2013 WA SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR APPLICATION
Hedland Senior High School
2013 WA SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR APPLICATION
Hedland Senior High School is modern, safe and inclusive educational hub that values cultural difference,
promotes excellence in learning and empowers students to contribute positively in a world of constant
change. With a wonderfully diverse school community that includes 34% of students being of Aboriginal or
Torres Strait Islander descent, 5% with a disability and over 50 nationalities, the school seeks to effectively
address the needs and aspirations of all its students and their families through the provision of a quality
educational experience. The transformation of the school community over the last five years has been
nothing short of remarkable. From a low base of community & student expectation, the standards and
attitudes at Hedland SHS have changed significantly. As the Pilbara’s first Independent Public School and
supported by a united and committed stakeholders, Hedland Senior High School is now renowned for being a
welcoming and exciting school community that achieves academic excellence.
Criterion 1 - Student Achievement
Hedland Senior High School places student achievement as its highest priority and have implemented a
number of successful strategies to ensure each student is provided with the opportunity to achieve to their
potential. Student achievement is fostered through a robust and accountable school planning and review
process and a consistent and rigorous whole school approach to pedagogy that is delivered by motivated
and committed staff and reinforced by supportive families and community. Through the implementation of
targeted methodologies significant gains have been made in student attendance, retention and engagement
resulting in commensurate gains in academic and social performance. The strategies include for example: Collaborative planning teams that analyse student performance data, developing shared programs and
interventions and set performance targets at learning; class and student levels
 A whole school approach to Literacy and Numeracy, including the successful implementation of writing
frameworks, a systemic learning reinforcement process and subject specific vocabulary
 Case management of every student – including the development of personal learning plans, attendance
plans and case conferences with the student, staff, parents and support services
 A range of specific interventions for students at risk, guided by personal learning plans
 A new Trade Training Centre to open in 2014 to provide students with trade and training qualifications
 Learning Extension Academic Program (LEAP) that provides a differentiated curriculum and challenging
learning opportunities
 Flexible curriculum delivery models to cater for differing learning styles
 Effective training of staff in adopting the Australian Curriculum
 Establishment of a sister school relationship with Mt Lawley SHS that includes provision of shared
professional development; mentoring and academic support for students
 Expansion of the renowned Specialist Performing Arts Program
 Structured after school tutoring and support program
Hedland Senior High School is now a high performing school. Major achievements in 2012 include:
 The number one VET School in Western Australia
 100% of students completing their Certificate II qualification
 Student Attainment of 74% (almost double 2011 – 39%)
 96% of student achieving WACE (increased from 89% in 2011)
 Four of the five NAPLAN areas (Reading; Writing; Spelling and Grammar& Punctuation being
significantly above expected levels) and Numeracy being at the expected level
 Society and Environment WAMSE results trending significant improvement over the course of the
Business Plan.
 A significant increase in the number of students progressing to university; traineeships, and esteemed
training organisations such as the WA Academy of Performing Arts.
Criterion 2 - Positive learning environment
Hedland Senior High School has taken a collaborative approach to the establishment of a vibrant, welcoming
and inclusive learning environment where each student is valued for their uniqueness. Each student’s
personal wellbeing and social support is of paramount importance with a range of services in place to ensure
each child is supported to achieve and create a positive affinity with their school.
The school has changed to becoming a safer, more inviting and inspirational educational setting, where the
achievement of personal best is valued and promoted. This evolution has been achieved due to a range of
targeted strategies that positively engage students in their school community and support them to create
positive and reciprocal relationships with others. These initiatives include for example: A comprehensive approach to pastoral care, with integrated wrap around service provision from the
Student Services personnel, in association with targeted programs developed in unison with the local
Hedland Senior High School
2013 WA SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR APPLICATION
agencies such as the Youth Involvement Council; Bloodwood Tree; Hedland Youth Leadership Coalition;
CAMS; AMS; Juvenile Justice and Youth Pathways
 Expansion of a Welcome Centre to support Education Support student inclusion and engagement in
school
 A lower school engagement program using a generalist teacher model to connect with students at risk
 Establishment of a whole school approach to the development of health and wellbeing
 A renewed behaviour management strategy including mentoring and professional development for staff
in effective class management skills and successful interventions for students at risk.
 Aboriginal engagement strategy to support ATSI students, including innovative deployment of AIEOs to
create strong family and community connections, via initiatives such as home visits
 Employment of an Network Attendance Coordinator to support student engagement and attendance
 Student leadership strategy that includes skill development opportunities and representation on a variety
of leadership forums including Student Council; School Board and community bodies
 Development of state of the art amenities that enable contemporary curriculum to be delivered
 Award winning Kicking and Shooting Goals Program , a Australian Football/ Netball program
emphasising self-development and leadership skills with students
 The long term success of the Senior School Engagement Program TOPS that has had significant
success in engaging students through to Year 12 completion
A range of positive outcomes are evident as a result of improvements in the school environment, including:
 Aboriginal student attendance rates increasing 10% in 2012, including a 9% reduction in the gap
between the school and state levels, where they are now on par
 An improvement in total student attendance of 4% – including a 14% enhancement in Year 12
 A near two fold increase in the retention/progression of Years 8-12 (29% in 2009 to 56% in 2011)
 A near tripling of students completing a Certificate II or higher (18% in 2010 to 53% in 2012)
Criterion 3 - High quality teaching
Our school community believe that quality teachers have the greatest influence and impact on student
learning. With this in mind a range of strategies have been developed to attract and retain expert teaching
staff who possess the specialist skills we require to develop our students to their full potential. We have also
implemented a systemic approach to professional development and collegiate support that enables our team
members to deliver contemporary pedagogy to effectively meet students’ needs. Key initiatives and evidence
of high quality teaching include:
 Flexible staffing models that enable the targeting of human resources at the greatest need
 Development of a professional learning culture that focusses on evidence based approaches, highly
effective instructional strategies and proven class management techniques.
