Launching Place Primary School - 2599

School Strategic Plan

2015-2018

Endorsements

Endorsement by School Principal / Signed……………………………………….
Name………………………………………….
Date……………………………………………
Endorsement by School Council / Signed……………………………………….
Name………………………………………….
Date……………………………………………
School Council President’s endorsement represents endorsement of School Strategic Plan by School Council
Endorsement by the delegate of the Secretary / Signed……………………………………….
Name………………………………………….
Date……………………………………………
Legislative context for endorsement
Section 2.3.24, subsection (2) of the act states that “A school plan prepared under subsection (1) must be signed by both the president of the school council and the principal and must be submitted to the Secretary for approval within the period specified in a Ministerial Order.”
Ministerial Order 470 states that “the requirements for the school plan are set out in guidelines produced by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.” This template forms the guidelines.

1

School Profile

Purpose / Launching Place Primary School is committed to providing an education that prepares students to be successful, resilient and innovative learners within a rapidly changing world. Our focus is on developing a shared vision of the future and to develop a pedagogy and culture of personalised learning utilizing inquiry and collaborative teaching that puts the child at the centre of the learning program.
The Launching Place Primary School philosophy is underpinned by the following beliefs and practices:
 All children can learn.
 Learning outcomes will be maximised when children feel safe, connected and engaged at school.
 Students are encouraged to be active and self-directed in their learning.
 Our school values are reflected in everything we do.
We focus on being reflective educators, supported by a distributed leadership model that creates strong professional learning teams that work together to observe, provide feedback and support each other’s practice whilst building strong connections with the community.
As educators we:
 Retain our focus on students as our first priority.
 Work and support each other as part of a dynamic team.
 Foster parental involvement and participation in their child’s education.
Participation, transparency and accountability are key elements of a successful community. Our purpose at Launching Place Primary School is supported by ensuring:
 The educational, social and emotional needs of the children come first
 Everyone in the community is special and important.
 Each of us work together to be the best we can in a stimulating learning environment.
 Learning is active, meaningful and creative.
 We have high expectations of ourselves and each other.
Values / At Launching Place Primary School we aim to develop enthusiastic learners who always do their best and strive for excellence. We have adopted the School Wide Positive Behaviours doctrine of Be Safe, Be Respectful and Be a Learner.
The following core values underpin the management and teaching practices at our school:
Respect - by showing care and compassion for ourselves, others and the environment.
Resilience - trusting in ourselves, having a go and not giving up.
Responsibility - to be in control of our learning and our actions towards ourselves, others and the environment.
Collaboration - working together effectively as part of a team.
Excellence - high expectations are set to ensure the achievement of individual and team goals.
Environmental Context / Location:
Launching Place Primary School is located approximately sixty kilometres east of Melbourne in the Upper Yarra Valley in the Shire of the Yarra Ranges. The school is just off the Warburton Highway in a residential estate in a semi-rural area, and plays a key role as the central focus point for the small community.
Students:
The enrolment has grown steadily to 280 students. Although a high percentage of the student population reside locally, the school’s fine reputation for catering for the diverse needs of students has resulted in increased numbers, with some families choosing to travel to access the educational opportunities for their children at the school. The student family occupation density (SFO) has shown little variation in the past four years and is currently 0.57 which is just above the state median (0.52), suggesting the school has a mid-range socio-economic profile.
Staffing:
Students are supported by a staff profile of 2 principal class, 17 teaching staff, 6 Education Support Officers, 2 administration staff, a chaplain and a computer technician. Specialist areas are Japanese, The Arts (Performing Arts and Visual Arts), and Physical Education. We run an extensive special needs program, through Quicksmart Numeracy and Literacy and Multilit. Staffing has remained quite stable, with only a small number of changes and employment of graduate teachers as enrolment numbers have increased. The supportive team culture and high levels of staff collaboration are considered strengths of the school.
Buildings and Grounds:
The school’s facilities are well maintained and include a modern building with years 5 and 6 classes plus one year 3 and 4 class. The building was provided through the federal government Building the Education Revolution (BER) initiative and has inviting flexible learning spaces for students, together with a number of teacher offices and small meeting rooms. Four of the year 1 and 2 classes and three year 3 and 4 classes are located in the school’s unique hexagonal classroom block. Foundation classes are now based in the main school building, in a large, more open area which up until recent years had been the school library and computer room. The main building also has a multi-purpose room, staffroom and administration area. All classes are fitted with interactive whiteboards or smart televisions and students have access to various technologies to support their learning.
The school site includes a good sized oval, basketball and netball courts, playground equipment with shade covers, and other hard surface play areas. There are many mature trees and garden areas with seating, providing options for students to be involved in quiet alternative play activities. Our grounds are maintained by a part time maintenance person. A roster has been developed by the Buildings and Grounds Committee to give shared ownership of beautifying our grounds to LPPS families.
Curriculum:
At Launching Place Primary School our 21st century curriculum presents students with the opportunity to develop deep understandings on a range of concepts throughout their school lives. The AusVELS provide the basis of the curriculum. Teachers work in teams to plan and deliver curriculum that caters for the individual needs of students in multi-age classes.
Our broad curriculum is planned and taught sequentially and allows students to have some ownership in all aspects of their learning. All teachers and support staff work and plan together to take a shared responsibility for the learning of all students. It is designed to develop thinking and social skills, foster engagement with the wider community and include use of a wide variety of technology to assist in their learning. To support the delivery of the curriculum at Launching Place Primary School, we access and select a wide range of suitable educational resources to support the curriculum taught, set homework that enhances classroom learning and undertake a range of student assessment and reporting activities to support student learning.
Students are offered extensive extra-curricular opportunities, including lunchtime clubs and the school biannual production. The school’s proud history in aerobic competitions for both girls and boys is highly valued by the school community. The aerobics program is outstanding, with clear benefits to students including teamwork, self-discipline, music, dance and fitness. The school aerobics program was accessed by 71 students.
A range of outdoor education, sporting and community activities such as Ben’s Shed and Voice of the Yarra Valley local radio broadcasts are also available to students.
Our extensive Student Leadership Program provides opportunities for many senior students to take on a variety of roles, not all of them sports based. Junior School Council consists of 26 students with two elected from each grade.
Community:
The work of the School Council and the parent community is evident throughout the school in improved programs, facilities and equipment for students and teachers. A number of enthusiastic parents and community members provide many hours of voluntary work to support student learning and the smooth running of the school.
The Parents and Friends Association support our school through a variety of fundraising and social activities. Parents are also involved in a wide range of classroom activities including the support of Literacy Programs, PMP, attending camps and excursions.
Service Standards / To ensure that all children can achieve to their potential, it is important to clarify the standards to which the school and community will aspire.
The School
 Will foster close links with parents and the broader community through its commitment to open and regular communication.
 Commits to the active sharing of its vision and goals to ensure community engagement in the school’s strategic plan.
 Will provide all students with access to a broad, balanced and flexible curriculum including skills for learning and life.
 Will provide a safe and stimulating learning environment to ensure all students can achieve their full potential.
 Will endeavor to respond to all communication by parents and caregivers within 2 working days.
 Code of Conduct will be reviewed annually with input from staff, students and parents.
 All teachers will provide timely and targeted feedback to students on their work.
Parents (Community) to
 Ensure that children attend school regularly.
 Have high expectations of their children in terms of their learning and behaviour.
 Engage supportively with the school to build a home school partnership.
 Display the school values when they are in the school area.

