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NSW Literacy and Numeracy Action Plan

School Implementation Plan 2015

School Context

St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox College is a school that caters for both Primary and Secondary students. There are 220 Junior students and approximately 354 students in

High school. 85% of the students in the College are from a Coptic (Egyptian) background and 15% of mixed Ethnicity. Education is highly valued by the parents and

this is reflected by the strong attendance records. School attendance level has been consistently between 85% across all grades for the past few years. There are

currently 12 Junior school staff members and about 41 staff in the Senior school. Overall, the average years of teaching staff are 8 years in the Junior school. Of the

College Senior staff, 60% have been in the profession for 5 or more years. There are 4 members of staff fewer than 2 years of teaching experience in the Junior

school. Formal professional Development has been restricted in the past 5 years due to turn due to lack of continuity in school leadership and budgetary constraints.

NSW Literacy and Numeracy Action Plan Mandatory Reform Elements:

1. Effective and evidence-based teaching of literacy and numeracy

2. Implement a three tiered K-2 literacy and numeracy intervention based on initial (diagnostic)

assessments and personalised learning

3. Instructional leadership and whole school engagement with literacy and numeracy through the

Principals as Literacy Leaders Program (PALL)

4. Monitoring student and school literacy and numeracy performance using reporting tools

required by the State to identify where support is needed to track student progress.

Targets:

1. To focus on improving Reading comprehension and to

reduce the percentage of year 3 students in reading in

band 2 and 3 by 2015/2016. To increase the year 3 Naplan

results in band 6.

2. An improvement of 20% of year 3 Literacy and Numeracy

Naplan results.

3. All students in K-2 reading and comprehending at the PM

benchmark for their grade level by end of Term 4.

4. To ensure that all k-2 students grasp strong concepts of

Number sense and to reduce the percentage of year 3

students in Numeracy in band 2 and 3 by 2015/2016. To

increase the year 3 Naplan results in band 6.

5. Identify and provide intervention in Mathematics for

students in k-2 at risk of not meeting syllabus outcomes by

term one through LIEN assessments.

6. All teachers K-2 master, are able to understand and able to

monitor each student’s progress through the use of

Literacy and Numeracy continuum by the end of 2015.

7. To continue to create a whole school plan that monitors

progress through the classrooms and teachers. St. Mark’s

executive team are able to moni8tor each student’s

progress in the areas of reading comprehension and

NSW Literacy and Numeracy Action Plan Ongoing Priorities:

a. The introduction of a daily block of numeracy and mathematics for Kindergarten to Year 2

b. Strengthen the focus on whole-school instructional leadership

c. Continue to explicitly assess the learning needs of students especially on entry at Kindergarten

d. Focus on school-based professional development for teachers in personalised learning and

diagnostic assessment

e. Use tiered interventions in literacy and numeracy for those children who need special attention

with evidence being gathered on their efficacy and cost-effectiveness.

f. Extend programs that strengthen home, school and community partnerships and support

literacy and numeracy, in particular programs aimed at Kindergarten to Year 2.

g. Adoption of the common tool for reporting achievement of learning outcomes Kindergarten to

Year 5, using the DEC Literacy and Numeracy Continua as the framework for valid and reliable

judgment of student achievement.

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Number Sense once a month during 2015.

8. Continue to implement evidence-based strategies such as

LEIN Numeracy activities in class, Multi-lit intervention

programs to support students learning within a three tiered

Response to Intervention model.

9. Through K-2 intervention programs, use of aides, teachers

support and executives decrease the number of students in

tier 1 and increase students in tier 2 and 3 by December

2015.

10. To build a strong communication network with parents,

sending assessments results on regular basis.

11. School reports will continue to provide a monitoring system

to be able to place the students in correct tired intervention

programs and also track their progress.

12. Provide in-services for parents to better understand how to

support their children in the areas of Reading

Comprehension and Numeracy (number sense).

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Element 1

Effective and evidence-based teaching of literacy and numeracy

Line

No. Indicators Strategies Timeframe 2015 Responsibility

1 Teachers plan and implement a structured

numeracy and mathematics block focused on

explicit teaching of early numeracy skills.

Teachers attend professional learning workshop

focused on early numeracy skills.

27th January Primary teachers

2 Teachers plan and implement a structured

numeracy and mathematics block focused on

explicit teaching of numeracy skills.

Teachers attend professional learning workshop

focused on numeracy skills

Term 1 Years 2-6 teachers

3 Teachers plan and implement a structured

numeracy block focused on explicit teaching of

early numeracy skills.

