Bacchus Marsh Primary School 0028

Strategic Plan
2016-2019
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 Signed:
Endorsement by
School Principal Name:

Date:

Signed……………………………………….
Endorsement by
School Council Name:

Date:

School Council President’s endorsement represents endorsement of School

Signed……………………………………….
Endorsement by
the delegate of the Name:
Secretary
Date:

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 School Profile
Purpose Vision
Our vision is to develop self sustaining, lifelong learners in a recognised centre of educational excellence.

Mission Statement:
To provide in a nurturing environment, a quality education that challenges all students to attain their highest potential academically, socially,
creatively and physically
Values We are committed to the following values
Respect Kindness Learning Teamwork Integrity
Caring about people and Showing that you care Gaining knowledge and Working together Standing up for what you
treating them well Making life better for skills Keeping a safe and happy believe in
Valuing ourselves and others others by doing good Showing inspiration and environment Doing the right thing
Speaking and acting with Giving help to someone creativity Cooperating and helping when it's hard
courtesy who is sad Doing the best job you others Willing to clean up your
Taking care of people’s Accepting others who are can possibly do Being a team player and mistakes
belongings different Having goals and a clear sharing the load Living by your values
Following the school rules Thinking about people's focus Respecting others Being honest and sincere
needs Listening, Purpose and
Practice!
Environmental Bacchus Marsh Primary School is Victoria's first operating State School with a very proud history. The original school was situated in the Avenue
Context of Honour in 1850 and has been on its present site since 1865. In 2015 Bacchus Marsh Primary School celebrated 165 years of state education.
The school is situated in a semi-rural but rapidly growing community within commuting distance from the nearest major city, Melbourne. The
Primary School, as we are known, is the largest primary school in the Moorabool Shire.
Bacchus Marsh Primary School is committed to providing high quality, relevant and rigorous education for all of our students so that they become
empowered members of an enterprising and cohesive society. We operate within a strong framework of values and behaviours based on respect,
kindness, learning, teamwork and integrity.
We are very proud of our young learners. They are developing the skills required to be reflective thinkers and caring citizens. They are respectful
and have a high regard for our school. They are able to articulate their learning needs and involve themselves in all aspects of their schooling.
Our school has a strong and very well developed student, staff and community culture. We are proud of our strong learning culture and the
atmosphere is collegiate, supportive, friendly and respectful. Education for our adult and young learners is seen as a balance between the right
amount of challenge and support, leading to an engaging, enjoyable experience that builds self-efficacy.
Our broad curriculum aims to develop in students an ability to maximise their potential in all areas of development.
Our emphasis on Thinking Skills and Problem Solving driven by an Inquiry pedagogy encourages our students to function independently and
cooperatively within the community.

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We have caring and committed staff, bringing a variety of skills, interests and experience to enhance the programs at Bacchus Marsh Primary
School. There is strong commitment to the development of the whole child. We are sensitive to individual student abilities and circumstances and
our inclusive environment encourages students to be enthusiastic learners.
Much work has gone into supporting Teaching and Learning throughout the previous Strategic Plan, including the appointment of Literacy and
Numeracy Coaches and an Assistant Principal responsible for Teaching and Learning leadership. Professional Learning Teams are now an
embedded way of working and PLT Leaders are supported with regular Professional learning to enable them be leaders of learning. Our staff has
grown to over 90, but we continue to ensure we maintain our happy, inclusive, supportive school environment as we induct new staff into our
school.
We are extremely proud of our stimulating, high quality facilities. Our learning environment is child centred and maintained to a high standard.
We are constantly making improvements to ensure our children have the best facilities we can provide. In 2014 the school built and funded an
art space and gallery. We recently spent $80000 on new playground equipment.
Students have the opportunity to participate in a broad range of programs that allow them to have an enriched experience throughout their
years at our school. Our students have access to an extensive range of high quality specialist subjects. These include Visual and Performing Arts,
Science, Physical Education, Sport, Kitchen, Garden and a Language other than English. All specialists have purpose built facilities.
Children from Prep to Year 6 learn Mandarin Chinese and we have three sister school relationships with schools in Nanjing, China. We have a rich
Internationalising program at BMPS. Our students and families have opportunities to host Chinese students each year and every second year
student family trips are offered to students in Year 5 and 6 as a culture and language tour. In 2015 we began a teacher exchange program.
This year we have a full time Chinese Assistant adding valuing to our program.
We also have sister school relationships with Morocco, Bali and Mildura.
Learning Technologies are an integral part of the classroom program. We use netbooks, Personal Computers and ipads are in all classrooms
along with interactive whiteboards or TV’s.
The school provides Reading Recovery, Multi Lit and small group Numeracy intervention for students requiring additional assistance. Our key
curriculum emphasis is on the development of competence and confidence in literacy and numeracy.
Building the capacity of our staff to value and understand the power of formative assessment, along with the development of ‘Growth Mindset’
will continue to inform our strategy.
A quality Inclusive Education program operates at the school with 23 students on the program. The school is supported through positive
relationships with Student Services personnel.
Before and after School Care is based at our school in a purpose designed room. We also operate a holiday program.

