SCHOOL PLAN 2007 – 2009
Introduction
Canberra High School was constituted at the beginning of 1938 and moved to Telopea Park School into the new building at Acton, now the school of Art, on 21 August 1939. Thirty years later, on 21 August 1969, the present school site was officially opened. During these years the school catered for students from Year 7 to year 12 and this remained the position until 1975, when a new secondary system was developed. By 1977 Canberra High School had become a Year 7 to 10 high school.
Provision for gifted and talented students became more of a focus after the ACT government’s ‘Towards 2020’ initiative was announced and Canberra High School was designated as a school which extended gifted and talented students.
School vision and goals
Canberra High School recognises the diversity of abilities, aptitudes, interests and multicultural backgrounds of its students. Canberra High School aims to provide a welcoming, safe and community environment striving for inclusively, excellence, rigour and respectful relationships for staff and students. This is achieved through delivery of an excellent curriculum, which provides a variety of opportunities and subject choices across all key learning areas.
Canberra High School has a strong focus on the wellbeing of the school community with a supportive pastoral care program.
Canberra High School continues to develop as a cohesive and caring community actively committed to the development of students who will be prepared for a changing society.
School profile
Canberra High School is located in the suburb of Macquarie and the priority enrolment area encompasses the suburbs of Aranda, Belconnen Town Centre, Cook, Emu Ridge and Macquarie. However, 71% of the school’s enrolment comes from outside the priority area. In addition, students live in more than 59 postal areas and were born in 44 different countries. There are approximately 650 families that make up the Canberra High School community. Fifty-two languages other than English are spoken at home.
Student Enrolment
Year 7: 174 Year 8: 166 Year 9: 194 Year 10: 187 Total Enrolment: 721
Staff Profile
1 Principal
1 Deputy Principal
8 Executive Teachers
45 Teaching Staff
1 Student Counsellor (0.6)
1 Business Manager
1 Building Services Officer
10 Office Staff and Assistants
1 Youth Support Worker Staff Total: 69
Values
Canberra High School assists and encourages students to achieve their potential in intellectual, perceptual, physical, emotional, social and cultural development. Canberra High School, together with the Department of Education and Training, values:
Community
Attitude
Respect
Excellence
Safety
Canberra High School CARES:
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Community
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Attitude
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Respect
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Excellence
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Safety
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Overview of Priorities
Semester 2 2007 – Semester 1 2009
Leadership & Management |
Teaching and Learning |
Strategic Priority 1: To establish strong school values |
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Determine our school values, through staff, students and community involvement |
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Educate staff students and community on the values and implement the school values |
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Student Environment |
Strategic Priority 2: To improve our school environment |
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Have a regular maintenance plan that is developed, implemented and funded to improve the physical environment |
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Developing strong ownership and pride of the physical surroundings by the whole school community |
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Community Involvement |
Strategic Priority 3: To ensure learning programs are diverse and inclusive |
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Integrate and expand programs across the school to meet the needs of a diverse student population, including Gifted and Talented, students at risk, etc. |
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Inform the school and wider community of available programs |
Strategic Priority 1: To establish strong school values
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Objective |
Strategies |
Measurement of Achievement |
Evidence Base |
| Determine our school values, through staff, students and community involvement |
Determine school values mission statement Implement a committee to involve students, parents, board, and community groups Revisit all the historical documents relating to school values Determine that the values identified correspond to and reinforce those of the department Confirm school values through Staff, SRC, P&C, and Board Incorporate school values into the classroom. |
Base line data 2007 Historical documents relating to school values and mission statement. Copy of departmental values Initiate discussion at 2007 SLA,SLB and SLC planning day Mid line Data 2008 Establish a committee with board, staff, student and community representatives. Schedule of regular meetings Use of year and school assemblies as well as ACE meeting to present values Revisit school policies to ensure that they support the values Measures 2009 All significant school publications will include our mission statement and values |
