School plan 2018-2020Killara High School 8457

Printed on: 13 April, 2018Page 1 of 6 Killara High School 8457 (2018-2020)

School background 2018–2020

School vision statement School context School planning process

Consistent with its motto Conserva Progredere Killara HighSchool conserves the best from the past while pursuingnew directions and development into the future.

We are committed to the values of democracy,responsibility, fairness and care. School programs focus onlearning for life through the development of students’capacities to reflect on experience, make wise decisionsand continue learning.

Our school community builds upon its traditions in, andreputation for, academic, creative and sporting excellenceto develop students’ independent and critical thinking anddeliver the highest quality teaching and learning programs.

We are committed to developing and sustaining genuinerelationships based on mutual respect among students,staff and families as well as individual and collectiveresponsibility for  actions and behaviour.

We foster students’ appreciation of their responsibilities toothers and an understanding of their individual andcollective responsibility for social justice. We providediverse learning pathways and support each learner toexperience personal success and a sense of achievement.

Shared decision making underpins the school’sprofessional culture of innovation, mutual support, criticalreflection on practice and collective accountability.

Killara High School, founded in 1970, is a comprehensiveschool with an enrolment of 1640 students, including 50%students from a language background other than English.

The school has a proud tradition of academic excellenceand a strong reputation for providing highquality comprehensive education. Purposefully createdstreams and a gifted and talented program are features ofStage 4. The vast majority of students progress touniversity studies. There is a strong proactive focus onstudent learning and engagement to build critical andcreative thinkers, management initiatives in the middleyears, teacher professional learning, student leadershipand wellbeing programs, extensive curriculum enrichmentopportunities and genuine communication with keystakeholders including local primary schools.

The school operates within four partnerships. The KillaraSchools Partnership (KSP) brings together Killara HighSchool and six local primary schools. Killara is one of fivesecondary schools that collaborate through the NorthShore 5 (NS5) partnership, and the City Country Alliance(CCA) links us with schools across NSW. Killara HighSchool has joined with Macquarie University in theProfessional Experience HUB School initiative.

The school plan was developed by staff, students andparents after an extensive consultation period.

All staff and parents were invited to provide writtenfeedback in a survey, which asked them to identify whatthey valued about the school, and what they would add,remove or adapt from current practice.

Student leaders developed focus questions in consultationwith staff, which formed the basis for discussion withrandomly selected student groups.

Parents were invited to an open forum about futuredirections and were provided with feedback from the parentsurveys.

Our strategic directions were developed by the schoolexecutive and teachers using the information gainedthrough the consultation process. The School Planning andExecutive teams developed the purpose, people,processes, products and practices.

The school’s executive staff will have direct responsibilityand accountability for the implementation, monitoring andevaluation of the plan.

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School strategic directions 2018–2020

STRATEGICDIRECTION 1

Student Learning

STRATEGICDIRECTION 2

Leadership

STRATEGICDIRECTION 3

Curriculum and Assessment

Purpose:

The school community will nurture, guide, inspire andchallenge students to find the joy in learning, to build theirskills and understanding and to make sense of their world.There is collective responsibility for student learning andsuccess. We teach students the skills to understand and beresponsible for their own learning and wellbeing in order toconnect, succeed, thrive and learn. Students clearlyunderstand the role of the learner and can creatively utiliseknowledge and understanding and problem solving.Students are engaged, challenged and confident.

Purpose:

To enable a self–improving community that will continue tosupport the highest levels of learning and wellbeing acrossthe school. A coaching culture ensures ongoing capacitybuilding in teachers so that every student experiences highquality teaching. School leaders are reflexive and proactivein the continual evaluation and monitoring of impact of theirpractice and engaged in capacity development programs.Administrative systems and processes underpin ongoingschool improvement and the professional effectiveness ofall school members to build ongoing school improvement.

Purpose:

The school promotes student success through anintegrated approach to quality teaching and learning,curriculum planning and assessment that is responsive inmeeting the needs of all students. Teaching and learningprograms are adjusted to address individual student needs,ensuring that students are challenged and adjustmentslead to improved learning. Teachers involve students andparents in planning to support learning, and shareexpected outcomes. All students are supported to achieveat minimum standards literacy and numeracy

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Strategic Direction 1: Student Learning

Purpose

The school community will nurture, guide,inspire and challenge students to find thejoy in learning, to build their skills andunderstanding and to make sense of theirworld. There is collective responsibility forstudent learning and success. We teachstudents the skills to understand and beresponsible for their own learning andwellbeing in order to connect, succeed,thrive and learn. Students clearlyunderstand the role of the learner and cancreatively utilise knowledge andunderstanding and problem solving.Students are engaged, challenged andconfident.

