School plan 2018-2020Penshurst Public School 2861

Printed on: 16 April, 2018Page 1 of 6 Penshurst Public School 2861 (2018-2020)

School background 2018–2020

School vision statement School context School planning process

At Penshurst Public School, we are committed to deliveringexcellence within a dynamic and inclusive environment. Weinspire students to aim high to become successfulconfident and creative global citizens in preparation for achanging world.

Penshurst PS is located in the Georges River network ofprincipals. With a population of 441 students, 83% of ourstudent population are from language backgrounds otherthan English. There are three classes of hearing impairedstudents.These students are integrated for many subjectsand help all students develop understanding and positiverelationships with each other. The school generallyperforms above state averages in NAPLAN. Saturdaycommunity language (Nepalese) classes is a recentaddition to the school.

The parent community is supportive of the school butparent participation is a real need. Penshurst PS providesstudents with quality educational programs delivered byhighly qualified, dedicated teachers within a caring andnurturing learning environment. With a strong academicfocus, students enjoy a range of learning opportunitiesacross an extensive curriculum. Special programs such asReading Recovery give our students the opportunity toconsolidate their literacy skills at an early age.

Our school offers a range of extracurricular activities suchas sport, band, choir, dance, signing choir and chess. Ourteachers show great commitment to our students and ourschool. Our school and our community hold highexpectations of student learning and behaviour. Ourwelfare system is underpinned by a commitment torestorative practices and our values, which encourage allstudents to respect and understand others. Self–discipline,leadership and social responsibility are activelyencouraged and promoted through participation in strongK–6 programs and initiatives. 

Over the course of the 2018–2020 school plan, PenshurstPublic School has been marked for redevelopment. Thiswill involve the whole school community, moving to apop–up school on the grounds of Peakhurst West PS andon completion of the new school build, the PenshurstPublic School community will move back into the new

School planning processes commenced with a review andevaluation of the 2015–2017 school plan. Staff surveys,staff professional learning meeting and feedback sessionswere conducted around the new (v2) and old (v1) SchoolExcellence Framework (SEF). All staff were provided witha written survey, and had the opportunity to provide aninformed opinion on our performance against the elementsin the SEF v1. As part of this survey, staff were required todetail the evidence that would support their opinion.  Staffwere also provided with professional learning around theDepartment of Education’s 2018–2022 strategic plan thatalso included a Webinar address by the Department’sSecretary, Mark Scott. Information from these surveys andthe Department’s strategic plan were used to guide thedevelopment of the strategic directions and improvementmeasures for the next 3 years.

In the development of the school’s draft 2018–2020 plan,the executive reviewed various school and system’spriorities that needed to be addressed over the 2018–2020school leadership and management cycle.  This alsoincluded revision of the school’s vision statement.

The draft school plan was also shared to a P&C parentforum.  This was an opportunity for our parent communityto provide feedback on the future directions of the schoolwith consideration of future developments.

Findings and proposed future directions we represented tostaff and included in the annual school report 2017.

The 2018–2020 school plan was published on theschool website for access by our wider community.

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School strategic directions 2018–2020

STRATEGICDIRECTION 1

Future Ready Students

STRATEGICDIRECTION 2

Teaching and LeadershipExcellence

STRATEGICDIRECTION 3

Safe and SupportiveEnvironments

Purpose:

To prepare students across all curriculum areas andlearning stages with skills and capabilities to thrive in arapidly changing and interconnected world. It connectsstudents and engages their sense of curiosity.

Purpose:

To ensure that all staff consistently implement qualityteaching practices and set high expectations to instil aculture of teaching and student excellence.

Purpose:

To create teaching and learning environments that enablestudents to be healthy, happy, engaged and successfulwhile promoting positive and respectful relationships in thecommunity.

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Strategic Direction 1: Future Ready Students

Purpose

To prepare students across all curriculumareas and learning stages with skills andcapabilities to thrive in a rapidly changingand interconnected world. It connectsstudents and engages their sense ofcuriosity.

Improvement Measures

Students and teachers have visiblelearning goals which they regularly monitorand evaluate. 

Project Based Learning and STEAMfacilitate opportunities for CCT.

K–6 students to integrate digital learningacross the curriculum.

Flexible seating plans differentiate to meetthe diverse needs of learners.

People

Students

Future–focused learning environmentsinspire students to be leaders of their ownlearning. Students collaborate and usecritical and creative thinking to solvecomplex problems and become mindfulglobal citizens.

Staff

Future–focused teachers know andunderstand the needs and talents of theirstudents. They are flexible and select froma range of effective teaching strategies.

Parents/Carers

Parents and carers will be provided withopportunities to develop theirunderstanding and engage in innovativeteaching and learning strategies.

Community Partners

Future–focused communities invest innetworks of educators to create, foster andspread innovative practice.

Leaders

Support leaders to manage change andstimulate innovation to nurture new andemerging approaches to teaching andlearning.

Processes

Future Focussed Learning

–Growth Mindset  

Development of a 'growth mindset' schoolwhere high expectations are supportedthrough strengthening pathways in ourbrains to embrace challenges.

–Critical & Creative Thinking 

Students develop capability in critical andcreative thinking as they learn to generateand evaluate knowledge, clarify conceptsand ideas, seek possibilities, consideralternatives and solve problems in alllearning areas at school and in their livesbeyond school.

