BUMP IT UP STRATEGY in NSW Public Schools 2016 - 2019 Premier’s Priority for Improving Educational Results

THE PREMIER’S PRIORITY IN EDUCATION State Wide Strategy

BUMP IT UP The Premier’s Priority in Education is to increase the proportion of students in the top two NAPLAN bands in reading and numeracy by 8% by 2019. 30% increase in the number of Aboriginal students in the top two NAPLAN bands in reading and numeracy by 2019 The strategy focuses on identifying students who are doing well and who the data suggests have the greatest capacity to achieve in the top two NAPLAN bands By identifying students who are currently achieving in the middle bands of NAPLAN and implementing locally developed targeted initiatives

IDENTIFYING BUMP IT UP SCHOOLS The Bump It Up strategy will be monitored at student, school, network and system levels. The Department’s Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE) has identified 137 primary and secondary schools with the greatest potential to improve student performance in reading and numeracy in the middle bands of NAPLAN These schools had a high proportion of NAPLAN results in the middle two bands in 2014/2015

Using the individual school’s data, CESE has set aims to inform the planning of the locally developed targeted reading and numeracy initiatives Over the four years of the strategy, these schools will be supported to achieve these aims and improve the educational outcomes of their students.

THE ROLE OF PRINCIPALS Principals are accountable for improving the achievement of all students at their school. While Bump it Up has a specific focus for mid range students schools must continue efforts to support all students. Principals will lead change in their school to address the improvement aim identified for their school by 2019 .

KEY DATA SOURCES SEF Data reports provide detail about the proportion of students in the top two bands of NAPLAN, as well as some comparison with statistically similar schools in the State. SMART Data identifies the band position of individual students in the school.

THE ROLE OF THE PRINCIPAL cont. Ensure teachers are familiar with the NAPLAN performance of their students. Teachers should be able to identify which band students are in and incorporate planning for improvement in lesson planning. Ensure they have a reliable measure of student achievement and growth in non NAPLAN years. Ensure mechanisms for teachers to regularly assess using quality assessment tools. Ensure data is captured and analysed to inform further efforts.

NON NEGOTIABLES FOR BIU SCHOOLS Premier’s Priority is one of their three strategic priorities for the school. Detailed implementation plan that clearly articulates initiatives for improvement including, identifying what will change. Address the Premier’s Priority in their Annual Report

ROLE OF DIRECTORS PSNSW Support Principals to understand the methodology that has identified their school. Discuss the implementation plan for improvement. Ensure the plan is appropriately rigorous and contains strategies that can be implemented with consistency Collect data at the school level about indicators of success that can be shared with CESE to support state wide monitoring. Report regularly to the Executive Director on the progress of the strategy.

THE ROLE OF TEACHERS Develop a strong knowledge of the schools BIU strategies and how they relate to classroom and school wide activities. Participate in evaluation of current practices and identify new approaches. Monitor students in the middle bands ensuring individualised student approaches are used in lesson planning.

ROLE OF TEACHERS cont. Provide ongoing feedback to student, parents including what parents can do at home to assist. Strengthen their teacher judgement against the continuums, formative assessment and systemic assessment methods. Ensure progress of identified students is monitored and reported regularly.

PLANNING FOR TARGETED INITIATIVES The BIU planning tools will support principals and teachers to identify what current initiatives are working and to develop new initiatives. Extension of the existing school plan to include the BIU targets are supported by the BIU implementation planning pages. The SEF and Wellbeing Frameworks for Schools are important tools. Student voice via TTFM survey are important to gather information around student engagement in the initiatives.

PLANNING FOR TARGETED INITIATIVES cont. Evaluate current practice, identify new approaches that are informed by the What Works Best report. Provide professional learning as required to assist teachers to identify individualised approaches. Apply LSLD consultation methodology to positively inform community regarding the purpose of BIU.

PLANNING FOR TARGETED INITIATIVES cont. Implement individual teacher judgement referenced against the continuums to gather a range of student data for monitoring of progress. Ensure impact on achievement reported to Directors every term. Lead systems within schools to analyse the data and respond flexibly to findings.

