Leading and Developing
Personalised Learning
Plans (PLPs)
Why are Personalised
Learning Plans a
priority?
Council of Australian
Governments
(COAG)
2008 Indigenous Education Action Plan
Towards the development of an
Indigenous Education Action Plan
C.O.A.G. Directed
MCEETYA Plans
DEEWR
Resourced
Schools
Implementation
ENROLMENTS
EARN or
LEARN
PARENT/
ATTENDANCE
TARGET
AREAS
RETENTION
COMMUNITY
SUPPORT
STUDENT
ENGAGEMENT
LITERACY
/NUMERACY
Aboriginal Education Review
In 2004 the NSW Government conducted a Review
of Aboriginal Education
As a result of this review 72 recommendations were
documented
The development of Personalised Learning Plans
was on of these recommendations
Goal of the
Review of Aboriginal Education NSW
By 2012, Aboriginal student outcomes will match or
better outcomes of the broader student population
Effective Teaching
Intellectual quality
Deep knowledge
Deep understanding
Problematic
knowledge
Higher-order thinking
Metalanguage
Effective Learning
Quality Teaching
Aboriginal Education
Policy
PLPs
Significance
Background knowledge
Cultural knowledge
Knowledge integration
Inclusivity
Connectedness
Narrative
Quality learning
environment
Explicit quality criteria
Engagement
High expectations
Social support
Students’ selfregulation
Student direction
Indigenous & non-Indigenous
student academic achievement
NSW - Year 3 -Literacy
All students
Indigenous students
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Workshop Activity
In your table groups discuss:

What is your schools take on PLP’s?

Why should we implement PLPs?

What should a PLP look like?

What are the critical success factors for the successful
implementation of PLPs?
 Use the PLP Reflection Tool to assess the
implementation of PLPs in your school
Is there a difference between PLPs
and IEP/ILPs?
 IEP/ILP
 Data analysis
 Developed by school
 Goals, strategies
 Health plans
 Funding
 Review meetings
 Parent meetings
 Ongoing process
 Ownership by school
 Evaluation and monitoring
 Student engagement
 Learning Support Team










PLP
Student engagement
Planning process
Goals, strategies
Parent, student, teacher meetings
Ongoing process
Ownership by stakeholders
Culturally appropriate
Student ownership of learning
Teachers need an understanding of
Aboriginal Culture/s
 Develops knowledge of
student/family backgrounds
 Monitoring
What does the school’s Aboriginal Education
team need to do before PLPs are implemented?
Discussion

In your school teams/table teams discuss this
question and list your pre-implementation actions

Now list these actions in sequential order (action
plan sheets)

Whole group discussion!
Effective PLPs......
are based on relationships
and
engaging parents and carers
So what are some Critical
Success factors.......
Positive and
friendly
Raising
expectations
RELATIONSHIPS
MATTER
DEVELOPING
REAL
PARTNERSHIPS
THROUGH PLPs
STUDENT
OUTCOMES
Simple
documents
and
monitoring
Develop
relationships
Achievable
goals
Cultural
understanding
Leadership
and
commitment
Quality
feedback
What would/does a
good PLP look like?
In your school teams discuss the sample PLP
format you have been given:
 What are the positive aspects of this PLP format?
 What, if any, are the aspects of this format which
you would not have in your school PLP?
 Report back to whole group!
A PLP Case Study
Ashmont Public School
 Ashmont PS is a PP3 in Wagga Wagga, NSW
 School population of 340 with 138 Aboriginal students
 One fulltime AEO and 2 AEWs
 Low socio-economic area and the school is on the
Priority Schools Program
 Schools in Partnership – 2006 to 2009
Ashmont Public School
PLP Experience
PLPs 2006
• Trial implementation
• 6 students selected from each class
• 3 Aboriginal and 3 non-Aboriginal students
PLPs 2007
• Full implementation
• All students involved in the process
PLPs 2008 & 2009
• Full implementation
• All students involved in the process
The Successes!
 Building genuine partnerships with our community
 Breaking down barriers
 Maintaining high expectations of student learning
 Positive teacher professional dialogue
 Identifying areas of student need
 Establishing student specific teaching and learning




strategies
Aligning all key stakeholders
Lowering student absence rates
Aligning personalised learning with focuses on Quality
Teaching
Greater focus on teacher professional development
The Successes
 Providing opportunities on a regular basis to continue






strengthening the rapport between the school and
community
Engaging parents at meetings and other school activities
Aboriginal student outcomes in literacy and numeracy
have improved and are above the state average for
Aboriginal students (BST 2007, NAPLAN 2008 & 2009)
Teachers talking informally to parents outside school
hours at extra curricular activities e.g. weekend football
Staff talking more positively about students
Improving communication between school and home
Flexibility
The Challenges!
 Convincing all staff that PLPs are worthwhile
 Communicating the PLP philosophy to all stakeholders
 Whole of staff professional development on the PLP process and
interview strategies
 Identifying and developing the Learning Advisors (high schools)
 Maintaining the enthusiasm of both the parents and staff
 Running to a schedule
 Time for teachers to fit it all in
 Minimising classroom interruptions
 Flexibility
 Transferring PLPs form one educational setting to another e.g.
primary school to junior high school to senior high school
 Principal and executive must be involved in the process to ensure
PLPs become part of whole school culture
 Senior executive involvement in PLPs will foster sustainability
PLP = Personalised Learning Plan
Or could it be?
PLP = Partnerships Lifting
Performance