Improvement Measures

Teaching programs and student worksamples will reflect teaching strategies toaddress general learning attributedevelopment.

Data from general learning attributes onreports reflects skill development.  

Student learning log for students willindicate learning goal setting and reflectionon learning.

TTFM data reflects increased studentengagement and rigour, resilience andpositive learning experiences.

People

Students

have an understanding of general learningattributes reporting outcomes, track theirown learning, set appropriate learninggoals and keep evidence of their ownlearning and, in doing so, articulate howand why they learn.

Staff

have a shared understanding of generallearning attributes reporting outcomes anddevelop teaching strategies focussed onfuture–focussed skill development.Teachers are reflexive in provide ateaching and learning environment thatpromotes student wellbeing, engagementand efficacy.

Parents/Carers

have an understanding of the generallearning attributes reporting outcomes andthe related progression. Parents/carerswork collaboratively with students andteachers to support realistic goal settingsupporting student learning, wellbeing andachievement.

Leaders

establish structures and processes toidentify, address and monitor studentlearning and wellbeing needs.

Processes

Personalised Learning,  Goal Settingand Reflection.

Student learning is data driven. Reportoutcomes reflect student progress andstudents, parents/carers and teachers havea clear understanding of what is required toenable students to understand and moveforward with their learning. Students aresetting learning goals and a coachingapproach is used for learning goal settingand reflection.

Future focussed skill development.

A whole school approach is developed toexplicitly teach skills and dispositions toenable students to thrive, connect andengage their sense of curiosity in   a rapidlychanging and interconnected world.

Student Wellbeing

The school has made a commitment tonurture, guide, inspire and challengestudents to find the joy in learning, to buildtheir skills and understanding and to makesense of their world.

Evaluation Plan

Student TTFM surveys

Student focus groups

Evaluation of report reflection

Classroom observation data

Practices and Products

Practices

All students use a common languageacross all KLAs to measure theirprogression to determine their learningAllstakeholders have a clear understanding ofthe skills and dispositions presented insemester reports

Students and teachers are involved in thecontinuous use of data to inform planningand practice, monitor achievement andmove learning forward.

Students are being taught skills tocollaborate, use critical and creativethinking and solve complex problems.Teachers are developing effective teachingstrategies to providing the skilldevelopment students need to buildresilience and efficacy needed to connect,succeed and thrive.

Products

Structures are in place where teachersmake informed and consistent judgementsabout student learning attributedevelopment based on knowledge andunderstanding of skill progression.

A student centred learning environmentexists where all students are supported andchallenged and receiving timely andmeaningful feedback to move learningforward.

All students know how to access support tomanage their own learning and wellbeingneeds required to flourish and teachingstrategies focussing on student resilienceand wellbeing are embedded in programs.

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Strategic Direction 2: Leadership

Purpose

To enable a self–improving community thatwill continue to support the highest levels oflearning and wellbeing across the school. Acoaching culture ensures ongoing capacitybuilding in teachers so that every studentexperiences high quality teaching. Schoolleaders are reflexive and proactive in thecontinual evaluation and monitoring ofimpact of their practice and engaged incapacity development programs.Administrative systems and processesunderpin ongoing school improvement andthe professional effectiveness of all schoolmembers to build ongoing schoolimprovement.

Improvement Measures

Evidence in PDP companion of authenticengagement by all teachers in process ofreflection and continual improvementunderpinned by coaching.

Evidence in PDP documentation that allmembers of the executive team haveidentified leadership goals in line with theSchool Plan and are authentically engagedin process of reflection and continualimprovement underpinned by coaching.

Classroom teachers and teachersengaging in Executive Developmentprogram. Teachers are flourishing

All teachers are engaged in research in thetwilight sessions

People

Students

All students are taking responsibility fortheir learning

Staff

All teachers are leading/ classroomteachers lead learning in their classrooms,HT lead learning in their area ofresponsibility/Senior Exec lead learningacross the school focussed on reflectionand continual improvement in outcomes forstudents.

