School Review

Policy

This policy sets out the requirement for schools to participate in a school review.

Summary

• All schools must participate in a school review every 4 years.
• The school review informs the development of the school’s 4 year School Strategic Plan (SSP).
• The school review also provides assurance of ongoing compliance with the Minimum Standard related to curriculum and student learning.
• The School Review Guidelines, which include links to tools and resources to guide schools through the process, are available in the Guidance tab.

Details

Schools undertake a school review every 4 years to inform the directions of the school’s 4 year School Strategic Plan (SSP) (a legislative requirement for all schools).

The first component of the review is the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) where schools review their data and other evidence to form a collective view of current practice and areas for improvement.

This is followed by a review conducted by a panel, utilising the expertise of challenge partners and convened by an independent school reviewer.

Concurrent with this panel process, the school reviewer undertakes an assessment of the school’s compliance with the Minimum Standards for Curriculum and Student Learning. Note that school reviewers no longer assess compliance with the other minimum standards, as these are now assessed through the Minimum Standards Compliance Assessment undertaken by the department’s Operational Policy, School Engagement and Compliance Division (OPSEC). Refer to Minimum Standards and School Registration for more information.

Senior education improvement leaders (SEILs) play a critical role in supporting the school through the review process. This includes:

• assisting the school to complete their PRSE
• collaborating with the principal in selecting challenge partners
• being a member of the School Review Panel
• supporting the school to develop its new SSP.

Schools due to participate in a review are advised around September the previous year. Principals are advised of their school reviewer in the term before the review.

Full-day training sessions are available for principals and SEILs participating in reviews.

The number of days allocated for the review is informed by the Differentiated School Performance Method which measures a school’s performance and trajectory over time.

The PRSE is undertaken in the Strategic Planning Online Tool (SPOT). The outcomes of the review, including the 4 year goals, targets and key improvement strategies, are pre-populated into a draft SSP in SPOT for completion by the school.

Detailed guidance and links to tools and resources to support schools through this process, including undertaking the PRSE and links to information about the VRQA minimum standards requirements, are provided in the School Review Guidelines in the Guidance tab.

Related policies

• Annual Implementation Plan (AIP)
• Annual Report to the School Community
• Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO)
• Minimum Standards and School Registration
• School Strategic Plan

Relevant legislation

• Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic)
• Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017 (Vic)

School Review Guidelines

The School Review Guidelines contain the following chapters which you can navigate through using the menu on this page.

This includes new guidance (released February 2023) to support School Review panels to develop key directions for the next School Strategic Plan. Refer to: Developing key directions for the next School Strategic Plan.

Please note the existing school review policy and guidelines are under review and will be updated in Term 2 2023.

1. The school review process
2. Preparing for a school review
3. Pre-review self-evaluation
4. Participants in school review
5. The Preparation Meeting
6. Review day 1 – Validation Day
7. Fieldwork
8. Final School Review Panel Meeting
9. Developing key directions for the next School Strategic Plan
10. The School Review Report
11. Principal – roles and responsibilities
12. Senior education improvement leader – roles and responsibilities
13. Reviewer – roles and responsibilities
14. School council president – roles and responsibilities
15. Challenge partners – roles and responsibilities
16. Students – roles and responsibilities
17. School Improvement Team – roles and responsibilities
18. School staff and other community members – roles and responsibilities

1. The School Review process

Phase 1: Pre-review self-evaluation

Schools should consider data and gather evidence on their performance and practice outcomes, with a focus on:

• student voice
• agency and leadership, and curriculum content
• teaching practice.

The pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) report must provide evidence, including enablers and barriers, to support their evaluation of the FISO Continua of Practice.

Phase 2: Preparation meeting

The principal, senior education improvement leader (SEIL) and reviewer co-develop the process for classroom observations or focus groups on Validation Day. The Panel members will test and observe the school’s practices with regard to student voice, agency and leadership; curriculum content; and teaching practice.

The Panel should view a broad cross-section of classrooms. They may also be allocated to specific classes.

Phase 3: Before the review

To prepare for the Validation Day, Panel members familiarise themselves with the PRSE report. That includes considering evidence about, and reflection on, the school’s practices in the areas of student voice, agency and leadership; curriculum content; and teaching practice.

Phase 4: Validation Day

The Panel members undertake classroom observations to enable them to test findings included in the PRSE Report. They will do this by focussing on the elements of the instructional core. The Panels’ views will contribute to determining the school’s level of proficiency against the FISO Continua for the 6 high-impact improvement initiatives. It also guides the remaining review phases by informing the development of terms of reference (ToR) focus questions, methodology, and fieldwork.

Phase 5: Fieldwork

Fieldwork includes classroom observations and focus groups. It explores the ToR and focus questions. Fieldwork further investigates and tests the school’s practices in student voice, agency and leadership; curriculum content; and teaching practice. Fieldwork also enables the Panel to identify any other areas requiring more in-depth exploration.

Phase 6: Final School Review Panel Meeting

As part of its broader discussions, the Panel discusses the school’s practices in:

• student voice, agency and leadership
• curriculum content
• teaching practice.

Panel members consider the instructional core when determining directions for the next School Strategic Plan, including goals setting, targets, and key improvement strategies (KIS).

Phase 7: Review Report

The Review Report provides evidence of the school’s practices in:

• student voice, agency and leadership
• curriculum content
• teaching practice.

It evaluates the school’s progress against the goals, targets and KIS of the School Strategic Plan.

The report determines the school’s proficiency in all 16 dimensions of the FISO Continua and makes inferences about the enablers and barriers.

Phase 8: School Strategic Plan

The Review Report forms the basis of the new School Strategic Plan.

2. Preparing for a school review

Professional learning

Principals are encouraged to attend the professional learning sessions in advance of their school review. Professional learning is scheduled throughout the year and available during the term before the school’s review commences.

Casual relief teacher support for small schools

Due to their size and limited staffing profile, small schools face challenges in resourcing the preparation and conduct of their school reviews. Schools with an enrolment of under 100 students will be eligible to claim for reimbursement of up to 2 days of casual relief teacher funding to support their participation in the school review process.

Reviewer matching

New reviewers participate in an intensive accreditation process to prepare them for their role. They are required to meet a range of assessment tasks to assist them in progressing from provisional accreditation to full accreditation to lead school reviews.

Reviewers are matched to schools through a central matching process to reduce the administrative burden on principals around reviewer selection. The matching process considers individual school contexts and needs. All reviewers are accredited to undertake the role to a high standard. It is a responsibility of all panel members to declare any perceived, potential or actual conflicts of interest with the reviewer. Where such conflicts happen, an alternative reviewer may be allocated to the school. Refer to Managing probity and conflict of interest in school reviews (DOCX) (staff login required) for more information.

If schools or SEILs have any concerns about the reviewer matched to a school, the SEIL can email schoolaccountability@education.vic.gov.au for advice.

Review scheduling

With input from SEILs, the department schedules all school reviews across 4 terms. The department schedules a proposed week that each school will hold the review’s first day – the Validation Day. If the proposed date is not suitable for all Panel members, a more suitable date can be negotiated. Schools schedule the remaining review days in consultation with their reviewer and SEIL.

Length of the review

Each school receives a minimum of 2, and a maximum of 9, reviewer ‘days’. Validation Day is the first day of school review.

In practice, each school review will generally span 2 to 4 days.

On the first day of the review, the Validation Day, up to 3 additional days may be allocated to the review. This decision is based on the Panel’s on-balance judgement of the school’s need and its collective assessment of the school’s proficiency levels against the FISO Continua for School Improvement.

Multiple factors determine the number of reviewer days allocated to a school. The Panel considers these factors to ensure each school gets an appropriate number of review days according to its specific context and current improvement trajectory.

Factors influencing review duration include the:

• school’s differentiated school performance group (influence, recharge, renew, transform, stretch, not grouped)
• school’s setting (specialist, flexible learning option)
• school’s size (fewer than, or more than, 600 students)
• the Panel’s collective assessment of the school’s proficiency level (Emerging/Evolving or Embedding/Excelling) for the priority area of excellence in teaching and learning on the FISO Continua
• difference between the Panel’s collective assessment of the school’s proficiency level against the 6 high-impact initiatives, and the school’s original self-assessment.

Note that if a school has a Flexible Learning Option (FLO) setting, then this will be included in the school review. This ensures school reviews consider the needs of all students, regardless of whether they are in mainstream or alternative settings. By incorporating FLO settings into the school review process, schools can identify areas of need in their FLOs that will form a key part of their improvement planning.

Scheduling Validation Day and initial review days

The allocated number of days based on factors 1 and 2 (school performance group, setting and size) is known before Validation Day. This enables the reviewer, SEIL and principal to make scheduling arrangements, and it is suggested that initial review days are booked before the Preparation Meeting. Assessment against factors 3 and 4 are not known until Validation Day. This means the length of the review cannot be finalised before Validation Day evidence-based decision-making is completed

Factors influencing total allocation of school reviewer days

3. Pre-review self-evaluation

As part of the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE), schools use their data and analysis from the previous 4 years, to determine their achievements against the School Strategic Plan goals and targets.

They conduct an analysis of their performance and identify the enablers and barriers to success. Quantitative and qualitative data and evidence is used to support their analysis and assessment.

Schools also determine their progress and level of proficiency against all 16 dimensions of the FISO Continua Improvement, providing evidence to support their selection of proficiency level.

Actions that schools may undertake to inform their PRSE and to gather evidence to support their reflection include:

• analysis of performance information from tests or assessments, including school-based and system-level assessments (such as NAPLAN, English Online Interview (EOI), Maths Online Interview (MOI), OnDemand and moderated common assessment tasks)
• analysis of school data, including the school’s Panorama supplementary report and school performance group report, student Attitudes to School Survey (ATOSS) data, Parent Opinion Survey data and School Staff Survey data
• observations of lessons by peers and school leaders
• evaluating the quality of learners’ written and practical work
• evaluating the quality of curriculum planning and assessment, recording, moderation practices and reporting
• sampling the views of learners, staff, parent/carers and other stakeholders
• auditing practice against policies and procedures, for example to ensure compliance with minimum standards for school registration, including the Child Safe Standards, and Occupational Health and Safety regulations
• benchmarking against practices by other schools, including ‘like’ or similar schools.