K-2 teachers attend ongoing professional learning

sessions focused on Learning in Early Numeracy

(LIEN).

Followed by 5

sessions on the 12th

March, 26th March,

23rd

April,

7th May

K-2 teachers, Dean of Junior

School and Support teachers

4 Teachers plan and implement a structured

numeracy block focused on explicit teaching of

numeracy skills

Professional learning provided by Consultant

focused on implementing numeracy programs:

Junior Elementary Maths Mastery (JEMM),

Elementary Maths Mastery (EMM) and Number

Worlds. Professional learning to be scheduled as

part of after school staff meeting/staff development

day.

Term 2 K-4 teachers, Dean of Junior

School and Support teachers

5 Teachers continue to use data collected from

assessments to adjust classroom teaching of

Literacy in the K-2 and share information with

colleagues.

Review the foundational programs used for

students in tier 1 and 2

Spalding training for relevant staff and continue

intervention programs.

Term One Dean and Deputy Dean of

the Junior school

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Element 2

Implement a three tiered K-2 literacy and numeracy intervention based on initial (diagnostic) assessments and personalised learning

Line

No. Indicators Strategies Timeframe 2015 Responsibility

6 Whole class numeracy instruction is informed by

comprehensive, diagnostic and developmentally

appropriate assessment for every child.

Mentoring focused on numeracy assessment and

whole class planning, monitoring and review

processes.

Ongoing throughout

2015

K-2 teachers

7 K-2 students ‘Literacy and Numeracy learning

needs are identified and being addressed

Teacher’s aide is trained based on intervention

program. Students are withdrawn in small groups

to work with a trained teachers’ aide focusing on

reading difficulties.

Ongoing throughout

2015

Dean and Deputy Dean of

the Junior school

8 Appropriate intervention program is provided by

trained personnel for identified students requiring

additional support with reading.

MiniLit professional learning provided for class

teacher and teacher aide. Appropriate resources

are purchased in order to implement program.

Term 1, 2015 2 new teachers , year 1 and

year 2

9 Appropriate intervention program is provided by

trained personnel for identified students requiring

additional support with reading.

MultiLit professional learning provided for

classroom teacher that have joined the school.

Term 1 2 new teachers

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Element 3

Instructional leadership and whole school engagement with literacy and numeracy

Line

No. Indicators Strategies Timeframe 2015 Responsibility

10 Development of an effective and sustainable 2015

School Implementation Plan that is underpinned by

a valid and thorough Situational Analysis.

Attend NSW Literacy and Numeracy Action Plan

Planning Days to equip Principal and planning

team in the preparation of appropriate

documentation including a Situational Analysis and

2015 School Implementation Plan.

16 and 17 October

2014

Principal

11 Principal is active in leading whole school

engagement focused on literacy and numeracy.

School visits by AIS Consultant to meet with

Principal and assist in planning, monitoring and

reviewing whole-school literacy and numeracy

processes as detailed in 2015 School

Implementation Plan.

Minimum of

4 days throughout

2015

Principal

12 Continue developing whole school plan, and

adjusted to cater for the students at different tiers.

To modify the plan and work on different methods

and strategies to support all students in different

tiers.

Dean and Deputy Dean meet with the Head of

College and attend workshops to further develop

skills in whole school analysis, planning and

leadership.

Allocate time for staff to analyse and discuss the

plan in order to develop it further.

April-August Head of College, K-6

teachers, aides and

executives

13 Provide parents with a workshop to raise

awareness about the importance of reading.

Provide parent workshop over two evenings. A

session for K-2 and another session for Years 3-6.

June 2014 AIS Consultants: Literacy

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Element 4

Monitoring student and school literacy and numeracy performance using reporting tools required by the State to identify where support is needed to track

student progress

Line

No. Indicators Strategies Timeframe 2015 Responsibility

14 Teachers will effectively assess students in

numeracy and literacy in order to monitor student

progress and complete the continuum.

Provide release time for teachers to complete the

literacy and numeracy continuum

Ongoing throughout

2015

Executive and K-5 teachers

15 Teachers are able to analyse assessment data in

depth based on the DIBELS assessment

intervention monitoring program

Provide professional learning and release time for

teachers to analyse DIBELS assessment results

and monitor student progress.

Terms 1-2 Dean and deputy of the junior

school

k-2 teachers

16 Accurate reporting of students’ literacy and

numeracy progress using the online continua.

Professional learning for key personnel regarding

administrative functions of the online continua

January/

February 2015

Nominated personnel