St Saviour's Primary School Toowoomba...St Saviour’s Primary School Quadrennial School Review Page...

March 2019

St Saviour's Primary SchoolToowoomba

TCS Quadrennial school review Full report

St Saviour’s Primary School Quadrennial School Review full report Page 1 of 18

Foreword

Although much has been written about school reform in past decades — national reports, studies, descriptions of findings — insufficient attention has been given to the important relationships among the adults within the school, and to a consideration of how the abundant untapped energy, inventiveness and idealism within the school might be encouraged.

Roland Barth, Harvard Graduate School of Education

The philosophical approach to the review is based on Appreciative Inquiry, a well-established approach used by organisations varying from international corporations to not-for-profit social organisations. Appreciative Inquiry begins with the assumption that there are good things happening in the organisation and identifying these. It then moves to what people see as areas needing attention, improvement or change. The key principle is that these are placed in the context of what the organisation does well, so it moves beyond a problem-solving agenda to an improvement agenda. Appreciative Inquiry aims to bring ownership to the school. The review team hears ‘the story’ of the School through its stakeholders, and this informs the key findings and improvement strategies that the review team has recommended. Exactly how the School addresses the key findings and improvement strategies is left for the school to determine, but it is mandatory for the school to address them over the following four years. Leaders of continuously improving organisations bring a learning mindset to the work of their staff. They focus on establishing disciplined processes for developing, testing, and improving core work and programs to build capacity. They invest time and energy in enabling staff to embed these processes into day-to-day work and to create an organisational openness to review and change. Park, S., Hironaka, S., Carver, P. and Nordstrum, L. (2013). Continuous improvement in education, Carnegie Foundation, Stanford.

St Saviour’s Primary School Quadrennial School Review Page 2 of 18

Methodology The review was conducted from Monday, 18 March to Wednesday, 20 March 2019

Reviewers Paul Murphy, Senior Education Leader, Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office (TCSO), Chair Jim Midgley, Director: Teaching and Learning, TCSO Norman Hunter, External Reviewer Melissa Hobson, Principal: St Joseph’s School, Chinchilla The review consisted of structured interviews of the following school community members

• The Principal • Assistant Principal Religious Education (APRE) • Assistant Principal Administration/Teaching and Learning (APA) • Fr Michael O’Brien, Priest Administrator • classroom teachers (16) • specialist teachers (4) (Learning Support Teacher (LST), Teacher Librarian (TL), physical

education teacher, English as an Additional Language/Dialect (EALD) teacher) • relief teacher (1) • school counsellor • school officers including administration and teacher aides (10) • parents including Board and Parent & Friends (P&F) members (14) • students from year 6 (16)

School Renewal and Improvement (SRI) domains and components The reference document for the review was the SRI domains and components from the Toowoomba Catholic Schools (TCS) SRI Framework.

Domain 1 Teaching and learning Component 1.1 Students and their learning Component 1.2 Curriculum structure and provision Component 1.3 Pastoral care and student wellbeing

Domain 2 Mission and identity Component 2.1 Religion curriculum Component 2.2 Religious life of the school

Domain 3 Continual renewal Component 3.1 School improvement culture Component 3.2 Community partnerships

Domain 4 Strategic resourcing and stewardship Component 4.1 Staff development and wellbeing Component 4.2 Use of resources facilities and the learning environment


Prologue The St Saviour’s Primary School community is to be congratulated for presenting a fine example of the TCS mission. This mission envisages schools to be exemplary places of learning where every student experiences academic success, and are exemplary places of spiritual life and Catholic faith where every student comes to know and experience the loving presence of Jesus in their lives. A strong culture of academic excellence is present at the school and all school staff are continuously looking for ways to enhance the strong collective efficacy already visible in the school. This strong academic focus has not diluted the emphasis on the school’s living embodiment of its Catholic Identity. It is clear to the review panel that the school community believes in their Catholic school and are proud to be part of the religious and spiritual life of St Saviour’s Primary School. The leadership team and in particular the Principal, are to be commended for their professionalism, collaborative leadership approach and commitment to the students, parents and staff of the school.