The PRSE is a collaborative effort that forms a collective view about where the school places itself against the FISO Continua on each FISO dimension.

By conducting a thorough and reflective PRSE, schools are supported to clarify and systematically identify the enablers that led to sustained successful outcomes, and the barriers that prevented success.

Roles and responsibilities

The principal plans and leads the PRSE process, supported by the School Improvement Team (SIT). The objective is to ensure the PRSE Report captures evidence from a wide range of sources, including data and feedback from the whole school community.

The school’s senior education improvement leader (SEIL) supports the school to undertake the PRSE when required. SEILs can assist schools to plan the PRSE process, and may provide input and challenge to the analysis of data.

Education improvement leaders (EILs) and regional data coaches, with their rich understanding of school data, may also be called upon to support schools in their analysis of data and collection of evidence. The SEIL endorses the PRSE Report on behalf of the regional director.

The whole school community, including students and parents/carers, contribute to the PRSE process. The school council oversees the PRSE process, providing input and challenge. The school council president is also responsible for endorsing the final PRSE Report. Roles and responsibilities related to the PRSE are summarised below.

Engaging the school community

When conducting the PRSE, it is critical that all members of the school community, including students, are provided with opportunities to contribute, be made aware of the findings, and the actions that will follow. Self-evaluation should not be an activity conducted solely by the principal or a small group, such as the leadership team or SIT, working in isolation.

Feedback from consultations with the whole school community is a critical piece of the jigsaw. A well supported, transparent PRSE should engage and empower the whole school community to contribute to a shared understanding of how well the school has performed over the life of the School Strategic Plan.

Opportunities for face-to-face consultations may include:

• inviting the community to take part in forums to discuss the school’s performance and its directions, making interpreters available if needed
• holding small group discussions with students and parents/carers to present performance data and seek responses
• forming working groups that include community representatives to undertake a particular evaluation task
• maintaining a ‘discussion whiteboard’, either in physical or digital form, highlighting key points or data raised during the PRSE, for members of the school to provide ideas or thoughts
• holding an open afternoon or family night, facilitated by students, to engage with their parents and community and gather ideas and feedback in an informal setting.

The principal will:

• plan the PRSE methodology and timeline
• brief the school and its community about the PRSE process
• organise consultations with the school council and school community
• gather and analyse data
• prepare outcomes of the PRSE process for reporting and endorsement
• keep everyone informed about the outcomes of the PRSE
• prepare the PRSE Report for council endorsement
• at least four weeks before the review, forward the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) minimum standards self-assessment sheets and required documentation to the reviewer
• at least four weeks before the review, forward the PRSE Report to the reviewer, SEIL, school council president and challenge partners.

The SIT will:

• support the principal to plan the PRSE methodology and timeline as requested
• take part in working group meetings
• facilitate or take part in community forums as requested
• support the principal to collate, analyse and evaluate data from a range of sources, including previous AIP self-evaluation outcomes
• support the principal to prepare the PRSE Report in the Strategic Planning Online Tool (SPOT) as requested
• support the principal to communicate the outcomes of the PRSE to the school community
• support the principal to gather required documentation supporting the VRQA minimum standards self-assessment as requested.

The school council will typically:

• review and contribute to the plan and timeline for the PRSE
• take part in in the school’s PRSE planning activities
• take part in in working groups
• take part in in consultations with the school community
• provide support and challenge where necessary
• support the PRSE process
• endorse the PRSE Report (signed by school council president)
• ensure minimum standards meet compliance requirements.

The SEIL will:

• support the school to plan for the PRSE
• provide support where necessary
• provide support to analyse and interpret data, and challenge where necessary
• provide input into and feedback on the PRSE outcomes
• endorse the PRSE Report on behalf of the regional director
• support the school to ensure school policies are in place and up to date.

The school community, including students can:

• find out about the PRSE through the school’s communication channels
• consider volunteering to assist in the PRSE
• contribute to surveys
• take part in student and parent meetings and focus groups
• engage with the data and findings
• review and provide feedback as necessary
• provide support where necessary
• engage with the outcomes of the PRSE through the school newsletter and other communications.

Collecting the evidence

Collecting and analysing evidence from a range of sources is important for understanding a school’s improvement journey and performance status and trends. Multiple sources of evidence enable a school to make better decisions about how to improve its performance as part of its ongoing cycle of self- evaluation. It is critical to use a range of sources to understand and validate the many factors that have contributed to the school’s performance.

The PRSE is informed by evidence sources that include:

• information, evidence and analysis contained in the self-evaluation sections of the school’s three previous AIPs
• extensive engagement with the whole school community, including the principal and school staff, students, parents/carers, and other community members
• in-depth analysis of various data sets, facilitated by the SIT and supported by the SEIL and EIL or regional data coaches if required, to explore:
  • student academic progress, for example through analysis of NAPLAN, OnDemand, EOI, MOI and benchmarking data, moderated common assessment tasks and school assessed coursework (SACs)
  • wellbeing and attitudinal data, such as student ATOSS data, tracking of individual learning plan data, wellbeing surveys, analysis of behavioural records (for example behaviour incident records, notes from restorative practice mediation meetings) and absence data.

Review the School Strategic Plan

As part of the school’s PRSE, school improvement and performance are reviewed against the goals and targets from the School Strategic Plan. Schools have a range of evidence to draw upon from the self-evaluation sections of their previous AIPs to support their assessment of progress and achievement against the School Strategic Plan.

Through available data and evidence, schools determine the level to which they have achieved their school strategic plan goals and targets and identify the barriers that prevented, or enablers that supported, their achievement.

This reflection should focus on what the school did or did not do effectively, and what strategies they may consider employing next time, to bring about improved outcomes.

Completing the PRSE Report

The PRSE Report is completed using the SPOT in the term before the school’s review. Online training modules and page guides are available in SPOT to support schools to enter the findings of their PRSE into SPOT. A Guide to completing the PRSE Report (DOCX) (staff login requited) includes tips to assist schools to complete the Report.

Endorsing the PRSE Report

The principal, school council president and SEIL endorse the PRSE Report. These Panel members need to be satisfied that:

• the Report provides a valid assessment of the school’s practice and performance
• all relevant facts and opinions were assessed in the self-evaluation process
• the conclusions flow reasonably and logically from the information and data gathered.

At least 4 weeks before the school review, the principal forwards the endorsed PRSE Report to the core members of the Panel (the SEIL, school council president and reviewer) and challenge partners.

How the PRSE Report is used in school review

The PRSE prepares the school for review by developing its understanding of its performance against a range of measures.

The PRSE is the springboard for every school review. PRSE findings, and the evidence underpinning them, are included in the school’s PRSE Report. It is a vital reference for Review Panel members and is provided to them at least four weeks before the review’s commencement. The PRSE Report presents an overview of the school’s context, practices and performance.

On Validation Day, the Review Panel undertakes classroom observations, evaluates performance against the previous School Strategic Plan, and probes evidence and findings presented in the PRSE Report.

The Panel determines the review’s length and focus after testing and validating that evidence, particularly in the instructional core domains: student voice, agency and leadership; curriculum content; and teaching practice.

PRSE resources

A Guide to completing the PRSE Report (DOCX) (staff login required) and examples for primary (DOCX) and secondary (DOCX) settings, are available to support the renewed approach to review and improvement.

The appendices to these guidelines provide links to information about school performance reports and other data that are used when developing the PRSE.

4. Participants in school reviews

School Review Panels

The Panel comprises members both internal and external to the schools’ community. Panel membership is organised into three distinct groups with distinct roles and responsibilities as shown below. Its purpose is to actively seek input from all stakeholders forming collective decisions based on evidence and feedback and empowering the school to make ambitious improvements.

Roles and responsibilities of the Panel

Core School Review Panel members

The following Panel members have decision making powers:

• principal
• senior education improvement leader (SEIL)
• reviewers
• school council president.

Challenge partners

These members add value through expertise and challenge:

• two challenge partners.

School community members

Community members provide input at designated touchpoints.

• students
• School Improvement Team (SIT)
• other community members.

Core School Review Panel members

The core members of the Panel are the principal, the SEIL, reviewers and school council president. Collectively, the Panel’s core members hold decision-making responsibilities in the review. Each core member makes a distinctive contribution to that collective obligation.

Core Panel members actively participate in Validation Day. The involvement of core Panel members throughout the school review depends on the review methodology adopted on Validation Day. Their involvement also depends on the review’s length. Generally, for reviews longer than two days, only the reviewers will take part in fieldwork days.

The collective decisions they make at the School Review Panel meeting, held on the review’s final day, establishes the reference framework for the next four-year School Strategic Plan.

The roles of core Panel members are detailed in the roles and responsibilities document (DOCX) (staff login required), and in sections 11 to 14 of these guidelines.

Challenge partners

The principal and SEIL jointly select two challenge partners to be on the School Review Panel. They select challenge partners who can contribute the kinds of experience or expertise suited to the school’s current position on its improvement trajectory.

Challenge partners play an important role in the review as, along with the reviewer, they bring a fresh and independent lens to the school’s data and practices.

They add value to review discussions and professionally challenge the school when necessary. Challenge partners participate in school review activities at the same times as core Panel members, but their role focuses on providing input and feedback rather than decision-making.

Selecting challenge partners

Principals and SEILs can consider a range of challenge partners from the government, Catholic or independent school sectors, and from the broader community. Potential challenge partners can include:

• principals from other schools
• representatives from external bodies, including principal associations and unions
• members of relevant community agencies, businesses or other education partners
• regional or central office staff from the department such as members of regional multidisciplinary teams
• community leaders or specialists from outside the education community.

Challenge partners who have completed training provided by the department are listed in the challenge partner profiles document. Each listing includes the challenge partner’s profile, contact details and specialist expertise.

Refer to section 15 of these guidelines for more information on the role of challenge partners in school review.

