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Spencer park primary School

Business plan2016 – 2018

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Welcome to Spencer Park Primary School – Always Striving to Achieve our BestSpencer Park Primary School is situated in the picturesque city of Albany, on the south coast of Western Australia. Our school has developed a rich history and tradition since its inception in 1959, celebrating 50 years of quality service to our community in 2009. Our motto “Always Strive” epitomises the approach of staff and students. Emphasis is placed on nurturing children to reach their full potential academically, socially and emotionally. Our staff have high expectations, believe that every child matters every day, that all children can be high achievers, and adopt a wide variety of innovative, explicit teaching practices in their classrooms. As a result, over a long period in relation to key indicators the school has performed at or above expected levels compared to other similar schools.

Over the years a high level of service, in terms of providing a quality, well balanced education, has been sustained. Many current parents attended this school as children and continue to offer loyal and dynamic support to their local school. A caring, committed and responsive staff and a supportive parent community, results in a positive school environment for all.

The school offers eight years of education from Kindergarten to Year 6 with a total enrolment of about 350 students. As a successful independent public school since 2013, Spencer Park welcomes the enrolment of all children, no matter their ability, cultural or socio-economic background. This diversity, a mirror of the world we live in, is a great strength of this school. Tolerance, acceptance and the ability to get along well with all around us are crucial values and skills in today’s world. This school has developed an ethos that seeks to understand each child as an individual and nurture them in a way that gives them confidence and develops their talents enabling them to achieve to their full potential.

A broad range of programmes are provided to ensure each student has an opportunity to experience success.

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Our VisionSpencer Park Primary School is a dynamic learning community working together to help students succeed and become responsible citizens. We always strive to provide a safe school environment that is respectful, positive, inclusive and welcoming.

Our ValuesSpencer Park Primary School is part of the government school system and as such is committed to the five core values articulated in the WA Curriculum Framework.

• Pursuit of knowledge and achievement of potential.

• Self acceptance and respect of self.

• Respect and concern for others and their rights.

• Social and civic responsibility.

• Environmental responsibility.

In particular at our school we actively promote and value

• An approach that seeks to understand and care for each individual student in a way that enables them to achieve to their full potential.

• Being friendly, approachable and responsive to the needs of our community.

• Providing a learning environment that is safe and positive.

• Positive relationships and understanding between students of different cultures and abilities.

• Our professional and dedicated staff and volunteers who are committed to a quality school experience for all.

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Our BeliefsStaff, students and parents working together to create a safe and friendly school.

We believe that optimal learning occurs when:

1. Staff develop a comprehensive knowledge of each student’s background and needs resulting in a high level of individual success.

2. The school environment is positive, motivating and safe, enabling all to comfortably take risks.

3. Positive relationships are formed between students, home and school.

4. Staff, students and parents have a clear understanding of what is expected with regard to behaviour and learning.

5. An effective combination of explicit teaching and inquiry-based learning is provided.

6. Teachers provide integrated learning experiences that are developmentally based, well planned and organised.

7. Students are on task and engaged in relevant learning.

8. Students are given opportunities to work collaboratively and learn from one another.

9. Students are acknowledged, encouraged and rewarded for their endeavour.

10. Students are provided with opportunities to be creative and make decisions about their learning that allows for self evaluation.

11. Assessment is comprehensive, valid, fair and educative.

12. The teaching and learning program is supported by the best possible physical and human resources.

13. Students interact positively and productively with the wider community.

Our Targets 2016 -20181 To achieve NAPLAN results:

• Which for every area tested and in every year level are to be at or better than the performance of like schools.

• Where our average NAPLAN score each year 2016 – 2018 for

a Year 3 to at or better than 375

a Year 5 to at or better than 460

• That by 2018 are moving towards having less than 30% of our students in the bottom 20% and to having more than 15% of students in the top 20%.

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Our Targets 2016 -2018 (cont.)