MONITORING Where practicable schools are encouraged to work in communities of practice to share initiatives. Principals will work with executive and individual teachers to ensure improvements in student results are monitored and maintained throughout the year. Monitor formative assessment during the learning process to modify teaching and learning activities.

MONITORING cont. Twice per year a standardised assessment tool will be utilised to provide a baseline and progress data set. Term 1: the standardised assessment tool (with NAPLAN data) will help identify students below, at or above proficient expectation. The assessment tool will be applied a second time at the end of Term 3 allowing teachers opportunities to adjust their programs as required prior to the end of the school year.

MONITORING cont. Once per term Principals will provide an update on the progress of the initiatives to the Director. The update will be in the form of the implementation and progress monitoring template for both reading and numeracy.

THE BIU STRATEGY TIMELINE Refer to timeline within strategy document: August 2016 PL begins By end Term 3 2016 BIU plan in place and sent to Director Participate in Evaluative Thinking PL Term 4 School commence initiatives and implement interim reading and numeracy assessment. Schools implement regular internal monitoring and end of term report to the system via Directors

SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS Support will be ongoing throughout the strategy Learning and Teaching Directorate will provide feedback loops and PL on quality initiatives that are leading to success. The L& T Directorate will also collate resources The Leadership and High Performance Directorate will provide support and advice where needed. CESE will provide capacity building programs to strengthen evaluation and the use of evidence in schools.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR NON BUMP IT UP SCHOOL’S All schools have a responsibility to be improving the educational outcomes for all students. This includes improving the number of students in your school within the top two bands. For some of you this may be a harder task due to a greater number of students in the lower bands. All schools are required to incorporate the Premier’s target into their school plan from 2017 .

WHO ARE CESE AND HOW CAN THEY HELP?? CESE was created in 2012 to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and accountability of education in NSW. CESE analyses and evaluates educational programs and strategies. CESE also monitors national and international strategic agendas to ensure NSW is well positioned to provide leadership in education.

to create a one stop shop for information needs, a single access point to educational data that has appropriate safeguards to protect data confidentiality and integrity Build capacity across the education sector by developing intelligent tools to make complex data easy to use and understand Provide accessible reports so that everyone can make better use of data.

CESE WEBSITE http://www.cese.nsw.gov.au/

http://www.cese.nsw.gov.au/EffectivePractices/

ACTIVITY 1: 30 mins Identify where in your school plan you are addressing literacy/reading?, and numeracy. Identify if there are aspects of PL within your plan to support teachers delivering targeted literacy/reading?, and numeracy. Share with you partner your findings. Identify any similarities, or interesting aspects that may be of interest to your school.

Reading the SEF Report

ACTIVITY 2: 60 mins Consider your school data including NAPLAN result analysis, SEF etc and consider the following questions regarding student achievement. Be prepared to share with your partner. What are the strengths in Reading and Numeracy student achievement at your school? How was it achieved and how do you know? What are the areas of greatest need for Reading and Numeracy advancement of students performing in the middle bands of NAPLAN? How do you know? How are they currently being addressed? Is this planned and documented?

Putting faces to the data Step 1: Identify your “ Top 2 Aim” as a % Step 2: Total number of students in the target year (Yr 4 or Yr 8) multiplied by 2, which will give you the total number of NAPLAN results for Reading and Numeracy. Step 3: Above number multiplied by ”Top 2 Aim”, which will give you the number of Target Bands required. Step 4: Identify individual students to match the number Example Step 1: Top 2 Aim = 38% Step 2: 45 students in Yr 4 multiplied by 2 = 90 Step 3: 90 x 38% = 34 This means my school needs to achieve a minimum of 34 results in the top 2 Bands of Reading and Numeracy combined.

WHAT WORKS BEST

ACTIVITY 3: 40mins High expectations Explicit teaching Effective feedback Use of data to inform practice Classroom management Wellbeing Collaboration

ACTVITIY 4: LITERACY/NUMERACY MATRIX 40MINS Consider the strategies outlined in the matrix, highlight the strategies currently being implemented within your plan, and identify possible strategies that could help to shift your students under the ‘bump it up’ strategy. Have a table discussion regarding what the first steps could be in working with staff to support the achievement of these targets.

WRAP UP What are the immediate and obvious supports you may require in terms of PL? What are your concerns?