Our school community are highly supportive in every way. They work together to either volunteer, fundraise or provide advice to ensure our
students, staff are families are safe and well supported cognitively, socially and physically in order to achieve their best.

The SFO has increased over the last few years from 0.4708 in 2012 to 0.5517 in 2015

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Strategic Direction
Achievement rationale

Achievement Rationale- If BMPS planned whole school differentiated teaching and learning models are embedded in every classroom then consistently high
quality teaching will occur and every student will demonstrate desired learning progress. There is evidence that existing strategies have been effective in
improving student learning outcomes and should be a continues focus of the next strategic plan.

Goal Targets Key Improvement Strategies

Our goal is to  All Prep to year 6 deemed capable students to make at least 1.0 Victorian PRIORITY-
improve the Curriculum Level progress every year in reading, writing, speaking and listening Excellence in Teaching and Learning
literacy and and number as measured by teacher judgements
numeracy  School means for each grade level in reading, writing, speaking and listening and Continue to develop the whole school
outcomes in the number for teacher judgement against the Victorian Curriculum will be at or approaches to differentiated teaching and
school by above state means learning in each of the learning dimensions.
maximising the  The Naplan Year 3 to 5 Relative Gain measures to show a maximum of 25% of
learning growth students making low relative gain and a minimum of 25% of students making Continue building teacher capacity to implement
of every high relative gain the whole school differentiated approaches to
individual  No deemed capable Year 3 or 5 student to be performing at or below the teaching and learning
student. National Minimum Standard
Continue to provide supportive and instructional
OR
Education State Targets: To increase the percentage of Year 5 students leadership to developing the models and building
Every child in performing in NAPLAN bands 7 and 8 by at least 25% by 2019, using 2013-2015 teacher capacity to embed them in classroom
every classroom BMPS data as a base. practice
will make at
least expected
learning
progress by Baseline – Average % of Year 5 Targeted % by 2019 (an
maximising their NAPLAN dimension students in top two NAP Bands increase of 25% on
learning growth 2013-2015 baseline %)
in literacy and
numeracy. Grammar &
Punctuation 26% 33%
Numeracy 19% 24%*
Reading 31% 39%
Spelling 23% 28%
Writing 11% 14%*

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 Actions Success criteria

Year 1 -Continue whole school professional learning focus on Literacy and Numeracy -All teachers implementing agreed strategies
-Develop and implement a plan to build leadership capacity in Literacy from whole school professional learning
-Continue refining PLT operations / structures to ensure a strong focus on teaching and -Numeracy leadership plan developed
learning -PLT minutes showing a strong focus on teaching
-Continue implementation of PLT Inquiry Cycles based on data and learning
-Begin to develop priority standards consistent with Victorian Curriculum (speaking & -One Inquiry Cycle completed by all PLTs
listening, number) -Priority standards developed for speaking and
-Develop consistency in student portfolios across the school listening and number consistent with Victorian
-Continue whole school focus on formative assessment (feedback, strategic questioning, Curriculum
goal setting, self-assessment) -Consistent portfolio rubrics developed from
-Improve collation and use of data to support differentiation Prep-6
-Increase moderation within and between PLTs and schools in BM to enhance consistency -Enhanced formative assessment practices
and accuracy of teacher judgements evident in classrooms and specialist programs
-All teachers collating and using data to inform
teaching
-Improved accuracy in teacher judgements
evident within and across PLTs

