School Improvement
Learning First has supported systems around the world develop and implement system improvement strategies.
An effective system strategy contains drives continuous improvement through effective policy and explicit linkages between critical components of improvement. This means, for example, that effective leadership development is linked to school improvement planning, curriculum implementation, the system instructional model and so on. These linkages have been critical to success in high-performing systems, and has been a strong feature of our work with systems.
High-performing systems around the world have an explicit and effective school improvement model that articulates the steps leaders and teachers should take to continually improve practice and outcomes. This is then reinforced with school improvement planning (practice and templates) and links to other policies such as curriculum implementation, instructional model and teacher professional development.
We have conducted research with the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) to develop planning templates and guidance (see below), and our research on teacher and leader development has highlighted the linkages with effective school improvement models. This has fed into years of work with systems.
Systems
We support systems to develop and implement an explicit model of school improvement that is articulated in school improvement planning practice and templates.
This reinforces effective practice across schools and enables clear linkages to other policies such as leadership development, teacher professional development, curriculum and assessment practice, and data and accountability systems.
Schools
We support schools in their improvement strategies and planning. This starts with a comprehensive analysis of current practice, developing improvement objectives, implementation planning, and monitoring and accountability systems.
Our work is based on how the leading schools in the world operate, and the research on organisational change and improvement. We work closely with leaders on their work, supporting change at each level of a school.
Featured work
Learning First and the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) have produced a series of practice guides to help school leaders develop and apply effective strategic plans.
Setting goals and targets for student learning 1/4
Guide 1 focuses on practical steps for setting goals and targets for student learning.
Setting goals and targets for student learning 2/4
Guide 2 focuses on prioritising approaches to achieve each goal.
Setting goals and targets for student learning 3/4
Guide 3 focuses on selecting practices to deliver improvement.
Setting goals and targets for student learning 4/4
Guide 4 focuses on evaluating the processes and outcomes in the strategic plan.