Forrest Primary School
2015 Annual Operating Plan
Endorsement by School Principal
Name: Christine Pilgrim
Signature:______________________________________________
Date:__________
Endorsement by School Board Chair
Name: Sally Troy
Signature:______________________________________________
ACT Education and Training Directorate
Date:__________
School Context
Forrest Primary School is well-situated in the in the Parliamentary Triangle with the iconic flagpole dominating the
landscape. It speaks of grandeur, strength and a positive future. The school has a diverse population with students
from over 50 countries and fosters respectful relationships in a caring, well presented and safe physical
environment. The school is proud to have been candidated as an International Baccalaureate School delivering the
Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) in December 2012.
In 2015 Forrest Primary School will work towards the authorisation process to become a registered International
Baccalaureate World School. The PYP demands that the school produce a balanced, differentiated Programme of
Inquiry (POI) preschool to Year 6 that meets the short and long term knowledge needs of every child in our
community. We value parents, carers and community members as a primary resource and invite them to share with
classes whenever there is a match between the Unit of Inquiry and a parent / carer’s area of expertise or interest.
Forrest Primary School’s 2015 Annual Operating Plan was developed in consultation with the leadership team, staff
and the community. It was developed by reflecting on the 2012-2015 School Plan and through the evaluation of
previous Annual Operating Plans. Included in the 2015 AOP are areas that were not addressed in 2014. The
development of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) for contemporary learning, which will be coincide with the
development of the library project, the whole school numeracy plan, the review of the homework policy and the
application for authorisation. Over the four year improvement cycle, all Key Improvement Strategies in each
Strategic Priority have been addressed.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Strategic Priority 1: Improve Literacy outcomes for all students
Desired Outcomes: Consistent programming and teaching of Literacy across the school to improve individual growth
in all areas of Literacy.
Targets
By the end of 2015
 Increase the percentage of students in proficiency bands in NAPLAN Reading in year 5 from 65% (as year 3s
in 2013) to 67%
 Increase the percentage of students in proficiency bands in NAPLAN Spelling from 53% (as year 3s in 2013) to
55%
 80% (+/- 5%) of students achieve School Benchmarks in reading.
 Increase the percentage of students from year 3 to year 5 who achieve expected or above expected growth
in NAPLAN reading results from 60.9% to 62%
Links to Directorate Strategic Plan and 2015 Action Plan
This school priority will assist the delivery of the Directorate’s Priority area related to:

Quality Learning, Inspirational teaching and leadership, high expectations
Key Improvement Strategy 2: Develop processes to strengthen capacity of staff through a systematic approach to
improved pedagogy
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
Review the Teacher Talk process to
improve coaching/mentoring of staff
Executive Team/Level
1 Teachers
Survey, feedback,
timetables, coaching
course
Term 1 ongoing
Formalise the coaching and mentoring
programme across the school
Executive Team
Time, essential
agreement
Term 2
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:


Proportion of staff who agree there are processes in place to support their practice
Proportion of staff who agree they get constructive feedback about their practice
ACT Education and Training Directorate
Key Improvement Strategy 3: Develop a consistent approach to the teaching of Literacy across the whole school
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
Develop Literacy programmes which
include the acquisition of Literacy skills
for all students
Principal, Literacy
Officer
Professional Learning,
programme feedback
Ongoing
Embed a consistent approach to teaching
spelling
ETTP/Literacy
Officer/All Staff
Professional
Learning/spelling tasks
Term 1 ongoing
Implement Response to Intervention
(RTI) in Foundation to Year 2 classes
ETTP/Literacy
Officer/Learning
Assistance Team
RTI resources,
assessments
Term 1 ongoing
PYP Standards and Practices A7: address
language learning, mother tongue and
other languages.
Deputy/PYP
coordinator/ETTP/Liter
acy Officer/EAL/D
teacher and
Indigenous Officer
PYP consultant, data
wall, teacher appraisals
4/5 May 2015
ongoing
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:
 Proportion of teaching programmes reflect differentiation
 Proportion of teaching programmes reflect school’s approach to teaching and learning Literacy
 ETTP and Learning assistance team evidence through interventions in RTI
 Ratification of Languages Policy
Key Improvement Strategy 4: Develop and implement a whole school approach to the assessment of Literacy
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
Develop consistent practices for the
collection of data that are monitored and
evaluated
School Improvement
Officer/Literacy Officer
Excel, Data Wall, RTI
individual files
Term 1
PYP Standards and Practice C4:7 school
analysis of data to inform teaching and
learning.
Deputy/PYP
coordinator
Data wall, Excel, Premoderation data tool,
RTI data
Terms 2 and 4
ETTP/Literacy Officer
Regular co-coaching within teams on
using Literacy data to inform teaching
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:
 Proportion of staff use data to make interventions to improve Literacy outcomes
 ETTP and School improvement Officer feedback and mentoring on the collection and use of data
 Proportion of students agree their teachers provide feedback about their school work
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Strategic Priority 2: Improve Numeracy outcomes for all students
Desired Outcomes: Through the development of a Numeracy plan, teaching and learning programmes will reflect
consistency across the school, aligned with the PYP Scope and Sequence. Data will be collected and used effectively
to inform teaching and learning.
Targets
By the end of 2015
 Increase the proportion of students in proficiency bands in numeracy in year 5 from 58% (as year 3s in 2013)
to 60%
 Increase the percentage of students from year 3 to year 5 who achieve expected or above expected growth
in NAPLAN numeracy results from 64.4% to 66%.
ACT Education and Training Directorate
Links to Directorate Strategic Plan and 2015 Action Plan
This school priority will assist the delivery of the Directorate’s Priority area related to:

Quality Learning, Inspirational teaching and Leadership, High expectations
Key Improvement Strategy 2: Develop processes to strengthen capacity of staff through a systematic approach to
improved pedagogy
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
Review the Teacher Talk process to
improve coaching/mentoring of staff
Executive Team/Level
1 Teachers
Survey, feedback,
timetables, coaching
course
Term 1 ongoing
Formalise the coaching and mentoring
program across the school
Executive Team
Time, essential
agreement
Term 2
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:


Proportion of staff who agree there are processes in place to support their practice
Proportion of staff who agree they get constructive feedback about their practice
Key Improvement Strategy 3: Develop a consistent approach to the teaching of numeracy across the school
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
Develop a numeracy plan to reflect
whole school teaching and learning
practices
Numeracy Officer
Staff time
Semester 1
Implement the PYP Numeracy scope and
sequence and align to Units of Inquiry
Numeracy Officer
PYP Numeracy Scope
and Sequence,
Programme of Inquiry
Term 1
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:
 Proportion of programmes that reflect the whole school Numeracy plan
 Proportion of programmes that reflect the PYP numeracy scope and sequence
Key Improvement Strategy 4: Develop and implement a whole school approach to the assessment of numeracy
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
Develop consistent practices for the
collection of numeracy data
School Improvement
Officer, Numeracy
Officer
Excel, PAT Maths
assessment
Term 1 ongoing
PYP Standards and Practice C4:7 school
analysis of data to inform teaching and
learning.
School Improvement
Officer, Numeracy
Officer, Curriculum
Coordinator, All Staff
Data wall, Excel, Premoderation data tool
Term 1
Ongoing
Regular co-coaching within teams on
using Numeracy data to inform teaching
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:
 Proportion of staff use data to inform teaching and learning
 Proportion of students agree their teachers provide feedback about their school work
 ETTP and School improvement Officer feedback and mentoring on the collection and use of data
ACT Education and Training Directorate
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Strategic Priority 3: Engage and actively involve the whole school community in delivering the school’s strategic
priorities.
Desired Outcomes: This priority will focus on implementing a variety of strategies to strengthen community
partnerships. Including the development of the school resource centre into a contemporary learning space, the
Reconciliation Action Plan, Homework Club, Kids Matter and community and family support agencies.
Targets
By the end of 2015
 The proportion of parents feel satisfied with the school through generalised written feedback
 The proportion of parents agree the school looks for ways to improve from 89% to 91%
 Maintain the percentage of parents attending school focus groups at 20% of the cohort
Links to Directorate Strategic Plan and 2015 Action Plan
This school priority will assist the delivery of the Directorate’s Priority area related to:

Inspirational teaching and Leadership, Connecting with Families and the Community, Business innovation
and improvement
Key Improvement Strategy 1: Develop and enact a process that ensures our curriculum framework aligns with and
delivers the Australian Curriculum and remains relevant
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
PYP Standards and Practices B1:5 the
school develops and implements policies
and procedures that support
programmes
PYP coordinator
POI, Action Plan, UoI
reflections, collaborative
planning with curriculum
coordinator,
consultation visit with
PYP consultant,
Authorization
application
Term 1 ongoing
Principal, Business
Manager, Library
committee
Furniture, resources
All year
Align PYP and AC policies and
procedures
PYP standard B2:6 the
library/multimedia/resources play a
central role in the implementation of
programmes
Further investigate and develop the
library as a contemporary learning space
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:


The school has received verification to work towards becoming an authorised International Baccalaureate PYP World
School.
The validation process and report affirms the way the curriculum framework aligns and delivers the Australian
Curriculum
Key Improvement Strategy 2: Establish formalised practices that welcome community involvement and input
regularly
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
Develop procedures to work
collaboratively with the school
community
Principal, community
members, teachers
Time, policies and MOU
Term 1 ongoing
Establish focus groups to allow for
community input and consultation
Executive Team
Solutions Focus tools
Term 1 ongoing
Embed the Reconciliation Action Plan
(RAP) including the homework club
EAL/D and Indigenous
Officer
RAP, external agencies
Term 1 ongoing
ACT Education and Training Directorate
Indigenous contact
Officer
PYP Standards and Practices A:3 the
school community demonstrates an
understanding of, and commitment to,
the programme/s
Teachers, executive,
community members
Standard c2: the written curriculum is
available to the school community
PYP consultant,
community Regular
Board meeting agenda
item
Term 1 ongoing
PYP focus group
Reporting processes
Term overviews
The school board articulates and
understands the PYP as an organizer for
the Australian Curriculum
POI in foyer and website
Newsletter items
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:
 Proportion of parents feel satisfied the school works with them to support child’s learning
 Licencing agreements are developed between the school and the P&C
 Generalised feedback given to the Indigenous Contact Officer
 Programme of Inquiry is updated and available to the community
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Strategic Priority 4: Align Preschool with system and school initiatives in addressing the National Quality
Standards and implementing the Early Years Learning Framework
Desired Outcomes: The desired outcome of this priority is to maximise the use of the indoor and outdoor learning
environment to ensure all students have access to quality education
Targets
By the end of 2015

Maintain ‘Exceeding National Standard’ in all seven areas of the National Quality Standards
Links to Directorate Strategic Plan and 2015 Action Plan
This school priority will assist the delivery of the Directorate’s Priority area related to:

Inspirational teaching and Leadership, Connecting with Families and the Community
National Quality Standard Quality Areas covered by this priority: : Our self assessment identified that the following
areas needed actions
 Educational program and practice
 Physical Environment
This is due to the workload of teaching staff in recording assessment of children’s learning and the need to utilise
and balance the indoor and outdoor physical environment to enrich the educational programme.
Key Improvement Strategy 2. Develop and implement a complete preschool program that aligns with the Early
Years Learning Framework
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
Review current practices of
documenting learning and devise a plan
for future assessment of students
Early Years Executive
and Preschool
Educators
Learning cycle, planning
and programs
Term 1 ongoing
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:
 Programmes reflect the learning cycle and document assessment of student learning
ACT Education and Training Directorate
Key Improvement Strategy 3: Develop and implement a plan to improve the physical environment at the
preschool to meet National Quality Standard
Key Actions
Leader
Resources
Time
Develop a plan to utilise the indoor and
outdoor learning spaces to improve the
educational programme and to respond
to environmental conditions
Executive of the junior
School, Preschool
Team
Furniture, resources
All year
Develop a plan to maximize storage in
the preschool grounds
Executive of the junior
School, Preschool
Team
Storage options
Semester 1
This strategy will be evaluated by the following indicators of success:
 Teaching and learning programme reflects best practice for indoor/outdoor learning environment
ACT Education and Training Directorate