Wellington High School
Key features
The school employed a primary teacher to work in both the primary and secondary school settings. This teacher gathered valuable data about pedagogy and individual student needs at Wellington High (WHS) and Wellington Public (WPS) Schools.
(Note: While Wellington Public School receives PSFP resources, it does not receive PAS resources.)
School context
Wellington is on the banks of the Macquarie and Bell Rivers in central NSW and is the gateway to the Western Region. WHS services a rural community with high levels of welfare support. It has 330 students of whom 45% are from an Aboriginal background. The school provides a balanced education that incorporates a wide diversity of curricular and extracurricular opportunities for all students within a progressive environment.
What was the school aiming to achieve?
The aims were to:
- minimise the problems the school experienced with students who transition to high school
- improve the quality and effectiveness of the transition program
- improve the levels of achievement for Year 7 students in the areas of literacy and numeracy based on state wide testing
- improve the school’s understanding of student needs so that they could be met from day one in secondary school rather than taking some time to be addressed.
The improvement process
The literacy and numeracy results in English Language and Literacy Assessment (ELLA) and the Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP) were not strong. Improved communication between the high school and the primary feeder schools was seen as the key to a more proactive strategy. Better support for students could occur by using similar pedagogy at both WHS and WPS.
Knowledge of where individual students are performing at the start of high school would ensure that the school was not overlapping vital parts of the curriculum. Individualised programs for students became a continuum rather than a two part delivery, where there was no apparent harmony between the two elements.
The primary school linkage program involved employing a primary teacher to develop programs that would improve the transition from primary school to WHS. The teacher taught in both schools with the PAS program funding support of WHS.
The school’s focus was the sharing of information on student strengths and areas for development in Year 7. Numeracy and literacy skills were targeted through joint analysis of Basic Skills Test (BST) results and the standards required in SNAP and ELLA tests. Curriculum continuity was addressed for Stages 3 and 4.
Pedagogy and other strategies were shared between secondary and primary teachers with the aim of providing early but relevant assistance to targeted students.
In 2005 and 2006 the school targeted areas for development in numeracy and literacy. Year 6 student learning styles were also identified so that WHS could better meet student needs in Year 7 2007.
Teacher exchanges occurred between the primary and high schools to further develop expectations of teachers and students about high school teaching and learning. While student transitions were the main focus, stronger communication networks were created between the two schools.
The program originated in 2005. During term one ideas for improvements in the transition program were canvassed. Past and present trends and patterns in students’ performance in the BST, ELLA and SNAP were jointly analysed by Stage 3 and 4 teachers.
Interviews were held with current students in Year 6 at WPS to assess possible reasons as to why students had performed above or below previous BST results.
Term two provided the opportunity to identify the teaching strategies in the primary school that supported students in transition to improve their level of achievement in ELLA and SNAP.
A literacy and numeracy report with findings from the terms one and two investigation was presented to staff at WHS. All the staff recognised the need to better integrate literacy and numeracy into their teaching practice. A more personalised approach was necessary for all students but common areas of student weakness needed to be targeted in a co-ordinated and proactive way.
During term three, Stage 3 teachers spent time observing students in the high school environment and then Stage 4 teachers reciprocated with the Stage 3 students at the primary school. Information was gathered and shared on effective teaching strategies.
During term four a meeting took place focusing on improving the quality of the orientation to high school. A student activity booklet was developed to better prepare students for their start in Year 7. Evaluation of the booklet will be ongoing.
The learning styles of Year 6 students were assessed. This information was then shared with teachers, students and parents to better prepare for teaching and learning in Stage 4. In 2006 the program continued to further develop these strategies from 2005.
What were the results?
In 2005 the school established a knowledge base and planned strategies. 2006 was the first year for the high school to implement student based strategies with Year 7 under the program. 2007 is the third year of this program.
Increased levels of dialogue between WHS and WPS have been noted. In 2006 Stage 4 teachers had a greater knowledge of their students at the beginning of the year. The Stage 3 teachers have a greater knowledge of the demonstrated strengths and weaknesses of their group from 2005. Feedback has been provided from the ELLA and SNAP tests so that the primary staff could assess their pedagogy.
While there was not been a notable improvement in Year 7 ELLA and SNAP results in 2006, there is a shared understanding between the high school and primary school as to the common areas of strength and weakness of students’ learning. WHS Support Teachers Learning Assistance (STLA) will work with the Stage 3 teachers and students in literacy and numeracy groups.
It is expected that ELLA and SNAP results for Year 7 2007 should start to show results from this proactive early intervention. It is worthy to note that Year 7 to 8 growth rate in literacy for 2006 is well above the state average for both boys and girls (WHS all 2.91, boys 3.09 and girls 2.70 : state all 1.89, boys 1.94 and girls 1.84)
In 2006 the number of Year 7 students on higher level merit awards has more than doubled that for 2005. The number of higher level discipline contacts for Year 7 2006 has decreased. It is expected that these improvements are due to a more relevant curriculum for students.
In 2006 the individual learning style of Year 7 and 8 students is well known by students, their parents and staff. Levels of engagement of students are showing an increase as staff trial strategies with students in this area. Through meetings with parents greater parental support of learning at home has been actively sought and encouraged.
A notable outcome from the program has been a shared long term responsibility for student education by increasing the length of ownership for primary teachers.
Reflections
It is acknowledged that the teachers employed by the PAS program in 2005 and 2006 have worked very hard. For 2007 the school has determined that the Stage 4 teachers from WHS need to spend more time working with the Stage 3 students and teachers from the beginning of the school year. The school would like to utilise Stage 3 and 4 teachers who can work on both sites with ease.
Future directions
During term 4 2006 WHS STLAs worked with Year 6 students and teachers at WPS on identified weaknesses in numeracy and literacy from Year 5 BST results. It is hoped that the very positive literacy growth rate on Year 6 will result in an even greater growth by the end of Year 8. Strategies will be developed to enhance and integrate the student services teacher position into the staffing establishment for future years.
Contact: Contact: Col Feather, Principal
