Somerton Public School Plan
2012-2014
Karen Turner - Principal
11/4/2011
SOMERTON PUBLIC SCHOOL PLAN 2012 -2014
SCHOOL CONTEXT
Somerton Public School is a picturesque rural school situated forty kilometres west of Tamworth on the Oxley Highway. The school provides a
happy, safe and caring environment where students are valued and gain a sense of belonging and common purpose. The students have a strong
community spirit and are proud of their school.
Somerton Public School has been operating for over 125 years, with student numbers varying between 13 and 48 students over the last 20 years.
There are currently 16 students enrolled from 12 families. Four of our students identify as Aboriginal and there are no students from a non English
speaking background.
We have two multi-stage classes for literacy and numeracy and students are combined three afternoons a week for CAPA, PDHPE, Library and
Assemblies. The lower division class is currently made up of 8 students from Kindergarten to Year Two, while the upper division class has 8
students from Year Three to Year Six. Both classes feature explicit and systematic teaching to enable students to access appropriate learning
outcomes; and individual learning plans to maximise instruction in literacy and numeracy. The school is supported by an active and committed
parent body which raises funds to provide us with resources and financial assistance. This enables us to offer a wide range of programs and
activities for our students, helping us to promote their physical, social and emotional wellbeing.
The school plays a very important role in the life of the village. It participates in a number of community events throughout the year. Parents and
members of the community make valuable contributions to the school’s programs and the welfare of the students. They help with activities such as
subsidising major excursions, assisting in the classrooms, providing transport to sporting and cultural events and subsidising the intensive
swimming scheme.
At the beginning of 2011 the school was reclassified from a P5 to a P6 and we lost our second classroom teacher, causing a lot of anxiety in the
community. As a result a number of families have enrolled their children in larger schools in either Tamworth or Gunnedah, further reducing our
numbers.
SCHOOL IDENTIFIED PRIORITY AREA/S
INTENDED OUTCOME/S

Literacy
Improve the literacy of all students with a focus on spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Numeracy
Improve the numeracy skills of all students with a focus on working mathematically to solve
problems.
PRINCIPAL’S SIGNATURE
SCHOOL IDENTIFIED PRIORITY - LITERACY
SED ENDORSEMENT
DATE

Improve student writing by improving their
grammar and punctuation skills.
Increase teacher knowledge of the teaching of
spelling, grammar and punctuation.
TARGET/S
OUTCOME/S
Improve the spelling skills of all students
Teachers undertake training in the use of data
(including Best Start and SMART) to inform
planning for teaching and learning.
INDICATORS




Train principal, teacher & SLSO in the teaching of
grammar and punctuation through literature, and
in understanding student achievement standards
to align with implementation of the National
Curriculum in 2013.


STRATEGIES


Increase the school average percentage of year 3 students in bands 5 & 6 for spelling by 10% in
2010-2012 compared to 2008-2010.
Increase the school average percentage of year 3 students in band 6 for grammar & punctuation
by 10% in 2010-2012 compared to 2008-2010.
Improve the average progress in spelling for year 5 students by 10 points in 2010-2012 compared
to 2008-2010.
Improve the average progress in grammar and punctuation for year 5 students by 10 points in
2010-2012 compared to 2008-2010.



TIMEFRAME
2012 2013 2014
RESPONSIBILITY
Reform
Training undertaken with SDO
during Term 1, 2012.
Teaching and learning programs
developed with explicit reference
to areas identified through
NAPLAN data analysis and school’s
assessment of student
achievement.
Assessment online tool used as
additional pre/post measure for
tracking progress and
achievement in Feb/Mar and
again in Oct/Nov.
Plan
Implement
Consolidate
Imbed
Principal
4
1
2
Principal, teacher & SLSO attend
region-based training.
Teacher knowledge of the
teaching of spelling, grammar &
punctuation and their specific
demands in Years 3-6 increase.
Teachers are aware of an
increased range of strategies and
resources to support the teaching
of spelling, grammar &
punctuation.
Training
&
Implem
enting
Consoli
dating
Imbed
Principal
Teacher
SLSO
4
2
1
FUNDING
SOURCE/BUDGET
2012
Nil
$600 Low SES
$500 TPL

Purchase spelling, grammar & punctuation
resources as needed.



