2013 WA SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR APPLICATION


Hedland Senior High School is modern, safe and inclusive educational hub that values cultural difference, promotes excellence in learning and empowers students to contribute positively in a world of constant change. With a wonderfully diverse school community that includes 34% of students being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, 5% with a disabilityand over 50 nationalities, the school seeks to effectively address the needs and aspirations of all its students and their families through the provision of a quality educational experience. The transformation of the school community over the last five years has been nothing short of remarkable. From a low base of community & student expectation, the standards and attitudes at Hedland SHS have changed significantly. As the Pilbara’s first Independent Public School and supported by a united and committed stakeholders, Hedland Senior High School is now renowned for being a welcoming and exciting school community that achieves academic excellence.

Criterion 1 - Student Achievement

Hedland Senior High School places student achievement as its highest priority and have implemented a number of successful strategiesto ensure each student is provided with the opportunity to achieve to their potential. Student achievement is fostered through a robust and accountable school planning and review process and a consistent and rigorous whole school approach to pedagogy that is deliveredby motivated and committed staffand reinforced by supportive families and community. Through the implementation of targeted methodologiessignificant gains have been made in student attendance, retention and engagementresultingin commensurate gains in academic and social performance. The strategies include for example:-

  • Collaborative planning teams that analyse student performance data, developing shared programs and interventions and set performance targets at learning; class and student levels
  • A whole school approach to Literacy and Numeracy, including the successful implementation of writing frameworks, a systemic learning reinforcement process and subject specific vocabulary
  • Case management of every student – including the development of personal learning plans, attendance plans and case conferences with the student, staff, parents and support services
  • A range of specific interventions for students at risk, guided by personal learning plans
  • A new Trade Training Centre to open in 2014 to providestudents with trade and training qualifications
  • Learning Extension Academic Program(LEAP) that provides a differentiated curriculum and challenging learning opportunities
  • Flexible curriculum delivery models to cater for differing learning styles
  • Effective training of staff in adopting the Australian Curriculum
  • Establishment of a sister school relationship with Mt Lawley SHS that includes provision of shared professional development; mentoring and academic support for students
  • Expansion of the renowned Specialist Performing Arts Program
  • Structured after school tutoring and support program

Hedland Senior High School is now a high performing school. Major achievements in 2012 include:

  • The number one VET School in Western Australia
  • 100% of students completing their Certificate II qualification
  • Student Attainment of 74% (almost double 2011 – 39%)
  • 96% of student achieving WACE (increased from 89% in 2011)
  • Four of the five NAPLAN areas (Reading; Writing; Spelling and Grammar& Punctuation being significantly above expected levels) and Numeracy being at the expected level
  • Society and Environment WAMSE results trending significant improvement over the course of the Business Plan.
  • A significant increase in the number of students progressing to university; traineeships, and esteemed training organisations such as the WA Academy of Performing Arts.

Criterion 2 - Positive learning environment

Hedland Senior High School hastaken a collaborative approach to the establishment of a vibrant, welcoming and inclusive learning environment where each student is valued for their uniqueness. Each student’s personal wellbeing and social support is of paramount importance with a range of services in place to ensure each child is supported to achieve and create a positive affinity with their school.

The school has changed to becoming a safer, more inviting and inspirational educational setting, where the achievement of personal best is valued and promoted. This evolution hasbeen achieved due to a range of targeted strategies that positively engage students in their school community andsupport them to create positive and reciprocal relationships with others. These initiatives include for example:-

  • A comprehensive approach to pastoral care, with integrated wrap around service provision from the Student Services personnel, in association withtargeted programs developed in unison with the local agencies such as the Youth Involvement Council;Bloodwood Tree; Hedland Youth Leadership Coalition; CAMS; AMS; Juvenile Justice and Youth Pathways
  • Expansion of a Welcome Centre to support Education Support student inclusion and engagement in school
  • A lower school engagement program using a generalist teacher model to connect with students at risk
  • Establishment of a whole school approach to the development of health and wellbeing
  • A renewed behaviour management strategy including mentoring and professional development for staff in effective class management skills and successful interventions for students at risk.
  • Aboriginal engagement strategy to support ATSI students, including innovative deployment of AIEOs to create strong family and community connections, via initiatives such as home visits
  • Employment of an Network Attendance Coordinator to support student engagement and attendance
  • Student leadership strategy that includes skill development opportunities and representation on a variety of leadership forums including Student Council; School Board and community bodies
  • Development of state of the art amenities that enable contemporary curriculum to be delivered
  • Award winning Kicking and Shooting Goals Program , a Australian Football/ Netball program emphasising self-development and leadership skills with students
  • The long term success of the Senior School Engagement Program TOPS that has had significant success in engaging students through to Year 12 completion

A range of positive outcomesare evident as a result of improvements in the school environment, including:

  • Aboriginal student attendance rates increasing 10% in 2012, including a 9% reduction in the gap between the school and state levels, where they are now on par
  • An improvement in total student attendance of 4% – including a 14% enhancement in Year 12
  • A near two fold increase in the retention/progression of Years 8-12 (29% in 2009 to 56% in 2011)
  • A near triplingof students completing a Certificate II or higher (18% in 2010 to 53% in 2012)

Criterion 3 - High quality teaching

Our school communitybelieve that quality teachers have the greatest influence and impact on student learning. With this in mind a range of strategies have been developed to attract and retain expert teaching staff who possess the specialist skills we require to develop our students to their full potential. We have also implemented a systemic approach to professional development and collegiate support that enables our team members to deliver contemporary pedagogy to effectively meet students’ needs.Key initiatives and evidence of high quality teaching include:

  • Flexible staffing models that enable the targeting of human resources at the greatest need
  • Development of a professional learning culture that focusses on evidence based approaches, highly effective instructional strategies and proven class management techniques.
  • Individual professional learning plans with ongoing support and mentoring, including a “train the trainer” model – where local staff induct other staff in professional learning to ensure sustainability
  • Use of cutting edge technologies to access international learning opportunities
  • Comprehensive performance management processes, with structured ongoing engagement
  • Engagement in motivating and challenging initiatives such as Curriculum Moderation Camps and SPICE – Science and Maths Partnership with UWA
  • Whole of School application of key pedagogical approaches such as Classroom Management Strategies; Instructional Strategies; SPELD methodologies, including explicit instruction ; and Literacy Strategies.
  • An innovative advertising and recruitment process that attracts a diversity of applicants, backed up by a robust approach to matching potential staff members with school and community needs
  • An innovative university practicum partnership and marketing regime with ECU, Curtin, UWA, Murdoch & Notre Dame Universities to expose excelling pre-service teachers to the amazing opportunities in teaching in a rural setting – resulting in11% of current staff progressing from their ATP to ongoing employment at the school

Over the past three years there has been a high degree of improvement in the level of staff dedication and strong leadership has been established by local appointments that are driven by the school community not a bureaucraticprocess that fails to place the right people in the appropriate roles. As an outcome students have developed a greater respect for their learning environment that has led to highly improved educational outcomes. Mr Rob Fry – School Board Member and School Council Member for over 20 Years and Immediate Past President of the WA Council for State School Organisations.

Criterion 4 - Effective leadership

The development of quality leaders is central to our school improvement strategy, with a key focus being in nurturing and supporting our enthusiasticand at times inexperienced staff to achieve peak performance and positively impact on the learning outcomes of our students. Central to this approach is an unwavering commitment to fostering a sustainable culture of high expectations in order to deliver high quality outcomes. With this in mind we have made a concerted effort in investing in our leaders to enhance the knowledge and skills so they can have a positive impact across our school community. Key initiatives include:

  • A distributed leadership model that provides a large number of staff with supported empowerment opportunities and an enhanced skill set enabling them to lead with assertiveness and confidence – this includes engaging in roles such as strategic planning groups in the focus areas of Literacy; Numeracy; Health and Well Being and ICT, year group and key program leadership opportunities
  • A calculated change management process that now provides clear leadership pathways and success profiles for staff to aspire to as leaders of the future
  • Accelerated leadership development strategies, with sophisticated mentoring and support structures – including enrolling more than 10% of staff in the Masters of Education Leadership course at UWA
  • Expanding leadership opportunities broader than the confines of the school including district and system based leadership roles such astaking roles of Regional Australian Curriculum Transition Leaders, where over a third of our HOLAs are performing these roles
  • Providing mentoring support both within and without the school via community partnership support and the sister school relationship with Mount Lawley Senior High School

Criterion 5 - Managing school resources

Through the expertise of our School leaders and the direction of our School Board our multi-million dollar education business is characterised by good governance, public accountability, effective decision making and the strategic application of resources to ensure the maximum value. The foundation to the effective management of our school precious resources is our School’s well-considered school plan that maps and deploys resource investments to valid strategies that positively affect student learning and overall improvement in the operations of the school. Underpinning our approach is:

  • Seeking out and appointing a School Board with commercial and community expertise
  • Reallocation of resources to meet identified needs – especially in the deployment of human resource expertise to maximise impacts on student learning
  • Establishing vigorous audit and accountability regimes that are supported through the provision of effective financial and resource management policies and systems
  • Providing professional development to our school leaders in financial management and accountability
  • Providing a transparent reporting system that plots investments with student learning outcomes

Criterion 6- Community engagement

The establishment of meaningful and fruitful partnerships with parents and community stakeholders has been crucial to the advancement of the school in recent years. Through a direct and planned approach to collaborating with parents, families, other schools, local businesses and community organisations, the School is now perceived to bean open and engaging educational institution with a “can do attitude” that seeks develop mutually beneficial outcomes for all parties. Examples of key alliances include:

  • Attracting and supporting a highly skilled School Board with representation of executives from three of Australia’s leading companies, the Town Mayor and local community leaders
  • A focussed approach to engaging parents as partners in their child’s education through effective communication methods such as achievement postcards; involvement in student learning plans and high quality student progress reporting processes
  • Establishment of key commercial partnerships including significant resourcing from BHP Billiton as part of its Education Partnership to support the student, staff and facility development initiatives
  • Development of a state of the art Trades Training Centre through the establishment of effective partnerships with Apprenticeships Australia, BHP Billiton, FMG and Roy Hill
  • Undertaking a pivotal role with the Hedland Network of Schools - leading to a refined primary to high school student transition and a resultant increase in retention of students within the town
  • Development of e-access for parents and community via the school Moodle site and contribution to community publications such as the Hedlines Community Newsletter and local media
  • Development of high class communication and branding strategy including an appealing prospectus; promotional DVD; Information packages and communications style guide

Hedland Senior High School has embraced and used to its benefit the IPS status and has worked hard and meaningfully in terms of its' linkages and partnershipswithin the community. The effort in terms of what has been achieved is something to which all should be rightlyproud. Mayor Kelly Howlett

Hedland Senior High School