Business Plan

2016 – 2019
ASHDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL VISION
We aim to provide all students and staff with ongoing opportunities to develop the
knowledge, skills and confidence to achieve their potential and actively contribute to
Ashdale Primary School as a ‘school of excellence’.

Our vision in underpinned by a professional learning community model which is drive by the
following three elements:

LEARNING RESULTS

COLLABORATION

1. Focus on LEARNING: The purpose of Ashdale Primary School is to ensure all students
learn at high levels.
2. Focus on COLLABORATION: Helping all students learn requires a collaborative and
collective effort.
3. Focus on RESULTS: To measure our effectiveness in helping all students learn we must
focus on results and use that evidence to inform and improve our professional practice.

ASHDALE CLUSTER VISION

Ashdale Primary School, Ashdale Secondary College, Carnaby Rise, Landsdale Primary
School and Madeley Primary School are an integrated, holistic K-12 learning community.

Through the collaborative partnership, we have developed a shared identity assisted by

geographical proximity and a strong sense of being an inclusive community. As a cluster we
have a common purpose and a joint vision for the improvement, attainment, achievement
and progression of young people.

SCHOOL CONTEXT
Ashdale Primary School is located in the suburb of Darch in the North
Metropolitan Educational Region. As of October 2016 there were 870
students in K-6 enrolled in the school. A significant trend is the high
enrolments of students with English as a second language and the
cultural diversity of our students and families. Major language groups
represented include Gujarati, Romanian, Vietnamese, Macedonian,
Italian and Arabic.

Ashdale Primary School forms part of a local cluster of Independent

Public Schools in the suburbs of Landsdale, Darch, Carnaby Rise and
Madeley.
EVIDENCE BASED APPROACH TO THE BUSINESS PLAN

Ashdale Primary School is a high performing school that continually strives to be a ‘school of
excellence’. This is achieved, in large part, through the efforts of highly skilled and motivated
teachers and school leaders. In order to achieve these goals, our most important endeavour
is further improving the quality of teaching at Ashdale Primary School. Nationally and
internationally there is unequivocal evidence that the quality of teaching is the most
significant in-school factor affecting student outcomes. As such, everything that teachers do,
and that is done to support them, needs to be linked to increasing the positive impact (effect
size) of student achievement.

This Business Plan has been created based on research based practices, consultation with
the community and the finding from the 2016 Independent School Review. It references and
implements the Department of Education corporate framework including the Strategic Plan
for WA schools 2016-2019 and the Director Generals’ Classroom First Strategy. The plan
outlines a succinct overview of the strategic intent of the school towards quality improvement
strategies within academic and non-academic areas. The Business Plan forms part of a
suite of documents including annual Operational Plans, Workforce Plan and the Delivery and
Performance Agreement.

The implementation of the vision and strategic direction of the school is informed by school
effectiveness research and underpinned by an effective change management paradigm.
The critical feature of the change process is that teaching and learning are the main focal
points and Ashdale Primary School will only continue to improve by raising standards of
professionalism and building core competence throughout its workforce.

The Business Plan is based upon the National School Improvement Tool (NSIT) which
brings together findings from international research and is endorsed by the Standing Council
on School Education and Early Childhood (SCSEEC) in 2012. The tool provides evidence
about a schools day to day work and consists of nine-inter-related ‘domains’ which are
illustrated below.

A key feature of the National School Improvement Tool is the set of performance levels,
‘Low’, ‘Medium’, ‘High’ and ‘Outstanding’. These levels enable schools to make judgements
about where they are on their improvement journeys, to set goals and design strategies for
improvement, and to monitor and demonstrate school improvement over time.

An explicit improvement agenda

Outstanding schools are when leadership teams and/or governing bodies have established
and are driving a strong improvement agenda for the school, grounded in evidence from
research and practice and expressed in terms of improvements in measurable student
outcomes. Ashdale Primary utilises the Teacher Development School relationship to drive
this belief. Explicit and clear school-wide targets for improvement have been set and
communicated to parents and families, teachers and students, with accompanying timelines.
To strive for outstanding in this domain, Ashdale Primary will:

 Set explicit targets for students in Literacy, numeracy and science, based on whole-
school data and communicate this to staff, parents and school community.