School community members

Students, the SIT and community members value-add at specific points during the school review. They do not directly take part in review decision-making.

The purpose of their involvement is to support core Panel members by widening the evidence base on which review decisions are based.

Feedback from school community members is crucial to arriving at a robust consensus about the school’s performance and level of proficiency in all 16 dimensions of the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Continua.

Students

The new school review model celebrates and encourages student voice, agency and leadership. It is essential to the achievement of Education State targets that students are engaged in their learning as partners. By interacting as partners, their self-esteem and self-respect are strengthened. Significantly, collaborating with students during the school review process improves student engagement.

Students possess knowledge and perspectives about their school and their learning which adults cannot replicate. Listening to student experiences, both positive and negative, will impact the overall improvement of the school.

To ensure authentic student contributions to the review, it is important that the students involved in review activities are representative of the broad student body so that different experiences and perspectives are conveyed. Students from a range of age groups, classes, backgrounds, cultures, genders, and abilities should be represented. This should include those students who may have learning or behavioural difficulties, or who are disengaged.

Students typically participate in the review at a number of points including:

• discussions about school performance during which students present their input to the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE)
• input captured in the PRSE Report
• classroom observations/focus groups conducted on Validation Day, or during fieldwork, which engage student voice through questioning of students
• developing the new School Strategic Plan.

Where students are involved, consideration must be given to confidential data and keeping privacy intact.

Refer to section 16 of these guidelines for more information on the role of students in school review.

School Improvement Team

The School Improvement Team (SIT) comprises both teaching and support staff who lead and embed a whole school approach to improvement.

The SIT contributes to discussions about school performance, generally focusing on particular aspects of the PRSE Report. They also take part in discussions about observed school practices that the panel wants to interrogate more deeply.

The SIT plays a key role in ensuring that the student voice is embedded into the review process.

Refer to section 17 of these guidelines for more information on the role of SIT in school review.

School council and community members

Evidence shows that the greatest impact on student outcomes is from the family; consequently, school council members or members of the wider school community are essential change agents. Their involvement in the school review process means engaging the school and community in a shared purpose and promoting an understanding and validation of the change required.

School community members typically provide input through the PRSE Report or through fieldwork focus groups.

Refer to roles and responsibilities (DOCX) (staff login required) for further information.

The roles of school council and community members are detailed in the roles and responsibilities document and in section 18 of these guidelines.

5. The Preparation Meeting

Planning for an effective school review

The Preparation Meeting is a designated step in the new school review process. It is singled out in this way because it produces high stakes outcomes that ensure a productive review process.

The Preparation Meeting isolates time for the principal, reviewer and the senior education improvement leader (SEIL) to:

• plan how they will structure the validation day to unpack learnings from the school’s pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE)
• reach deeply into classrooms to elicit information about teaching and learning across the school.

The Preparation Meeting provides an opportunity to identify the most relevant information for panel members to conduct validation day. The Preparation Meeting process ensures the panel can pay close attention to how the school engages students and supports student achievement.

The Preparation Meeting is significant because it acknowledges and values contributions to the PRSE process and PRSE Report made by the school community. The Preparation Meeting carefully considers how to amplify the impact of their contributions during the review.

Key outputs and outcomes from the preparation meeting are:

• a shared understanding of the roles of principal, reviewer and SEIL in the review
• an agenda and methodology for Validation Day, including a schedule for the classroom observations

The Preparation Meeting is held at the school at least two weeks before Validation Day.

Information about current student outcomes and prevailing school practices must be collected systematically and reliably. It is not possible to draw meaningful conclusions about improvements in outcomes or practices if this initial information is unreliable.

Developing the Validation Day agenda

The example Validation Day agenda below indicates how time may be allocated to ensure all aspects are covered in sufficient depth. Principals, SEILs and reviewers are encouraged to tailor the agenda to the school’s needs by including specifying when and how students, school community members and the SIT will be engaged.

6. Review day 1 – Validation Day

Making strategic choices about what to do next

A school review is like a formative assessment applied to the whole school. Just as formative assessment enables teachers to support students with the question, ‘what do I need to do next so I can improve?’, a review assists schools to develop strategic responses to the question, ‘what does our school need to do next so we can improve?’

The pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) represents the school community’s collective view of what school goals were achieved, which were not, and what enabled or hindered success. The PRSE is the School Review Panel’s essential reference for Validation Day, enabling them to consider whether the analysis tells the story that evidence supports. It assists panel members – some of whom have detailed knowledge of the school, some of whom may have broad knowledge about how the system is performing, and some of whom may have expertise in school improvement more generally – to apply their areas of knowledge towards understanding a school’s context. On Validation Day, the Panel’s collective assessment confirms or changes the focus for the rest of the school review.

Validation matters because it informs the recommendations that are presented in the School Review Report.

Those recommendations shape the school’s strategic improvement directions that form the basis of its next School Strategic Plan. Every school strategic plan is a record of choices made about where effort, skill, resources and research are best applied over the strategic planning period. It is important to make choices that agree with the evidence available.

Validation Day enables the Panel to concentrate on those areas of school performance about which choices both can, and must, be made to secure further improvement.

Validation Day outcomes and process

All school reviews begin with a Validation Day. On Validation Day the School Review Panel examines and tests the evidence and analysis presented in the school’s PRSE Report. The Panel’s objective on Validation Day is to ensure the accuracy of the information in the PRSE Report. Panel members come to an agreed position on the school’s performance against the goals and targets in the School Strategic Plan. This includes the school’s placement on the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Continua with reference to the FISO dimensions, focusing on the 6 high-impact improvement initiatives.

The outcome of Validation Day is the Panel’s agreement about the school review’s duration, terms of reference (ToR) and methodology.

On Validation Day, the Panel:

• discusses the school’s performance against the goals and targets in its previous School Strategic Plan, drawing on evidence such as the school’s PRSE Report, data sets including the School Performance Report and the Panorama Supplementary Report, classroom observations and focus groups, input from students and feedback from the School Improvement Team (SIT).
• conducts classroom observations and focus groups, which reach deeply into the classroom to test and validate the school’s practices against the evidence recorded in the PRSE Report for the instructional core elements of:
  • student voice, agency and leadership
  • curriculum content
  • teaching practice.
• collaboratively validates the school’s self- assessment of its position on the FISO Continua. This discussion involves the Panel collectively assessing the school’s proficiency levels against the FISO Continua, focusing on the 6 high-impact improvement initiatives, to come to agreement about where the school sits (emerging, evolving, embedding or excelling).
• finalises the review’s length (number of reviewer days) through discussion and on-balance judgements, based on the Panel’s collective assessment of the school’s proficiency levels against the FISO Continua.
• develops ToR focus questions and methodology to ensure remaining review days are targeted and effective.

Validation Day follows the agenda developed by the principal, SEIL and reviewer at the Preparation Meeting – refer to section 5, Preparation Meeting.

Roles and responsibilities on Validation Day

On Validation Day, members of the School Review Panel play distinctive roles.

Panel members

All Panel members will:

• collaboratively determine the focus and questions for classroom observations and focus groups
• lead classroom observations and focus groups
• share observations and findings with the Panel
• ensure reliability of PRSE evidence based on the school’s data and practices
• conduct collaborative validation of the school’s self-assessment against the Continua, as presented the PRSE Report
• use on-balance judgement to determine the allocation of up to 3 additional reviewer days
• develop ToR focus questions and methodology for the review.

Challenge partners

Challenge partners will:

• collaboratively determine the focus and questions for classroom observations and focus groups
• lead classroom observations and focus groups
• share observations and findings from an independent viewpoint with the core Panel members
• provide respectful challenge of PRSE evidence based on the school’s data and practices
• conduct collaborative validation of the school’s self-assessment against the Continua, as presented in the PRSE Report
• contribute an independent viewpoint to on-balance judgement about number of reviewer days
• develop ToR focus questions and methodology for the review.

School community

Students, school improvement team and community members will:

• take part in classroom observations and focus groups
• provide feedback as required to core panel members on observations
• assist core Panel members as required, drawing on their participation in the PRSE process
• assist core Panel members as required
• contribute to development of ToR focus questions and methodology as required (either through direct input or through feedback already provided to core Panel members).

Allocating additional review days

Validation Day discussions determine if any extra time is required for fieldwork to diagnose the school’s performance. Up to 3 additional days may be allocated, based on consideration of:

• Does the Panel’s collective assessment of the school’s proficiency levels against the Continua validate the school’s initial self-assessment?

The Panel collectively determines if its assessment of the school’s proficiency level against the FISO Continua, focusing on the 6 high-impact improvement initiatives, validates the school’s initial self-assessment.

Where the Panel collectively assesses the school’s proficiency level to be lower than the school’s self-assessment, and considers the school has rated its level of proficiency too highly, the Panel makes an on-balance judgement to allocate either one or 2 extra days.

The judgement considers:

• the school’s circumstances
• the difference between the Panel and the school’s assessment of proficiency
• the number of dimensions with differing assessments

Below is a guide on how the Panel determines the allocation of up to 2 additional days.

If the Panel’s collective assessment of the school’s proficiency levels against the 6 high-impact improvement initiatives on the FISO Continua differs from the school’s original self-assessment:

• Panel collectively assesses the school’s proficiency level lower on one initiative – no extra time is required. Use base number of days only.
• Panel collectively assesses the school’s proficiency level lower on 2 to 3 initiatives – one extra day is added to base number of review days allocated.
• Panel collectively assesses the school’s proficiency level lower on 4 or more initiatives – 2 extra days are added to base number of review days allocated.

If the review is already scheduled for 3 or 4 days, it is unlikely the scheduled length of the review will be extended. Instead, additional days will be allocated as additional reviewer time – that is, the current reviewer will arrange for an additional reviewer from their company to attend on one or more of the scheduled review days.

Finalising review terms of reference focus questions and methodology

The ToR focus questions and methodology are integral to the school review process. Following the Panel’s testing and validation of the school’s performance against its School Strategic Plan goals and targets and against the FISO Continua, the Panel develops focus questions to guide the review process. The focus questions capture those areas of the school’s practice and performance that require a more detailed look.

