School Plan 2015 – 2017
The Sir Henry Parkes Memorial Public School_3182
Highly engaged and
reflective learners
Productive thinkers,
communicators and
problem-solvers
Confident, responsible
and resilient citizens
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School background 2015 - 2017
School vision statement
At The Sir Henry Parkes Memorial Public School our
students will:
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grow into confident, responsible and respectful
community members who know their own selfworth, have a strong sense of identity and value
the process of learning
be equipped with a broad range of personal
resources for future success, and know how to
work both independently and collaboratively
Our staff will hold high expectations, providing
appropriate and challenging learning experiences that
promote lifelong and sustained learning, within a safe
and nurturing school environment.
School context
School planning process
Our school is named after Sir Henry Parkes, who had a
deep and abiding belief in the power of public
education. Our school is proud of its history in providing
education for all.
To develop the school plan for 2015 – 2017 a number of
processes were undertaken in terms of data sourcing and
analysis inclusive of school community consultation.
The school is located in the small town of Tenterfield
which also hosts a high school and one nongovernment primary school. The student population of
approximately 260 is diverse with around 20 per cent of
the students identifying as Aboriginal. We have a
strong staff cohort inclusive of a range of experiences,
backgrounds and skills, blending together to provide
quality educational opportunities for our students.
Planning & Demography projections indicate that
enrolments at the school are likely to remain steady
until at least 2019.The school Family Occupation and
Education Index Value for 2014 is 118, compared with
the state average of 100 (the range falls between 0 and
300). Approximately 36% of our students fall into the
lowest socio-economic status quartile compared with
15% in the highest quartile.
Australian Early Development Index figures from 2012
show that 17.5% of students beginning school in the
Tenterfield area were developmentally vulnerable in
school-based language and cognitive skills, compared
with 4.8% in NSW. This reflects a significant proportion
at lower than average in literacy and numeracy
understandings upon entry to school. We provide a
range of quality experiences and resources to address
this need and promote ongoing learning.
Here the students enjoy a range of well-supported
extra-curricular offerings, a proud history of
participation and achievement and highly welcomed
community support. We work with other service
providers, community organisations and local
businesses to provide students with a range of
opportunities to learn and develop academically,
socially and emotionally.
Classroom teachers undertook the online survey ‘Focus on
Learning’, which identified areas of confidence and strength as
well as areas for further development. The school Executive
utilised the components of the National School Improvement
Tool to reflect on current strengths and areas for improvement.
Notable cross-over patterns included:
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a need for more effective use of technology;
scope for more parental involvement;
an existing inclusive school culture;
a need for more effective goal setting and feedback
scope for improving collaborative practices in developing
common learning opportunities and assessments;
Parent and student surveys and consultation highlighted the
following focus areas:

increase student involvement with the community to
strengthen the sense of belonging and responsibility
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strategies for building resilience
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opportunities to be engaged creatively and responsibly
inside and outside the classroom setting
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further behaviour support strategies
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scope for greater feedback
Analysis of in-school and external assessment data reflected
improvements in some aspects of both literacy and numeracy
while also highlighting areas for further development.
Student progress from Kindergarten to Year 2 in 2014
demonstrated particular areas of need in English for continued
focus 2015 - 2017.
Although there has been significant progress in use of Early
Arithmetical strategies under Early Action for Success in 2014,
there is still a proportion of students, particularly those
progressing to Stage 2, requiring targeted intervention.
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School strategic directions 2015 - 2017
Productive thinkers,
communicators and
problem-solvers
Highly engaged and
reflective learners
Confident, responsible
and resilient citizens
Purpose:
Purpose:
Purpose:
Creation of a positive environment focused on
continuous and reflective evidence-based practice
that equips all our learners with the skills,
knowledge and understandings to make informed
decisions in their learning.
Proactively prepare students and meaningfully
engage the school community in effectively
managing and capitalising upon a constantly evolving
range of opportunities, including ICTs, to inform the
development of systems and strategies that promote
productive habits.
