Smarter school national partnerships

Section 1 – Smarter Schools National Partnerships – Impact

Executive Summary

Smarter Schools National Partnerships Overview

South Australia’s Smarter Schools National Partnerships 2012 Annual Report details the progress, impact and outcomes that are being achieved through the implementation of the Improving Teacher Quality National Partnership and the Communities Making a Difference (known nationally as Low Socio-economic Status School Communities) National Partnership. All agreed milestones have been met, and often exceeded, for this reporting period.

The three schooling sectors - Catholic, Government and Independent - continue to pursue ambitious reforms to improve the educational outcomes of South Australia’s children and young people. Much of the focus during 2012 has been on consolidating and embedding implementation activity at the local school community level, and, where appropriate, system wide. All three sectors have incorporated a greater emphasis on strengthening parental and family engagement in student learning. As well, exciting and innovative initiatives have commenced, such as the E-mentoring of students and Passport program.

The 2012 Annual Report has been prepared under the direction of the SA National Partnership Council – Schooling, a Ministerial Advisory Committee with membership of the three schooling sector heads. It should be read in conjunction with the 2012 Progress Report. This report also includes the Principal Professional Development Report for 2012.

Impact of key reform strategies

In 2012, there were 223 schools participating in the Communities Making a Difference National Partnership (CMaD NP) ‘whole of school’ interventions across South Australia with a total student enrolment of more than 61,700 students. Of these, 140 schools (62.8%) were designated junior primary/primary, reflecting the important focus on improving learning outcomes in the primary years.

Over 90% of the schools had participated in the CMaD NP since 2011. Just over half the CMaD NP schools were situated in regional South Australia and 54 schools were located in the northern suburbs of metropolitan Adelaide. Nineteen schools (8.5%) were designated as Aboriginal/ Anangu schools and 9 schools (4.0%) designated as Special schools.

As well, during 2012 more than 11,000 students were supported through the Government sector’s individualised target support programs and a further 27,000 students were supported through Innovative Community Action Network (ICAN) community partnership grants programs and youth development programs. The educational progress of a total of 8,908 of the 11,000 students has been ‘tracked’.

Promising trends in improved NAPLAN results were seen in students’ reading (for students in the ‘whole school’ interventions for more than one year) with a steady shift of students from the lower proficiency bands (those below and at National Minimum Standard) to the middle/ upper proficiency bands from 2010 to 2012. This trend was also seen for Indigenous students’ reading results in these schools.

Sixteen of 23 CMaD NP schools with school attendance rates below an average of 85% in 2010 have shown an increase in their attendance rates in 2012, ranging from a 0.1% to 3.7% annual growth rate.

For 58 CMaD NP schools with upper secondary school students potentially completing their South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) at the end of 2011 (data reported in 2012), the greatest increase in the SACE completion rate over the last two years was for the 37 regional schools, where the SACE completion rate increased by 3.4 percentage points to 86.3%.

The average individual attendance rates of the ‘tracked’ students, receiving individualised targeted support in the government sector, who had poor attendance (less than 80%) in 2011 also improved in 2012, indicative of increased engagement in learning. Their average attendance rate increased by 34% to an average individual attendance rate of 75%.

NAPLAN results for ‘tracked’ students in the relevant year levels, who were previously highly disengaged from learning, have also shown strong improvement. More than half of the student whose 2010 NAPLAN reading results were ‘below’ the National Minimum Standard improved to ‘at or above’ in 2012 as did more than half of the students whose 2010 NAPLAN numeracy results were ‘below’ the National Minimum Standard.

As well, from 2011 data reported in 2012, ‘tracked’ senior secondary students, receiving individualised targeted support in the Government sector, have shown: an increase in their average attendance rate; a decrease in suspensions; and of those undertaking SACE literacy subjects, over 70% successfully completed and of those undertaking SACE numeracy subjects 70% successfully completed.

Other key impacts from the implementation of the Smarter Schools National Partnerships are highlighted below and in the following sections.

Improving Teacher Quality (ITQ NP)

Through the strategic approach adopted by each schooling sector, tailored to their specific contexts and circumstances, the facilitation reform period of the ITQ NP has provided the foundation on which to implement further reform through the reward phase, other national partnerships and initiatives and in the future. Sectors have continued to ensure a seamless connection between both facilitation and reward reforms, particularly at the school level, as well as informing and linking with the CMaD NP and other current educational improvement initiatives.

