At Sunset State School we believe that education is strengthened by a three way partnership between staff, students and families.

Fostering positive relationships with students Respecting themselves and others

Delivering an engaging, relevant and meaningful curriculum. Believing in themselves and having a go!

Valuing education and promoting regular attendance and involvement in school life

Taking an active interest

Celebrating success and supporting high expectations!

This School Strategic Plan was developed in consultation with the school community and is a meaningful report of this school’s achievement towards the outcomes and targets of Destination 2010 and a statement of key strategic directions from 2009 to 2011 that meets school needs and systemic requirements.

Sunset State School is a co-education school that caters for students from Prep through to year 7 and has a special education program that supports both ungraded and integrated students. Opened in 1968, Sunset celebrated its Fortieth Anniversary this year by hosting a fete that was well supported by our school and local community. Sunset currently has 322 students enrolled but has the facilities to cater for up to one thousand students. The school curriculum is delivered through a focus on the core essentials of Literacy, Numeracy and an Integrated Curriculum that covers all of the key learning areas.

Sunset teaching and support staff consists of 1 Principal, 1 Head of Special Education Services, 1 Head of Curriculum, 13 classroom teachers, Physical Education Teacher, 0.4 Music and 0.4 Japanese teacher, full-time Support Teacher Learning Difficulties, 1 Indigenous Education Worker, 1 Responsible Thinking Room Co-ordinator, 1 teacher librarian, teacher aides, 0.2 guidance officer and access to a Speech Language Therapist.

The Triennial School Review in 2008 was undertaken using a collaborative enquiry process in which staff, students, and parents were consulted. Data was collected and reviewed. From this review, three areas of focus were established:

This School Strategic Plan reflects the key strategic directions of Education Queensland, and responds to the specific context of our school and the needs of our school community.

Endorsement by the Acting Executive Director (Schools) signifies that our School Strategic Plan fulfils systemic requirements. Approval by our Principal and community representative indicates our partnership to deliver the strategies and outcomes identified in the School Strategic Plan for our students.

To support the school’s three-year strategic planning cycle, a school self-assessment has been conducted to appreciate and make judgements about the distance travelled, the effectiveness of strategies for the period 2009-2011 and changes in our operating environment. Through this school-based enquiry the story behind the data presented below identifies the enablers that are driving the high performances identified and any blockages that are preventing the achievement of targets.

§ Year 2 diagnostic net data indicates that Sunset has, on average, over 50% of students requiring additional support through the diagnostic net. Traditionally we have fewer students requiring support in number and on average the same number of students requiring support in reading and writing.

§ A larger percentage of students in years 3 and 7 were identified as being above the national reading benchmark in 2007.

§ A larger percentage of students in years 5 and 7 were identified as being above the national writing benchmark in 2007.

§ Year 3,5,7 data indicates that our cohort consistently performs stronger in writing - an average of 60% of the year 5 students were above the national benchmark in writing while an average of 25% were above the national reading benchmark.

§ 100% of our teacher identified that they felt extremely confident in explicitly teaching reading. This is reflected by a balanced reading program within the classroom.

§ 100% of our teachers are developing personalised reading goals with their students – target setting and celebrating success when students achieve.

§ 100% of our teachers are developing 5 point criteria sheets for genre and integrated curriculum work.

§ 100% of our teachers are developing and implementing a balanced writing program that outlines the explicit instruction required for the teaching of genre.

§ 100% of teachers in Prep through to year 3 are implementing the building blocks to literacy program with a teacher aide supporting an early intervention program for students who require additional support.

§ 100% of our teachers worked with our head of curriculum to plan and implement guided reading lessons with an explicit teaching focus.

§ Teachers implemented the Walking, Talking Text and Making the Jump programs.

§ A larger percentage of students were above the national benchmark in year 3 and 7 in 2007.

§ Standout performance from the year 3 cohort who had an average of 70% of students above the national benchmark.

§ Comparatively speaking Sunset had fewer students across all three year levels above the benchmark in numeracy than reading and writing.

· Development of a whole school maths program that aligns with the new syllabus, embeds investigations, mental routines and maths strategies in classroom programs.

· 100% of teachers planning and assessing with the district outcomes based program.

· 100% of teachers receiving a maths kit providing resources that support a hands-on, investigative approach to maths.

· 100% of teachers planning investigations for all year levels.

· 100% of teachers participating in and implementing First Steps in Number.

· 100% of teachers implementing and planning from the district maths benchmark test.