 School staff are united in their commitment to improve the quality of teaching and
learning throughout the school and address obstacles to school-wide improvement.

 The school has clearly articulated strategies for improving levels of student
achievement and well-being.

Analysis and discussion of data

In outstanding schools, a high priority is given to the school-wide analysis and discussion of
systematically collected data on student outcomes, including academic, attendance and
behavioural outcomes, and student wellbeing. Data analyses consider overall school
performance as well as the performances of students from identified priority groups;
evidence of improvement/regression over time; performances in comparison with similar
schools; and, in the case of data from standardised tests, measures of growth across the
years of school.

To strive for outstanding in this domain, Ashdale Primary will:

 Establish and implement a systematic plan to collect and monitor data, in Literacy,
numeracy, science and wellbeing.

 Prioritise data discussions in meetings related to curriculum, assessment and student

achievement and focus on the four questions when collaborating;
 What do we want each student to learn?
 How will we know when each student has learned it?
 How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning?
 What do we do if they already know it?

A culture that promotes learning

Outstanding schools are driven by a deep

belief that every student is capable of
successful learning. A high priority is given
to building and maintaining positive and
caring relationships between staff, students
and parents. There is a strong collegial
culture of mutual trust and support among
teachers and school leaders and parents are
treated as partners in the promotion of
student learning and wellbeing. The school
works to maintain a learning environment that is safe, respectful, tolerant, and inclusive and
that promotes intellectual rigour.
To strive for outstanding in this domain, Ashdale Primary will:

 The school places a high priority on student and staff wellbeing and has processes in
place to provide both academic and non-academic support to address individual
needs through;

 Kite Club
 Virtues program
 Use of engagement and work advisory committee for teacher wellbeing
 Virtues

Targeted use of school resources

Outstanding schools apply their resources (staff time,

expertise, funds, facilities, materials) in a targeted
manner to meet the learning and wellbeing needs of all
students. It has school-wide policies, practices and
programs in place to assist in identifying and addressing
student needs. Flexible structures and processes enable
the school to respond appropriately to the needs of
individual learners.

To strive for outstanding in this domain, Ashdale Primary will:

 Target resources according to gaps in learning and address the needs of students,
according to the Response to Intervention, whereby 100% of students receive access
to high-quality teaching.

 Implementation of systemic strategies for identifying student needs and the

development of creative school-wide solutions for addressing differentiation through;

 ABLES program
 Pre-Lit, Mini Lit, Multi Lit and Mac-Lit
 Stem
 Problem solving approach

An expert teaching team

Outstanding schools have found ways to build a school-wide, professional team of highly
able teachers, including teachers who take an active leadership role beyond the classroom.
Strong procedures are in place to encourage a school-wide, shared responsibility for student
learning and success, and to encourage the development of a culture of continuous
professional improvement that includes classroom-based learning, mentoring and coaching
arrangements.

To strive for outstanding in this domain, Ashdale Primary will:

 Take collective responsibility of the learning and wellbeing of all students through a
sophisticated approach to;
 Collaborative Meetings
 Re-invigorate PL Wednesdays
  Develop lead teachers, with high levels of pedagogical knowledge and skill, who will
implement evidence-based teaching strategies and then support the learning of other
teachers through mentoring feedback, observation and coaching and;
 Continue to develop curriculum and pedagogical leaders at a school and
cluster level
 Continue to support PLCs throughout the school and ensure high-levels of
accountability are embedded.

Systematic curriculum delivery

Outstanding schools strive to have coherent, sequenced plan for curriculum delivery that
ensures consistent teaching and learning expectations and a clear reference for monitoring
learning across the year levels. The plan, within which evidence-based teaching practices
are embedded, and to which assessment and reporting procedures are aligned, has been
developed with reference to the Western Australian Curriculum or other approved curriculum
and refined collaboratively to provide a shared vision for curriculum practice. This plan is
shared with parents and families.