School documentation will contain school mission statement and values Greater sense of school pride reflected in attendance at school events, improved physical environment, decrease graffiti and theft Greater school participation eg: increased attendance at major school events such as the Musical Meeting minutes to affirm a sense of community in determining the school values Acknowledgement of student and staff successes Increased respectful relationships is reflected in a reduction in the number of more serious incidents in the school community |
Strategic Priority 1: To establish strong school values
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Objective |
Strategies |
Measurement of Achievement |
Evidence Base |
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Educate staff students and community on the values and implement the school values |
Familiarise staff with values through staff meetings, faculty meetings, and team meetings. Post values mission statement to school website and incorporate into school handbook. Inform parents and community via news letter, website, information evening, P&C and Board meetings. Parenting courses that incorporate school values. Utilise ACE groups, assemblies, classes, SRC. Reinforce school values via welfare policy, classroom teachers, ACE groups, and SRC. Seek support of local community to promote school values - signs at Jamison Encourage P& C and Board to participate more at parent teacher night e.g. maintain a stall, to help educate other parents about school values. Improve confidence in the management of the school. New initiatives and other matters of interest to be communicated to the school community through newsletter, meetings, PC and board. Staff to discuss more items concerned with the running of the school. Establish open and transparent processes. Reorganisation of management structure. Reorganisation of administrative structure to assist streamlining of administrative workloads. Increase opportunities to participate in the decision making process of the school. Establish more committees for new initiatives (such as workload committee). Create parent forums Discussions at staff and faculty levels. Improve effective communication between staff. Reports back to staff from welfare meetings, year co meeting. More information to be provided at staff meetings and through emails. Improve level of appreciation for work done. Display appreciation / recognition via Newsletter, morning tea, staff meeting, acknowledging what people are doing in faculties, classroom and playground. Principal and Deputy to be invited to and visit classrooms. Streamline workloads and ensure equitability. |
Base line data 2007 No base line data until values established Mid line Data 2008 Whole school community educated about the values Minutes from meetings held to demonstrate that the values are embedded in the school Programs of parent and community courses that incorporate school values Minutes and note from meetings with community groups Staff meeting agendas – school wide issues given time for discussion and decision making Teacher workload audit Measures 2009 Continuation of parent / community initiatives Ongoing use of midline data from 2008 |
Parenting courses advertised and conducted Values and mission statement will be on the school website and included in the school handbook Calendar dates and newsletter articles informing parents and the community of school values ACE group program to embed the school values External signs that promote school values Meeting agendas and minutes reflecting greater opportunities for discussion and decision making on issues such as workload etc Staff meeting agendas will have permanent items for welfare and year coordinators reports. Greater sense of staff well being reflected in attendance at social functions Greater sense of student well being reflected in reduced truancy and lateness and an increase in assessment items submitted on time Greater attendance of P & C/Board members at school events Regular Executive Teacher planning days to refine administrative and management structure Workload committee established and minutes of meetings published |
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Strategic Priority 2: To improve our school environment
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Objective |
Strategies |
Measurement of Achievement |
Evidence Base |
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Have a regular maintenance plan that is developed, implemented and funded to improve the physical environment |
Target parents, students and staff to determine areas of concern regarding the school environment. Establish priorities for improving the school environment. In consultation with the school administration and the department, develop a maintenance plan and budget. Apply for grants. Review the Cleaning contract for the maintenance of classrooms, change rooms, and toilets. |
Base line data 2007 Use school survey from 2006 Mid line Data 2008 Survey results from parents, staff and students regarding areas of concern Financial resources allocated and budget set Priorities set Grants researched and applied for. Cleaning contract reviewed and maintenance audit completed Measures 2009 Improved physical environment |
Short term maintenance register maintained with issues signed off as completed Long term planning in place for maintenance and environmental improvement with priorities established Successful completion of some projects Applications for grants Cleaner school environment Establishment of environmental action group Budget adhered to and supplemented by successful grants applications |
Strategic Priority 2: To improve our school environment
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Objective |
Strategies |
Measurement of Achievement |
Evidence Base |