The methodology outlines how the review will be undertaken. It determines how the focus questions will be tested through fieldwork activities such as classroom observations, surveys and focus groups. Each review’s focus questions and methodology will be unique to that school’s context. Together, the focus questions and methodology ensure a thorough examination of the school’s practices and processes contribute to building deeper knowledge of the school’s performance outcomes.

Focus questions

The ToR are co-constructed by the Panel on Validation Day. They reflect and define specific areas of the school’s practice and performance that require more detailed investigation and analysis. The focus questions guide the review to ensure it:

• examines key aspects of the school’s performance identified from the PRSE Report, performance data and the Panel’s observations and learnings from Validation Day
• provides in-depth exploration of the school’s strategic direction and actions over the 4 years of the School Strategic Plan, and identifies enablers and barriers that have influenced achievement of goals and targets
• provides quality advice and support to the school to guide development of the new School Strategic Plan through recommending appropriate high-quality goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS).

The Panel works collaboratively to construct the focus questions, ensuring there is a clear and logical evidence-based rationale for their inclusion in the review. The focus questions have an open ‘inquiry question’ focus so that their exploration leads to a detailed analysis and diagnosis – for example, ‘To what extent...?’, ‘How does...?’ or ‘How can the school...?’

Focus questions are most effective when they are SMART:

• Specific (not multi-layered and overly complex)
• Measurable (evidence/data available)
• Achievable (can be undertaken through the review process)
• Results-focused (to assist in moving forward)
• Time-bound (will meet the review timelines)

Two to 3 focus questions are investigated for reviews of 3 days or less. Three to 4 focus questions are investigated for reviews of 4 days or more.

Methodology

The methodology outlines how the review will be undertaken and how the focus questions will be tested. It should include:

• timelines for each review component, activity descriptions and required resources
• a detailed plan for the review days and the purpose of fieldwork activities, defining what will be explored, who will be involved, and a timeline for the activities
• identify the person responsible for managing each part of the review
• how the school community, including students, staff and the SIT, parents and school council, will be engaged

The methodology clearly indicates the range of data and other information to be analysed, and the extent of school community consultation. Opportunities to engage with school community members, including students, staff and parents, are central to developing the methodology for every school review. Guiding notes and examples are included in the School Review Report template (DOCX) (staff login required), which includes the terms of reference and methodology.

7. Fieldwork

Confirming the evidence base for improvement

Each school review has a focus on the instructional core and understanding how the school’s culture reinforces student engagement with learning. This is particularly obvious in the review’s concentration on data and evidence collected through the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) and the review’s fieldwork.

Data alone does not diagnose causes or guide strategies for improvement. The Panel brings its contextual knowledge and experience to the data. This assists in fully using and interpreting the data so that it reflects understandings of current practice. The PRSE Report and review fieldwork activities turn the data into insights. Schools can therefore make informed and practical choices about what to do next to accelerate improvement in student outcomes.

The terms of reference (ToR) focus questions are developed on Validation Day by the Panel. The Panel’s intent is that the focus questions will clarify the school’s improvement opportunities. The school review’s fieldwork phase investigates the focus questions through activities determined in the ToR methodology, which is designed with reference to the school’s context. Importantly, fieldwork is flexible as it responds to issues that emerge during the course of the review. An expansive approach to data collection and analysis offers the best opportunities for triangulation.

This enables the Panel to make sound, evidence-based findings. As the number of fieldwork days in a school review will vary, it is critical that fieldwork probes multiple sources of evidence and feedback through a variety of methods to ensure the validity of the evidence on which future improvement strategies will be based.

For example, if the reviewer discusses school leadership practices with teachers, the school leadership team should be invited to comment on the views teachers have expressed.

Ensuring transparency of data collected during fieldwork

Fieldwork days are led by the reviewer, or team of reviewers, as independent members of the School Review Panel. Other members of the Panel will typically only be involved in the fieldwork that happens on the first and last days of the review. Where this fieldwork involves activities seeking and discussing opinions, such as focus groups, the principal or other leaders would generally not be involved.

This avoids any perceptions that their presence may have limited or restrained the full expression of participants’ views. For instance, if the methodology involves a focus group with teachers or school support staff, this would usually be led by the reviewers, or another external Panel member such as a challenge partner.

The reviewer will update other Panel members on their fieldwork findings and, as part of their work to substantiate evidence using multiple sources, will discuss relevant opinions with the principal and other Panel members.

Determining the number of fieldwork days

The school review’s complexity determines the number of fieldwork days:

• for 2-day reviews, fieldwork includes Validation Day activities and extends into the morning of the school review’s second day, followed by the final school review Panel meeting in the afternoon (outlined in section 7 of these guidelines)
• for longer reviews, the equivalent of up to 7.5 fieldwork days can precede the final School Review Panel meeting – multiple reviewers would complete these days over a shorter period than 7.5 days.

The involvement of Panel members in fieldwork varies according to the school review’s length:

• Two-day reviews – core panel members and challenge partners generally attend for fieldwork, and the school improvement team (SIT), students and other community members are all likely to take part in focus groups or other activities.
• Longer reviews – it is likely that only the reviewers and the senior education improvement leader (SEIL) if available/necessary, attends fieldwork days. Other core panel members reconvene for the final school review panel meeting on the final day. Throughout the fieldwork phase, the reviewer involves panel members, such as members of the SIT, students and school community members, in activities such as group forums and interviews. Reviewers are also likely to broaden the scope of those consulted to involve additional school community members, such as teachers, curriculum leaders, members of the leadership team and parents.

The reviewer may contact the SEIL at the end of each fieldwork day to provide an update on progress.

Scope of fieldwork activities

Fieldwork is tailored to the school’s context and the focus questions that guide the Panel’s inquiry. The Panel determines the methodology and types of activities that constitute the fieldwork component of each school review.

Fieldwork can take many forms. Flexibility in selecting the kinds of fieldwork activities used in each school review enables a panel to respond to both the school’s context and improvement priorities.

However, the purpose of fieldwork is uniform – to identify actionable, achievable and ambitious strategies that accelerate sustained improvement in student outcomes.

Focus question: to what extent is the school meeting the learning needs of its students and what impact is this having on their learning outcomes?

To investigate a focus question like this the reviewer may undertake fieldwork that includes discussions, document examination and focus groups. The inquiry the reviewer makes for this question may be similar to the subsidiary questions posed below.

Principal, leadership team:

• How does the school develop its curriculum?
• How has the school’s instructional model been developed and implemented?
• Who is responsible for developing, documenting and implementing the curriculum?

Classroom observations:

• Is there evidence of the school’s curriculum and instructional model in classroom practice?
• Is there consistency between classrooms?
• What are the levels of differentiation and engagement?

Examination of documentation:

• What is the documented curriculum?
• What are its expectations?
• Is it accessible to teachers?
• Is appropriate and useful support documentation provided to teachers?

Discussions with students and parents:

• What are the opportunities for student voice, agency and leadership in their learning?
• How is goal-setting and feedback used?
• How engaged are students in their learning?

Discussions with professional learning coordinator, principal, curriculum leader/s, learning specialists and literacy leaders:

• How is staff capacity building approached?
• What professional learning is offered and how do teachers access assistance?
• How are teachers in need of additional support identified?

Discussions with year team groups/implementation teams:

• How is the curriculum implemented?
• What are processes for planning, implementation, assessment, data analysis, review and monitoring?

Discussions with teachers:

• How do you know if the way you’re teaching is working?
• How do you use data to inform your planning, teaching and assessment practices?
• What feedback do you receive around your classroom practice?
• What capacity building opportunities have you been offered?

Discussions with principal and curriculum leaders:

• What are the processes for assessment and monitoring of school performance?
• How is data analysis, review and monitoring undertaken?
• How is feedback from curriculum leaders gathered and utilised?

Roles and responsibilities of Panel members during fieldwork

It's important to note that fieldwork encourages participation from school community members not considered part of the Panel.

Principal

• Assist reviewer/s with logistical arrangements including rooms, catering, participants, and directions to classrooms

Reviewer

• Plan the form the fieldwork will take, including determining the questions to explore
• Adjust the fieldwork approach as new information becomes known
• Triangulate evidence received by collecting data from multiple sources, such as substantiating claims through focus groups, documentation, interviews with leadership teams
• Provide the SEIL and principal with updates on the fieldwork as required
• For longer reviews, collate the findings from the fieldwork for presentation to the other core panel members and challenge partners at the school review panel meeting on the final day of the review. For reviews with more than one reviewer, the lead reviewer coordinates the activities of the reviewers

SEIL

• Participate in all fieldwork for a 2-day review
• Participate in fieldwork as required, or as determined in the ToR methodology for reviews conducted over 3 or more days

School council president

• Participate in fieldwork for 2-day reviews

The school council president will not participate in fieldwork for reviews conducted over 3 or more days. However, the reviewer may wish to interview them or include them in a focus group.

Challenge partners

• Participate in fieldwork as determined by the methodology for a 2-day review – for instance, they may lead a student focus group
• Not needed to participate in fieldwork for reviews conducted over 3 or more days

Students, school improvement team and community members

• Contribute to fieldwork through activities such as discussions, focus groups and interviews

8. Final School Review Panel Meeting

Expected outcomes of the final School Review Panel Meeting

The school review includes 4 main steps: Validation Day, fieldwork, final School Review Panel Meeting, and Review Report.

On the final day of the review, the Panel comes together for the School Review Panel Meeting. The principal chairs the meeting and the reviewer assists as the facilitator of the process. Other core Panel members and challenge partners join this group. These Panel members are well-informed to test findings and arrive at recommendations, accelerating the decision-making process.

The core School Review Panel members are responsible for coming to valid, evidence-based decisions about the directions for the school’s improvement journey. The expected outcomes of the School Review Panel meeting are to reach an agreement about:

• evidence-based findings against the terms of reference (ToR) focus questions
• the extent to which the school has in place effective practices for the 3 domains of the instructional core: student voice, leadership and agency, curriculum content and teaching practice
• the school’s proficiency levels against all 16 dimensions in the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Continua
• the school’s performance against the School Strategic Plan, including highlights and challenges
• priorities for the next School Strategic Plan: including goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS).