2 By end of 2018 80% of students in each year level to have PM benchmark levels better than those in the table below:

PP 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 15 20 25 30 30 30

3 For each of the 3 years 2016 to 2018 our attendance rates in each of 3 categories (At Risk – Moderate, At Risk – Indicated, Regular) to be better than like schools and better than the region.

Focus Areas, Strategies and MilestonesSuccessful Students

FocuS AreAS StrAtegieS/MileStoneS

Maintain our commitment to ensure that every student across the school is actively engaged in a class program that is consistent with the key elements of the Fleming Explicit Teaching Model.

Maintain our commitment to provide quality, evidence-based literacy and numeracy resources to use in each class.

Continue to elevate levels of achievement in K and P with the aim of having students reading by age 6.

By end of 2018, for each year level K – 6 in maths, identify a set of essential skills and understandings that need to covered.

By end of 2018, develop a numeracy teaching block that contains common elements across the school.

By end of 2016, have implemented Spelling Mastery in Year 1 and 2.

Continue to implement the PATHS program K to Year 4, investigate alternatives for Years 5 and 6. Train a member of staff in the Rock and Water program; maintain this program within the school.

Foster social and emotional development

Improve standards of achievement in Literacy and Numeracy

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Continue to hold an art exhibition and a night time performing arts showcase each alternating year.Continue to offer specialist physical education programs. (eg Before School Swimming Training, Interschool Cricket, Eagles Cup AFL Football)

Utilise federal funding available through the Sporting Schools program to support physical education activities.

Continue to offer specialist music programs. (eg Choir, Dance, Drumming, Instrumental Music)

Provide opportunities throughout the year for our students to be involved in events outside of the school. (eg Albany ANZAC Day March, Eisteddfod, Music Festival, Young Writers Workshop)

By end of 2018, to have further upgraded playground equipment and have developed the vacant area immediately to the south of the main building as a vegetable garden.

Ongoing, targeted monitoring of Students at Risk through regular assessment, Individual and Group Education Plans.

Maintain a focus of supporting Students at Risk towards the early years.

Continue to provide support for third wave learners via programs like MULTILiT.

Investigate/trial MINILiT as a suitable program for second wave learners in PP and Year 1

Ongoing multidisciplinary and interagency case management of individual high needs students overseen by weekly Student Services Committee meetings.

Maximise attendance by regularly recognising those with optimal attendance.

By end of 2018 use the Special Education Needs (SEN) Planning tool to develop IEP’s and link this to reporting for these children.

By end of 2018 have provided a range of professional learning opportunities for staff in relation to building their capacity in managing students with disabilities.

Support students at risk

Focus Areas, Strategies and Milestones (cont.)Successful Students (cont.)

FocuS AreAS StrAtegieS/MileStoneS

Maximise opportunities that provide breadth and depth and engagement in our curriculum

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Focus Areas, Strategies and Milestones (cont.)Successful Students (cont.)

FocuS AreAS StrAtegieS/MileStoneS

Utilise the budget made available through the school’s Enrichment Program to maximise the opportunities available for extension. (eg Maths Olympiad, Westpac Maths, Interschool Chess Program, Albany Primary Schools Spelling Championship, Writers Days, Visiting Artists, Instrumental Music)

Encourage and support student involvement in PEAC.

Year by year investigate and source additional funds (Commonwealth, State, Local) for these students.Encourage, support and promote the involvement of Indigenous parents within the school.Monitor the performance of Indigenous students in relation to key areas ( eg NAPLAN, attendance)Maintain the 3 year old program at Coolangarras commenced in 2015. This program is funded by the Commonwealth via their Indigenous Advancement Strategy until the end of 2017.Promote the importance of Indigenous culture and history.By end of 2018 make staff aware of the Department of Education’s Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework released in 2016.

Promote a culture of personal success by developing opportunities to highlight and celebrate students’ achievements via school awards, announcements at assemblies, newsletters and on the school website.Monitor and highlight the successes of past students.

Provide opportunities for students to develop leadership qualities eg School Councillors, Peer Mediators, Faction Captains, leading regular and special assemblies.