Year 2 -Continue whole school professional learning focus on Literacy and Numeracy -All teachers implementing agreed strategies
-Further implement formative assessment practices in classrooms and specialist from whole school professional learning
programs -All teachers using agreed formative assessment
practices
-Continue development of priority standards (reading and writing)
-Priority standards developed for reading and
-Further improve collation and use of data to support differentiation writing consistent with Victorian Curriculum
-Embed moderation practices within and between PLTs to ensure consistency and -All teachers using data to differentiate teaching
accuracy of teacher judgements and learning
-Greater accuracy and consistency in teacher
judgements evident within and across PLTs

Year 3 -Continue whole school professional learning focus on Literacy and Numeracy -All teachers implementing agreed strategies
-Embed formative assessment practices from whole school professional learning
-Embed collation and use of data to differentiate teaching and learning -Formative assessment practices embedded in
all classroom and specialist programs
-Use of data embedded in teacher practices

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Year 4 -Review current practices -New Strategic Plan developed

Engagement rationale
If students are cognitively, emotionally and behaviourally engaged with schooling then their outcomes will improve.

Goals Targets Key improvement strategies

To develop student  To maintain student Attitudes to School Survey measure Create opportunities for students to develop a growth mindset
curiosity, creativity, mean scores at levels at least the same or better than those and be actively involved in their learning.
critical thinking, recorded in 2015
problem solving and Continue with an integrated approach to inquiry learning that
engagement in TARGET 2015 2014 2013 2012 promotes, curiosity, creativity, problem solving and critical
learning Classroom >4.2 3.22 3.53 2.91 3.65 thinking ultimately enabling students to collaborate, create and
Behaviour connect.
Student >4.7 4.59 4.76 4.63 4.74
Ensure students are prepared academically, emotionally and
Motivation
socially for their next stage of learning.
Student >4.6 4.16 4.52 4.09 4.51
Safety Further build parent and community engagement to support
Absences 13 days or NA 14.84 14.79 16.31 improvement in student learning.
less

 Decrease absence rate by at least 12% to 13 days per Continue to focus on improving student attendance
student by 2019

Actions Success criteria

Year 1 -Investigate new content in the Victorian Curriculum for -Investigation of Victorian Curriculum new content completed
opportunities to promote deep learning -Increased teacher confidence and knowledge in using ICT in
-Provide whole school professional learning in the effective use of the classroom
-Whole school Learning Behaviours developed
ICT to enhance learning
-Enhanced formative assessment practices evident in
-Explore use of ICT in other schools to promote collaboration and
classrooms and specialist programs
creativity
-Increased staff knowledge and understanding of growth
-Develop whole school Learning Behaviours
mindset
-Continue whole school focus on formative assessment (feedback,
strategic questioning, goal setting, self-assessment)

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 -Provide whole school professional learning related to growth
mindset

Year 2 -Investigate teaching and learning approaches that further promote -Improved teaching and learning approaches trialled and
connectedness and deep learning across the curriculum evaluated
-Implement improved ICT teaching and learning practices that -All teachers explicitly teaching BNPS Learning Behaviours
-All teachers using agreed formative assessment practices
enhance creativity and collaboration
-Embed use of BNPS Learning Behaviours in class and specialist
-All teachers implementing growth mindset practices
programs
-Further implement formative assessment practices
-Explore additional growth mindset practices to enhance self-
efficacy