Strategic Direction

Goals / Targets / Key Improvement Strategies
Achievement
/ To maximise the learning growth and achievement of every student in literacy and numeracy. / Each student to achieve one year’s growth or more in English and Mathematics.
Targets reflect improved student achievement measured against 2014 benchmarks.
Teacher judgments using criteria based assessment of student growth as outlined in the LPPS Assessment Schedule.
By 2018, Student Survey Factor Mean Scores for Stimulating Learning will be above the 75th percentile.
Staff Survey, School Climate – Academic Emphasis and Trust in Students and Parents variables to be at or above state average.
NAPLAN:
Increase the proportion of students in the top two NAPLAN bands; Decrease the proportion of students in the lower two bands.
2014 / YEAR 3 / YEAR 5
READ / Above B4 / 44 / Above B6 / 44
WR / Above B4 / 47 / Above B6 / 9.4
SP / Above B4 / 44 / Above B6 / 44
G&P / Above B4 / 86 / Above B6 / 86
NUM / Above B4 / 83 / Above B6 / 83
Increase the percentage of students achieving high growth on NAPLAN relative growth assessments.
RELATIVE GROWTH
READING / 2014
LOW / 8.57%
MEDIUM / 65.71%
HIGH / 25.71%
Writing
LOW / 18.75%
MEDIUM / 59.38%
HIGH / 21.88%
Spelling
LOW / 40.62%
MEDIUM / 40.62%
HIGH / 18.75%
Gr & P
LOW / 15.62%
MEDIUM / 46.8%
HIGH / 37.5%
NUMERACY
LOW / 14.29%
MEDIUM / 60%
HIGH / 25.71%
/ Build the instructional practice of every teacher in Writing by adopting a whole school approach to instructional practice and an agreed instructional framework.
Build collective capacity of teachers to teach at a student’s point of learning.
Engagement
/ To improve student interest, engagement and collaboration on their learning. / Improvement in the Attitudes to School survey measures of the teaching and learning variable - Student Motivation.
For the mean student attendance to be at or above 93% in all grade levels.
Maintain the School Staff Survey Overall Score for School Climate to be at or above the state mean. / To provide a stimulating learning environment where students are active learners who collaborate, explore and connect with the school and wider community.
Wellbeing
/ To ensure every student thrives in a safe supportive and inclusive learning environment. / Improvement in the Attitudes to School survey - student relationships variable measures including Connectedness to Peers and School Safety to at least the third quartile.
Improvement in the Parent Opinion survey measures including Student Safety and Connectedness to Peers variables to at least the third quartile. / To build the capacity of students to be resilient, socially responsible and respectful in all of their relationships.
Productivity / To ensure that school resources (human, financial, time, space and materials) are strategically targeted to achieve optimum learning outcomes. / Allocate school resources to maximise strategies designed to improve student outcomes.
Documentation of clear financial processes.
Facilities plan to accommodate increased enrolments, programs and maintenance.
Increase the capacity of the school to function as a strategic organization.
The Staff Survey mean for School Climate - Shielding and Buffering to be equal or above the state mean. / Analyse and strategically direct a broad range of resources to maximise student learning outcomes, engagement and wellbeing.