Directions for the next School Strategic Plan

New guidance (released February 2023) is available to support School Review panels to develop key directions for the next School Strategic Plan. Refer to the following chapter: Developing key directions for the next School Strategic Plan.

Roles and responsibilities of Panel members during the final School Review Panel Meeting

Outlined below are the roles and responsibilities of each Panel member during the final School Review Panel Meeting.

Principal

• Collaboratively chair the meeting with the reviewer
• Meet with the reviewer and SEIL to discuss the VRQA minimum standards check

Reviewer

• Collaboratively chair the meeting with the principal
• Provide the Panel with a detailed synthesis of observations and findings from fieldwork
• Record the Panel’s discussion and findings for inclusion in the Review Report
• Meet with the principal and SEIL to discuss findings of the VRQA minimum standards check which includes the Child Safe Standards check

SEIL

• Meet with the reviewer and principal to discuss findings of the VRQA minimum standards check

All core Panel members

• Actively contribute to evidence-based discussions, ensuring decisions are based on multiple sources of evidence
• Come to collective findings about:
  • the ToR focus questions
  • school performance against the School Strategic Plan
  • school highlights
  • the school practices in place for the instructional core domains: student voice, agency and leadership; curriculum content; and teaching practice
  • proficiency status against the FISO Continua
  • key directions for the next School Strategic Plan – goals, targets and KIS

Challenge partners

• Actively participate in Panel discussions by providing input and advice– their input informs decisions, however challenge partners do not have decision-making responsibilities, as this sits with core Panel members

Students, School Improvement Team and community members

• Not be required to attend the final School Review Panel Meeting as it is for core Panel members and challenge partners
• However, their input throughout the review informs the Panel’s decisions, and they will be involved in the preparation of the School Strategic Plan

9. Developing key directions for the next School Strategic Plan

On the final day of the school review, the School Review Panel collaboratively develops the key directions for the new School Strategic Plan (SSP). The SSP ensures that the school’s strategic direction to improve student outcomes over the next four years is identified and expressed through the development of goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS) based on the evidence gathered throughout the review process.

Goals and targets focus on what the school is trying to achieve, and how their progress will be measured. Goals and targets align to the learning and wellbeing outcomes at the centre of FISO 2.0.

Key improvement strategies (KIS) articulate how the school will achieve their goals and targets. KIS align to the FISO 2.0 core elements.

Process for developing key directions

Over the course of the review process the panel will form a view regarding the next steps for school improvement.

The final panel day is an opportunity for panels to reflect on data and findings from the review process, come to a shared understanding of the schools’ strengths and areas for growth, agree on next steps, and articulate the most appropriate goals, targets and KIS for the next SSP.

It’s recommended that panels spend approximately 5 hours developing the key directions, and that they structure thinking around the following questions:

• Where are we now? Reflection on data and evidence collated throughout the review (approximately 90 minutes).
• What do we want to achieve? Developing goals (approximately 30 minutes) and setting targets (approximately 90 minutes).
• How will we get there? Developing KIS (approximately 90 minutes).

Review panels will note that there are several places throughout this guidance where recommendations are able to be adjusted and tailored. This is to ensure that key directions are appropriate across the broad range of school contexts and sizes.

1. Where are we now?

The panel should ensure they have a shared understanding of the schools’ improvement priorities by reflecting on the data and evidence available through:

• the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) report
• current performance data and identified areas for improvement
• the school’s validated self-assessment of current practices against the FISO 2.0 core elements, including how these impact student outcomes and identified practice strengths and areas for growth
• the enablers and barriers to improvement identified with respect to progress in the school’s last SSP and in their recent Annual Implementation Plans (AIP)
• findings against the review’s terms of reference (ToR) focus questions gathered through fieldwork.

On the final day, panels can reflect on the data and evidence collated across the review by:

• brainstorming key themes that have arisen throughout the review
• reviewing available data and identifying the most significant areas for growth
• discussing the root cause of issues identified throughout the PRSE, field work findings against the terms of reference or the school’s performance against the previous SSP.

2. What do we want to achieve?

Once the panel has agreed on where the school is in their improvement journey, the next step is to identify what the school would like to achieve through their SSP. The panel articulates this through goals and targets.

Goals

Goals are a high-level statement that articulates the student learning and wellbeing outcomes that a school will focus on improving in their next strategic plan.

General guidance for developing goals

• Goals should be developed based on areas where there are the greatest opportunities for growth and improvement in student outcomes, as identified throughout the review.
• Consistent with FISO 2.0, it is expected that all schools will have at least one learning and one wellbeing goal. Schools may also set goals that cover shared learning and wellbeing outcomes.
• Schools may choose to set goals at the broad student outcome level (for example, ‘improve student wellbeing’) or may choose to focus on a specific cohort or area within student learning and/or wellbeing (for example, ‘strengthen the resilience of all students’ or ‘strengthen the literacy of EAL students’).
• Goals should have scope for a range of supporting strategies over the 4-year SSP.
• Goals should be accepted by staff and the community as appropriate.

The recommended process for developing goals

• Draw on the understandings developed in the previous step
• Prioritise the areas of student learning and wellbeing most in need of improvement so that there are an appropriate number for focus
• Articulate these areas as simple and clear goals

Tailoring goals for different school contexts

• The panel should develop between 2 and 4 goals depending on school context, to ensure a sharp and narrow focus. Smaller schools may choose to pursue 2 goals in total, where medium to large schools may choose up to 4. It may be appropriate for very large schools to choose up to 5 goals.
• Schools may choose to set a specific goal for each of literacy and numeracy. However, schools whose next steps for improvements in student learning outcomes are foundational, supporting both literacy and numeracy (such as documenting a viable and guaranteed curriculum or developing a pedagogical model), may be best served by a single broader student learning goal. Once these foundations have been achieved, it may then be appropriate to focus on separate literacy and numeracy goals in subsequent strategic plans. Schools with sustained high performance in a given area can identify goals in other areas with greater opportunity for growth, or alternatively can specify a goal to maintain high performance in the area of strength, or to focus on a particular cohort or sub-area within it. For example, a school might look to a different area of learning or wellbeing, or, within an area of general high performance, focus improvement efforts on a priority cohort where data indicates there are opportunities for growth.

Things to avoid when developing goals

• Expressing goals as a statement saying ‘how’ you will improve (this would be your KIS)
• Focusing on improving leadership or teaching practice (this would be your KIS)

Example learning goals

• Improve student learning outcomes in numeracy
• Increase student learning growth in literacy

Example wellbeing goals

• Improve student wellbeing outcomes
• Strengthen the resilience of all students

Example combined learning and wellbeing goals

• Improve student retention and post-school destinations
• Improve students’ confidence as self-reliant learners

Targets

Targets are the measures of achievement of the goals.

General guidance for developing targets

• Targets measure the outcomes of all students.
• Targets should be developed using student data that will enable schools to meaningfully measure progress towards the student outcomes articulated in the goals.
• Targets may identify separate measures for specific cohorts of students where appropriate (that is, EAL, Koorie, PSD, at risk).
• Targets are expressed as a proportion of students (for example, X% of Year 7 students) and should include a baseline figure and a numerical target.
• Review panels should use multiple datasets to measure progress against each goal.
• Schools are encouraged to use the FISO 2.0 system measures where appropriate for their context, as these measures have been identified as having the largest impact on and correlation to positive learning and wellbeing outcomes.
• In addition to the standard data sets in Panorama, review panels may also utilise other data sets that support the school to track their progress towards their goals, including locally generated data.

The recommended process for developing targets

• Identify which data sources will most effectively measure progress towards the goals
• Consider which additional data sources can be used to triangulate progress (for example, including measures from NAPLAN data, Victorian Curriculum teacher judgements data and a learning-related factor from AtoSS to track improvements in student learning outcomes)
• Identify a baseline for each different measure which articulates where the school is now. This is expressed as a proportion of students or cohorts (for example, X% of Year 7 students)
• Identify an appropriate target which articulates what the school wants to achieve over the four-year period, expressed as a proportion of students. Panels should consider how percentages translate to the number of individual students in their cohort as well as the performance of similar schools
• If appropriate or needed given the school’s data, identify any priority cohorts who should be captured within targets and set sub-targets or separate targets for these cohorts

Tailoring targets for different school contexts

• Each goal should have 2 to 4 targets and draw on multiple data sets where possible. Medium to large schools should include at least 3 data sources to ensure they are able to triangulate and verify their data. It may be appropriate to include 2 targets per goal for small schools with challenging data contexts. Larger schools may include 4 targets per Goal to capture the breadth of their work.
• The data sets chosen for targets may vary between schools based on their context, the findings of their review, and their future directions for improvement.
• New schools may not have baseline data available when setting targets; in these instances it may be appropriate for schools to draw baseline figures from similar school performance.

Things to avoid when developing targets

• Expressing targets without a numerical figure (for example, ‘improve NAPLAN benchmark growth’, which lacks a baseline figure and target figure)
• Using phrases like ‘state average’ or ‘similar schools average’ as a target (for example, ‘will be at the same level as the stage average’). This should be avoided as state averages and similar school averages change each year. If schools wish to reference similar school or state averages, they should do this using a baseline figure drawn from that dataset, and then set their own target (for example, ‘increase NAPLAN above-level benchmark growth from 20% (2022 similar schools average) to 37%’)
• Using only one data source (for example, NAPLAN) for all targets in one goal. Multiple sources of data support schools to build a more accurate and holistic picture of progress towards a goal, as well as allowing schools to triangulate data so that they can verify their progress

Example targets

• By 2026, increase the proportion of students working at or above level against the Victorian Curriculum in Number and Algebra from ABC% (2022) to XYZ%
• By 2026, increase the percent positive responses score on AtoSS for Years 7–12 in the factors:
  • Resilience from ABC% (2022) to XYZ%
  • School connectedness from ABC% (2022) to XYZ%

3. How are we going to get there?

Once the panel has established the long-term goals for improvement, they identify how the school will reach these goals through changes in practices and processes across the school.