Extend the abilities of our students

Support for Indigenous students

Pursuit and Celebration of Personal Success

Leadership

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Focus Areas, Strategies and Milestones (cont.)High Quality teaching

FocuS AreAS StrAtegieS/MileStoneS

Ongoing professional learning that elevates to high levels the staff understanding and application of key elements of the Fleming Effective Explicit Teaching Model (eg Warm up, Gradual Release and key programs ).

By end of 2018, have reviewed and updated policy documentation to ensure that this is reflective of key aspects of the Fleming Effective Explicit Teaching Model.

By end of 2018, to have allocated sufficient resources to enable 2 further visits to the school by John Fleming.

By end of 2018 have implemented a weekly test period in each class and developed a policy that guides this process.

By end of 2018, have developed and implemented a 5 weekly assessment period in each class.

By end of 2018, have embedded classroom teaching observation as part of the performance management process, weekly preparatory collaboration and coaching as key strategies in ensuring that quality teaching occurs in each classroom.

By end of 2018, have provided regular professional learning opportunities for staff in relation to tablet technology.

Maintain the school’s Curriculum Committee as a collaborative and consultative group when it comes to making decisions about whole school curriculum policy and guidelines.

Ensure all staff have opportunities for professional learning in relation to moderating judgements in relation to report assessments for English, Maths and Science.

Manage the implementation of Phase 2 and 3 of the West Australian Curriculum to ensure;

• Fullimplementation(TeachingAssessingandReporting)of Health and Physical Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences by end of first semester 2017.

• Fullimplementation(TeachingAssessingandReporting)of The Arts, Technologies and Languages by end of first semester 2018.

Building staff capacity and expertise

Implementation of the Australian Curriculum

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Focus Areas, Strategies and Milestones (cont.)High Quality teaching (cont.)

FocuS AreAS StrAtegieS/MileStoneS

Investigate, trial and implement evidence based commercial resources.By end of 2018, have investigated and begun to implement a strategy aimed at updating current interactive whiteboard technology.By end of 2018, ensure every class has sufficient access to tablet technology to ensure regular usage by each student.By end of 2018, have the necessary quantity and quality IT resources for our students to participate in the online NAPLAN testing to occur in 2019.

Staff have access to and use performance data from a range of sources to inform their planning, allow for self reflection in relation to program effectiveness and measure the ongoing progress of students.Annually maintain the school’s self assessment process using performance data from a range of sources to inform whole school planning.

Given the impending retirement of people within the school leadership team, implement well ordered processes to recruit people that have the necessary skills and ethos to continue the well-defined pathway of Spencer Park PS.

Quality Resources

Data Informed Planning

Effective School Leadership

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Focus Areas, Strategies and Milestones (cont.)governance and Support

FocuS AreAS StrAtegieS/MileStoneS

Continue to develop the school’s website so that it becomes a positive and vibrant window into our school.Ensure that the school maximises promotional opportunities and has a positive presence in the wider community via the local media.Maximise opportunities for our students to be involved in activities in the wider community ( eg City of Albany ANZAC Service and Christmas Pageant )Maximise opportunities for parents, carers and prominent key people from the wider community to be involved in and contribute to the day to day operation of the school.

Seek community input to identify and inform directions through the school’s annual parent survey and input from the School Board, P&C and the Noongar Parents and Carers Group.

By end of 2016, manage an election process that ensures Board membership for a further 3 year period.Ensure that all Board members elected for the 2016 – 2018 period are clear about their role and responsibilities.By end of 2016, investigate and recruit a member of the business community to become a member of our School Board.Collect school performance information during the period covering this Business Plan to support the 3 year independent audit to be carried out in 2018.

Seek out avenues and form partnerships with groups that can provide support to our school. (eg Strong Families, Aboriginal Health, Child Development, DCP, Wanslea, Anglicare, Foodbank, Child and Parent Centre )Continue to support charities and community organisations who help those in need.

Promote the school in the wider community

Partnerships to set School Directions

Governance

Develop mutually beneficial partnerships with groups from the wider community, government and non government.