To strive for outstanding in this domain, Ashdale Primary will:

 The school has an explicit, coherent, sequenced plan for whole-school curriculum
delivery across the school which makes clear what (and when) teachers should teach
and students should learn. These include;
 Literacy and Numeracy Blocks
 Backward design model

 Assessment processes are aligned with the curriculum and are designed to clarify
learning intentions, establish where individual students are in their learning, diagnose
details of student learning (e.g., gaps in knowledge and understanding), and to
monitor learning progress across the years of school;
 Shared understanding of assessment practices

Differentiated teaching and learning

Outstanding schools strive to place a high priority on ensuring that, in their day-to-day
teaching, classroom teachers identify and address the learning needs of individual students,
including high-achieving students. Teachers are encouraged and supported to monitor
closely the progress of individuals, identify learning difficulties and tailor classroom activities
to levels of readiness and need.

To strive for outstanding in this domain, Ashdale Primary will:

 Utilise professional learning communities to engage in ‘high level dialogue’ about

student learning and ensure all students’ needs are being met and challenged
through understanding and implementing universal lesson design.
 Teachers work to ensure that all students – including high-achieving students – are
appropriately engaged, challenged and extended by designing classroom activities to
 meet students’ learning needs, levels of readiness, interests, aspirations and
motivations through the Introduction and implementation of Blooms Taxonomy.

Effective pedagogical practices

In outstanding schools, the principal and other school leaders recognise that highly effective
teaching is the key to improving student learning throughout the school. They take a strong
leadership role, encouraging the use of research-based teaching practices in all classrooms
to ensure that every student is engaged, challenged and learning successfully. All teachers
understand and use effective teaching methods – including explicit instruction – to maximise
student learning.

To strive for outstanding in this domain, Ashdale Primary will:

 Support Leadership and Curriculum Teams to establish and communicate clear

expectations concerning the use of effective teaching strategies throughout the
school by;
 Continue to implement the evidence-based, cooperative learning strategies –
into all classrooms
 Continue to develop teaching practices by providing teachers specific PL in
high-level instructional strategies
 Enhance teacher’s awareness of being consciously competent through
sophisticated and evidence-based improvement strategies at school and
cluster level.
School community partnerships

Outstanding schools actively seek ways to

enhance student learning and wellbeing by
partnering with parents and families, other
education and training institutions, local
businesses and community organisations.
Parents and families are recognised as integral
members of the school community and
partners in their children’s education.
Partnerships are strategically established to
address identified student needs and operate
by providing access to experiences, support and intellectual and/or physical resources not
available within the school. All partners are committed to the common purpose and goals of
partnership activities. Procedures are in place to ensure effective communications and to
monitor and evaluate the intended impacts of the school’s partnerships.

To strive for outstanding in this domain, Ashdale Primary will:

 Continue to build partnerships with parents, families, local businesses and

community organisations (including allied health, family support, counselling and
rehabilitation services) to improve opportunities and outcomes for students;

 Identifies potential community partners on the basis of their capacity to contribute to

improved student achievement and/or wellbeing through the Cultural Framework.

Self-Assessment Cycle

Ashdale Primary strives to promote initiatives linked to the Department Strategic Plan 2016-
2019, “High Performance – High Care” and Classroom First Strategy. We structure our self-
assessment according to the School Improvement and Accountability Framework and the
National School Improvement Tool (NSIT).

Successful students are at the core of our school improvement with both academic and non-
academic standards the central focus. All operations and processes at Ashdale Primary
School are ultimately evaluated in relation to their impact on student achievement. Our
school improvement cycle is an ongoing process encompassing three components.

We assess data and other evidence related to student achievement and school operations,
we plan to improve the standards of student achievement and we act to implement planned
strategies. At Ashdale Primary School this process will be complemented by a reflective
mentoring and coaching paradigm.