Schooling sectors’ strategies and initiatives have been developed in response to a significant body of research, both internationally and within Australia recognising that student success depends on the quality of the teacher. A strong connection between the quality of teachers, their pre-service teacher professional experiences, and their professional learning beyond graduation has also been identified as a critical factor.

Key achievements and impacts include:

The extensive Association of Independent Schools of South Australia (AISSA) Leadership Development Program with six program strands, which addressed the current educational agenda challenging leaders to focus on improving student and school performance through new ways of thinking and doing. A total of 828 participants attended 26 workshops in 2012.

The AISSA Early Career Teacher Program provided practical classroom support and opportunities for participants to share early career teaching experiences and to establish collegial networks. As well, participants work with a mentor from their school.

The Management Improvement project engaged principals from across the Catholic sector, including new and deputy principals, in professional learning to explore strategies to build capacity for working with school staff to improve teaching and learning. Professional learning communities were developed both at system and local levels to share ideas and practices between schools.

The development of Key Teachers through the Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) Connected Learning Networks has built capacity in 22 schools to successfully improve teacher quality, through a focus on effective 21^st century pedagogy. School Leaders have developed clearer, more specific visions and strategies for leading improvement in their particular school communities.

The development of assessment resources (performance expectations and indicators) by the Catholic sector to assist schools with understanding and using the Achievement Standards within the Implementation of the Australian Curriculum. This involved more than 300 teachers from 85 schools.

Through the Early Career Teacher Support Program CESA supported the induction and career formation of approximately 360 early career teachers from 80 schools, as well as the teachers and school leaders who nurture and develop the new teachers. In order to build each school’s capacity to support early career teachers, consultants focused in 2012 on the development of in-school mentoring programs.

Improved performance and development through co-ordinated workforce reform in the Government sector with broad stakeholder involvement. This included the review and development of new policy; training leaders and managers in its implementation; and an industrial approach to recognising and rewarding quality teachers with the introduction of a ‘Step 9’ increment.

Performance and development planning and annual review were embedded for Step 9 teachers along with the development and introduction of an online system for storing and managing annual performance statements. Over 55% of Department for Education and Child Development (DECD) Step 9 teachers now have a performance development plan and annual review stored in the online system. As a result of this successful implementation, the system is being developed further to enable use of on-line performance and development plans and annual review for improving performance by all teachers and school services officers in DECD.

Improved in-school support for teachers, school and other site leaders has been achieved through the targeted and strategic development of DECD school support staff who work in direct contact with students. In 2012, more than 750 school support staff enrolled in a broadened range of courses offered through the government sector Registered Training Organisation, such as Working with Students with Disabilities and Literacy and Numeracy. This reform informed an industrial initiative designed to reward and recognise school support officers who improve their qualifications and capability to work more effectively in their roles within the school.

The School Centres for Excellence program has attracted high quality final year pre-service teachers to DECD schools that were identified as low socio-economic status schools with a high probability of teaching vacancies becoming available. Feedback from pre-service teachers, mentors and site leaders indicated the success of this program, including the recruitment of high quality graduates to the government sector, with some in ‘hard to staff’ schools. Importantly, the School Centres for Excellence program has demonstrated to other sites across the DECD system the mutual benefit for students, teacher mentors and the broader system of mentoring quality final year students.

Improved pathways into teaching for Aboriginal students and employees in non-teaching position have been developed by all three schooling sectors including:

The AISSA Getting Started Program, which is providing one-to one mentoring by teachers and school leaders and/or in-school experiences for Indigenous students currently enrolled in a teaching degree.

The consolidation by the Catholic sector of stronger relationships with tertiary sector providers to develop programs that specifically support Indigenous students who identify early childhood and teaching as career pathways. As well, Aboriginal students have Individual Learning Plans developed from Year 6 to support tertiary education pathways.

The Government sector Aboriginal Teaching Scholarships program, currently provides financial support and potential permanent employment for 24 Indigenous students as they undertake a teacher education program. As well, 10 DECD Aboriginal employees wishing to pursue a career in teaching are enrolled in the new University of South Australia Pathways into Teaching degree.

The schooling sectors have continued their involvement in national initiatives. In their implementation work, they referenced the new national frameworks, such as the National Professional Standards for Teachers and the National Professional Standard for Principals.

Sectors have used the opportunities presented by the introduction of the Australian Curriculum to extend, enhance and deepen the professional learning and skills required for quality teaching in the 21^st Century classroom.

The three sectors have continued to collaborate through their active participation in the South Australian Teacher Education Taskforce, as well as through their membership of the SA National Partnership Council – Schooling and its associated working groups.