Communities Making a Difference National Partnership (CMaD NP)
Through the CMaD NP, South Australia is working to achieve improved educational outcomes for students in two different ways:
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through specifically identified schools participating in ‘whole of school’ strategies and approaches (all three schooling sectors), and
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through ‘Individualised Targeted Support’ strategies and approaches for students who are disconnected and disengaged from learning and education pathways (Government sector).
In 2012, schools and sectors strengthened and consolidated their implementation activity. The momentum for school improvement and action, generated by the extent and depth of CMaD NP activity, is spreading more broadly across the schooling sectors and, where appropriate, initiatives are becoming embedded and systematised.
Positive trends and impacts are being seen within CMaD NP schools and in their students’ attendance and achievement as a result of the hard and continuous work of implementation. Each sector has developed an approach suitable to the context and needs of their school communities.
Key achievements and impacts in 2012 include:
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Seven schools in the Independent sector have been implementing their School Improvement Plans, which were developed as a result of the diagnostic reviews. Support for staff professional learning has been a key aspect of these plans.
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School leaders from the seven independent schools undertook significant professional development focus on leadership and school improvement. The leaders are applying their new knowledge and learning to their own school contexts.
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In-school Specialist Support was provided to assist principals, teachers, students and their parents to meet the needs of vulnerable students in the independent sector. Specialist services included psychologists, speech pathologists and an occupational therapist. A total of 40 teachers (classroom teachers, special education teachers and school leaders) and 10 School Support Officers participated in this program from the seven CMaD schools.
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The strategic planning process implemented in the Catholic sector has been beneficial to the participating CMaD Catholic schools and their experience is informing a concurrent sector development of school improvement frameworks.
All 23 CMaD schools in the Catholic sector engaged with the Strengthening Family and Community Engagement in Student Learning Resource, with all schools setting engagement goals in one or more of the six family and community engagement dimensions.
The Catholic Principal and Teachers CMaD NP Network was strengthened, with schools engaging purposefully with the resources of the network.
Professional Learning Communities were established as the strategy for developing social and professional capital in schools in the Catholic sector.
Ten Catholic schools invited students to evaluate school pedagogy and acted to meaningfully respond to the students’ assessment.
Increased consistency within Catholic schools in the use of assessment data to inform the design of teaching/ learning programs for students, and development of strategies for whole of sector practices in collection and use of non-NAPLAN data.
Twenty two government schools were involved (including two secondary schools) in the Teaching for Effective Learning Pedagogy Research Project. Data collection included 4,040 students completing the Student engagement questionnaire, 399 classroom observations and 281 teacher interviews. Findings informed improved teaching practices and student engagement.
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The Principal as Literacy Leaders and Secondary Principal as Literacy Leader programs provided principals with strategies for whole school literacy improvement. A number of schools now have in place common agreements, processes and expectations in literacy and customised and highly targeted literacy support.
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A further 28 diagnostic reviews, with a specific focus on improving literacy teaching, were conducted in CMaD government schools by the Supporting School Improvement and Diagnostic Review initiative and 12 Regional Leadership Consultants support principals in their region with implementing school improvement strategies.
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Twenty two government schools and pre-schools benefitted from Recruitment and Selection strategies to attract and retain teachers and leaders in low socio-economic status schools, including in the three ‘hardest to staff’ country regions of South Australia.
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Innovative Community Action Networks (ICAN) provided intensive support for 5,282 students (554 primary school and 4,728 secondary students) who were enrolled through a Flexible Learning Option in schools across the state. Case management for these young people is provided by professionals.
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In addition, 706 children and young people were provided with a case management service to assist them to stay in mainstream school learning programs and prevent them from ‘dropping out’.
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A total of 563 students in Years levels 5 to 7 received mentoring support from 440 community volunteers in 2012.
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A total of 1,589 secondary students received mentoring support. Of the Year 12 students in the program in 2011, 80% completed their SACE.
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Across 67 schools, 1,459 Aboriginal students received mentoring support in 2012. Participation has increased students’ organisational skills and preparedness to engage with learning.
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Learning Together supported 391 families in their pre-school children’s learning and literacy development. Observable, positive interactions between parents and children increased during their participation.
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Vocational education and training (VET) scholarships assisting 868 students to undertake higher level VET in 64 different qualifications.
The importance of strengthening family and community voice and involvement in Aboriginal students’ schooling has been recognised across the three schooling sectors. In the Government sector, the Aboriginal Voice initiative has conducted consultative forums, workshops and professional development days, and the new Passport program has been introduced. Other specific strategies and programs for Aboriginal students implemented through the CMaD NP in 2012 included:
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Consideration of the specific priorities and needs of Indigenous students as part of the Independent sector diagnostic review and school improvement planning process, reinforcing high expectations and community involvement.
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Pursuing an agenda of improved wellbeing and learning outcomes for all students, including Indigenous students, through individualised learning plans in the Catholic sector.
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Providing intensive family support and integrated regional service delivery to students through the Aboriginal Turn Around Team, including crisis intervention
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Supporting 116 Aboriginal students from remote and isolated communities in far north South Australia who came to Adelaide to continue their schooling through the Witja program.
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Providing individualised targeted support through: the ICAN Flexible Learning Options enrolments (778 students); community and secondary mentoring (242 students); Aboriginal student mentoring (1,495 students), Learning Together (43 people) and VET scholarships (102 students).
A range of strategies and programs for other cohorts of students have been implemented through the CMAD NP, such as support for secondary students who are refugees in the Catholic sector; peer mentoring between ‘new arrival’ students in primary and secondary school; and the Multi Lit program for students refusing to attend school. Students with a disability were also being supported with nine special schools amongst the CMaD NP schools and through individualised support; for example 20% of ICAN FLO enrolled students have a recognised disability.
As a priority during 2012, all sectors worked to ensure the positive impacts from the CMaD NP implementation are sustained. Findings from the review and evaluation of CMaD NP initiatives are informing the ongoing sustainability of reforms to continue to contribute to improving student learning outcomes and achievements into 2013 and beyond.
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