The National School Improvement Tool (NSIT) has the nine areas of focus that will be
monitored to determine our effectiveness in relation to student achievement, in the priority
areas identified.
 STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IMPROVEMENT TARGETS

YEAR 3 YEAR 5

o The percentage of Year 3 students in o The percentage of Year 5 students in

Bands 5 and 6 will be equal to or better Band 7 and 8 will be equal to or better
than like schools in Reading, than like schools in Reading, Numeracy,
Numeracy, Writing Spelling and Writing Spelling and Grammar &
Grammar & Punctuation. Punctuation.

o The percentage of Year 3 students o The percentage of Year 5 students

above the National Minimum Standard above the National Minimum Standard
will be equal to or better than like will be equal to or better than like schools
schools in Reading, Numeracy, Writing, in Reading, Numeracy, Writing, Spelling
Spelling and Grammar & Punctuation. and Grammar & Punctuation.

o Increase or maintain the percentage of

Year 5 EAL tested cohort above the
Australian minimum standard in Reading,
Numeracy, Writing, Spelling and
Grammar & Punctuation across test
period.

STUDENT NON-ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IMPROVEMENT TARGETS

ATTENDANCE ATTITUDES / BEHAVIOURS / OTHER

EFFORTS

o Maintain high levels of o Increase percentage of o Data relating to student

student attendance at 94% students achieving behaviour to reflect
or above. ‘Consistently’ across all positive and proactive
eight descriptors. strategies.

o Decrease the percentage of o Increase Year 5 and

students achieving ‘Seldom’ above student response
across all eight descriptors. scores in the areas of
hope, engagement and
o Decrease the percentage of wellbeing as identified in
students achieving ‘Seldom’ the Gallup Australian
on descriptor “sets goals Student Poll data.
and works towards them
with perseverance. o Maintain high
participation and
performance in physical
activity and arts/music
based events including
Interschool and state
competitions.
 STAFF IMPROVEMENT TARGETS

o Regular use and application of instructional strategies and tactics as evidence in Classroom
Observation and Feedback models and reflection on professional learning.

o Increase teacher expertise to increase teacher expertise in data literacy and data informed
planning.

o Year leaders and Australian Curriculum leaders undertaking leadership role across the
school.

o Staff Satisfaction Survey data reflects increasingly high degree of satisfaction in all areas.

o Achieving an increased proportion of teachers attaining Senior Teacher and Level 3

Classroom Teacher status.

PARENT / COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT TARGETS

o Maintaining positive parent satisfaction data in relation to the school’s capacity to effectively
meet the academic needs of their child.

o School Board provides positive feedback to the school regarding the school’s self-reflection
and analysis process, accuracy and presentation of reports and the performance and
development structure.
 ASHDALE CLUSTER BUSINESS PLAN
The Ashdale Cluster comprises Ashdale Primary School, Carnaby Rise Primary School,
Landsdale Primary School, Madeley Primary School and Ashdale Secondary College.

Our schools are bound together by the Ashdale Cluster Board that establishes and reviews
the cluster’s general direction and initiatives. As a unique Independent Public School
Cluster we employ flexible approaches to collectively address the needs of our local
community. To do this, the cluster commits both time and resources to these shared
initiatives. These resources include the development of cross-school teacher teams that
develop common approaches by identifying strengths and addressing common areas of
concern. The cluster also offers a range of professional learning opportunities to sustain the
growth of staff members.

These approaches are significant as more than 97% of Cluster primary students transition
into Ashdale Secondary College and approximately 35% of the population are drawn from a
large number of diverse cultural groups.

High Performance – High Care

The Cluster DES Review outlined common areas that could be addressed through the
Ashdale Cluster Business Plan. As a result, the following initiatives have been identified.

The Cluster Initiatives

The 2016-2019 Cluster Strategic Plan encompasses the following initiatives:

 Effective teaching and learning

 Common data collection and cluster professional development
 Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM)
 Cluster leadership and community partnerships

1. Effective Teaching and Learning: The Ashdale Cluster believes that all students can learn given
additional time and support.