· Upper school teachers trialling personalised learning goals in Numeracy.

· First steps in maths facilitator supporting teachers with the development of term overviews, modelling best practise and assisting with the implementation of first steps.

Inclusivity – supporting students at risk of disengaging.

§ Sunset students have a variety of impairments including Speech Language, Intellectual, Hearing and Autism Spectrum Disorder – the Education Adjustment Profiles developed over the past three years reflect this.

§ The largest number of student services referrals over the past three years have gone to our Speech Language Pathologist and Guidance Officer – the majority of referrals to the guidance officer have been for counselling rather than academic assessment.

§ There has been a significant decrease in the number of suspensions issued over the past three years both within the 1-5 day and 6-20 day categories – there has also been a decrease in the number of students who have been suspended.

§ Special Education Program – classroom teachers and Special Education staff working in close partnership to successfully develop Education Adjustment Profiles, Individual Education Plans and Education Support Plans. Classroom teachers feel supported and skilled in making necessary curriculum adjustments.

§ Support Teaching Learning Difficulties – re-introduction of this role in 2008 has had a significant impact on student learning outcomes. ? students supported by STLD and teacher aides both in literacy and numeracy within classroom and small group work. Support teacher also working in partnership with year 3 teachers to identify students requiring support in term 4 of school year in preparation for year 4.

§ Building Blocks to Literacy as early intervention/support program for students in year 1-3 – highly skilled teacher aide in this program delivering significant learning outcomes in partnership with classroom teachers.

§ Behaviour Support – significant improvement in school climate as indicated by the reduction in the number of Responsible Thinking room referrals from classroom and playground, as well as a decrease in the number of short and long term suspensions. A wide range of strategies can be attributed to this result:

- Development and implementation of Responsible Behaviour Plan.

- Sports and lunchtime programs.

- Bully Off! Program.

- High expectations and consistent response to inappropriate behaviour.

- Partnership with Alternative Education Unit in the running of social skills and anger management classes.

- Close partnership between Guidance Officer, Head of Special Education and Principal in the development and implementation of various strategies to support students with varying emotional needs.

§ Installation of Sound Amplification systems into every classroom throughout the school – this supports students with hearing impairments as well as supporting teachers with voice projection.

§ Development and implementation of Sunset State School Curriculum Document that outlines what to teach in literacy, numeracy and integrated curriculum.

§ Implementation of school based internal monitoring processes in literacy, numeracy and integrated curriculum from Prep through to year 7.

§ Development of whole school process to engage teachers in data analysis at class, cohort and whole school level.

§ Whole school development and implementation of individual reading goals – celebrating distance travelled of the individual student.

§ 100% of teachers planning genre and integrated curriculum criteria sheets.

§ 100% of teachers participating in school based and district writing and integrated curriculum moderation.

§ Year 6 teachers implementing, marking and moderating QCATS.

§ 100% of teachers issuing formal report cards twice a year and offering informal interviews twice a year.

Sunset State School’s community is becoming increasingly diverse with students enrolled from a variety of cultures including:

§ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

§ Papua New Guinea

§ Maori

§ Phillipines

§ South Africa

§ British.

70% of our student population identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander – a small percentage of these students are highly mobile travelling between outer communities such as Doomadgee, Normanton, Urandangi, Dajarra, Burketown, Boulia and the Northern Territory. The majority of our transient students move between Mount Isa and Domadgee which has resulted in the development of a Sisterschool Agreement to ensure curriculum is aligned and benchmarks and standards are equal between the two schools. The Sisterschool Agreement was introduced in 2008 with Sunset’s Head of Curriculum supporting Doomadgee’s Head of Curriculum in the development of criteria sheets for writing and integrated curriculum. This partnership has enabled school based moderation to occur between both schools enhancing the opportunity for mentoring in the future.

Student attendance can be an issue at Sunset and over the past three years we have reviewed and implemented various strategies to streamline our approach to addressing truancy. Our admin officer, Indigenous Education Worker and Principal work in partnership with Police Liaison Officers, Centacare, DOCS and the Indigenous family Support Unit to address these challenges.

In 2007 our Head of Curriculum worked with our Indigenous Teacher Aide to assess our year one students with the Indigenous Bandscales. The bandscales provide a benchmark tool to identify students whose grasp of Standard Australian English is at an emergent stage. Students identified at this stage are supported in the classroom through programs such as Making the Jump and Walking, Talking Text. Additional funding was secured in 2007 and 2008 to employ an early years trained teacher to support those students and their classroom teachers in the implementation of the program.

