Independent Public School Success

It was announced today that Tuart Hill Primary was successful in its application to become an Independent Public School commencing in 2012. This is a very exciting opportunity for us to shape and mould our school to ensure it successfully meets the needs of our Tuart Hill community. Below is an outline of the benefits that IPS will bring to our students, staff and the wider community.

The ‘Classroom First Strategy’ outlines that every public school should be a distinctive school, with a level of flexibility and autonomy that allows it to best represent the needs and aspirations of its students and local community. The IPS initiative will provide Tuart Hill Primary School with the opportunity for a much greater level of autonomy, providing the flexibility to perform at our best and become as unique as the community we serve. The Tuart Hill Primary School community have high expectations for the achievement of all students. They expect that staff will be of the highest possible quality and fully dedicated to meeting the needs of their children. They also expect to be actively involved in the educational process. Independent public school status will enable us to more effectively respond to the expectations of our community through the provision of a distinctive curriculum, differentiated and flexible in its design and presentation yet specific and targeted towards the needs of our Tuart Hill students. The flexibilities and freedom provided through IPS status will ensure we provide the highest quality staff who have the knowledge, skills and values required to effectively deliver this curriculum. IPS status will also strengthen the active relationship we already enjoy within the local community through the establishment of stronger links with community leaders/members who have specific skills, qualities and resources which, when engaged in the planning and implementation of school based programs and strategies will greatly enhance outcomes for students. Ultimately, IPS status will ensure that Tuart Hill Primary School is a distinctive school with effective teachers and successful students.

Benefits for students: Being an independent public school will enhance the school’s capacity to ‘value add’ for students through the provision of a differentiated curriculum that is designed, resourced and delivered specifically to the needs of our students within the parameters of the Curriculum Framework and Australian National Curriculum. Specific flexibilities will enable us to re-profile our school staffing in order to create a more distributive leadership model and support structures that will engage the specific knowledge and skills of both new and existing staff in developing and delivering this distinctive curriculum. The flexibility to make regular, immediate and targeted decisions greatly enhances our ability to respond to specific student needs and plan ongoing teaching and learning experiences and programs that meet these needs. Having the capacity on an ongoing basis to employ staff with specialist knowledge and skills will enhance the depth and breadth of the curriculum that we can offer the students of Tuart Hill.

Benefits for staff: Having the capacity to select, develop and manage staff free from the bureaucratic restrictions of Central Office will further enhance staff morale, provide greater opportunity for leadership roles to be established and ensure that all staff have the opportunity to utilise and develop their individual knowledge and skills for the enhancement of student outcomes. Having the flexibility to develop our staff profile to match our school’s vision, values and strategic directions will ensure improved and sustained student success over time. This success will enable ongoing celebration and recognition of Tuart Hill Primary School as a distinctive and successful school. Having the capacity to employ specialist staff or support staff as they are required and within a specific (school determined) time frame will ensure that curriculum delivery is more effective, thus enhancing outcomes. Flexibility in staffing our school will enable staff to be provided with opportunities to take on leadership roles which will increase collaboration and continue to build a strong team of professionals dedicated to meeting the needs of our students. Through staff mentoring and collaboration important skills and knowledge (provided by specialists/support staff/teachers taking on leadership roles) will be shared, enhancing professional learning and further improving the educational program being offered to our students. The capacity to make school based decisions related to staff roles, leave, workload etc will ensure that issues and/or concerns are dealt with in a timely and site specific manner which enhances morale and builds positive relationships and confidence in staff.

Benefits for the community: As an independent public school Tuart Hill Primary will become a ‘distinctive’ school within the community and its reputation as a ‘good’ school will be enhanced. This will enable the school to successfully draw and retain students from the local area who may have been attracted to other low fee paying private schools. Continued growth in student numbers will provide additional resources that will be utilised to further enhance student outcomes. As an independent public school the current School Council, which is already an active body will be enhanced through increased representation from local political and business leaders. The creation of a School Board will promote closer ties with the Tuart Hill community and provide additional expertise and resources that would not normally be available to our school. Ultimately, as our school community celebrates with us the success of our students, community confidence and support for our school will grow.

Excellence in schools doesn’t happen by chance, it is forged by strong leaders, experienced and dedicated staff, confident, involved communities and motivated and focussed students. IPS status will provide the platform for these factors to come together and create a powerful synergy of teaching and learning. Schools should mirror the local community and its needs. The IPS initiative will provide the impetus for our school to evolve and develop with the community, to be a dynamic school that truly understands and reflects our local needs and to further grow in its recognition as a distinctive school of choice within the Tuart Hill community.