Employ SLSO to support classroom practice in the
school’s multi stage context.
Principal
3
4
$495 Low SES
$500 Global
Budget
Teachers are supported when
implementing teaching and
learning programs across stages.
Staff collegiality and professional
discussion about students
learning.
A range of teaching ideas and
‘walls that teach’ are evident in
classrooms.
All Aboriginal and at risk students
have a Personalised Learning Plan.
Parents and caregivers are
involved in the development of
PLPs.
Classroom and state assessment
information is analysed and used
to inform PLPs.
Students are provided with
support to improve their learning
outcomes.



Principal
3
5
6
$15785 Low SES



Principal
Teacher
SLSO
4
5
6
Nil
 The community knowledge of
writing and how to support
children’s spelling, grammar &
punctuation increases.
 Parents report that they are more
confident in supporting their
children’s writing.

Principal
Teacher
SLSO
6
$100 Global
Budget
Ensure all Aboriginal students and students at risk
have a Personalised Learning Plan which is
developed with parents and/or caregivers and is
updated each term.

Identify target students in need of support from
the SLSO.

Provide parent/carer workshops in spelling,
grammar and punctuation to raise their
knowledge of expected outcomes for students in
writing and how to support student writing at
home.






Student writing improves as a
result of improved spelling,
grammar & punctuation.






Teachers have access to and make
use of a range of materials to
teach spelling, grammar &
punctuation.
Students are spelling and
punctuating increasingly complex
words and sentences correctly.
SCHOOL IDENTIFIED PRIORITY - NUMERACY

Improve student ability to work
mathematically and problem solve.
Increase teacher knowledge of the teaching of
problem solving strategies.
TARGET/S
OUTCOME/S
Improve the numeracy skills of all students
STRATEGIES

Teachers undertake training in the use of data
(including Best Start and SMART) to inform
planning for teaching and learning.
Train principal, teacher & SLSO in the teaching of
problem solving using NEALS Analysis strategies,
and in understanding student achievement
standards to align with implementation of the
National Curriculum in 2013.

INDICATORS





Increase the school average percentage of year 3 students in band 6 for numeracy by 10% in
2010-2012 compared to 2008-2010.
Increase the school average percentage of year 5 students in band 8 for numeracy by 10% in
2010-2012 compared to 2008-2010.
Improve the average progress in numeracy for year 5 students by 10 points in 2010-2012
compared to 2008-2010.



Training undertaken with SDO
during Term 1, 2012.
Teaching and learning programs
developed with explicit reference
to areas identified through
NAPLAN data analysis and school’s
assessment of student
achievement.
Assessment online tool used as
additional pre/post measure for
tracking progress and
achievement in Feb/Mar and
again in Oct/Nov.
Principal, teacher & SLSO attend
region-based training.
Teacher knowledge of the
teaching of problem solving
strategies in Years 3-6 increases.
Teachers are aware of an
increased range of resources to
support the teaching of working
mathematically and problem
solving.
TIMEFRAME
RESPONSIBILITY
Reform
2012
2013
2014
Plan
Implement
Consolidate
Imbed
Principal
4
1
2
Training
&
Implem
enting
Consoli
dating
Imbed
Principal
Teacher
SLSO
4
2
1
FUNDING
SOURCE/BUDGET
2012
Nil
$600 Low SES
$500 TPL

Purchase working mathematically and problem
solving resources as needed.




Employ SLSO to support classroom practice in the
school’s multi stage context.





Ensure all Aboriginal students and students at risk
have a Personalised Learning Plan which is
developed with parents and/or caregivers and is
updated each term.

Identify target students in need of support from
the SLSO.




Provide parent/carer workshops in Mathematics
to raise their knowledge of expected outcomes
for students and how to support students at
home in Mathematics.


Teachers have access to and make
use of a range of materials to
teach problem solving and
working mathematically.
Students are solving increasingly
complex mathematical problems
correctly.
Student’s numeracy results
improve as a result of improved
problem solving skills.
Teachers are supported when
implementing teaching and
learning programs across stages.
Staff collegiality and professional
discussion about students
learning.
Student work samples are used as
a basis for staff professional
dialogue.
All Aboriginal and at risk students
have a Personalised Learning Plan.
Parents and caregivers are
involved in the development of
PLPs.
Classroom and state assessment
information is analysed and used
to inform PLPs.
Students are provided with
support to improve their learning
outcomes.
The community knowledge of
numeracy and how to support
children at home increases.
Parents report that they are more
confident in supporting their
children in Mathematics.



Principal
3
4
$500 Low SES



Principal
3
5
6
$13842 Low SES



Principal
Teacher
SLSO
4
5
6
Nil



Principal
Teacher
SLSO
6
$100 Global
Budget