Sunset works in partnership with Townview School and the Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations to run the Piccaninny playgroup at our school two mornings a week. The playgroup is attended by Sunset parents and children between the ages of 2 and 4. Children who attend the playgroup are exposed to numerous pre school learning experiences providing a wonderful transition for them before they attend Prep. Piccaninny playgroup also provides an invaluable opportunity for parents to become involved in their child’s education from an early age and provides them with invaluable ideas and support in preparing their children for the beginning of their schooling.

Sunset works in partnership with Red Cross to deliver a breakfast program to our students. This Club is run by our school’s student councils and provides the students with an opportunity to volunteer and lead within their own school community. The breakfast club is free for all Sunset students and is part of our whole school approach to Smart Choices and Healthy Schools.

Our School’s P&C provides a valuable avenue through which parents can be directly involved in their child’s education. No school policy, project or action plan is progressed without input from the P&C – monthly meetings provide a forum through which parents can remain informed regarding their child’s school while also having an input into shaping the school’s future direction. In previous years admin has worked closely with the P&C to secure a number of grants including Investing In Our Schools grant, Gambling one and schools one. In 2008 our school and P&C worked together to organise the Forty and Fabulous Fete – this fete was organised to mark our 40^th anniversary and was widely supported by our school and wider community. This event was a huge success and after twelve years of not having a fete the event was very well received by students, parents and community alike.

In addition to the P&C our school has a number of informal avenues through which parents can be involved:

In 2008 Sunset had thirteen classes from Prep to year 7 as well as a Special Education Program that supported eighteen students. A great deal of planning and analysis goes into the development of our class lists each year as teachers consider academic, social and behavioural needs of each individual student. All of our students are fortunate to have a classroom that is in a double teaching space – this provides teachers with the opportunity to set up their classroom with areas that support individual, group and whole class work. Our admin team is committed to developing a class and staffing model that enables us to have smaller classes in the lower end of the school – we believe having a low student to adult ratio in the Prep to year 3 levels provides a strong foundation to build on. Each of our Prep to year 3 classrooms has a full time teacher aide to support our teachers in providing explicit and rigorous teaching and learning programs that meets the needs of all of the students.

Sunset’s School Opinion Survey data indicates a high level of staff satisfaction regarding morale and relationships. Our results are above the state average in a significant number of areas:

§ 2008 data regarding staff/community relationships and team spirit indicated over 90% of staff are satisfied/very satisfied.

§ 88.7% of staff are satisfied/very satisfied that they are given the support needed to do their job.

Parent opinion over the past three years has fluctuated across the four areas represented in the graph – comparatively speaking our 2008 parent data indicates a larger percentage of parents are satisfied/very satisfied in all areas of the survey – nearly 90% of parents are satisfied/very satisfied that their child is happy to go to Sunset School – this is the highest response that we have had in the past three years.

2008 Student School Opinion survey data indicates an increase in the percentage of students who are a) happy to come to school, b) feel safe at school, c) believe they are treated fairly at school and d) are happy with the behaviour and the discipline of students at the school. This data can be directly attributed to the fact that all staff are committed to continually reflecting on our whole school approach to social climate and are committed to implementing new practices.

The school annual budget is approximately $500,000. These core government funds are used to provide adequate resources (human, material) and training within the schools key focus areas of literacy, numeracy and integrated studies. DEST, ITAS-ESL and school grants are also a part of the school’s expenditure. These extra funds are also aligned with the strategic direction of the school.

Staff professional development is always:

§ Directly related to systemic, school and district priorities.

§ Promoted to all teaching, support and non-teaching staff.

§ Aligned with the Professional Standards for Teachers and will support the professional development needs of staff as identified in their ? plan.

Best practise within our district and school will be promoted through:

§ School based and district moderation.

§ Cohort and staff meetings through which pd and classroom experiences are shared.

§ Staff participation in programs such as Aspiring Leaders and Curriculum Leaders.

Education Queensland’s “Leadership Matters” document will be utilised to enable leaders and aspiring leaders to reflect on areas of strength and challenge. This engagement will occur through Principal Business Meetings, School based administration meetings and small group coaching sessions for aspiring leaders.

Sunset State School will continue to employ the most qualified and skilled people for vacancies. Suitable applications will be employed regardless of race, age, gender, religious or cultural beliefs. Sunset will continue to focus on employing a diverse staff to provide all students with positive role models.