Year 3 -Implement and embed practices that promote connectedness and -All teachers using agreed teaching and learning approaches to
deep learning across the curriculum promote connectedness and deep learning
-Embed ICT practices -Formative assessment practices embedded in all classroom
and specialist programs
-Embed formative assessment practices
-Growth mindset practices used in all classroom and specialist
-Implement additional growth mindset practices programs

Year 4 -Review current practices -New Strategic Plan developed

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Wellbeing rationale
Positive and authentic relationships, high levels of relational trust, and high levels of resilience are correlated to high levels of student outcomes.
Goal Targets Key improvement strategies

To develop student To maintain the Student Attitudes to School mean scores for Continue with and reinvigorate the implementation of PATHS -
resilience and classroom behaviour, connectedness to peers, student morale and Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies
behaviours that student safety at levels similar to or better than the median of all
reflect the school school scores Explicitly teach the behaviours required to enact the school
values. values across all relationships
Education State Target
 A 20% increase in the proportion of students reporting high
resilience by 2025
 A 20% increase in the proportion of students doing physical
activity five times a week by 2025
Actions Success criteria

Year 1 -T&L Wellbeing Team Review the guidelines for behaviour -Staff have process clearly posted in classrooms and implement
management and update the behaviour management plan. the guidelines
Formalise and document practices to enhance consistency in Wide range of programs available to meet needs of students
-Audit of Victorian Curriculum completed in relation to teaching
teaching the school values
of social skills
-Explore the Victorian Curriculum capabilities in relation to the -All teachers consistently using restorative practices in
teaching of social skills classrooms and the playground
-Revisit restorative practices and circle time

Year 2 -Investigate and trial approaches to the teaching of social skills and -Improved approaches to the teaching of social skills trialled
the building of resilience consistent with the Victorian Curriculum and evaluated
-Review whole school values document -All teachers implementing agreed practices for teaching the
school values
-Investigate opportunities to further strengthen student connections
-Opportunities provided to further strengthen student
to the school and local and global communities connections

Year 3 -Implement and document improved approaches to the teaching of -All teachers explicitly teaching social skills consistent with
social skills and building of resilience Victorian Curriculum capabilities

Year 4 -Review current practices -New Strategic Plan developed

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Productivity rationale
If we use our resources – people, time, space, funding, facilities, community expertise, professional learning, class structures, timetables, individual learning
plans and facilities, to the best possible effect and in the best possible combination then we will support improved student outcomes and achieve our goals and
targets.
Goals Targets Key improvement strategies

To use multiple Maintain high levels of staff opinion as measured through the Staff Continue to be flexible and adaptive in decision making
sources of evidence to Opinion Survey. processes that ensure resources are allocated equitably in
make effective  82% endorsement of a positive school climate response to student performance evidence and developmental
decisions and allocate  School mean above state mean needs.
resources that result
in sustained Allocate adequate resources to Achievement, Engagement and
improvement to Wellbeing key improvement strategies
student learning,
engagement and
wellbeing

Actions Success criteria

Year 1 -Refocus the expectations of PLT’s to ensure an ongoing focus on -Minutes of all team meetings will show a strong focus on
improving student learning improving student learning
-Investigate and develop a plan for the purposeful use of ICT to -ICT plan developed
enhance teaching and learning -Program budgets showing expenditure in priority improvement
-Target funds to professional learning, coaching, literacy, numeracy areas
and ICT to support implementation of key improvement strategies -Coaching provided for all staff throughout the year
-Plan, document and facilitate an induction program for new and -All new and returning staff will have participated in a
returning teachers comprehensive induction program

Year 2 -Implement ICT plan to enhance teaching and learning -ICT plan implemented
-Continue to target funds and resources to support implementation -Program budgets showing expenditure in priority improvement
of key improvement strategies areas

Year 3 -Continue strategic allocation of funds and resources to support -Program budgets showing expenditure in priority improvement
achievement of key improvement strategies areas

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Year 4 -Review current practices -New Strategic Plan developed

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