School Improvement Unit
School reviewinformation pack
2015
Contents
Introduction
General information
More information
Preparation
School information and data
Meeting rooms and other requirements
Review schedule
Interviews
Classroom visits
Attachment A: Sample review schedules
Sample primary school timetable
Sample secondary school timetable
Attachment B: School community contact list
Attachment C: Communication material
Draft newsletter item
Draft social media items
Introduction
The new reviews for Queensland state schools are a key part of the Department of Education and Training’s school improvement agenda, with every state school, including independent public schools, to have a review at least every four years.
As outlined in the School Performance Assessment Framework, the reviews build on the teaching and learning audits and are tailored to the needs and context of schools.
Based on a statewide analysis of school performance data and consultation with regions, schools are designated for one of three reviews:
•self-determined reviews for high-performing schools
•priority support reviews for schools needing extra support
•full school reviews for all other schools.
Fact sheets on the different reviews are available from OnePortal.
General information
Your review will be conducted in a professional manner by reviewers who have been selected and trained by the School Improvement Unit (SIU).
The review team will look at your school’s performance data and other relevant school information. They will also conduct interviews with staff, students, parents and other members of your school community.
The review team will work closely with you and your leadership team during the review, and will keep you informed of their findings as the review progresses.
At the completion of the review, the team will present its findings to your leadership team. A written report will follow with more detailed information to support your school’s improvement agenda.
Your assistant regional director or principal supervisor will be given a copy of the report and is expected to work closely with you to respond to the findings. This includes developing an action plan for priority support reviews.
The SIU will continue to monitor your school’s performance after the review is completed.
In the case of priority support reviews, this includes check-ins at three, six and, if necessary, nine months after the review. The SIU will revisit the school after 12 months.
More information
For more information about your review please contact your review chair. For general information and resources please visit our OnePortal page.
Thank you for your support and cooperation. We look forward to working with your school to support its improvement agenda.
Preparation
School information and data
Before visiting your school, the review team will meet to review your school profile, headline indicators and other available information, including your school website. Reviewers will also make contact with your assistant regional director or principal supervisor.
In addition, we ask that you please email electronic versions of the following documents and information to your review chair approximately two weeks before the review:
•current four-year strategic plan
•annual implementation plan
•professional learning plan
•pedagogical framework
•school-based data sets.
We would also appreciate copies of the following documents to be provided to reviewers on arrival at your school:
•master timetable
•school map with staffroom locations
•staff list.
During the review, the review team may also consider other school information and resources, for example, school curriculum and data plans, OneSchool information, and your Great Results Guarantee.
Please speak to your review chair if there are other materials you wish to provide to the review team.
Meeting rooms and other requirements
An office space or small meeting room is required for the duration of the review.
This space will be used by the review team to meet and discuss their findings, and to conduct some interviews with staff and other members of your school community. However, the review team would appreciate the opportunity to meet and talk with teachers and staff in their classrooms and offices.
Suitable access to computers, school network, printers and photocopies is also required. A data projector is requested to assist with report writing.
Review schedule
To assist the review team, it is requested that you develop a proposed schedule of interviews and classroom visits. Please see Attachment A for examples.
Please note that any schedule negotiated between you and the review team is proposed only, and may be subject to change due to the exploratory nature of the review.
Interviews
The review team will conduct interviews with staff, parents, students and the community, with the following interviews recommended (subject to school size and availability):
Staff
•school leadership team (principal and deputy principals)
•other school leaders (e.g. heads of department and curriculum)
•administration team (e.g. business service manager, receptionist and other administration staff)
•teachers and teacher aides
•specialist support staff
•other school staff.
School community
•P&C president or school council chair
•parents and students
•other community representatives (e.g. local businesses and partnerships, and local government representatives).
Please complete and return the attached community contact list (Attachment B) to your review chair approximately two weeks before your review.
The review team may choose to conduct interviews individually, or in larger group sessions. Please discuss with your review chair any preferences you have.
Interviews are conducted in an open and friendly manner, and provide an opportunity for teachers and the school community to give feedback on the school.
To help inform your school community about the review, draft school newsletter and social media items have been provided (Attachment C). Please tailor to suit.
Classroom visits
Classroom observations are an important part of the review process. Where possible, they should be representative of the variety of classrooms and teaching practices within your school.
Some schools organise a teacher to accompany reviewers during classroom visits to provide class relief and to allow the teacher to be interviewed privately. This is appreciated but is a school decision.
Please note that it is not mandatory that teachers or other staff participate in an interview or classroom observation. Staff can choose not to participate if they wish.
Attachment A: Sample review schedules
Please note that these are samples only. Please make changes to reflect your school’s context and bell times. We also ask that you discuss the timetable with your review chair and send the final schedule to the chair at least one week before your review.
