracy with a focus on differentiation. • High impact professional learning on the use of

literacy and numeracy progressions, English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) progressions and the High Potential And Gifted Policy to

understand and differentiate learning.

• Co-construction of quality literacy and numeracy teaching and learning programs.

• Collaboratively evaluate teaching and learning programs using evidence, including feedback from students and student assessment data to inform planning.

Data Driven Change

To develop consistent school-wide practices for assessment, which are underpinned by teachers deep knowledge of data informed practice, so that student achievements and progress is identified. Teaching effectiveness is reflected upon and future school directions are evidence-based.

• Whole school protocols for using data to inform and drive change, such as Data Wise are developed and embedded in all teacher practices.

• School wide expectation that all students will have continually updated, meaningful learning goals informed by analysis of internal and external student progress and achievement data.

• Development of consistent processes to collect, review and adapt practices to ensure reliable formative and summative assessment tasks are embedded in classroom instruction and programs. • Formative assessment and all its visible components

Success criteria for this strategic direction

The school has identified what growth is expected for each student and students are achieving higher than expected growth on internal school progress and achievement data. (L:SPM:StudentGrowth:E) All lessons are systematically planned as part of a coherent program that has been collaboratively designed. Accommodations and adjustments are made to suit needs as they arise. Lesson planning references student information including progress and achievement data, curriculum requirements, and student feedback, and provides continuous improvement for all students, across the full range of abilities.. (T:ECP:LessonPlanning:E) The school uses embedded and explicit systems that facilitate professional dialogue, collaboration, classroom observation, the modelling of effective practice and the provision of specific and timely feedback between teachers. This drives ongoing, school wide improvement in teaching practice and student results.

(T:L&D:Collaboration:E)

The learning goals for students are informed by analysis of internal and external student progress and

achievement data. Progress towards goals is monitored through collection of quality, valid and reliable data. (T:DSU:DataAnalysis: E)

Teaching and learning programs across the school show evidence that they are adjusted to address individual student needs, ensuring that all students are challenged and all adjustments lead to improved learning. Teachers involve students and parents in planning to support learning, and share expected outcomes..

(L:C:Differentiation:E)

Evaluation plan for this strategic direction

Question: To what extent have we achieved our purpose

and can demonstrate impact and improvement of student outcomes by using consistent, data driven assessment processes?

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Strategic Direction 1: Student growth and attainment

Initiatives

are integrated into all teaching and learning programs.

Evaluation plan for this strategic direction

Data: The school will use the following data sources to

regularly analyse the effectiveness of the initiatives in achieving the purpose and improvement measures of the strategic direction. This analysis will guide the school's future directions:

• NAPLAN data • Scout data

• Student work samples

• Literacy and numeracy PLAN2 data • Student PLPs

• Student focus groups • SEF SaS

• High Potential and Gifted Education Assessment Tool

• EAL/D Learning Progressions

Analysis:

Data is analysed and triangulated regularly to determine the extent to which the purpose and improvement measures have been achieved.

Implications:

Rigorous analysis of the data to determine impact will guide both ongoing implementation as well as future school planning to provide continuous improvement, ensuring students grow in their learning.

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Strategic Direction 2: Strong Relationships

Purpose

To ensure our teachers, families and other stakeholders collaboratively meet the cognitive, emotional, social, physical and spiritual needs of all students through a targeted approach to well being and engagement.

Improvement measures

Increased (uplift) percentage of students attending school more than 90% of the time by 3.7% or above.

Tell Them From Me Well being data (advocacy, belonging, expectations) improves by 2.7%.

Improvement in the theme of Learning Culture in the elements of High Expectations, Transitions and Continuity of Learning and Attendance to the level of Excelling as measured by the School Excellence Framework.

Achieve a sustaining in the dimension of 'Connecting Learning at Home and at School' as measured by the School Assessment Tool Reflection Matrix by the Family-School Partnerships Framework.

Initiatives

Belonging

To embed a school wide culture that nurtures a strong sense of belonging so that students, teachers and families can thrive.

• Regularly review and refine procedures for monitoring attendance.

• Strengthen partnerships with parents and relevant external agencies and program providers such as University of NSW Parent and Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) to promote learning and well being. • Promote authentic parent engagement in student

learning through informal and formal collaboration. • Embedded processes that ensure continuity of

learning for all students transitioning in and out of our school.

Self Efficacy

To build a school culture, underpinned by research informed practices, that support strong student self efficacy.

• Consistent approach to goal setting practices including literacy and numeracy for all students across the school.

• School wide, collective responsibility in targeting individual student self efficacy.

• Students are explicitly taught strategies to form strong relationships and respond respectfully to peers, teachers and community members.

Success criteria for this strategic direction

The whole school community demonstrates aspirational expectations of learning progress and achievement for all students, and is committed to the pursuit of excellence. (L;LC;High Expectations;E)

Effective partnerships in learning with parents and students mean students are motivated to deliver their best and continually improve.

