Firstly, open SPaRO and choose the self-assessment section to view the situational analysis headings and fields.

Secondly, open Scout at the School dashboard to view the 5 focus areas for your review and analysis.

Note: there is no set length for a situational analysis, as it is a school-based decision and should include as much information as needed to inform future strategic directions.

Focus area and analysis - Enrolment

• 72 high school students assessed with additional needs in learning and behaviour
• 12% Aboriginal students
• 75% EAL/D
  

Focus area and analysis - Student performance

See internal improvement measures as NAPLAN data is available due to numbers.

Focus area and analysis - Wellbeing

Targets:

• Attendance: baseline 68.5%, lower bound 73.7% and upper bound 79.2%
• Wellbeing: baseline 71%, lower bound 73.9%, upper bound 78.7%
• TTFM: areas of lowest acceptance - teacher collaboration, learning culture in classrooms, use of data to inform practice, setting challenging and visible learning goals.

Focus area and analysis - Human resources

Staff:

• Teaching – 21
• Admin – 5
• SLSO’s – 11

Focus area and analysis - Finance

Flexible funds available for 2021:

6100 – consolidated funds

• Total unspent unassigned funds to be carried over to 2021 opening balance - $395,892.
• Socio-economic background - $352,970 + predicted unspent funds $15,200
• Aboriginal background - $7,732 + predicted unspent funds $1,100
• Professional learning - $31,800
• Beginning teacher - $35,500 + predicted unspent funds $7,200
• School support allocation - $33,650
• SSP Quality teaching support - $26,957

6300 funds available for 2021

• Anticipated 2021 opening balance of $232, 940.

Note - in SPaRO, the 'Focus themes' column will already be prepopulated with data schools added to their SEF S-aS. Also, for this school sample, the external validation (EV) column is empty, as EV occurred before 2018 or will occur in coming months.

Legend:

• WTD = working towards delivering
• D = delivering
• S&G = sustaining and growing
• E = excelling
• NA = not applicable.

Reflections on SEF S-aS and EV

A wider range of internal data collection required to support student performance. Professional learning for teaching staff in use of data to support learning.

Literacy and numeracy require strong development with a greater understanding of supporting student growth. Both formative and summative assessment requires additional learning on the part of staff. While the new Sentral upgrades have assisted further work with staff in this area to ensure all data sources are held is required.

PLPs and transition plans need to be strengthened with a more effective use of both to inform learning. While parents are engaged with these two processes, further work needs to be done with parents on using them with PLAN2 to inform learning.

Transitions program

• Three students completed work experience (possible 15 students)
• Four students gained Voc Ed qualification (18 students began courses)
• Two students completed Year 12 (six began Year 12)
• TEACCH Data: Being under-utilised by staff

ASDAN data

Currently underutilised within the school. Skill Banks for Communication, Literacy and Numeracy have been developed. Seven modules have been delivered and have resulted in improvement in student independence, self-direction and self-regulation supporting future transitions towards post-school options. This needs to be further utilised.

SWANS – communication

• 11% moved upwards by 3 levels
• 23% moved upwards by 2 levels
• 35% moved upwards by 1 level
• 7% stayed on the one level

SWANs – Literacy

• 14% moved upwards by 3 levels
• 18% moved upwards by 2 levels
• 35% moved upwards by 1 level
• 8% stayed on the same level

SWANs – Numeracy

• 9% moved upwards by 3 levels
• 12% moved upwards by 2 levels
• 21% moved upwards by 1 level
• 24% did not complete

Summary – large number of students either not progressing or progressing by one level only.

SWANs data - students are not being tracked consistently using SWANs and staff have difficulty in its use..

Goal Attainment Summary (GAS)

• 50% of students stayed on the same level across senior focus area goals.

Implications

PBL and wellbeing data

Tracked on Sentral. This has been well utilised by staff and indicates wide use of the tool. Reduction in negative incidents and an increase in positive incidents. Decrease in short suspensions.

Research and literature

Referred to:

• SWANs, GAS
• Quality Teaching Rounds – University of Newcastle
• Striving for Excellence reports
• Leah Kuypers 'Zones of Regulation' emotion regulation program - a curriculum designed to help students identify their feelings and emotional reactions and learn sensory and perspective taking strategies that encourage better self-regulation. A simple colour coded, four zones format encourages learning.

Current school plan

• 100% of students have ILSP and ITP – next step to ensure staff using them to inform learning
• PBL review completed. Further training required in explicit teaching of PBL principles and wellbeing programs
• Improved communications with parents/caregivers has resulted in improved participation in school programs. Approximately 75% of caregivers attended annual review meetings in Semester 1 and 60% (20% in 2019) of caregivers attended in Term 4
• School structures, teaching, learning and wellbeing programs have been evaluated through tracking student results, attendance rates, gathering input from caregivers, teachers and SLSOs.
• Planning is under way to implement STEM across the curriculum in 2021.
• Investigations into the allocation and resourcing of specialist classrooms to support ICT and Project Based Learning Programs in 2019 is under way.

1. Learning informed by data

Internal data collection and analysis to support learning. This could be conducted through better use of PLSPs and ITPs to inform learning. A wider range of internal data sources than is presently available needs to be introduced and arranged to allow easier accessibility by staff. This would require further professional development for staff on both formative and summative assessment. Need to ensure a greater percentage of students are advancing by more than one level as measured by SWANs. There is a significant group of students staying on the same level or moving backwards. Staff understanding of the process and explicit teaching if literacy and numeracy will support this. A greater level of differentiated and individualised student learning is required. Ensure that the ASDAN skill banks are impacting on lesson delivery

2. Wellbeing and behaviour

PBL should be reviewed and extended. Community engagement and improved communication with parents. Improve parent understanding of all school programs particularly the use of the PLSP and ITP. Further research and implement the ‘Zones of Regulation’ program as developed by Leah Kuypers. Individual attendance plans need to be reintroduced for at risk students. Further focus on attendance and high expectations is required along with harnessing parental support. Support for positive behavioural incidence requires re-enforcement.

3. Community, transitions and exit

A low number of students reach Year 12 and maintain their attendance throughout to complete Year 12. The low number of students participating in Voc Ed and work experience will need to be further enhanced, made relevant and promoted. This could be aided by TEACCH platform and the continuation and extension of STEM and Project Based Learning in classrooms. ITPs are completed but require actions in classrooms. From previous school plan evaluations, we need to continue with STEM implementation.

Draft strategic directions for community consultation