Collaboratively and collectively develop school
leader, teacher and student capacity through the
implementation of innovative, quality learning
opportunities in and beyond the school
The Sir Henry Parkes Memorial Public School_3182
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Highly engaged and reflective learners
Purpose
Creation of a positive environment
focused on continuous and reflective
evidence-based practice that equips all
our learners with the skills, knowledge
and understandings to make informed
decisions in their learning.
Improvement Measures
Early Action for Success student
progress data, NAPLAN results, whole
school PLAN data and in-school
assessment and survey / interview / work
sampling data.
People
Processes
Develop school wide understandings
of effective and authentic
assessments and associated data
analysis through professional learning,
disciplined collaboration and
structured implementation.
Develop the attitudes and capabilities of
our students to monitor, evaluate and
build upon the progress of their own
learning.
Enable staff to confidently facilitate
learning for the variety of students they
teach when using and evaluating
assessments, feedback,
accommodations and adjustments.
Continuously develop teacher
capacity and confidence in using
assessment for learning techniques
and strategies that enable learners to
make informed decisions in their
learning.
Develop parent understandings about
their children’s journey of learning
through planned opportunities for
involvement and engagement.
Develop understandings for creating
meaningful and measurable learning
goals within professional learning
plans, classroom programs, Individual
Education Plans, Personalised
Learning Plans and curriculum
extension programs, so all are aware
of and able to act upon fostering the
intended learning.
Develop the capabilities of local
Community of Schools through
structured learning about highly
effective and research-based
instructional strategies.
Develop leadership capacity to
evaluate and implement effective
systems and processes that enable
dynamic, quality reflective learning
opportunities.
Plan and evaluate meaningful and
informative parent/teacher
collaborations that clearly describe
progress in student learning.
Implement and evaluate high quality
Performance and Development
processes that are planned,
documented and supportive of teacher
learning.
Evaluation Plan: utilise the defined set
of surveys and data collection tools to
determine effectiveness of assessment
for learning focus.
Products and Practices
Products:
Annual increase in percentage of student
and cohort growth as measured by
school-identified assessments and
external testing data
Annual increase in student and teacher
confidence to successfully utilise
feedback and assessment data to plan
further learning.
Practices:
Development and mapping of student
and teacher learning goals which are
embedded in programs and practice,
demonstrating clear understanding of
purpose and direction.
Regular, planned & documented quality
feedback practices for students, parents
and teachers that are analysed and
reviewed to determine future direction.
Use of evidence-based quality ongoing
assessments that inform both students
and teachers in planning for continual
growth in learning.
Time-framed and explicit steps for
implementing teacher learning in the
classroom that supports students’
reflective and informed learning
Planned and ongoing mentoring
programs that support reflective learning
practices for beginning teachers to
enable development of highly effective
teaching and learning programs.
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Productive thinkers, communicators and problem-solvers
Purpose
Proactively prepare students and
meaningfully engage the school
community in effectively managing and
capitalising upon a constantly evolving
range of opportunities, including ICTs, to
inform the development of systems and
strategies that promote productive habits.
People
Processes
Develop the capabilities of our students
to utilise a changing range of strategies
and resources that will assist with
productive thinking, communicating and
problem solving skills to deepen and
strengthen their learning.
Provision of collegial professional
learning that increases staff
capabilities in embedding technologies
and identifying strategies that elicit
problem-solving and creative thinking
capacity from students, clearly linked
to wider learning.
Empower staff to flexibly deliver
differentiated learning opportunities and
purposefully monitor progress for all
students.
Improvement Measures
Annual surveys of student and teacher
engagement and confidence in effective
utilisation of flexible delivery options that
promote productive work habits.
Develop, maintain and continually
evaluate student progress recording
systems which staff are supported to
utilise effectively as per agreed
timeframes.
Develop and build upon parent capacity
and opportunity to engage purposefully
and regularly with the school via a
range of modes.
Systematise the regular review and
update of technological and
promotional resources to enable
continual engagement and
communication with all groups in the
school community.