Key improvement strategies

Key improvement strategies (KIS) are the high-level strategies that the school will implement to achieve the goals and targets.

General guidance for developing KIS

• KIS are strategies that articulate ‘how’ the school will achieve their goal through changes to practice.
• KIS are aligned to one or more of the FISO 2.0 core elements and will be operationalised through the next 4 AIPs.
• They take between 2 and 4 years to complete.
• They are focused on strengthening leadership practices, teaching practices, or whole school processes.

The recommended process for developing KIS

• Using the FISO 2.0 core elements, discuss the areas of practice most in need of strengthening to improve the student outcomes articulated in the goal.
• Consider what the next logical step is for the school to move towards the level of excellence for each core element as articulated through the Illustrations of practice.
• List possible KIS in order of sequential implementation (for example, it may be necessary for the school to document the scope and sequence of the curriculum (Teaching and learning) prior to focusing on developing systems and processes to support the moderation of student work (Assessment)).
• Narrow down to 2 to 4 KIS that are achievable across the next 4 years per goal, with consideration to sequencing and impact.

Tailoring KIS for different school contexts

• Each goal typically has 2 to 4 KIS that the school will implement over the 4-year SSP. Smaller schools may choose to pursue 2 KIS while medium and larger schools may choose to pursue 3 or 4.
• Review panels may advise that some goals have more KIS than others, based on the level of practice change required and the resources a school will dedicate to each goal (for example, ‘improve student learning’ may require 4 KIS, while ‘improve student outcomes in STEM’ may require 2).

Things to avoid when developing KIS

• Articulating an action that will take less than 12 months (these can be captured in the AIP).
• Expressing a high-level outcomes statement which should be captured as a goal.

Example KIS

• Develop and embed a school-wide instructional model for numeracy (Teaching and learning)
• Embed a consistent approach to diagnostic, formative and summative assessment across all learning areas (Assessment)
• Develop and implement a whole-school approach to activating student voice and agency (Engagement, Teaching and learning)
• Strengthen inclusion through whole-school multi-tiered systems of support (Support and resources, Leadership)
• Build and maintain a safe and orderly learning environment (Leadership, Teaching and learning, Support and resources)

Overall example of a goal, targets and KIS

Goal

• Improve numeracy outcomes for all students

Targets

• By 2026, increase the proportion of students assessed as at or above benchmark growth in NAPLAN numeracy:
  • In Year 5 from 43% (2022) to 50%
  • In Year 3 from 48% (2022) to 52%
• By 2026, increase the proportion of F–6 students working at or above level against the Victorian Curriculum in Number and Algebra from 80% (2022) to 85%
• By 2026, increase the proportion of positive response scores on AtoSS across the school for the factor ‘differentiated learning’ from 55% (2022) to 72%

Key Improvement Strategies (KIS)

• Develop and embed a school-wide instructional model for numeracy (Teaching and learning)
• Strengthen teacher capacity to analyse and use numeracy data to inform differentiated learning (Assessment, Teaching and learning)
• Build and embed structures and roles that support staff collaboration, professional learning and collective efficacy for numeracy (Leadership, Teaching and learning)

Rationale for goal and associated KIS

An analysis of the school’s NAPLAN and Victorian Curriculum teacher judgements data identified a high proportion of students demonstrating low to medium growth in numeracy. Additionally, the school’s Panorama Report indicated lower growth compared to like-schools. Teacher and student focus groups identified challenges with differentiating for students requiring support or extension in Numeracy lessons. Numeracy was identified as an area of focus for the next SSP. As differentiation was highlighted as the root cause issue for the school’s decline in numeracy outcomes the first chosen KIS focuses on embedding a clear, consistent numeracy instructional model across the school. Once this model is established, the school will focus on improving teacher capacity to analyse data to ensure they are targeting students point of need through differentiated numeracy lessons.

How do key directions become the new SSP?

Once the school review report has been finalised, the key directions are entered into the Strategic Planning Online Tool (SPOT) on behalf of the school and form the draft SSP.

The draft SSP is shared with staff and the school community, promoting shared understanding and ownership of the review outcomes, including the goals, targets and KIS outlined in the key directions. As part of this process, the school has the opportunity to develop or revise its vision, values and intent.

Once finalised, the SSP, encompassing the updated vision, values and intent, and the goals, targets and KIS, is submitted by the principal, endorsed by the senior education improvement leader (SEIL), and endorsed by the school council president on behalf of the school council, in SPOT. This must be completed in the term following the school review.

Once endorsed by the SEIL in SPOT, the goals, targets and KIS articulated in the SSP cascade into AIPs over the next 4 years.

Where can I find out more?

For further information on developing key directions for the next School Strategic Plan, including advice on the use of data and adapting this guidance for specific contexts, visit the School Review Policy and Advisory Library (PAL) page on developing key directions.

Support

For support and advice relating to the key directions for the next School Strategic Plan, please contact the School Improvement Planning Unit: improvement.support@education.vic.gov.au

10. The School Review Report

Future-focused and evidence-based

The School Review Report is a documented overview of school review outcomes, outlining the findings and decisions of the School Review Panel. It draws on the evidence base about the school’s performance, assembled during both the school’s pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) and the review itself. It also draws on evidence about interventions that research demonstrates are effective in lifting outcomes for all students.

The Review Report serves as a valuable reference that informs practice and guides planning. It celebrates progress and acknowledges key challenges. It identifies specific opportunities to strengthen the school’s instructional core: student voice, agency and leadership, curriculum content and teaching practice.

The Review Report enables the school to navigate its improvement journey by establishing actionable, achievable, and ambitious directions for the next School Strategic Plan.

The public section of the Review Report provides a tangible output that can be shared with the school community. It enables the school community to understand the impetus behind the School Strategic Plan. The confidential section of the Review Report provides more detailed information that will assist the school with planning for its improvement journey.

Guidance for the next School Strategic Plan

The reviewer is responsible for drafting the Review Report following the School Review Panel Meeting (described in section 8 of these guidelines). The Review Report comprises a public section and a confidential section. The public section provides transparency for the school community. It reports on the school context and school highlights, and summarises key findings and directions for the next School Strategic Plan.

The confidential section examines the school’s achievements and challenges with reference to the current School Strategic Plan. It captures observations made during fieldwork and sets out the results from the Victorian Registration and Qualification Authority (VRQA) minimum standards for school registration check.

The confidential section is purposefully structured and written to assist the school to determine the content of the new School Strategic Plan, based on the directions identified by the panel, including goals, targets, and key improvement strategies (KIS).

Quality-assuring the School Review Report

Once the reviewer has drafted the Review Report, it is quality-assured and checked for accuracy by the principal and senior education improvement leader (SEIL). The SEIL’s approval is required before a draft version is declared final. A team in the Department’s Central Office quality-assures a sample of review reports.

The final version of the Review Report is uploaded to Sharepoint by the review company. Once approved by the SEIL (via a workflow email), the review company or reviewer forwards the final version to the principal.

Sharing the confidential section of the School Review Report

The principal presents the approved Review Report to staff and school council, with support from the SEIL, ensuring confidentiality requirements are understood and maintained.

The confidential section of the Review Report is shared, in hard copy only, with staff and school council members. There is a strict requirement that documents remain on school premises. Electronic copies are not made available.

For schools in the Transform school performance group, the reviewer attends a meeting of the school council to present Review Report findings.

Sharing the public section of the school review report

The Review Report forms the basis of the new School Strategic Plan.

After the new School Strategic Plan is endorsed, the public section of the Review Report is shared with the school community through publication on the school website together with the Plan.

11. Principal – roles and responsibilities

Your school review role and responsibilities

As school leader, the principal drives the review and school improvement process. The principal has a deep understanding of the school’s demographics, climate and culture of teaching and learning. That awareness, underpinned with a clear moral imperative, is pivotal to the school’s conduct of a comprehensive self-evaluation that acknowledges areas of success and challenge. In their position of leadership, the principal is the key agent of change who empowers staff, students, and the broader school community to achieve school excellence.

The principal’s list of key responsibilities is outlined on this page. Refer to section 4 of these guidelines for more details about:

1. How these tasks relate to the broader review process
2. The roles and responsibilities of all participants
3. Other tools and resources

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

School review participants

Collaboration characterises the school review. Every participant has a distinctive role and significant responsibilities to fulfil.

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

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

As below indicates, the principal is a core member of the School Review Panel.

Core School Review Panel members

The following Panel members have decision making powers:

• principal
• senior education improvement leader (SEIL)
• reviewers
• school council president.

These guideline sections detail the roles and responsibilities of the Panel.

