School Learning Environment
Our Supportive School Environment is based on the tenets of the You Can Do It Education program and the Virtues Project. We promote building resilience as well as positive attitudes to life and learning in students. The Behaviour Management program is to based on Classroom Profiling and building teacher competency through the ten micro-skills.
The Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Learning Agreement established our school as reaching foundation level as at 2002.
School facilities are adequate for school numbers. All regular classrooms have been air-conditioned under the Cooler Schools Program.
Additional facilities have not been required because of stable School Numbers.
Core Learnings
We are implementing Outcomes Based Education to the departmental schedule. Core learnings are based on the Key Learning Areas and the curriculum is delivered through integrated units of work which have Science and the Study of Society and the Environment as the organisers.
The Holistic Planning and Teaching Framework forms the basis for integrated units of work from P-7. Information and Communication Technologies are integrated in all aspects of learning planning, teaching and learning, assessment and reporting. All classrooms have access to the internet and we are improving classroom access to ICT in the upper primary classes.
Teaching Strategies
All staff have been inserviced in Productive Pedagogies, teacher planning and practice reflect Productive Pedagogies. We have a strong Oracy focus and sound strategies that enable and engage students in their learning.
Early childhood education and philosophy in teaching literacy encompasses the Barbara Brann theory of teaching and linking oracy, reading and writing. The Caterpillar Literacy package is used extensively P - Yr 2.
The Jolly Phonics Program teaches letter sound association and letter recognition. It provides the building blocks for sound choices in spelling. The program links letters and their sounds using a visual and auditory prompt, from which the students make meaningful links.
The school has a bank of computers in the Library.
Drugs Education is accommodated through the Health and Physical Education Program. Sport is conducted at intra-school and interschool levels. All children are encouraged to participate.
Intervention Strategies
Intervention programs include Reading Recovery, Support A Reader and Support A Writer and numeracy. We conduct a Special Needs Audit annually and design learning programs for all students accordingly.
Appraisement
The full appraisement process for the school has been completed in 2004.
Students at risk of not engaging and succeeding at school
Apathy is a problem in depressed rural areas and general negativity is noticeable. Success and engagement are measured against each child reaching their potential. As such, 30% of our students are at risk. There is no baseline data for those at risk of not completing twelve years of schooling. Student Engagement our school theme. Engagement in learning is vital to success and the school employs the You Can Do It Education program and the Virtues Project to maximise student positive attitude. Teaching strategies and a wide range of school activities reinforce student connectedness to school and learning.
Assessment Guidelines.
Students are assessed continually throughout the integrated units of work. We are moving to criteria based assessment using performance rubrics.
Standardised tests include