Leaders

Work together to positively influencestudent outcomes (Collective teacherefficacy)

Processes

Collaborative Practice Coaching andPDPs

Strengthen the PDP process so allteachers are engaged in Peer Coaching (incoaching teams) enabling growth and focuson continual improvement supported by thePDP handbook. All goals linked tostandards and strategic directions.

Leadership Development

Opportunities exist for all teachers toengage in leadership development toincrease leadership density across theschool. All teachers are leading learning ina professional learning community resultingin sustained and measurable whole schoolimprovement. All executive are settingleadership goals and engaging incoachingWellbeing aspect – flourishing

Evaluative Practice Research Engaged

All teachers are evaluating their practice byengaging in research to improve theirpractice.

HUB Partnership/ 5R’s/Research engaged/Twilight Sessions

Evaluation Plan

Observation and coaching notes fromClassroom teachers PDP handbook

Practices and Products

Practices

All staff are supported in a focus oncontinual improvement to classroompractice to improve learning outcomes forstudents.

Teachers are committing to leadershipdevelopment.

Teachers are engaging in research aroundclassroom practice and using their findingsto improve their practice

Products

All staff are engaging in a genuine PDPprocess, built on coaching, that isembedded in the school.

A leadership development program isestablished. Teachers are linking their PDPgoals to HA and Lead standard descriptors.

Teachers are research engaged

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Strategic Direction 3: Curriculum and Assessment

Purpose

The school promotes student successthrough an integrated approach to qualityteaching and learning, curriculum planningand assessment that is responsive inmeeting the needs of all students. Teachingand learning programs are adjusted toaddress individual student needs, ensuringthat students are challenged andadjustments lead to improved learning.Teachers involve students and parents inplanning to support learning, and shareexpected outcomes. All students aresupported to achieve at minimumstandards literacy and numeracy

Improvement Measures

Evidence in teaching programs ofadjustments

SMART/Value Added Data

All students meet minimum standards inLiteracy and Numeracy

Improvement in student engagement asindicated by responses from the Tell ThemFrom Me student survey.

People

Students

are engaged in learning that is designed tomeet their needs. All students aredeveloping skills to think critically andcreatively, work collaboratively and engagein peer and self assess progress and solveproblems. Students in Year 10 are engagedin Z–Elective learning.

Staff

are taking responsibility to makeadjustments for students learning.Teachers are evaluating curriculum andexplicitly teaching critical and creativethinking skills and skills to workcollaboratively and solve problems.Teachers create learning profiles for allclasses and provide targeted intervention inthe areas of literacy and numeracy.

Parents/Carers

Value the parent as a participant in studentlearning including those requiringadjustments.

Leaders

HTs will continue to embed peer andself–assessment and support the use ofdata to inform pedagogy. Executive willsupport the establishment of the Z–elective.

Processes

Curriculum and Assessment

Deliver quality learning experiences whereall students are engaged in learning toengage and challenge. Embeddedfeedback, peer and self–assessment datadrives learning to ensure students accesssupport, extension and enrichment.Students understand where they are andhow to move forward in their learning.Establish the Z–Elective as a component ofthe Year 10 curriculum.

Student Wellbeing

Differentiation of the curriculum tochallenge and engage and meet thecognitive and socio–emotional needs of alllearners.

Literacy and Numeracy

Develop and implement collaborativepractices to effectively use data todetermine students’ current achievementand skill development in literacy andnumeracy and design appropriateinterventions.

Evaluation Plan

Student focus groups

Online test results and SMART revealminimum standards met

Completion of Student and Staff Tell themFrom Me

Practices and Products

Practices

Students engaged in learning that isdesigned to meet their needs

All teachers are engaged in embeddingfuture focussed learning strategies intoprograms.

Students are completing assessmentstasks that provide clear direction to moveforward with learning.

The evaluation and use of data is anembedded practice to inform interventionsand initiatives in literacy and numeracy.

Products

All teaching programs have evidence ofadjustments and teaching strategies tosupport all student learning and studentwork samples support this

A curriculum exists that incorporatesfuture–focussed learning skills including theimplementation of the Z elective

Assessments practices accurately assesswhat students know and provide explicitfeedback for students to move learningforward

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