 Individual professional learning plans with ongoing support and mentoring, including a “train the trainer”
model – where local staff induct other staff in professional learning to ensure sustainability
 Use of cutting edge technologies to access international learning opportunities
 Comprehensive performance management processes, with structured ongoing engagement
 Engagement in motivating and challenging initiatives such as Curriculum Moderation Camps and SPICE
– Science and Maths Partnership with UWA
 Whole of School application of key pedagogical approaches such as Classroom Management
Strategies; Instructional Strategies; SPELD methodologies, including explicit instruction ; and Literacy
Strategies.
 An innovative advertising and recruitment process that attracts a diversity of applicants, backed up by a
robust approach to matching potential staff members with school and community needs
 An innovative university practicum partnership and marketing regime with ECU, Curtin, UWA, Murdoch &
Notre Dame Universities to expose excelling pre-service teachers to the amazing opportunities in
teaching in a rural setting – resulting in 11% of current staff progressing from their ATP to ongoing
employment at the school
Over the past three years there has been a high degree of improvement in the level of staff dedication and
strong leadership has been established by local appointments that are driven by the school community not a
bureaucratic process that fails to place the right people in the appropriate roles. As an outcome students
have developed a greater respect for their learning environment that has led to highly improved educational
outcomes. Mr Rob Fry – School Board Member and School Council Member for over 20 Years and
Immediate Past President of the WA Council for State School Organisations.
Hedland Senior High School
2013 WA SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR APPLICATION
Criterion 4 - Effective leadership
The development of quality leaders is central to our school improvement strategy, with a key focus being in
nurturing and supporting our enthusiastic and at times inexperienced staff to achieve peak performance and
positively impact on the learning outcomes of our students. Central to this approach is an unwavering
commitment to fostering a sustainable culture of high expectations in order to deliver high quality outcomes.
With this in mind we have made a concerted effort in investing in our leaders to enhance the knowledge and
skills so they can have a positive impact across our school community. Key initiatives include:
 A distributed leadership model that provides a large number of staff with supported empowerment
opportunities and an enhanced skill set enabling them to lead with assertiveness and confidence – this
includes engaging in roles such as strategic planning groups in the focus areas of Literacy; Numeracy;
Health and Well Being and ICT, year group and key program leadership opportunities
 A calculated change management process that now provides clear leadership pathways and success
profiles for staff to aspire to as leaders of the future
 Accelerated leadership development strategies, with sophisticated mentoring and support structures –
including enrolling more than 10% of staff in the Masters of Education Leadership course at UWA
 Expanding leadership opportunities broader than the confines of the school including district and system
based leadership roles such as taking roles of Regional Australian Curriculum Transition Leaders, where
over a third of our HOLAs are performing these roles
 Providing mentoring support both within and without the school via community partnership support and
the sister school relationship with Mount Lawley Senior High School
Criterion 5 - Managing school resources
Through the expertise of our School leaders and the direction of our School Board our multi-million dollar
education business is characterised by good governance, public accountability, effective decision making
and the strategic application of resources to ensure the maximum value. The foundation to the effective
management of our school precious resources is our School’s well-considered school plan that maps and
deploys resource investments to valid strategies that positively affect student learning and overall
improvement in the operations of the school. Underpinning our approach is:
 Seeking out and appointing a School Board with commercial and community expertise
 Reallocation of resources to meet identified needs – especially in the deployment of human resource
expertise to maximise impacts on student learning
 Establishing vigorous audit and accountability regimes that are supported through the provision of
effective financial and resource management policies and systems
 Providing professional development to our school leaders in financial management and accountability
 Providing a transparent reporting system that plots investments with student learning outcomes
Criterion 6- Community engagement
The establishment of meaningful and fruitful partnerships with parents and community stakeholders has been
crucial to the advancement of the school in recent years. Through a direct and planned approach to
collaborating with parents, families, other schools, local businesses and community organisations, the School
is now perceived to be an open and engaging educational institution with a “can do attitude” that seeks
develop mutually beneficial outcomes for all parties. Examples of key alliances include:
 Attracting and supporting a highly skilled School Board with representation of executives from three of
Australia’s leading companies, the Town Mayor and local community leaders
 A focussed approach to engaging parents as partners in their child’s education through effective
communication methods such as achievement postcards; involvement in student learning plans and
high quality student progress reporting processes
 Establishment of key commercial partnerships including significant resourcing from BHP Billiton as
part of its Education Partnership to support the student, staff and facility development initiatives
 Development of a state of the art Trades Training Centre through the establishment of effective
partnerships with Apprenticeships Australia, BHP Billiton, FMG and Roy Hill
 Undertaking a pivotal role with the Hedland Network of Schools - leading to a refined primary to high
school student transition and a resultant increase in retention of students within the town
 Development of e-access for parents and community via the school Moodle site and contribution to
community publications such as the Hedlines Community Newsletter and local media
 Development of high class communication and branding strategy including an appealing prospectus;
promotional DVD; Information packages and communications style guide
Hedland Senior High School
2013 WA SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR APPLICATION
Hedland Senior High School has embraced and used to its benefit the IPS status and has worked hard and
meaningfully in terms of its' linkages and partnerships within the community. The effort in terms of what has
been achieved is something to which all should be rightly proud. Mayor Kelly Howlett
Hedland Senior High School