School Strategic Plan 2015- 2018: Indicative Planner

Key Improvement Strategies / Actions / Achievement Milestone
Achievement (1)
Build the instructional practice of every teacher in Writing by adopting a whole school approach to instructional practice and an agreed instructional framework. / Year 1
2015 / Audit and evaluate current Writing practice – what does it look like at LPPS? / Writing and/or spelling and/or grammar curriculum and practices are audited.
An agreed Writing Instructional Model agreed upon and adopted by all staff.
Audit current Professional Learning practices and establish a whole school PL plan that aligns school improvement goals and staff performance and develop goals. / Yearly PL model established.
Weekly PL sessions linked to the agreed instructional model 'Writer's Workshop/ Notebook'. / Professional Learning Plan developed for all staff which links directly to Performance and Development criteria.
All staff engaged in producing a personal Writer's Notebook.
Introduce a revised Peer Observation process that builds on the existing collaborative environment and sharpens the focus of discussion. / Content knowledge & pedagogy is deepened through professional discussions.
Observation journals established.
Audit & evaluate available teacher reference material and resources in writing. /
  • Audit of writing materials and reference material completed.

 Whole day focused delivery of PL on Writer’s Notebook. / Curriculum day approved by school council.
Year 2
2016 / Develop and use AusVELS compliant Scope and Sequence document to drive planning, teaching and learning in Writing. / All staff use Writing Scope and Sequence in their planning.
Writing key component of P&D cycle. / All staff have identified growth in their instructional practice through the Performance and Development mid and end cycle process.
Continue to audit & evaluate available resources. / Writing resources are audited and further resources purchased.
Review leadership roles through PLTs to support PL implementation in reaching AIP goals. / Professional Learning Teams meet regularly to achieve team goals based on the 2016 AIP.
Staff demonstrate a collective approach in delivering PL.
Investigation into NAPLAN data –strengths / weakness in writing; link to AusVELS. / All staff have a common understanding of AusVELS content, plan accordingly and implement in classroom.
Collaborative teaching with a Writing-Spelling focus. / Quality writing samples produced in all classrooms demonstrating improved spelling and grammar.
Build teacher proficiency in moderation of writing samples. /
  • Teachers and leaders use protocols to examine & moderate student work with reference to agreed standards.

Year 3
2017 / Develop, document and implement an agreed model of instructional practice for teaching Writing/ Spelling/ Grammar. /
  • An agreed curriculum framework for writing (including spelling and grammar) is developed and implemented in all classrooms.

Continue to evaluate available resources. / Teacher reference library/ resources established.
Collaborative teaching with a Writing-Spelling focus. / Quality writing samples produced in all classrooms demonstrating improved spelling and grammar.
Reflection journals used by all teachers.
PD conducted on explicit goal setting for writing (including –spelling & grammar). / Explicit reading & writing goals for every child is evident in each classroom.
Develop teacher skills in using multiple sources of data to inform teaching and learning and to moderate teacher judgements. / Moderation of writing samples produced in all classrooms at PLT’s demonstrating improved spelling and grammar.
Year 4
2018 /
  • Review & Evaluate curriculum framework for writing (including spelling and grammar). Future recommendations made to ensure high standards are met and continued into the next strategic plan period.
/
  • An agreed curriculum framework for writing (including spelling and grammar) is developed and implemented in all classrooms.

Investigation into data sets – strengths / weaknesses/ consistency in Writing: - trends/ moderation. /
  • Moderation of writing samples produced in all classrooms at PLT’s demonstrating improved spelling and grammar.

All Professional Learning Teams to review the effectiveness of data/ goal achievement in supporting the direction of the school. /
  • Trend data shows improvement in school’s NAPLAN results for writing, spelling and grammar in both Yr. 3 & 5.

Achievement (2)
Build collective capacity of teachers to teach at a student’s point of learning. / Year 1
2015 / Build teacher capacity to identify a student’s point of learning readiness (zone of proximal development) by assessing against the standards. / All teachers developing a shared understanding of ‘differentiation’ at LPPS.
Develop strategies to inform learning intentions and success criteria to take every student to next point of learning. / Teachers collaborate through PLT’s in planning for the needs of high/ low achievers.
Review current classroom practice. / Evidence of differentiated learning noted in every classroom (ILP’s, Work programs, Learning Intentions, Success Criteria).
Develop teachers’ use of data through SPA student analyser platform. / Data entered regularly into SPA or similar data storage program and used to inform teaching.
Year 2
2016 / Continue to build teacher capacity to identify a student’s point of learning. / Data collected and used regularly by Level PLTs to identify student cohorts, to plan, implement and monitor precise intervention strategies and to improve outcomes for all students.