Domain 1 Teaching and learning

Component 1.1 Students and their learning

Findings

“Our teachers are approachable and respectful. They teach us new strategies for learning different things and guide us using the right strategies so we can be independent learners.” — Year six student leader

Collective teacher efficacy is obvious at St Saviour’s Primary School. Teaching staff are well known for wanting the best outcomes for students and agreeing on how to achieve this. It is unanimously described as a very welcoming community with teachers who go ‘above and beyond’. The school has recently developed documented expectations around planning, assessment and reporting, classroom climate, and a culture for teaching and learning. These expectations outline key dates, key information and resources, responsibilities, actions required and best practice, and the relevant monitoring responsibilities. These expectations are becoming well known and it is apparent that they are adhered to by teaching staff. The school has an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) of 1068, well above the national average of 1000. St Saviour’s Primary School is the highest performing Queensland NAPLAN school on this ICSEA. The school is achieving above state and national mean scale scores in all NAPLAN domains and has a long history of positive gain from years 3 to 5 in all NAPLAN areas. School self-analysis reveals that NAPLAN writing, while still above national and state mean, has plateaued. The same reflection reveals that grammar and punctuation is demonstrating a slight downward trend, though still above both state and national means. Explicit improvement agenda

“Our teachers are very aware of the Annual Action Plan (AAP) and the part they play in achieving these goals.” — leadership team member

The school’s beliefs and values are in tune with TCS vision and mission, with the two pillars (academic achievement and knowing Jesus), inspiring action. The recently reviewed cornerstone values — commitment; quality; service; compassion — are well known and understood by staff, students and parents. Teachers talk of the positive impact of the recent strategic focus in reading, lighthouse Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), and Planning for Personalised Learning (PfPL). The staff are considering adopting the recently released TCS Phonics to Spelling as key teaching and learning topics for 2019. The AAP demonstrates a comprehensive improvement agenda with five key teaching and learning strategic intentions and associated strategies and goals.

• High yield strategies and learner centred approaches in every classroom in every curriculum area.

• Build staff capacity in the area of data collection and the tracking of data to inform pedagogy.

• Participate in the development of system wide digital dashboards to collect and monitor data to inform pedagogy and strategic decisions.

• Develop communities of practice to facilitate collective teacher efficacy.

• Improve parental engagement through a focus on a variety of communications and opportunities to participate in decisions that will impact student learning.


The focus on the Reading Improvement Strategy (RIS) accountability, with all staff able to use the monitoring tools, has assisted in analysing data to inform the teaching cycle. The RIS and the associated high impact strategies are regarded as embedded in all classrooms. Many teachers express appreciation for the very clear expectations. While prescriptive, they believe it is working well because it has been well modelled, and is well supported. They describe the RIS as a solid structure with clear expectations that are having an obvious positive impact. A well understood teaching and learning goal for 2019 is that all students achieve 12 months growth in literacy and numeracy. PfPL is in the early stages, and is focused on identifying students’ needs. The Diocesan Learning Profile (DLP) shows entry for 99% of classes. Planning in units is yet to identify how these needs are addressed in terms of curriculum adjustments. High yield strategies have been a focus, with the Visible Learning (VL) principle of teacher clarity emerging as a school wide pedagogical approach. Learning walks, peer observations and talks are being accepted as useful, with evidence of Learning Intentions (LI) and Success Criteria (SC) evident in classrooms. Analysis and discussion of data

“Teacher professional judgement is valued along with our school wide assessments and the standardised testing protocols associated with the RIS. All of this data informs our pedagogy and the next steps in students learning journey.” — Class teacher

Data collection, analysis and its use in informing curriculum and pedagogical decisions, is a nominated strategic intent at St Saviour’s Primary School. This focus is already impacting on staff decisions when planning and teaching. Staff rely on a balance of formative and summative assessment and this is well triangulated with standardised testing, especially in reading. The data wall is the starting point for planning for many teachers and is certainly the point of truth for teaching and learning meetings. The recently introduced Teaching and Learning meeting is highly regarded and is seen as positively impacting collective teacher efficacy. Anecdotal parent comments in interviews reinforce a growing positive trend in the ability of teachers to talk specifically about their students’ learning journeys. Parents note that teachers have data for reference in interviews and can say what the child needs to work on and areas of strength. Parents say that teachers really know their child. A recent audit from federal National Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) auditors resulted in no students being removed or reclassified. Staff realise the next phase involves ensuring that well-planned adjustments result in differentiation in curriculum and pedagogical practice. The school’s analysis and use of data are thorough. NAPLAN, PAT-R, Probe, PM benchmarks and Teacher professional judgements are well triangulated with whole school testing, classroom observations and portfolios of student work. Prep, years 3, 4, 5 and 6 show significant growth in reading PM and Probe results. year 1 and 2 analysis has revealed smaller rates of growth. Overall 85% of students reached reading benchmarks with year 4 (2018) identified as a focus for 2019 with 70% reaching reading benchmarks. The data triangulation reveals a disparity between PM/Probe levels and PAT-R national benchmarking scales. There is a commitment to work with high potential learners and those with higher standardised test scores to ensure one year’s growth occurs, even though year level targets are often already reached. Learning culture Teachers are described by leadership as open to learning, and teachers describe themselves as open to learning. The leadership team have adopted a collaborative approach to expectations based on judging how to pace change initiatives, balancing these with where the staff are at in adapting to and implementing initiatives. The request for more opportunities for collaborative discussion (RADII survey 2017) has been addressed, with the current leadership team acknowledged as ’frequently seeking input and feedback’.