• SEIL – section 12
• Reviewer – section 13
• School council president – section 14
• Challenge partners – section 15
• Students – section 16
• School improvement team (SIT) – section 17
• School staff and other community members – section 18

Tasks

Professional learning tasks

• Attend the school review professional learning program for principals and SEILs along with their SEIL. Dates are provided to the school through a direct email communication and updated on the school review intranet site
• Consider attending the professional learning on data literacy, in preparation for pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) and review process. These programs are repeated each term, with dates updated on the school review intranet site

Pre-review tasks

• Establish professional development plan (PDP) goals, actions and measures around school review, for inclusion in the PDP
• Establish a School Improvement Team if one is not in place and capture these roles and responsibilities as part of the PDP process. For example, identifying a staff member to coordinate the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) minimum standards for school registration documents
• Develop a communication plan to ensure staff and the school community are well informed of the PRSE, the review process and the action plan for community involvement

Tools and resources

• Complete your PDP in eduPay

Pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE)

The following tasks are completed in the term before your review:

• Lead the school’s PRSE in consultation with school community, with support from the SEIL and other regional staff as required
• Involve the school community in the PRSE and school review, and keep them informed of progress
• Complete the PRSE Report in the SPOT for SEIL and school council endorsement
• Collaborate with the SEIL to select 2 challenge partners
• Establish the School Review Panel – core members, challenge partners and school community members
• Inform all Panel members of their roles and responsibilities in the review process
• Provide all VRQA minimum standards check documentation to the reviewer electronically at least 4 weeks before validation day
• Provide the PRSE Report and other school performance data to core Panel members and challenge partners at least four weeks before Validation Day
• Organise the Preparation Meeting with the reviewer and the SEIL
• With the SEIL and the reviewer, schedule suitable dates for the base number of review days

Tools and resources

• Strategic Planning Online Tool (SPOT)
• Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) continua of practice
• Resource – VRQA registration requirements checklist (DOCX) (staff logn required)
• Template – Child Safe Standards school self-assessment (DOCX) (staff logn required)
• Resource – Guide to completing the pre-review self-evaluation report (DOCX) (staff logn required)
• Resource – PRSE primary exemplar (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – PRSE secondary exemplar (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – School performance data sets and reports

Preparation meeting with the SEIL and the reviewer, and planning for review

• Confirm challenge partners and discuss at which stages other Panel members will take part in the review – for example, students, school community, SIT
• Co-develop the agenda for Validation Day
• Co-develop a schedule for classroom observations/focus groups to be undertaken on Validation Day (engaging all core Panel members, challenge partners, and potentially school community members)
• Coordinate logistical arrangements for Validation Day, including meeting rooms, catering, timetabling for classroom observations/focus groups, and timetabling time out of classroom to enable participation by students, SIT, and other school community members

Tools and resources

• Resource – Roles and responsibilities for school review panel members (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – Guide for selecting challenge partners (XLSX) (staff login required)
• Resource – Probity and conflict of interest guidelines (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – Classroom observation and focus group schedule (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – School review report (includes terms of reference and methodology) (DOCX) (staff login required)

Tasks for during the review

Validation day

• Chair Validation Day (including welcomes, introductions, timekeeping)
• Actively take part as a core Panel member
• Take part in discussion of the school’s PRSE findings
• Engage in collaborative evaluation of the school’s performance against School Strategic Plan goals and targets
• Take part in classroom observations focusing on the instructional core of: student voice, agency and leadership, curriculum content and teaching practice, and share observations with core Panel members and challenge partners
• Take part in collective assessment of the school’s proficiency levels on the FISO Continua, focusing on the six High-impact Initiatives, recording this in SPOT
• Co-determine any additional days for review, and schedule the days, recording the number of additional days in SPOT
• Contribute to developing terms of reference (ToR) focus questions and methodology to guide following review days, recording this information in SPOT
• Make required logistical arrangements as soon as any additional review days are scheduled

Fieldwork and final Panel meeting

• Take part in in fieldwork as determined in the review methodology – at times it may not be appropriate for the principal to participate in some fieldwork activities (for example, focus groups)
• Take part in the Panel meeting and contribute to the final collective assessment of the school’s proficiency levels against the Continua
• Contribute to collaborative development of goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS) for the next School Strategic Plan, for endorsement by the panel
• Meet with reviewer and SEIL to discuss findings from the VRQA minimum standards check

Tools and resources

• Template – Validation Day agenda (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – Validation Day questions (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – School Review Report (DOCX) (staff login required) (includes terms of reference and methodology)
• Template – Classroom observation and focus group schedule (DOCX) (staff login required)

Post-review tasks

• Collaborate with the SEIL to quality-assure the Review Report, using the quality assurance checklist for SEILs
• Complete the post-review survey via Survey Monkey
• Transform schools: chair staff meeting at which Review Report is presented by reviewer
• Recharge, renew, influence, stretch and not grouped schools: present the findings of the Review Report to school staff and the school council, with support from the SEIL
• Prepare the school’s four-year School Strategic Plan in collaboration with the school community, and record this in SPOT for endorsement by the SEIL and school council
• Discuss with SEIL and school council any changes proposed for the School Strategic Plan where they differ from key directions agreed on by the Panel

Tools and resources

• Template – School Review Report (DOCX) (staff login required) (includes terms of reference and methodology)
• Resource – Quality assurance checklist (XLSX) (staff login required)

Good review practice

Good review practice is demonstrated when the principal:

• brings moral leadership to the role. This is evident through their actions, affirming their personal integrity, transparency, and a genuine commitment to a rigorous review process
• ensures the school and its community members feel they are at the heart of school improvement
• promotes the view that a rigorous PRSE conducted by the school can lead to sustainable school improvement
• ensures the PRSE methodology supports the whole school community to contribute to a reflective dialogue that serves two primary functions:
  • a shared understanding of how well the school performed over the course of the School Strategic Plan
  • to arrive at a shared understanding of where the school is placed on the FISO Continua of Practice for School Improvement
• attends professional learning and becomes familiar with the available tools and resources prior to commencing the review
• supports all review participants to work cooperatively and collaboratively, and to feel empowered by their efforts
• builds relational trust by genuinely listening to panel members, taking all views into account
• shares their understanding of the school’s demographics, culture, unique strengths, and identified challenges and barriers to achievement
• leads the school and its community in its PRSE, ensuring objectivity, transparency and broad engagement underpin the process.

12. Senior education improvement leader – roles and responsibilities

School review roles and responsibilities

Senior education improvement leaders (SEILs) work as a core member of the panel alongside the principal, reviewer, and school council president. They broker and develop relationships that link educational experts, agencies and businesses who have an interest in greater student outcomes. They cultivate these connections by facilitating channels of communication and strengthen them to enable information to be shared openly.

Their role is to encourage respectful engagement and promote broad participation. SEILs are to develop a culture of trust and transparency and to ensure that the voices of all Panel members are heard. They help network members to challenge and improve performance and check that the school implements the review process in accordance with these guidelines. SEILs have a central purpose in guiding and supporting schools to set ambitious goals, and to put in place workable plans to achieve them.

SEILs have deep knowledge of the new school review model and act as a conduit between the department, schools, and their communities. SEILs facilitate a reciprocal flow of information and feedback to assist schools in achieving their outcomes. The SEIL’s key tasks are listed in this section.

For more detail about how these tasks relate to the wider 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 review process (DOCX) (staff login required).

School review roles 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, 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 School Review Panel Members.

As the model below indicates, the SEIL is a core Panel member.

Core School Review Panel members

The following Panel members have decision making powers:

• principal
• SEIL
• reviewers
• school council president.

These guideline sections detail the roles and responsibilities of the Panel:

• Principal – section 11
• Reviewer – section 13
• School council president – section 14
• Challenge partners – section 15
• Students – section 16
• School improvement team (SIT) – section 17
• School staff and other community members – section 18

Tasks

Professional learning tasks

• Attend the school review professional learning program for principals and SEILs along with their review school principals
• Encourage schools participating in review to attend the professional learning on Data Literacy for Schools available through Bastow. These programs are repeated each term, with dates updated on the school review intranet site

Pre-review tasks

• Provide advice and support to the school to guide the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE)
• Endorse the PRSE Report through SPOT
• Collaborate with the principal to establish the School Review Panel, including core Panel members, challenge partners and school community members
• Contact central office for advice if any review participants have any concerns or perceived, potential or actual conflicts of interest with the allocated reviewer.
• Ensure deep knowledge of the school’s PRSE, other data and contextual considerations
• Act as a conduit/mediator between the school and the department
• Ensure a coherent approach and foster positive perceptions of review process

Tools and resources:

• School Strategic Plan in SPOT
• Annual Implementation Plans in SPOT
• Continua of Practice for School Improvement (staff login required)
• VRQA registration requirements checklist (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – Child Safe Standards school self-assessment (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – Pre-review self-evaluation report in SPOT
• Pre-review self-evaluation guide (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – PRSE Primary exemplar (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – PRSE Secondary exemplar (DOCX) (staff login required)
• School performance data sets and reports

Preparation meeting tasks

• Complete these tasks at the school with the reviewer and the principal
• Confirm the key role and responsibilities of the SEIL in school review process (as a collaborator in review process)
• Co-develop a schedule for the classroom observations/focus groups to be undertaken on Validation Day (engaging all core Panel members, challenge partners, and potentially school community members)
• Co-develop an agenda for Validation Day

Tools and resources:

• Roles and responsibilities for School Review Panel members (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Guide for selecting challenge partners (XLSX) (staff login required)
• Probity and conflict of interest guidelines (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – Classroom observation and focus group schedule (DOCX) (staff login required)

Tasks for during the review

Validation day

• Actively participate as part of the core School Review Panel
• Engage in the collaborative evaluation of performance against the School Strategic Plan goals and targets
• Take part in classroom observations focusing on: teaching practice, student voice and curriculum – report to core School Review Panel on observations
• Take part in collaborative validation of the school’s self-evaluation against the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Continua
• Co-determine any additional days for the review, and schedule the days
• Contribute to developing the review’s terms of reference (ToR) focus questions and methodology

Fieldwork and final Panel meeting

• Where required, take part in fieldwork as determined in the methodology
• Contribute to the final validation of the school’s rating against the FISO Continua
• Report to members of the core School Review Panel on the findings of any fieldwork that was undertaken
• Contribute to the collaborative review of fieldwork outcomes
• Contribute to the collaborative development of goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS) for the next School Strategic Plan for endorsement by the panel
• Meet with the reviewer and principal to discuss the findings from the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) minimum standards check

Tools and resources:

• Template – Validation Day agenda (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – Validation Day questions (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – School Review Report (includes terms of reference and methodology) (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Review day calculator in SPOT
• Template – Classroom observation and focus group schedule (DOCX)

Post-review tasks

• Quality assure the draft Review Report in collaboration with the principal
• Return feedback to the reviewer within five days via email with track changes to the Report and any additional feedback
• Approve the final draft of Review Report via the workflow approval email
• Complete post-review survey via Survey Monkey
• Transform schools: attend the staff and school council meetings where the Report is presented and provide an overview of what happens next
• Recharge, renew, influence, stretch and no group schools: support the principal in presenting the Report to the staff and school council, as needed
• Provide feedback and approve the school’s four-year strategic plan
• Provide feedback on the School Strategic Plan including discussion and validation of any changes to the panel key directions for the School Strategic Plan

Tools and resources:

• Template – School Review Report (includes terms of reference and methodology) (DOCX)
• Resource – Quality assurance checklist (DOCX)
• School strategic plan in SPOT

Good review practice

Good review practice is demonstrated when the SEIL:

• fosters respectful engagement with the school review
• highlights the proposed outcomes for schools and communities
• cultivates state-wide consistency in the school review process
• checks that the school implements the review process in accordance with the guidelines
• encourages participation and ensures all Panel members are heard
• models their role as a collaborator in the school review process
• guides school review practice with a deep knowledge of the review model’s purpose, processes, and place in the FISO Improvement Cycle
• is an active and engaged participant in all stages of the school review
• engages with the School Review Panel through professional, supportive, and appropriately challenging discussions
• collaborates to develop aspirational, realistic, and measurable goals and targets for the School Strategic Plan.