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Developing strong ownership of and pride in the physical surroundings by the whole school community |
Have ACE groups take ownership and have responsibility for an area of the school re: picking up rubbish, cleaning graffiti, painting murals, caring for gardens, etc. Encourage parents and students to become actively involved in improving the school environment. Incorporate school values into keeping the school environment clean. Establish a student run environmental action group. Encourage the community to support the school environment (donations, sponsorship, and advice). Encourage staff to maintain clean classrooms and a pleasant learning environment. Have working bees to improve school grounds. Raise money for school environment, e.g. Sausage sizzle, trash and treasure etc. for projects around the school. |
Base line data 2007 Safety audits from 2007 School review 2007 School survey Suggestion box Mid line Data 2008 Feedback from the action group Measures 2009 Ongoing use of surveys and audits to direct projects Completed projects proposed by the environmental group and the school community |
Cleaner School due ACE groups being given responsibility for specific areas Working bees conducted with parent and community contribution Environmentalist groups will have been invited to come to work with and advise the school Environmental action group in operation Cleaner class rooms New landscaping, plantings and murals around the school Roster for ACE groups for cleaning up the playground |
Strategic Priority 3: To improve Gifted and Talented programs
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Objective |
Strategies |
Measurement of Achievement |
Evidence Base |
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Integrate and expand programs across the school to meet the needs of a diverse student population, including Gifted and Talented, students at risk, etc. |
Establish a liaison officer with the colleges. Following the success with the colleges develop a similar role with primary schools. Develop links with feeder primary schools. Establish resource links with primary school so feeder community have more contact with CHS. Work to improve Indigenous students’ numeracy scores which are consistently lower than the system mean. Develop a Homework centre for indigenous students after school (apply for a grant). Visit other schools to gather ideas for additional programs. Introduction of offline work skills program for students for pre apprenticeship courses in technology in 2008. VET accreditation. Encouragement of students to participate in external programs and competitions eg. MUST, dance, gymnastics. PD component for staff to educate, appreciate, and value alternative programs. Establish position of Alternative Program Coordinator to have oversight of all alternative programs. Have programs ratified by executive and centralised acknowledgement of alternative assessment outcomes. |
Base line data 2007 ACTAP 2006 Ravens Test Previous grades for entry into appropriate classes Mid line Data 2008 Ravens Test ACTAP 2007 Previous grades Program documentation from other schools Measures 2009 Evaluation of the success of new courses established Ongoing test results both school and system wide Detailed program documentation developed and available to other schools |
Coordinator of Gifted and Talented (G & T) program appointed Involvement in PL sessions Application for grant to establish Indigenous student homework centre Liaison Officer for colleges Stronger links developed with feeder primary schools Offline skills - curriculum developed and program established Improvement in scores for National Skills Testing Improved student outcome due to more appropriate class placement of students Reduced absenteeism Embedding of programs in the school curriculum |
Strategic Priority 3: To improve Gifted and Talented programs
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Objective |
Strategies |
Measurement of Achievement |
Evidence Base |
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Inform the school and wider community of available programs |
Encourage the community to come into the school to utilise facilities (such as meeting rooms). Utilise primary school newsletters to promote CHS programs. Hold open nights to showcase alternative programs. Community programs (IT, Parenting, etc) to build rapport with wider community. Establish community facilities for hire usage by the community. Encourage hospitality programs to invite parents to the school; e.g. morning teas, dinners, lunches, band performances, drama productions. Encourage P&C and Board to run community events; e.g. art shows, trivia nights. |
Base line data 2007 School review data 2007 External Validation report 2006 Anecdotal evidence from the wider school community that student needs are not being met Mid line Data 2008 Records of community use of school facilities Canberra High School calendar of events inclusive of wider community Plans for P & C/School Board to take a lead role in organising events/projects relevant to the school Measures 2009 Content of Newsletters Updated website Higher P & C/ Board profile |
Advertising of availability of school resources for use by the community. Regular promotion in school and feeder primary school newsletters Successful community programs organised and delivered within the school premises More volunteers signing in to assist in school programs Regular dates on school calendar for various opportunities to engage with the school Promotion of school events in the community through use of a school notice board in the Jamison Centre and Western Districts Rugby Union Club |