The AAP is known to staff and they have indirectly contributed to it through data analysis conversations. Students speak highly of their teachers saying that they model the 4Bs: They are being learners; being safe; being respectful and being responsible. They describe the 4Bs as something students aspire to and readily refer to. Students appreciate the teacher clarity associated with VL. They describe LI and SC as essential to their knowing what is to be learned and how they know they have learnt it. Students say that the LI and SC keep the teachers focused.

“Our teacher asks us to remind her to make sure she puts up the LI and SC, she says it keeps her focused on what she’s trying to get us to learn. I think it provides us with a purpose for our learning. It’s always best to know why you have to learn something and whether you’ve learnt it.” — Year 6 student

Students see themselves as responsible learners and give examples like the reading ‘reciprocal teaching strategy’ where they learn without teacher direction, with students having certain responsibilities.

“The biggest thing I’ve learnt at this school is to be responsible for my learning.” — Year 6 student

Some teachers suggest that the fundamental principles of differentiation, particularly those relating to inclusion, are not yet fully understood and embedded across the school. They suggest further professional learning in establishing a school wide approach to differentiation through the effective use of the PfPL guidelines. Improvement strategies

• Design a strategic plan to ensure the goals are spread over a four year cycle and are not part of a crowded AAP. Ensure the AAP is a reflection of the sharp and narrow achievable priorities for each year.

• Continue the use of middle leaders in the coaching cycle. Continue to formalise feedback protocols to share after observations of lessons.

• Ensure that the NCCD through the PfPL remains a pedagogical planning task, prioritising what is best for the students and their learning, while still meeting administrative requirements for accountability through data entry on the DLP.

• Explore professional development options available through TCSO around how the DLP can represent whole class and individual information to meet NCCD evidentiary requirements

• Engage TCSO Education Officers in ways to support the LST and staff to implement the new support processes and principles relating to differentiation in classrooms.

• Continue to engage and challenge high potential learners as a normal part of daily class lessons.

Component 1.2 Curriculum structure and provision

Findings Systematic curriculum delivery The TCS Teaching and Learning Framework has been introduced, and teachers indicate that they are becoming aware of its value in planning and pedagogy. The consistency in planning that this framework should provide is not yet apparent in units shared on the DLP.


The DLP does display that a detailed curriculum program is being delivered at St Saviour’s Primary School. Scope and sequences are complete for all subjects. The level of detail and consistency varies between year levels. Key Learning Areas (KLAs) have clear program structure. At this stage KLAs most clearly defined are Religion, English and Maths. Most unit planning has an English and Maths focus.

• Religion has been updated in the new STRIVE format.

• Overviews of the religious life of the school and planning of units are completed.

• English — Most unit overviews are completed. General capabilities are all addressed; data is being entered as units are planned.

• Maths — Scope and sequence has been completed for P–6. Maths unit planning is currently under construction.

Personalised learning information for 2019 is thorough, with data entry evident across all year levels. The personalised learning tab is complete for 99% of classes. General detail for lower level adjustment is comprehensive. Upper levels in areas such as Maths Extensions are less specific. LI and SC are present in all English units. At this point LI and SC do not always cover all aspects of English (mainly reading). Professional Learning Community (PLC) Scheduled teaching and learning meetings occur once a term and are highly valued. The meetings are attended by the leadership team, the LST and year level teachers. These meetings have a planned focus on data in a specific area. Teachers work through a ‘I notice… I wonder and… What next?’ process to write goals for individual students or focused teaching practice. Teachers are in no doubt that this is positively impacting on collective teacher efficacy. Some teachers express interest in extending the teaching and learning meetings to consider vertical grouping perhaps near the end of semester and towards the end of the year. The conditions that nurture collective teacher efficacy as described by Donohoo (2017) are evident in the leadership team’s practices. The leadership team is aware that this willing group of professional teachers is open to learning and needs to be protected in some cases from their own enthusiasm to try new things. The leadership team is very cognisant of the ‘busyness’ of the teaching profession and overcrowded curriculum, and intends to use the strategic plan to narrow and sharpen teaching and learning priorities. This school staff is very aware of the advantages of knowing about each other’s work. They have confidence in their peers’ ability to impact student learning and they readily share ideas and successful approaches. The school’s intervention systems are evident and transparent. Responsibility for some of the identified student adjustments is felt to be unclear by some teachers. There is a renewed focus on minimum 12 months growth for each student, after the reading data revealed that high achieving students required specific attention to achieve this because of their already high performance. This is a cohesive staff. They have a variety of experience and backgrounds but agree on fundamental beliefs and values about teaching and learning. Teachers agree that the level of collaboration and the leadership team’s willingness to involve them in goal setting and strategic decisions are increasing. School context Particular mention is made by parents and staff about the level of professionalism the Principal brings to the school. Parents, teachers and school officers note that while community building and relationships remain a core element of the ‘St Saviour’s way’ of doing things, the Principal brings an emphasis to the core business of leading teaching and learning. Staff comment that they believe the degree of documenting policy and procedure is paying dividends.


