ANNOTATION

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The evidence, ‘IPS staff identified the expertise’ was chosen as evidence as it demonstrates the way the IPS staff are responsible for certain Key Learning Areas (KLA’s), events and responsibilities.  When allocating roles and responsibilities at the beginning of the year, the school identifies expertise within its staff and allocates roles accordingly.

 

IPS run a sustainability class on Wednesday afternoons. Classes first started 18 months ago but RAM funding has allowed for a more consistent approach to happen. The Year 5 / 6  teacher now takes the sustainability classes while a permanent temporary teacher has agreed to work half a day on Year 5 / 6.Sustainability classes are concerned with the horticultural area including the orchard, the worm farm and chickens. Each class is able to have two sustainability lessons per term. Money raised from the sale of eggs goes back into the sustainability program to buy new fruit trees or chicken food.

 

IPS also have classes complete ICT lessons as part of the teacher’s two hour release. All students now save and complete their document work in Google Drive. For Stage 3 students this works in very well with their transition into high school as classes are run similar to IPS.

 

IPS chose as evidence a screenshot from the MyPL website. It  shows that teachers are actively encouraged and engaged in ongoing professional learning to match their PDP and to the IPS school plan.  It reflects the school’s processes that are in place to build teacher capacity as well as the  teacher’s integrity as professionals and their commitment to teaching and personal growth. The high quality, PLAN professional learning had a powerful impact on student learning and outcomes.

 

As part of the teacher’s Performance and Development Plan two observation lessons are mandatory. At IPS, classroom observation lessons encourage colleagues to collaborate to better improve teacher practice and student learning. A minimum of two lessons are undertaken by each teacher. Importantly, ground rules are first established. Observations have taken place ranging between 10 and 30 minutes. Written data from the classroom observations is recorded and collected by the observer. This provides the evidence of the impact of the teacher’s lesson and therefore, the teacher better understands the strengths of the lesson and areas for development.

 

Staff at IPS understand that feedback is at or near the top of those strategies which have greatest effect on student learning. Regular feedback and bookmarking is vital at IPS. Staff believe it performs a variety of functions including recognising, correcting, encouraging, challenging and improving student performance. Feedback also keeps students ‘on track’ and is an aid to classroom management. There is a variety of feedback given at IPS. It can be written or spoken and sometimes can even be gestural, indicating approval or encouragement. There is also scope at IPS for peer feedback and student to student feedback.

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Class dojos were introduced to IPS in 2015. Teachers encourage students to earn class dojos for  displaying positive skills such as working hard, being kind or helping others. All students showcase and share their learning by adding photos to their portfolios. Our librarian also engages the parents by sharing photos of wonderful student moments with their class dojos. Furthermore, this behaviour resource allows our RFF teacher to review a student's behaviour before taking the class. The RFF teacher can ask the teacher about specific dojos that were earned or taken off during the morning session. The system also allows the teacher to know how their students are behaving during RFF with the other teacher.

 

The IPS Principal supports, guides and consults with teachers during the planning stages of the Performance and Development Plan. Teachers at IPS then set 3-5 meaningful and appropriate professional goals. Goals are constructed so that they align with the policies, aims and strategic directions of the Department, the school plan, and related to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. During the year, self evaluations and meetings are held  between the teacher and the Principal to discuss progress. Again, this is documented and with the two lesson observations formally written and produced, the Principal has the final opportunity to appraise the positives of the year and to sign off all PDP’s.

 

The class observation lesson demonstrates the process used to analyse teacher performance through video.  All teachers, at least twice a year have classroom observations or a video of their class teaching. The video results are analysed during meetings with peers and the principal and areas of need and strengths provide a focus for planning of future lessons. Teachers also monitor the video to see whether students are on track during the lesson.

 

The Teacher observation feedback was selected as evidence as it demonstrates that the staff are committed to improving their own professional development and performance. Classroom observations rely on a high level of collaboration between staff as each observe a lesson taught and provide constructive feedback to one another.

