Education

Tasmania, along with other states, has endorsed the
senior secondary Australian Curriculum for English,
Mathematics, Science and History as the agreed and
common base for development of senior secondary
courses. Processes and timelines are being determined
during 2013. Eight curriculum teacher leaders with specific
learning area responsibility across Years 9–12 have been
appointed to provide direct school-based learning area
support with a senior secondary focus.
The department’s Literacy and Numeracy Framework guides
the work of schools in literacy and numeracy. Based on
the framework, every school has an explicit literacy and
numeracy strategy as part of their school improvement
plan so that every child’s literacy and numeracy learning
needs can be supported.
Through the Lead School/Lead Teacher initiative and the
development of the literacy and numeracy resource,
Supporting Literacy and Numeracy Success – a teacher’s
resource for Early Years to Year 12, the department continues
to support teachers to build capacity in literacy and
numeracy teaching and learning. In 2013, the lead teacher
initiative was expanded into Years 11 and 12. Curriculum
teacher leaders support their colleagues in senior
secondary schools with curriculum implementation as well
as supporting literacy and numeracy teaching and learning.
Further commitment to improving the literacy and
numeracy outcomes of students is demonstrated through
the department’s successful needs-based Raising the
Bar (RTB) initiative, which has a particular emphasis on
targeting disadvantage. In 2013, 51 primary and secondary
schools are participating in RTB. This commitment is also
demonstrated through an action research project to
improve literacy and numeracy across Years 5–8. In 2013,
participating schools and their primary school clusters are
exploring how to improve literacy and numeracy with an
emphasis on transition from primary to secondary school.
Whole-school ownership of school improvement plans
and student performance is becoming increasingly
evident as school data is used more effectively and is
integral to school improvement planning processes.
The department is supporting the capacity of teachers
and principals to effectively interpret and use data at the
classroom, school and system level through a range of
services. Examples of these include the development of
systems to collect, manage and report on student data
such as the NAPLAN Toolkit, the provision of a range of
reports around student assessments – including NAPLAN
data, and links to inform teaching and learning strategies.
This increased use of data to inform planning, targeted
intervention and support is a sustainable feature across
all our schools.
Further support for teachers and schools to collect, store,
access and utilise data to inform improvement planning is
the development of a dynamic data warehouse that will
provide accurate, up-to-date data regarding all aspects
of the schools context. Access to this information will be
available to teachers and schools through a secure web
portal which will further enhance schools’ capacity to
monitor students’ outcomes and ensure that schools are
effective and efficient.
The Student Support System (SSS), which was rolled-out
to schools from first term 2013, assists schools to record
observations, actions and strategies used to support
students. Student information follows the students as they
move between schools—enabling principals, teachers
and support staff to further support students with their
learning needs. SSS provides valuable information regarding
the support needs of particular groups of students such
as students with disability, students with complex medical
needs, and students under Care and Protection Orders.
Closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
student outcomes in Tasmania is one of our top priorities.
We continue to address the national Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander education agenda through the
implementation of its Closing the Gap on Aboriginal Education
Outcomes 2010–2014: a strategy for Aboriginal student success
through school improvement. This strategy outlines a series
of initiatives to improve the success of Aboriginal students
in schools by supporting the particular needs of individual
schools, students and their families. The strategy includes
initiatives aimed at building the capacity of the Tasmanian
education system to deliver quality, inclusive teaching and
leadership for Aboriginal students.
Department at a Glance » Strategic Focus
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