The leadership team, teachers and parents accept that new policies and procedures require ongoing reflection and revision and constant reinforcement before becoming embedded. Improvement strategies

• Continue the use of the TCS Teaching and Learning Framework as the common point of reference for the start of planning discussions.

• Continue the journey of using research evidence, data and professional judgement in implementing differentiation strategies in classrooms.

• Give consideration to the potential advantages of vertical composition of teaching and learning meetings towards the end of a semester.

• Collaboratively determine the priorities and timing to be outlined in the new strategic plan, ensuring they are doable in the timeframe and not likely to impact negatively on the current high level of teacher collective efficacy.

Component 1.3 Pastoral care and student wellbeing

Findings Student social and emotional wellbeing

“I now work more as a member of a team, as opposed to having an isolated role in the school.” — School counsellor

It is evident that there is a focus on learning support in meeting the special needs of students. A number of parents interviewed comment positively as to how the dignity of their child has been upheld, and how the school is consistently proactive in meeting the psychological, emotional and physical needs of the children. The year 6 students interviewed by review team members present as engaging, thoughtful and happy. These students are keen to speak about the special roles and jobs they undertake in their leadership roles across the school. Leading the school assembly and supporting the Prep students are two examples where these students believe that they have authentic and active participation in the life of the school. These highly visible and specific leadership roles of the year 6 students are also identified by parents as having a positive impact on the culture of the school. Year 6 leadership positions are renewed and formalised in the term prior to the new year, which has enabled the school to ‘hit the ground running’ from day 1, term 1. As an approach to providing students with the skills to emotionally self-regulate, the school is implementing the Zones of Regulation. At this stage the implementation has met with varying degrees of classroom uptake, and will require support and monitoring to become consistently incorporated across the school. The school actively promotes, identifies and rewards positive behaviour through the ‘St Saviour’s Primary School Positive Notices’, which are presented at the Monday assembly. The positive notices are awarded by staff members to students demonstrating the values and rules of the school. As members of the review team moved around the school, it was noticeable that young students and older students acknowledge each other, sometimes pausing to chat, and generally interacting in a friendly and respectful way. Students consistently make eye contact and confidently greeted members of the review team. Rewarding student academic performance has been a priority of the school. Community members understand the importance of recognising academic achievement. Some refer to the issue of balance and suggest that it is important that consideration be given to the rates of academic growth by students as well as final attainment levels.


Relationships

“The Schoolzine app is an excellent one stop shop for communication between school and home.” — Parent

It is clear that St Saviour’s Primary School presents as a welcoming and caring community to parents. Almost to a person all interviewees state that the school is a welcoming and inclusive community. Examples provided include the welcome barbecue, Teacher/Parent relationships and the Pastoral Care Group, which supports families who are experiencing difficult times. The school actively engages in awareness and educational days including Bullying No Way Day, Harmony Day, Family Week and Well-Being Week. A number of clubs and interest groups exist at the school which provide opportunities for students to further explore areas of interest. Examples of these clubs include; STEM, chess, fitness, yoga. An Adopt-a-Cop regularly visits the school and presents awards at the school assembly. Effectiveness of systems and structures

“We now have excellent policies and procedures in place and it is great to have a paper trail to follow.” — School officer

A well-designed Student Behaviour Support Plan (SBSP) is in place at the school. This plan, developed collaboratively and implemented in 2019, clearly articulates the school’s behaviour expectations and responses to appropriate and inappropriate behaviour. Some responses from parents and teachers would indicate that some confusion surrounds the identification, recording and follow up of minor and major inappropriate behaviours. The SBSP identifies many proactive strategies the school employs to build a positive and supportive environment. It was evident from staff responses that co-ordination of a number of social skilling programs including ‘Making Jesus Real’, the 4Bs (Be Safe, Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be a Learner), and specific timetabled behaviour lessons in the classroom, needs to be monitored for full effectiveness. School leadership regularly reviews data collected through the school improvement surveys conducted annually. These surveys collect responses from students, parents and staff and in 2018 the school has identified that students have listed dealing with bullying as a concern for students. Interestingly, no year 6 students interviewed during the review identified bullying as an issue at the school. Improvement strategies

• Continue to refine the SBSP in order to ensure consistency in interpretation, implementation, documentation and follow up of student misdemeanours.