The school engages in strong collaboration between parents, students and the community that inform and support continuity of learning for all students at transition points, including highly mobile students and students with atypical enrolment. (L;LC;Transitions & Continuity of Learning;E)

Teachers, parents and the community work together to support consistent and systematic processes, that ensure student absences do not impact on learning outcomes. (L;LC;Attendance; E)

Evaluation plan for this strategic direction

Question: To what extent have we achieved our purpose

and can demonstrate our impact and improvement of student outcomes through a whole school targeted approach to well being and engagement?

Data:

• Attendance data

• Student, teacher and parent surveys • Tell Them From Me survey

• School Assessment Tool matrix • Student Well being Sentral data

Analysis:

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Strategic Direction 2: Strong Relationships

Evaluation plan for this strategic direction

Implications:

Rigorous analysis of the data to determine impact will guide both ongoing implementation

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Strategic Direction 3: Effective Practices

Purpose

To ensure that all students thrive through effective teaching, assessment and wellbeing practices that are sustained through whole school high expectations, embedded processes and resourced systems.

Improvement measures

An improvement in the elements of Professional Standards and Literacy and Numeracy focus to the level of Excelling as measured by the School Excellence Framework.

An improvement in three or more elements to the level of excelling as measured against the High Impact

Professional Learning (HIPL)School self-assessment tool.

An improvement in the theme of 'Expertise and

Innovation' in the element of Learning and Development to the level of excelling as measured by the School Excellence Framework.

An increase in the number of teachers performing at Highly Accomplished or Lead in the domain of

Professional Practice as indicated by the NSW Education Standards Authority, Australian Professional Teaching Standards for Teachers.

80% students achieve stage benchmarks in Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social capability as measured by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, General Capability Continuum.

Initiatives

Quality Teaching

To ensure teachers have the capacity to identify, understand and implement the most effective explicit teaching methods, giving highest priority to evidence-based teaching strategies through;

• Strategic resourcing decisions to enable planning and programming ensuring collaborative and applied professional learning strengthen teaching practice. • Consistent use of feedback (teacher to teacher,

teacher to student and student to student) to drive individual improvement and achievement of personal goals.

• Increase the intellectual rigour of content students are taught by increasing the skill and knowledge that teachers bring to the teaching of that content. • Whole school and inter school strategies such as

Lesson Study and Instructional Learning Rounds that ensure the ongoing development and improvement of all teachers.

Expertise and Innovation

To ensure all teachers have expert contemporary content and pedagogical knowledge across key learning areas and the general capabilities .in an environment supportive of innovation.

• Embedded processes to develop, demonstrate and share a wide range of expertise within and beyond the school

• Technology is authentically integrated across all key learning areas to support and enhance learning. • Whole school commitment to ensure students are

supported to develop strong personal responsibilities for their own learning and their individual

contributions to our learning community.

• Build a culture of purposeful and planned risk taking to encourage innovation in teaching so that students

Success criteria for this strategic direction

The school has a high performing teaching staff as measured against the Australian Professional Standards, whose capacities are continually built to ensure every student experiences high quality teaching.

(T:PS:Improvement of Practice:E)

All teachers understand and explicitly teach literacy and numeracy to students at all levels of achievement, in all subject areas, with success that can be measured by improved student progress and achievement data. (T:PS:Literacy and Numeracy Focus:E)

Teaching staff demonstrate and share their expertise within their school and with other schools. All teachers have expert contemporary content knowledge and deploy effective teaching strategies. The school trials innovative practices and has processes in place to evaluate, refine and scale success. (T:L&D:Expertise&Innovation:E) A whole school approach ensures the most effective evidence-based teaching methods optimise learning progress for all students, across the full range of abilities. Teachers employ evidence-based effective teaching strategies. Effective methods are identified, promoted and modelled, and students' learning improvement is

monitored, demonstrating growth. (T;ECP;Explicit Teaching;E)

Technology that supports learning is available and expertly integrated into leassons by teachers. Administrative staff are expert users of available technology and systems. (L;SR;Technology;E)

Evaluation plan for this strategic direction

Question:

To what extent have we achieved our purpose and can demonstrate impact and improvement of student outcomes through quality teaching practices that embed expertise and innovation?

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Strategic Direction 3: Effective Practices

Initiatives

can achieve general capabilities expectations.

Evaluation plan for this strategic direction

• General Capabilities Continuum (acara) • Teaching and learning programs

• Australian Professional Teaching Standards for Teachers

• Student focus groups

• School Excellence Framework annual evauluation • Professional Development Plan (PDP) reviews • Staff focus groups to evaluate systems and

processes

• Data of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use of hardware and software

Analysis:

Implications:

Rigorous analysis of the data to determine impact will guide both ongoing implementation as well as future school planning to provide continuous improvement, ensuring students grow in their learning.