School Review

17. School Improvement Team – roles and responsibilities

Your school review role and responsibilities

The School Improvement Team (SIT) builds teacher and leadership capacity and drives a culture of learning at the school. The SIT forms an integral part of the leadership structure of a school, undertaking the crucial role of developing, overseeing, and evaluating the effectiveness and impact of the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) each year. It has responsibility for leading the strategic planning process, providing clear and achievable goals and targets. The team comprises representatives from across the school and has a shared understanding of the role the SIT plays in supporting, driving, and monitoring improvement. The SIT supports the school leadership team to build teacher and leadership capacity and strengthens the culture of learning at the school; the school review process underlines this responsibility.

SITs support the school leadership team throughout the school review with their deep understanding of the progress made against the AIP. The SIT actively engages and focuses the school and its community in a shared purpose for improvement through their dedication to improving student outcomes. Members of the SIT may be called upon to assist in the preparation of the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE). They may for example:

• be called to lead or support staff in the collection and analysis of data and evidence
• request collection of student responses and data or lead student, staff, or parent forums.

Following the school review, the SIT leads the development of the new School Strategic Plan. They do this with the school community, assisting in the creation of clear and achievable goals and selection of targets. These goals and targets are operationalised each year through the AIP, for which the SIT is responsible. The SIT’s key tasks are listed on the following pages of this section.

For more detail about how these tasks relate to the broader review process, and the roles and responsibilities of all participants in the review, refer to section 4 of these guidelines and to other tools and resources listed throughout.

You can also download an A3 printable checklist for the school review process (DOCX) (staff login required).

School review participants

School review is characterised by collaboration. Every participant has a distinctive role and important responsibilities to fulfil.

A constructive and transparent school review welcomes ideas from all school community members, it listens to and reflects on varying opinions, and relies on inclusive engagement and accountability.

Section 4 of the guidelines provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities for all Panel members.

Core School Review Panel members

SIT members play a vital role on the school review panel. School community members provide input at designated touchpoints and they include:

• students
• the SIT
• other community members.

Details about other Panel members’ roles and responsibilities are provided in the following sections of the guidelines:

• Principal – section 11
• Senior education improvement leader (SEIL) – section 12
• Reviewer – section 13
• School council president – section 14
• Challenge partners – section 15
• Students – section 16
• School community members – section 18

Tasks

Pre-review tasks

• Understand their role in the school review process and determine actions to support its implementation and successful outcomes
• Develop school communications to familiarise staff, students and school community members with the school review process
• Take part in the school’s PRSE activities

Tools and resources

• Continua of Practice for School Improvement
• School Strategic Plan
• School performance data sets and reports
• AIPs in the Strategic Planning Online Tool (SPOT)

Tasks for during the review

Validation Day

• Actively participate in identified parts of the Validation Day
• Take part in focus groups focusing on student voice, agency and leadership
• Contribute to the development of focus questions and methodology as required- this can be provided either through direct input or through feedback already provided to core members of the Panel
• Ensure students are prepared for their involvement in the student Validation Day presentation

Fieldwork and Panel time

• Take part in fieldwork as determined in the methodology (the nature and extent will be determined by length and focus of review and the confidentiality and appropriateness of the fieldwork activity)
• Contribute to the collaborative development of goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS) for the next School Strategic Plan through the review

Post-review tasks

• Work with leadership team to take the findings of the School Review Report forward through the implementation of the next School Strategic Plan goals, targets and KIS

Good review practice

Good review practice is demonstrated when the SIT:

• promotes and supports the view that rigorous self-evaluation by the school can lead to sustainable school improvement
• shares their understanding of the school’s demographics, culture, unique strengths, and identified challenges and barriers to achievement
• actively participates in all school review stages
• readily shares their deep insight and knowledge in professional discussions about excellent teaching practice
• supports the principal in their role of leading the school along the self-improvement journey
• ensures preparedness for the school review by attending professional learning and being familiar with the available tools and resources that support school review
• deeply engages with the school’s PRSE to prepare for meaningful contributions during Panel discussions.