• Explore ways to incorporate elements of the TCS Essential Skills of Classroom Management into SBSP.

• Ensure that the roles and responsibilities related to Zones of Regulation/social skilling programs are clearly articulated and embedded.

• Ensure a balance is maintained between awarding academic achievement and recognising rates of growth in students’ achievement.


Domain 2 Mission and identity Component 2.1 Religion curriculum

Findings Systematic curriculum delivery St Saviour’s Primary School implements the TCS accredited Religious Education (RE) curriculum. The school Learning Area Program (LAP) outlines the overall P-6 sequence of learning, including content, time allocation and school requirements for the RE course. Entry to the DLP is underway. The current LAP is being reviewed to reflect current practice and recent additions to the LAP framework, such as the ‘Religious Life of the School’ information. Teachers undertake 2.5 hours per week of formal RE in their classes. The LAP and classroom timetables are approved by the APRE. Expectations of the teaching of RE align with the rigorous expectations of teaching and learning within other learning areas. These expectations outline planning, teaching, assessing and reporting requirements. The APRE collaborates with classroom teachers to review their planning, utilising the school planning checklist. The school is at the initial stages of incorporating LI and SC aligned with formal assessment as required. Professional Learning Community (PLC) The school values its long history and its Mercy traditions and charism. As a whole staff, the Mercy charism is formally reinforced annually. In addition to this professional learning, the school provides a range of learning opportunities for staff based on curriculum needs and utilisation of high yield strategies. The APRE is collating and reviewing the current staff accreditation requirements. Many staff have current qualifications within RE. For staff who do not, support and processes will be developed by the APRE to ensure this is achieved. School context St Saviour’s Primary School is the oldest Catholic school in the Diocese. There is a current enrolment of 394 students, with 52.5% of these students coming from a Catholic background. The school has a wide catchment area, welcoming students from a range of locations, ethnicities and family circumstances. It is apparent that the parent body is aware of the importance of education and is supportive and engaged with their children’s learning.

“No matter who you are you are always made to feel part of the community.” — Staff member Improvement strategies

• In consultation with the Education Officers: Formation and Identity, address the new requirements around the religious life of the school and Catholic identity, with a view to effectively entering relevant information into the DLP.

• Continue to support staff who are yet to meet accreditation requirements for the teaching of RE in Catholic schools.

Component 2.2 Religious life of the school

Findings

“As parents, we couldn’t have picked a better school for our kids.” — Parent


Evangelisation and formation St Saviour's Primary School is the oldest Catholic school in Toowoomba and the Toowoomba Diocese. It was opened in 1863. The school was originally staffed by lay teachers until the Sisters of Mercy arrived in 1873. St Saviour’s Primary School prides itself on its history of commitment to Mercy values. During the recent review of the vision and mission, which aimed to incorporate history and tradition while also being current and visionary, four Cornerstone Values were identified, drawn from the origins of the four houses in the school. These values are now utilised as part of the school’s award program to ensure the community continues to incorporate and embed these beliefs in the life of the school, such as classroom teaching, assemblies and formal liturgical opportunities. There is a strong link between the school and parish. With the school and class groups regularly using the Parish facilities for masses, liturgies and educational experiences. St. Saviour’s Primary School facilitates a sacramental program to support parents throughout the process. The APRE and another staff member oversee this program, working in consultation with the Parish Administrator, Father Michael, who is very visible within the school community, utilising a range of experiences and opportunities to engage students. There is a considerable number of staff who attend and volunteer at mass regularly.

“The sacramental program was a beautiful experience for our family. It caused us to have conversations around the dinner table that we would never have had if our kids weren’t attending this school.” — Parent

The school Vision and Mission Statement is visible in each room, in addition to a decorative cross. There are visual reminders of the school’s cornerstone values, links to Making Jesus Real and the 4Bs throughout the school, as well as religious plaques and a memorial garden. Feedback from staff, students and parents demonstrates the welcoming, respectful and supportive community developed at the school. The Principal and leadership team are noted for making the community feel supported and valued.

“I love coming to school and value my role here.” — Staff member Prayer and worship Prayer is a natural part of daily life at St Saviour’s Primary School. Each classroom, as well as the administration area, incorporates a dedicated prayer space. Students have numerous opportunities to pray throughout the day. In addition to this, the school provides whole school and class-based masses, liturgies and prayer gatherings. Staff and students are supported by the APRE to plan, develop and celebrate these rituals, and religious events are timetabled and regularly communicated to the school community to encourage participation. It is clear that the school incorporates the key learnings from the Making Jesus Real program into daily school life. This program supports the new vision and mission, as well as the student support guidelines. Social action and justice As part of the renewed vision and mission, there is an increased awareness of the need to serve others. Although the school has made opportunities available for outreach in the past, including Mini Vinnies, Project Compassion and Harmony Day, this is an area that has been identified for continued development. Student leaders are being incorporated into planning and running opportunities, and the school leadership aims to move on from simple fundraising activities to a more in depth understanding of service and outreach and why it is everyone’s responsibility.

