Section 1 – Smarter Schools National Partnerships – Impact 3
Executive Summary 3
Smarter Schools National Partnerships Overview 3
Impact of key reform strategies 3
Improving Teacher Quality (ITQ NP) 4
Communities Making a Difference National Partnership (CMaD NP) 7
through ‘Individualised Targeted Support’ strategies and approaches for students who are disconnected and disengaged from learning and education pathways (Government sector). 7
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. 7
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. 9
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’. 9
A total of 563 students in Years levels 5 to 7 received mentoring support from 440 community volunteers in 2012. 9
A total of 1,589 secondary students received mentoring support. Of the Year 12 students in the program in 2011, 80% completed their SACE. 9
Across 67 schools, 1,459 Aboriginal students received mentoring support in 2012. Participation has increased students’ organisational skills and preparedness to engage with learning. 9
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. 9
Vocational education and training (VET) scholarships assisting 868 students to undertake higher level VET in 64 different qualifications. 9
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. 9
Pursuing an agenda of improved wellbeing and learning outcomes for all students, including Indigenous students, through individualised learning plans in the Catholic sector. 9
Providing intensive family support and integrated regional service delivery to students through the Aboriginal Turn Around Team, including crisis intervention 9
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. 9
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). 9
Section 2 – Improving Teacher Quality 10
Overview 10
2012 Significant Achievements / Highlights 15
Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students 16
Support for other disadvantaged student cohorts 17
Progress against TQNP facilitation reforms 19
National Professional Standards for Teachers 19
National certification of accomplished and lead teachers 21
Nationally consistent registration of teachers 21
National consistency in accreditation of pre-service teacher education courses 22
Professional development and support for principals 22
Improved performance management and continuous improvement in schools 27
New pathways into teaching 29
Better pathways into teaching 30
Improved quality and availability of teacher workforce data 32
Indigenous education workforce pathways 32
Quality placements 33
School Centres for Excellence 34
Progress towards meeting TQNP reward reforms 35
Sustainability 35
Showcase/ Exemplary Activities 39
Certificate III and Diploma of Children’s Services (Certificate III is a pathway to the diploma which is a national work reform requirement if seeking a leadership position in Early Childhood Centres) 42
Certificate III in Education Support 42
Certificate IV in Accounting 42
Certificate IV in Government (Management) and Diploma of Government (Management) 42
Skill Set programs focussed on: Disability Support in the Classroom, ICT and Research, Literacy and Numeracy, School Services Officer Leadership, and the EDSAS finance short course. 42
Principal Professional Development Report for 2012 51
Section 3 – Communities Making a Difference 61
Overview 61
through ‘Individualised Targeted Support’ strategies and approaches for students who are disconnected and disengaged from learning and education pathways (Government sector). 61
2012 Significant Achievements/ Highlights 61
Innovative Community Action Networks (ICAN) engaging and re-engaging in learning students experiencing multiple disadvantage and disruption in their lives; students who have become totally disengaged from schooling, often well before the compulsory school leaving age; and students with additional responsibilities, such as caring for a parent or child. 64
ICAN provided intensive support for 5,282 Low SES students (554 primary 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. 64
Community mentoring, secondary student mentoring and Aboriginal student mentoring to improve the engagement, learning and wellbeing outcomes students. 65
A total of 563 students in Year levels 5 to 7 received mentoring support from 440 community volunteers. 65
A total of 1,589 secondary students received mentoring support. Of the previous year’s group (2011), 80% of the Year 12 students in the program completed their SACE. 65
Across 67 schools, 1,459 Aboriginal students received mentoring support. Participation in this program has increased students’ organisational skills and preparedness to engage with learning. 65
Learning Together supported 391 families with their pre-school children’s learning and literacy development. 65
Observable, positive interactions between parents and children increased during their participation. 65
Vocational education and training (VET) scholarships assisting 868 students to undertake higher level VET in 64 different qualifications. 65
Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students 65
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. 65