–Flexible Learning Spaces

Provide student–centred learning spaceswhere students have choice in where andhow they learn. Teachers facilitate flexiblelearning opportunities for students to learnindependently and collaboratively.

Evaluation Plan

• School surveys that reflectunderstanding and implementation offuture–focused practices.

• Observation and reflection ofcollaborative teaching spaces.

• Teachers embed digital technologies inteaching and learning programs.

Practices and Products

Practices

Students and teachers have visiblelearning goals which they regularly monitorand evaluate.

Project Based Learning and STEAMfacilitate opportunities for CCT.

Flexible seating plans differentiate to meetthe diverse needs of learners.

K–6 students integrate digital learningacross the curriculum.

Products

Teachers provide engaging learningexperiences and value student motivationto learn. Students are empowered tobecome curious, autonomous learners andagents of change.

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Strategic Direction 2: Teaching and Leadership Excellence

Purpose

To ensure that all staff consistentlyimplement quality teaching practices andset high expectations to instil a culture ofteaching and student excellence.

Improvement Measures

Staff gather and analyse PLAN 2 / LearningProgressions to inform and assessteaching and learning.

Growth in PLAN aspects of Reading Texts,Comprehension and Writing andNAPLAN–Reading and Writing

People

Students

Students master literacy skills and applythis knowledge to excel in all key learningareas.

Staff

Staff deliver quality literacy programs andeffective evidence based teachingpractices to support student learning.

Parents/Carers

Parents/carers understand and supportnew curriculum and the quality teachingpractice that supports literacy development.

Community Partners

Community partners utilise networks toshare expertise and knowledge of qualityliteracy teaching as part of a learningalliance.

Leaders

The leadership team fosters a highperformance culture through the fourLeading Domains and the teacheraccreditation process.

Processes

Professional Development

Quality literacy programs are strengthenedby setting high expectations and explicitcriteria. Staff track student progress andachievement and continuously providetimely feedback.

School and System Priorities

System wide improvements, initiatives,policies, procedures and curriculum needsare locally implemented in consultation andcollaboration with the whole schoolcommunity.

Assessment for Learning

Teachers implement a full range ofassessment strategies in determiningteacher directions. Reporting on schoolperformance is based on valid and reliabledata and analysis.

Evaluation Plan

• Monitoring of milestones in accordanceto timeline

• NAPLAN– literacy data will be reviewedeach year to map improvements againststrategies.

•  Literacy PLAN/Learning Progressionsdata analysis

Practices and Products

Practices

Staff gather and analyse PLAN 2 / LearningProgressions to inform and assessteaching and learning.

The explicit teaching of literacy underpinsall learning.

Teachers provide explicit, specific andtimely feedback related to defined successcriteria.

The school engages teachers inprofessional learning for ongoing teacherimprovement in the teaching of literacy.

Products

Growth in PLAN aspects of Reading Texts,Comprehension and Writing andNAPLAN–Reading and Writing

Professional learning networks engageteachers and leaders in best literacyteaching practice.

All teachers are committed tounderstanding and implementing the mosteffective explicit teaching methods, with thehighest priority given to evidence–basedteaching strategies.

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Strategic Direction 3: Safe and Supportive Environments

Purpose

To create teaching and learningenvironments that enable students to behealthy, happy, engaged and successfulwhile promoting positive and respectfulrelationships in the community.

Improvement Measures

Increased proportion of students will haveneeds met by school–wide and classroomsystems for all students, staff and settings

People

Students

Students engage in teaching and learningprograms that establishes positiveexpectations. Students participate indecision making and develop a voice withinteaching and learning.

Staff

Staff use a team approach to implementwhole school framework that addressesstudent academic and social needs.

Parents/Carers

Schools actively communicate with familiesso they understand and support theclassroom and schoolwide systems.

Community Partners

Consultation with school partners onpositive social expectations help to build acohesive educational culture.

Leaders

Leaders to support staff in theimplementation of the whole schoolwellbeing framework and communitypartnerships.

Processes

Wellbeing

Implementation of a whole schoolcommunity framework that addresses thediverse academic and social need of everystudent while supporting their well being.Through effective teamwork using aproblem solving approach (data, systemsand practices) students, parents and allschool staff are supported in their transitionbetween spaces/locations/schools.

Community Voice

Supporting our community to find theirvoice, participate in decision making andunderstand their rights and responsibilitiesas active citizens. Preparing students, staffand parents to have a real impact onlearning and school environments toparticipate meaningfully in their community.

Evaluation Plan

•    There is a coordinated effort by schoolstaff to engage the school community toreflect on student progress andachievement data and develop plans andstrategies for improvement.

Practices and Products

Practices

School collects, analyses and uses dataincluding student, parent and staff surveys/feedback to monitor and refine a wholeschool approach to wellbeing andengagement, to improve learning.

Clear, visible signage, consistent acrosswhole school.

Students care for self and contribute to thewellbeing of others and the widercommunity.

Products

Increased proportion of students will haveneeds met by school–wide and classroomsystems for all students, staff and settings.

School programs address the needs ofidentified student groups to improvelearning outcomes promoting personal bestand inclusivity.

Opportunities to share, explain and updatespecific focuses, data results, studentresults and outcomes.

Using digital technologies and interactiveface to face sessions to enhancecommunity engagement and learningopportunities.

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