“It's not just about a free dress day.” — Principal

“We all have a part to play, even if someone didn’t receive a leadership position, everyone can contribute.” — Year 6 student


The school has a pastoral care team who provide support to the school community during difficult times. This may be making calls to check in with families or providing meals to families when needed.

“We have found that some people who were supported by the pastoral team then repaid the kindness when they were back on their feet.” — APRE

The student leader program incorporates external leadership opportunities, during which students set goals to implement when they return to school. The senior students proudly assert their role in leadership through their job roster and support of junior students through buddy programs and lunchtime interactions. A new initiative for student leadership is the introduction of Service Councilors to support the APRE, Parish Administrator and the school to engage with outreach opportunities. Improvement strategies

• Continue to nurture and build on the special blend of spiritual development that St Saviour’s Primary School has created for its students, parents and staff.

Domain 3 Continual renewal Component 3.1 School improvement culture

Findings Collective teacher efficacy It is clear that St Saviour’s Primary School has established a school-wide culture of professionalism, with expert teachers who work collaboratively both formally and informally, and take leadership roles beyond their own classrooms. A constant theme from teachers and school officers is that they regularly approach colleagues with advice or requests for support, both in their own year group and across year groups. Teachers indicate that much of their collaboration is situational, occurring informally outside of school time. Some teachers are using their non-contact time to collaborate with colleagues in the same year level group on planning, assessment and student progress. Transition meetings for students with special learning needs occur near the end of the year or the beginning of the next year to enable smooth transition of these students from one year to the next. Some teachers appear unaware that designated responsibilities identified in these transition meetings are to be led and enacted by the classroom teacher, with the support of the LST. Many teachers say they value this process, partly for the data provided, and partly because often the teacher from the previous year has noted idiosyncrasies about certain students that help their new teacher start the year with helpful knowledge about teaching strategies and class management. Some teachers indicate that in order to strengthen coherence they would appreciate further vertical collaboration, perhaps once a term or once a semester, with teachers of year groups immediately above and below their own year group. The school has identified the value of consistency in educational language and teaching practice across the school, in keeping with the Diocesan Teaching and Learning Framework. It is evident that this has been achieved to a significant extent with the RIS. With the school taking up the STEM lighthouse project, some teachers suggest that STEM would be a logical next step in building consistency in language and practice. In introducing the RIS, a number of initiatives were enacted including peer observations and coaching with colleagues. Some teachers say they see value in continuing these practices more widely as part of their professional learning. Further collegial practices are the ‘buddy’ system to help new staff ease their way into the school, and mentoring of early career teachers by experienced teachers.


School culture The school has developed a culture of teamwork, collaboration, respect, consultation and mutual support over many years. Staff and parents indicate that this extends beyond the staff to include parents and students. Staff see the Principal and leadership team as nurturing and strengthening this important element in the school culture. The school’s vision and mission statements has been recently updated. Taking the school motto — Strive for Goodness — as the starting point, the word STRIVE has been adapted as an acronym in which each letter captures a fundamental principle of the school culture: Show the Spirit of Jesus; Thrive in our everyday lives; Respectful relationships; Interact with Integrity; Share a Vision; Empower learners. The review team observed these characteristics being enacted in the everyday life of the school. To complement these characteristics, the school has drawn from the Mercy tradition to establish four Cornerstone Values: Commitment, Compassion, Service and Quality The four Cornerstone Values have been derived from the history behind the four Houses: Goretti, Coolock, McAuley, and Xavier. It is clear that the Cornerstone Values are well understood and embraced by staff and students. The student award system reflects the vision, mission and the cornerstone values. Awards range through academic, sporting, art, music and citizenship. At the end of term a student from each class receives a Cornerstone Award in recognition of acting out one or more of the values. The leadership team sees the academic awards as particularly important, reflecting the culture of continuous student achievement in balance with the other school values.