Sample primary school timetable
Day 1
7.30 – 8.30Review team deliberations and data analysis
8.30 – 8.45Initial staff briefing
8.45 – 9.15Interview with assistant regional director
9.15 – 10.30Initial interview with leadership team
10.30 – 11.00Morning tea – team discussions
11.00 – 11.30Deputy principalDeputy principalHead of curriculum
11.30 – 12.00Support teacher, literacy and numeracyHead of special education services Master teacher
12.00 – 12.30TeacherTeacherLiteracy coach
12.30 – 1.00TeacherTeacherGuidance officer
1.00 – 1.30Lunch – team discussions
1.30 – 2.00TeacherTeacherTeacher
2.00 – 2.30Business service managerTeacher aidesTeacher
2.30 – 3.00P&CParentsIndigenous elder
3.00 – 3.30Feeder high schoolLocal memberKindergarten
3.30 – 3.45Team discussions
3.45 – 4.15Check in with principal
Day 2
7.30 – 8.15Review team discussions
8.15 – 9.05TeacherOffice staffTeacher
9.05 – 9.25Tuckshop convenorOffice staffTeacher
9.25 – 9.45StudentsStudentsStudents
9.45 – 10.05TeacherTeacherTeacher
10.05 – 10.30TeacherTeacherTeacher
10.30 – 11.00Morning tea – team discussions
11.00 – 11.20TeacherTeacherTeacher
11.20 – 11.40TeacherTeacherTeacher
11.40 – 12.00Literacy committeeTeacher
12.00 – 12.20Teacher
12.20 – 12.40TeacherTeacherTeacher
12.40 – 1.00TeacherTeacherTeacher
1.00 – 1.30Lunch – team discussions
1.30 – 2.00Report writing or extra interviews if required
2.00 – 2.30
2.30 – 3.00
3.00 – 3.30Community representativeCommunity representativeCommunity representative
3.30 – 4.00Check in with principal
4.00 – 5.00Team discussions and report writing
Day 3
7.30 – 8.15Review team discussions
8.15 – 8.45Clarifying interviewsClarifying interviewsClarifying interviews
8.45 – 9.15Report writing
9.15 – 10.30
10.30 – 11.00Morning tea – team discussions
11.00 – 11.30Report writing
11.30 – 12.00
12.00 – 12.30
12.30 – 1.00
1.00 – 1.30Lunch – team discussions
1.30 – 2.00Exit interview
2.00 – 2.30
2.30 – 3.00
3.00 – 3.30Staff briefing
3.30 – 4.00Final check in with principal
Sample secondary school timetable
Day 1
7.30 – 8:30Review team deliberations and data analysis
8.30 – 8:45Initial staff briefing
8.45 – 9:15Interview with assistant regional director
9.15 – 10:30Initial interview with leadership team
10.30 – 11:00Morning tea – team discussions
11.00 – 11:30Deputy principalDeputy principalHead of special education services
11.30 – 12.00Support teacher, literacy and numeracyHead of departmentSupport teacher, literacy and numeracy
12.00 – 12.30Head of departmentHead of departmentLiteracy coach
12.30 – 1.00Head of departmentHead of departmentTeacher
1.00 – 1.30Lunch – team discussions
1.30 – 2.00TeacherTeacherGuidance officer
2.00 – 2.30Business services managerTeacher aidesTeacher
2.30 – 3.00P&CParentsIndigenous elder
3.00 – 3.30Partner primary schoolLocal memberStudent support team
3.30 – 3.45Team discussions
3.45 – 4.15Check in with principal
Day 2
7.30 – 8.15Review team discussions
8.15 – 9.05TeacherOffice staffTeacher
9.05 – 9.25Tuckshop convenorOffice staffTeacher
9.25 – 9.45StudentsStudentsStudents
9.45 – 10.05TeacherTeacherTeacher
10.05 – 10.30TeacherTeacherTeacher
10.30 – 11.00Morning tea – team discussions
11.00 – 11.20TeacherTeacherTeacher
11.20 – 11.40TeacherTeacherTeacher
11.40 – 12.00Literacy committeeTeacher
12.00 – 12.20Teacher
12.20 – 12.40Numeracy coachTeacherTeacher
12.40 – 1.00TeacherTeacherTeacher
1.00 – 1.30Lunch – team discussions
1.30 – 2.00Report writing or extra interview if required
2.00 – 2.30
2.30 – 3.00
3.00 – 3.30Community representativeCommunity representativeCommunity representative
3.30 – 4.00Check in with principal
4.00 – 5.00Team discussions and report writing
Day 3
7.30 – 8.15Review team discussions
8.15 – 8.45Clarifying interviewsClarifying interviewsClarifying interviews
8.45 – 9.15Report writing
9.15 – 10.30
10.30 – 11.00Morning tea – team discussions
11.00 – 11.30Report writing
11.30 – 12.00
12.00 – 12.30
12.30 – 1.00
1.00 – 1.30Lunch – team discussions
1.30 – 2.00Exit interview
2.00 – 2.30
2.30 – 3.00
3.00 – 3.30Staff briefing
3.30 – 4.00Final check in with principal
Attachment B: School community contact list
•P&C or school council president
•Local Councillor
•State Member
•Federal Member
•Indigenous community representative
•Feeder school contacts
•Others of your choice (for example, local partnerships, community groups or businesses)
•
•
•
•
•
Please email or fax to your review chair.
Attachment C: Communication material
Draft newsletter item
School review – opportunity to have your say
Our school is scheduled for a school review from <dates>.
The Department of Education and Training has introduced new performance reviews for Queensland state schools in 2015.
The reviews do not rate or compare schools but provide independent and quality feedback to help schools continue to improve outcomes for students.
All schools will have a review at least every four years. A final report is made available to parents and the community on the school’s website.
The review team would like to hear from our school community and I encourage anyone who is interested to have their say.
Your feedback is important and will help us continue to deliver a quality education for students.
If you are interested in speaking to the reviewers, or would like more information about the review process, please contact the office.
Further information about the reviews is available from the department’s website at:
education.qld.gov.au/schools/school-performance-assessment-framework
Draft social media items
Facebook: We’re having a school review from <dates>. Community feedback is welcome, so come and have your say and support the school. For more information please contact the office or visit the Department of Education and Training website: education.qld.gov.au/schools/school-performance- assessment-framework.
Twitter: We’re having a school review from <dates>. Contact the office to have your say. More details online: education.qld.gov.au/schools/school-performance-assessment-framework.