Pursuing an agenda of improved wellbeing and learning outcomes for all students, including Indigenous students, through individualised learning plans in the Catholic sector. 65
Providing intensive family support and integrated regional service delivery to students through the DECD Aboriginal Turn Around Team, including crisis intervention 65
Supporting 116 Aboriginal students from remote and isolated communities in far north South Australia who came to Adelaide to continue their schooling through the DECD Witja program. 65
Providing individualised targeted support through: 65
the ICAN Flexible Learning Options enrolments: 778 students; 65
community and secondary mentoring: 242 students; 65
Aboriginal student mentoring: 1,495 students, 65
Learning Together: 43 people (adults and preschool children), and 65
VET scholarships: 102 students. 65
Support for other disadvantaged student cohorts 66
Evaluation 66
Sustainability 66
Communities Making a Difference (CMaD) Initiatives 68
School Diagnostic Review and Development of School Improvement Plans (Independent sector) 68
School Leadership and Governance (Independent sector) 72
Communities Making a Difference National Partnership (CMaD NP) Network of Schools, Principals and Teachers (Catholic sector) 76
Innovative Community Action Networks (ICAN) (Government sector) 89
Mentoring for improving engagement, learning and wellbeing outcomes (Government sector) 102
Aboriginal Student Mentoring Program (Government sector) 108
Aboriginal Turn Around Team (Government sector) 110
Wiltja program (Government sector) 111
‘Learning Together’ (Government sector) 114
Vocational Education and Training (VET) scholarships (Government sector) 117
Teaching for Effective Learning (Government sector) 120
Principals Leading Learning (Government sector) 121
Strengthening Parent and Community Engagement in Student Learning
(Government sector) 123
Showcase/ Exemplary Activities 131
there is evidence of increased confidence in the use of effective teaching strategies from participation in the mentoring program and ongoing adviser support. This is particularly evident in the area of numeracy teaching and learning. Importantly this is demonstrated through improved NAPLAN results in 2012 in years 3, 5 and 7. Ongoing, long term mentoring and support for numeracy teaching methodology has also seen improved NAPLAN results in Years 3, 5 and 7. 132
personalised ICT resources with a literacy focus, have influenced improved student attendance, engagement and learning outcomes including for Indigenous students and students with learning difficulties. These improvements have been achieved through student engagement with iPads and an interactive application on a mobile device which promotes students’ autonomous learning and reflective practice. This device also provides teachers with data to inform assessment for learning strategies. 132
Increasing parent involvement, particularly of families who may be hard to reach, and the establishment of the playgroup are in the early stages of development but there are sound indicators of much stronger parent involvement and attendance across a range of events at the school. 132
Section 4 – Research and Evaluation not reported elsewhere 140
Research 140
Evaluation 141
Section 6 – Milestone Reporting Improving Teacher Quality 148
Milestones Achieved in Annual Report 1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012 148
Section 7 – Milestone Reporting Communities Making a Difference 151
Milestones Achieved in Annual Report 1 January 2012 – 31 December 2012 151
1.Airdale Primary School * 154
2.Adelaide Secondary School of English 154
3.Berri Primary School * 154
4.Blanchetown Primary School 154
5.Blair Athol North B-7 School 154
6.Challa Gardens Primary School 154
7.Coober Pedy Area School 154
8.Elizabeth South Primary School * 154
9.Evanston Primary School * 154
10.Flinders View Primary School * 154
11.Hackham West R-7 School * 154
12.Le Fevre High School 154
13.Mark Oliphant College 154
14.Millicent North Primary School * 154
15.Moonta Area School * 154
16.Murray Bridge Special School 154
17.Para West Adult Re-entry Campus 154
18.Pennington Junior Primary School 154
19.Port Augusta Special School 154
20.Port Germein Primary School * 154
21.Port Pirie West Primary School * 154
22.Port Vincent Primary School 154
23.Port Wakefield Primary School 154
24.Raukkan Aboriginal School 154
25.Riverland Special School 154
26.Riverdale R-7 School * 154
27.Roma Mitchell Secondary College 154
28.Seaton High School 154
29.Solomontown Primary School * 154
30.The Grove Education Centre 154
31.Virginia Primary School 154
32.Wallaroo Primary School * 154
33.Whyalla Stuart R-7 School * 154
34.Willsden Primary School * 154
35.Woodville Gardens Primary School 154
36.Woodville Primary School 154
Appendix –Additional Performance Information 162
The National Partnership Agreements on Literacy and Numeracy, Low Socio-economic Status School Communities (known as Communities Making a Difference in South Australia) and Improving Teacher Quality are collaborative initiatives supported by funding from the Australian Government, the South Australian Government and the Catholic and Independent school sectors.