“I see my kids receiving a well-rounded education with a broad range of subjects, a balance of arts, humanities, sciences, sports and cultural experiences.” — Parent

It is evident that staff see continuous professional improvement as integral to their work, individually and collegially. Teachers engage in professional learning for Diocesan initiatives such as the RIS and the STEM lighthouse project. They also engage in school-based professional development, and negotiate personal professional learning with the leadership team. A similar process is followed with goal-setting, where staff, including school officers, negotiate their personal goals with the leadership team. The spiritual life of the school is an integral element in the culture. Gatherings of students and staff begin with prayer or a reflection, including at the weekly assembly. The Parish Administrator conducts a monthly school mass in the cathedral, and he has a presence in the school, attending weekly assemblies and performing rituals such as the recent observance of Ash Wednesday. He visits classes regularly and says that he feels welcomed and valued in the life of the school. Teachers new to the school indicate that their induction was helpful to them. They refer to the formal induction relating to school procedures and policies, and the informal induction: the way they have been made to feel welcome at the school. A teacher new to the school this year said of her experience of induction at the beginning of term and her experiences during the term:

“I feel privileged to be part of this school community.” Staff indicate that they feel valued by the leadership team and by their colleagues. Staff achievements and acknowledgements are recognised through the newsletter and Facebook, at assembly, and informally at daily gatherings in the Mercy Centre, or personally by a member of the leadership team or by colleagues.


Improvement strategies

• Ensure that enacting the designated responsibilities decided at transition meetings for students with special needs is clearly understood to be the responsibility of the classroom teacher, with support from the LST.

• Investigate ways to establish more vertical collaboration between teachers of year groups above and below their own.

• Give consideration to and agree on the next step in the process of building consistency of language and teaching practice across the school, continuing to use the TCS Teaching and Learning Framework as the reference point.

• Strengthen collegial professional learning by building on such practices as peer observations, walk throughs and peer coaching.

• Ensure that cohort Transition Meetings are facilitated in line with PfPL philosophy. Make sure that teachers know how parts of the DLP work together to represent whole class and individual student information, and that they are able to enter data onto the DLP accordingly.

Component 3.2 Community partnerships

Findings Partners RADII surveys of staff, parents and students show high approval ratings from the school community. In interviews with the review team, parents consistently speak highly of the school: the Principal and leadership team, the teachers and school officers. They speak about feeling welcome at the school, including when they raise concerns. Three parents of students who experience learning or emotional difficulties each use the word ‘outstanding’ to describe the way their child’s needs have been understood and acted on by the staff. The word most commonly used about the school by parents (and staff) is ‘community’. Parents feel welcome and respected, say they are listened to when they have concerns, and that their concerns are mostly acted on. Many parents express appreciation for the Catholic values their children are learning at the school, and appreciate the links with the parish. Parents mostly speak highly of the school’s communication systems, in particular praising the ‘one stop shop’ they have access to through Schoolzine and the other online services. Parents also express appreciation for the informal contact teachers make with them, often by email, about their children’s progress. Often these communications are brief, sometimes a single sentence, but parents see them as examples of care by the teachers, and respect for the parents as partners in their children’s education. Some parents who generally see the school’s communication processes as helpful cite occasions when they believe information should have come to them in a more timely manner. Some refer to the decision to move from iPads to laptops in year 4, saying many parents needed greater warning about this so they had the necessary time to plan for it. Many teachers offer the view that internal communication around day to day matters and changes to school routine are not always received by all staff. In particular this is mentioned by part-time teachers and school officers. The 2019 Parent Handbook is up-to-date, comprehensive, and attractively presented, containing helpful information for parents.


Parent members of the School Board all indicate that the Board is treated seriously in the life of the school. They speak highly of the relationship between the Board and the Principal, using words such as ‘trust’, ‘openness’, ‘listening’ and ‘respect’ to describe it. Student needs A transition process is in place for students moving from year 6 into high school. In the second half of the year longer assignment work is set, requiring greater time organisation by students. For students with special learning needs, the LST has established links with learning support staff in the high schools students will be transitioning to, ensuring they have the necessary information to ensure a smooth transition for those students. Students are involved in academic activities organised outside the school that enrich their talents and interests beyond what they experience at school. Some examples are the Brainwaves program through partnership with USQ, Mathletics, and the robotics competition. The STEM Lighthouse project is currently being supported by STEM Punks, and music instrumental tuition occurs through the Music Bus. Investigations into a school-based instrumental Music program are currently taking place. Students also engage in community service, with visits to the Salem and Brodribb aged care centres, where students engage with the residents. Other outreach activities include Mini-Vinnies and supporting Rosie’s in its work with homeless people. Fundraising activities are held to support various causes, the most recent being assistance to people affected by the flooding in Townsville. The mantra communicated to students is ‘This is not just a free dress day’, emphasising the way this kind of action reflects the school’s deep values and beliefs. Improvement strategies

• Ensure that decisions that impact on parents, particularly related to financial matters, are delivered in a timely manner.

• Continue to strengthen and broaden student community outreach involvement.

• Continue to raise student and staff awareness of the importance of service to the community in the Mercy tradition.

• Promote mutual responsibility among all staff for accessing day to day internal communication.