 

Students attending ICT classes have a video assignment presented to them. They read the required assessment activity and the assessment rubric to determine what they need to do and at what standard.  Next, students read the rubric to identify specific criteria, levels of achievement and descriptors. It allows the student to better plan their approach to the task. At IPS, rubrics enable teachers and students to provide consistent evaluation and contextual feedback to students. The rubrics helps students and teachers to provide consistent evaluation and contextual feedback.

ANALYSIS

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Under the elements of Learning, it was decided that Iluka Public School best meets the Sustaining and Growing outcomes for Wellbeing SG2 and Curriculum and Learning SG4.

 

Iluka Public School has identified a range of projects and priorities that consistently implements a whole school approach to wellbeing. Quality teaching and professional practice are evident in every learning environment. Iluka P.S therefore meets the outcomes for Sustaining and Growing under the Learning element of Wellbeing. It provides students with opportunities to connect and  succeed relevant to student stages of learning and development through the use of balanced literacy and numeracy programs. Firstly, Our Preschool Transition Program provides children with many opportunities to learn about our school and begin settling in. Students feel safe, happy and excited about starting their school life at Iluka Public School. Our IPS Transition into Kindergarten Program allows each child a happy, positive and satisfying beginning. Our supportive and caring transition program focuses on building relationships between the child, teacher and family. During these transition program sessions children participate in various KLA experiences that help the kindergarten teacher start to define behavioural expectations and create a positive teaching and learning environment.  IPS encourages the active empowerment and involvement of families by enhancing communication between all involved staff. IPS focusses on the needs and strengths of individual children and has the services and support programs needed for all children to be successful at school.

 

It was determined that within the Teaching element of Effective Classroom Practice SG1, SG2, Data Skills and Use SG1, Collaborative Practice SG2, SG3 and Learning and Development SG1, SG2 and SG3 , Iluka Public is Sustaining and Growing.

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IPS staff consistently consider both formal and informal assessments. Staff collate and record data accurately and consistently using a variety of strategies including rubrics to monitor students’ progress. Teachers lead their students through a structured reflection process when returning student work that has been assessed. Staff analyse assessment data to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching practices and respond to areas of need by modifying future programming. Teaching staff provide opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and to determine the most appropriate form of feedback. Staff are therefore professional in reporting back to students, parents and carers with accurate, explicit and specific information about achievement and areas for development.

 

Analysing student data is important as it allows teachers at IPS to efficiently gauge student comprehension levels and target areas in need of improvement. Student knowledge across KLAs are benchmarked at the beginning and end of each unit to gauge how much each student learned. Teachers collect informative data in a variety of ways. Data collected offers invaluable insight into a student’s learning style. IPS staff plan their learning and make informed decisions to adjust their teaching methods based on student learning  data.

 

An excellent way for a teacher to improve their effectiveness is to video record a class and then view the video.  Processes are in place to reflect on their teaching, discuss it and receive planned constructive feedback with their peers and the Principal. Teachers gain an insight not only into what can be improved in their own teaching practices, but equally importantly into what strengths they already have and can build upon these to increase teaching effectiveness in helping students learn.

 

Similarly, through classroom observations, teachers can target specific literacy and numeracy professional development with each other. Effective strategies and real evidence-based teaching practices can be discussed. IPS class observations have encouraged colleagues to collaborate to improve teacher practice and student learning. Peer teachers working one-to-one can each model and observe classroom practices that support reflection and together build professional conversation and engagement.

 

Within the element of Leading, under the domain of Leadership SG2 and School Resources SG1 and SG3 it was decided that Iluka Public School best meets the Sustaining and Growing outcome.

 

As the Principal, I commit to an ongoing process of building a committed leadership team. Leadership development is central to school capacity building. IPS does this by building on the strengths and identifying the gaps within the staff. Staff fully understand and accept the responsibilities of meeting the strategies and goals of the school plan with the milestones keeping IPS on track. The team are self-directed in meeting goals and hold themselves accountable for their performances at IPS.

At the conclusion of the year IPS staff conduct annual staff performance and development reviews. High quality staff at IPS uses its school facilities creatively to meet the broad range of student learning interests and needs. IPS maintains the financial and physical resources and facilities within the constraints of the school budget and provides a safe environment that is accessible to staff and supports student learning.

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