TARGETS STRATEGIES OUTCOMES/DATA

SOURCE
In the 3,5,7,9 NAPLAN,  Implement literacy and numeracy strategies to increase  CNAP-NAPLAN progress
the progress achieved student achievement across the cluster. data
by the stable cohort will  Create cluster groups that engage teachers in reflection of
be equal to or exceed data collected across schools.
the Australian mean in  One staff meeting per term is allocated for teachers to attend
each test area. cluster meetings.
 Deputy Principals analyse cluster data and share high level
impact strategies. This will improve cluster On Entry,
NAPLAN and OLNA results.
Teacher judgement  Analysis of data and teacher judgment (moderation) at the Schools online: grade
data has a strong school and cluster levels. alignment
correlation with  Common assessment tasks at the school and cluster level.
NAPLAN overlay / EARS
NAPLAN and WACE.

All staff engages a  Cluster Phase Of Learning Teams (POLTs) based on a ACER Professional Learning
reflective practice reflective practice model. Community Questionnaire.
model to promote  Each school incorporates individual reflective practices within
professional growth and its performance management process.
share best practice.  Cluster Professional Learning Community Questionnaire.
An instructional  A common evidence-based lesson design framework. Each school will provide an
framework to be  Use of observation classroom at ASC instructional framework e.g.
Madeline Hunter Lesson
implemented in each  Trial – Instructional Rounds, beginning with APS in Term 2
Design, LEARN Framework
school.
(ASC)
2. Common Data Collection and Cluster Professional Development: As a professional learning
community the Ashdale Cluster believes that by analysing data and focusing on results, outcomes
for students will be improved

TARGETS STRATEGIES OUTCOMES/DATA

SOURCE
Gather common data Gallup Poll administered to measure each student’s perception of Student, staff and community
about student, staff and hope, engagement and well-being. feedback data
community perceptions National School Opinion Survey (students, staff and community).
Principal Reflection Tool – Leadership Impact 360 National School Opinion
across the cluster.
Survey

Gather common literacy All primary schools to implement the PAT-R and PAT-M assessments. PAT-R and PAT-M data
and numeracy data NAPLAN CNAP—NAPLAN progress
across the cluster. On-Entry Assessment (PP as a minimum). data
On-Entry data

Establish a PLC across Establishment of teaching and non-teaching POLTs across the POLT agendas
the cluster. cluster.
Allocation of 90min of cluster professional learning (PL).for POLTs per ACER Professional Learning
term. Community Questionnaire
Shared.PL opportunities in the area of PLCs.

3. STEM: The Ashdale Cluster believes that a STEM approach should be embedded throughout the
curriculum in order to encourage greater interest and competence in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Maths and seek to increase the proportion of students studying STEM in senior
secondary years.

TARGETS STRATEGIES OUTCOMES/DATA

SOURCE
All schools have an  Each primary school endeavours to employ a science Cluster STEM Project through
embedded approach to specialist. educational partners
STEM learning.  Each school engages in Ashdale Cluster STEM projects Longitudinal SAIS Data
guided by the Primary STEM coordinator.
 Primary Connections is used throughout the cluster. Individual School Operational
Plans
 Cluster STEM Project through educational partnerships.
 Community engagement through STEM Champion sessions.

4. Cluster leadership and community partnerships: The Ashdale Cluster believes that exemplary
schools employ distributed leadership, recognise potential in people and engage the community.

TARGETS STRATEGIES OUTCOMES/DATA

SOURCE
All schools are  Establish the position of Executive Officer to support cluster Inventory of staff expertise
committed to building leaders and to communicate strategies across the network. throughout the cluster.
capacity of staff  Support for Level 3 & 4 aspirants.
members.  Establishment of POLT leaders. Number of teachers achieving
 Shared PL across the cluster. L3 Teacher status.
 Connect communities in place across the cluster.
Number of classroom based
 Regular meetings of principals, deputies and committees.
leaders.

Agendas of meetings.

All schools actively  Restructure and branding of the Cluster Board Parent participation
engage the cluster  Ceremonies and assemblies
 Events, carnivals and performances National School Opinion
community
 Curriculum based activities Survey
 Transition Feedback from students
 For more information on the:

Business Plan
2016 – 2019

Ashdale Primary School

Ashdale Boulevard
DARCH WA 6065
(08) 9406 6999
[email protected]

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