Domain 4 Strategic resourcing and stewardship Component 4.1 Staff development and wellbeing

Findings School culture

“Teachers tend to take on new approaches and ideas as there is a sense that together we can do this!” — Teacher

It is clear that the current leadership of the school respects and values the input of staff. Staff identify the collaborative approach of the Principal as a strength of the school’s leadership, and feel that they are supported and encouraged by their colleagues. Staff were integral in the development of the new Vision and Mission Statement, and the SBSP.


A wellbeing committee is in operation at the school and a number of wellbeing staff activities are planned for 2019. Already in 2019 a ‘Picnic on the Grass’ has been held as part of the school Wellness Week and regular coffee van visits organised. A staff ‘wellbeing champion’ will attend the TCS professional learning, focusing on the new Diocesan Staff Wellbeing Framework. A number of opportunities exist for staff to interact socially in ways that support their physical and emotional wellbeing such as staff yoga group. Most teaching staff express the view that the school needs to monitor the number of new initiatives the school may take on so that progress made in the implementation of the RIS and STEM Lighthouse project is not diluted or distracted by other initiatives. It is clear that staff believe that a positive culture exists between parents and staff at the school. Caring for the individual Staff are encouraged to join working parties and committees that utilise their skills and talents and it is evident that staff use these skills to augment the education and development of students in activities like the STEM Club. All staff speak highly of the clear communication from school leadership on matters of strategic importance. It is clear to the review team that staff believe the school leadership team is collaborative and consultative,but also clear and decisive in their actions. Many staff appreciate the visibility of the leadership team in classrooms. Attraction, selection and retention The school consistently applies the TCS procedures for attraction and selection of staff. It is acknowledged that as the school has rationalised school officer hours to increase class teacher hours in order to reduce class sizes, some school officers have felt disenfranchised from the reallocation of these hours. Nurture and empowerment Clear and consistent staff goal setting procedures are in place. The Principal and Assistant Principals share this role across the staff. Goal setting reviews are conducted in week 7 of each school term. School officers identified that the formal goal setting for school officers has been received as a positive step in valuing and developing the skills of school officers. Improvement strategies

• Continue to nurture collective teacher efficacy through the current collaborative leadership model.

• Monitor and prioritise the number of initiatives the school takes on in any one year.

• Continue to develop the performance and development goal setting process.

• Continue leadership team visits to classrooms.


Component 4.2 Use of resources facilities and the learning environment

Findings Resources Parents and staff believe that the school is well resourced and gives a priority to resourcing initiatives aimed at improving student learning and achievement. Classrooms are well maintained and well utilised to support student learning. The school library provides a welcoming environment for student engagement and learning. Many parents and teachers identify the allocation of school funding to reduce class sizes by providing additional class teachers in 2019 as a very positive approach to student learning. Currently the school has three streams of classes in years 2, 3 and 4 with modelling indicating that the school may be able to move to full three streams in 2022. It is acknowledged that the school is working through a new phase of implementation in relation to the one to one digital device program. The move from solely an iPad environment prep to year 6, to the introduction of a Microsoft platform in year 4 has not been without difficulty. Parents interviewed understand the rationale for the change, and are now wanting to see some certainty for the future, with a clear Information, Communication, Technology (ICT) strategic direction. Many staff and parents express concern in relation to the level of technical support required to ensure that these devices can be used to their full educational extent. Facilities The school facilities are well maintained and functional. Access to bore water allows the school the opportunity to provide a lush oval facility. Green space is at a premium and there are some conflicting opinions with parents as to how much green space is enough. School leadership is aware that the retention of current green space is paramount when considering any further building development. Currently the school is working through a ‘master planning process’ to plan new administration facilities. The addition of new administration facilities will allow the current facilities to be converted to general learning areas that would cater for the move to three streams. The school and neighbouring college are to be congratulated for the shared use of facilities. In 2019, St Saviour’s Primary School is using two vacant classrooms at St Saviour’s College to house the two year 6 classes. This has been a seamless transition for students, parents and staff. Learning environment All classrooms are equipped with digital projection equipment and support digital access. The school is continuing to develop the staff intranet using Office 365 as an access point for staff to readily retrieve important school documents and the weekly staff bulletin. It is clear that the intranet is appreciated by P&F and staff. Improvement strategies

• Continue the development of the facilities master plan that gives consideration to the need for green space.

• Develop an ICT plan in keeping with the TCS policy that all schools participate in an audit of ICT resources, and devise an ICT and eLearning strategic plan.

• Ensure that the school’s ICT platform is backed up by strong technical support.

• Continue development of the staff intranet.


Conclusion The review team has had an uplifting experience in reviewing St Saviour’s Primary School. It is clear that we

have been privileged to spend time in a very good school. The review team wishes the school well as it

continues to shape its future, and we hope the affirmations and improvement strategies will help St Saviour’s

Primary School to grow from being a very good school to being a great school.

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