Curriculum Planning Modules – Module 1

Key question to be explored

• What does our school's data/information tell us about what we need to focus on to improve student learning?

Suggested time

2 hours (minimum)

Prior to the session

• make hard copies or download electronic copies of Template 1.2A Data/information analysis for whole school curriculum planning, for all participants
• make hard copies of Handout 1.2B Intentions of the Student Learning Initiatives
• make hard copies or download electronic copies of Template 1.2C Summary of data analysis, for all participants - Note: the "cohort groupings" section of this template may need to be edited to suit your school.
• make copies of the school's Annual Report, School Strategic Plan/School Charter, Annual Implementation Plan and other relevant data (see slide 19 Student data, slide 22 School strategic planning and slide 25 Staff knowledge and expertise)
• prepare summaries of school data/information (see slide 20 Student data, slide 23 School strategic planning and slide 26 Staff knowledge and expertise)

Sequence of Activity

Step 1: Analysis of data/information sources

Provide copies of student data information and strategic planning documents to participants. Distribute Template 1.2A Data/information analysis for whole school curriculum planning to all participants. Participants discuss the data and planning documents using the questions on Template 1.2A to focus their thinking. Record the main points from the discussion on the template (hard copy or electronic).

The template is divided into four categories:

• student data (slides 19 - 21)
• school strategic planning (slides 22 - 24)
• staff knowledge and expertise (slides 25 - 27)
• student learning initiatives (slides 28 & 29 and Handout 1.2B Intentions of the Student Learning initiatives)

Step 2: Summary of data analysis for whole school

Using the information from Template 1.2A Data/information analysis for whole school curriculum ask participants to summarise the analysis of the four categories (above) from a whole school perspective. Participants use Template 1.2C Summary of data analysis to record this summary.

Step 3: Summary of data analysis for cohort groupings

Using the information from Template 1.2A Data/information analysis for whole school curriculum , participants enter appropriate summary information for each cohort grouping on Template 1.2C. The facilitator may choose to place the participants into groups responsible for particular cohort groupings.

Summary

The facilitator collates the information of Template 1.2C Summary of data analysis and identifies any contradictory ideas that need to be followed up with the whole staff.

Curriculum Planning Modules:

• Presentation (PPT - 1.3Mb)
• Facilitators notes (PDF - 210Kb)

Module 1: Whole school curriculum planning to suit our students Slides 17 & 30

Templates and handouts

• Template 1.2A (Word - 49Kb) Data/information analysis for whole school curriculum planning
• Handout 1.2B (Word - 62Kb) Intentions of the Student Learning Initiatives
• Template 1.2C (Word - 33Kb) Summary of data analysis

Support materials for this activity

The following documents provide data/information to inform Step 1.

• Annual Reporting to the School Community: School Improvement and Accountability
• School Strategic Plan - School Accountability and Improvement Framework. Department of Education and Training, Victoria
• Annual Implementation Plan - School Accountability and Improvement Framework. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria
• Performance and Development Culture - Creating and Supporting a Performance and Development Culture
• Victorian Essential Learning Standards, Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12, Assessment Advice, Student Learning

Delving deeper

• Characteristics of Effective Schools model ensures that your school’s purpose reflects the Blueprint reform and helps make a school effective (Department of Education and Training, Victoria)
• Learning Centre for Education and Values (www.becal.org.uk/lc/learning_centre4.php) - provides a process to clarify what is of importance in a school's purpose and direction for learning and teaching.
• Assessment Professional Learning Modules Self Assessment Tool