Build two way capacity with community
partners to positively promote and
advocate for productive learning
opportunities.
Capitalise upon parent expertise and
build upon parent capacity to develop
meaningful use of technologies
throughout the school and in the wider
community
Develop leadership capacity to
systematically implement effective
provisions that enable all stakeholders
to engage with student learning.
Continuously develop teacher capacity
and confidence in differentiating
instruction so that all learners have the
opportunity to be productive thinkers,
effective communicators and creative
problem-solvers
Evaluation plan: utilise a defined set of
surveys and data collection tools to
determine effectiveness of quality of
student learning information, and levels
of engagement and communication
across the school community
Products and Practices
Products:
Annual increase in student involvement
and confidence in utilising a range of
experiences and resources to deepen
learning.
Annual increase in percentage of
teachers confident in utilising learning
technologies and effective strategies that
maximise learning opportunities and track
progress of students
Increased parental use of technologies
including website and applications.
Practices:
Student learning is clearly documented
and tracked in school developed systems
that provide quality information for
planning further learning
Internal and external communication
systems are systematically reviewed and
adapted to cater for evolving purposes
and audiences
Appropriate technologies are maintained
and updated regularly and utilised
effectively in the classroom to
meaningfully engage students in holistic
learning opportunities
Teaching programs are reflective of
embedded use of those teaching
strategies, programs and technologies
that support productive thinking,
communication and problem-solving
within the classroom as well as within
local and global communities.
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Confident, responsible and resilient citizens
Purpose
Collaboratively and collectively
develop school leader, teacher and
student capacity through the
implementation of innovative, quality
learning opportunities in and beyond
the school
People
Processes
Structured social and learning
opportunities involving cross-age
interactions such as buddy class
strategies, parent participation, PLP
development.
Within a safe and inclusive quality
learning environment students will
develop an understanding of mutual
responsibility in the development of their
ongoing learning.
Implementation of planned programs
that foster positive personal and social
outcomes such as Drumbeat,
Sista/Bro Speak, Boys and Girls
groups, Year 6-7 transition, Debating.
Staff will be enabled to confidently
provide a range of innovative
opportunities within and beyond the
classroom to strengthen student
confidence, responsibility and
resilience.
Improvement Measures
Increased participation numbers in
external programs such as UNSW
tests, e-gats, and specified locally
developed community events.
Involvement in identified projects with
other schools, the wider community
and global communities.
Parents and Community Partners will
be supported to take part in and/or lead
wider innovative learning opportunities.
Identifying, establishing, embedding
and evaluating effective peer
mentoring, student leadership and
student well-being programs.
Leaders will develop their capacity to
explore and exercise distributed
leadership skills enabling the whole
school community to grow in their
learning together.
Planning quality learning experiences
and utilising community expertise
relevant to the culture of the local
community including understanding
Indigenous and historical perspectives,
engaging in the Arts and capitalising
upon rural living opportunities.
Planned strategies to increase
parental involvement in P& C
committee and/or P&C events.
Evaluation plan: pre & post surveys
and data collection pertaining to
participation rates and increased
confidence in the direction of the school
Products and Practices
Products:
Increased participation numbers in
external programs/tests, and selected
community events.
Increased percentage of ‘agreement’ in
annual satisfaction parent surveys in
relation to working with parents to
support student learning (77% in 2014)
Increased average annual attendance
rate for the 26% of total student body
whose attendance rate lies between 85
and 93.1 percent. (term 1, 2015)
Practices:
Regular participation in community
events clearly linked to intended student
learning.
Parents/community deliberately and
purposefully included in planning and
implementing internal and external school
events and programs.
Teacher training/participation tracked and
monitored to ensure equitable access to
opportunities for learning about
innovative practices.
Staff engage meaningfully and utilise
internal PL after individual teachers have
attended external PL.
Staff skills, interests and strengths
systematically and collaboratively utilised
to build school wide capacity in
developing innovative and engaging
quality learning opportunities.
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