13. Reviewer – roles and responsibilities

Your school review role and responsibilities

The role of the school reviewer involves the provision of an objective, consistent and reliable view of the school’s performance against its School Strategic Plan goals and targets. The reviewer, a core member of the Panel, facilitates the decision-making process and assists schools in constructing new goals and targets. The reviewer brings a diagnostic lens to schools’ performance and practices which informs next steps in the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Improvement Cycle. The reviewer acts as a ‘mediating layer’, using their training and experience to align school improvement with department initiatives and targets.

The reviewer’s role starts with the examination of the school’s Pre-review Self-evaluation (PRSE) Report, and other data and information provided to them by the school. By exploring the data and evidence, the reviewer prepares a response to the school’s PRSE that they present to the Panel on Validation Day. The reviewer’s response may include a presentation of their insights gleaned from the school’s data and information, questions or ‘wonderings’ associated with achievement outcomes, and the school’s views of any enablers or barriers to achieving successful student outcomes.

The reviewer also ensures that legislative requirements are met by undertaking a check against the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) minimum standards for school registration, including the Child Safe Standards. The reviewer checks school policies and self-assessment documents before the review and then observes how the school’s policies and procedures are operationalised during the fieldwork. This aims to assure the school community that whatever their personal or family circumstances and choice of school, students will have access to a high-quality education. The reviewer’s role is to facilitate the review, ensuring that all panel members are fully engaged in the process and that there are no dominating voices, views or opinions.

They facilitate classroom observations and focus groups and bring the panel together to share their findings. Reviewers are tasked with capturing and synthesising the observations and views of the Panel. They then present the findings back to the school and regional and central offices in the form of a Review Report. This involves the reviewer competently triangulating a range of views, data and evidence to come to clear findings. The reviewer also feeds back information about the review through surveys and direct communication lines.

Listed below are reviewer’s key tasks. For more detail about how these tasks relate to the wider review process and the roles and responsibilities of all participants in the review, refer to section 4 of these guidelines, and other tools and resources listed throughout. You can also download an A3 printable checklist for the review process (DOCX).

School review participants

Collaboration characterises school review. Every participant has a distinctive role and significant responsibilities to fulfil. A constructive and transparent school review; welcomes ideas from all school community members, listens to and reflects on varying opinions, and relies on inclusive engagement and accountability.

Section 4 of these guidelines provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities for all school review panel members. As the model below indicates, the reviewer is a core member of the panel.

Core School Review Panel members

The following Panel members have decision making powers:

• principal
• senior education improvement leader (SEIL)
• reviewers
• school council president.

These guideline sections detail the roles and responsibilities of the Panel.

• Principal – section 11
• SEIL - section 12
• School council president – section 14
• Challenge partners – section 15
• Students – section 16
• School improvement team (SIT) – section 17
• School staff and other community members – section 18

Tasks

Professional learning tasks

• Attend the school reviewer training program as communicated through the lead contractor of their company

Pre-review tasks

• Make initial contact with the principal to commence preparation for the review
• Ensure they have no conflict of interest with the school’s principal or SEIL
• Analyse the PRSE Report and other data
• Prepare a presentation on school data
• Start the check of minimum standards for school registration documentation (policies and procedures) as a desktop audit

Tools and resources:

• School Strategic Plan in SPOT
• Annual Implementation Plans in SPOT
• Continua of Practice for School Improvement
• VRQA registration requirements checklist (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – Child Safe Standards school self-assessment (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – Pre-review self-evaluation report in SPOT
• Pre-review self-evaluation guide (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – PRSE primary exemplar (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – PRSE secondary exemplar (DOCX) (staff login required)
• School performance data sets and reports (staff login required)

Preparation meeting with SEIL and reviewer and planning for review

• Attend the Preparation Meeting as scheduled by the principal
• Confirm the key role and responsibilities of the independent reviewer
• Co-develop the agenda for Validation Day
• Co-develop a schedule for classroom observations/focus groups to be undertaken on Validation Day (engaging all core members of the Panel, challenge partners, and potentially school community members)
• Co-develop questions for classroom observations/focus groups (using resources provided)
• Meet to discuss the initial findings of the minimum standards for school registration policy check
• Distribute the agenda and classroom observation schedule to all Panel members

Tools and resources:

• Roles and responsibilities for School Review Panel members (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Guide for selecting challenge partners (XLSX) (staff login required)
• Probity and conflict of interest guidelines (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – Classroom observation and focus group schedule (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – School Review Report (includes terms of reference and methodology) (DOCX) (staff login required)

Tasks for during the review

Validation Day

• Facilitate Validation Day (including involving and encouraging contribution from panel members, lead discussions and record discussions/outcomes)
• Commence minimum standards for school registration implementation observation
• Present a summary of school data to the Panel (additional analysis, observations)
• Facilitate the collaborative evaluation of performance against School Strategic Plan goals and targets
• Test the PRSE ‘focus on evidence’ through classroom observations/focus groups, concentrating on: student voice, leadership and agency curriculum content and teaching practice
• Facilitate collaborative validation of school’s self-evaluation against the FISO Continua
• Co-determine and schedule any additional days for the review
• Facilitate development of terms of reference (ToR) focus questions and methodology for the review
• Develop – with input from the Panel – supporting documents for fieldwork, such as questions for focus groups

Fieldwork and final Panel meeting

• Continue to observe how the school’s policies and processes related to the minimum standards for school registration are implemented
• Undertake fieldwork as defined in methodology
• If the review team is larger than one reviewer, the lead reviewer coordinates additional reviewers and fieldwork
• Facilitate the final validation of the school’s rating on the FISO Continua
• Facilitate feedback from, and report back on fieldwork to, core Panel members
• Facilitate the collaborative development of goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS) for the next School Strategic Plan with core Panel members
• By the end of the review, complete the minimum standards for school registration check and meet with the principal and SEIL to discuss the findings
• Meet with the SEIL and principal to discuss the minimum standards for school registration check result and sign-off checklist

Tools and resources:

• Template – Validation Day agenda (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – Validation Day questions (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – School Review Report (includes terms of reference and methodology) (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Review day calculator in SPOT (staff login required)
• Template – Classroom observation and focus group schedule (DOCX) (staff login required)

Post-review tasks

• Draft the Review Report using the department template and guidelines
• Integrate feedback from quality assurance if required, and finalise the Report
• Once report is approved by the SEIL (a workflow email will be received by the review company), distribute the Review Report to principal and SEIL
• Complete post-review survey via Survey Monkey
• Transform schools: present the final approved Report to staff and school council, and engage in discussion about the Report

Tools and resources:

• Template – School Review Report resource – quality assurance checklist (XLSX)

Good review practice

Good review practice is demonstrated when the reviewer:

• understands, plans for, and models their role as a facilitator of the review process
• ensures the desktop audit of the school’s policies and processes related to the minimum standards for school registration is completed prior to validation day
• brings an independent, objective and diagnostic lens to the school’s performance, processes and practices
• deeply engages with the school’s PRSE Report in order to make meaningful contributions in Panel discussions
• facilitates a rigorous and insightful process that complements the school’s PRSE
• engages all Panel members in the review process and ensures no voices dominate
• triangulates a range of views, data and evidence to come to clear findings that will guide and inform the review process
• facilitates a collaborative validation process, sharing of findings and decision-making
• facilitates more detailed discussion and analysis about challenges that may be affecting the school’s performance and what factors may be acting as barriers to achievement
• provides a high-quality School Review Report that reflects the Panel’s findings, and makes ambitious and workable recommendations for the next School Strategic Plan.

14. School council president – roles and responsibilities

Your school review role and responsibilities

The school council president is the elected representative of the school community. They act as a critical change agent in engaging the school and community in a common purpose and validating the change required to improve school performance. The school council president guides policy development and ensures the school meets compliance obligations.

During the review, the school council president contributes the voice of the community, offering insights into the school’s unique interests and needs. As a member of the core School Review Panel, the school council president has collaborative decision-making responsibilities.

The key tasks of the school council president are on the following pages of this section. For more detail about how these tasks relate to the wider 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 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, 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 School Review Panel members.

As the model below indicates, the school council president is a core Panel member.

Core School Review Panel members

The following Panel members have decision making powers:

• principal
• senior education improvement leader (SEIL)
• reviewers
• school council president.

These guideline sections detail the roles and responsibilities of the Panel.

• Principal – section 11
• SEIL – section 12
• Reviewer – section 13
• Challenge partners – section 15
• Students – section 16
• School Improvement Team (SIT) – section 17
• School staff and other community members – section 18

Tasks

Pre-review tasks

• Determine which days you can attend the review – organise and brief an alternate school council representative when it is not possible for you to attend
• Take part in the school’s pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) activities
• Familiarise yourself with the PRSE Report and any other school data and evidence provided, identifying any questions, wonderings and highlights
• Ensure no conflict of interest exists with the allocated reviewer
• Endorse the PRSE Report in the Strategic Planning Online Tool (SPOT)

Tools and resources:

• Probity and conflict of interest guidelines (DOCX) (staff login required)

Validation Day tasks

• Actively take part as part of the core Panel
• Take part in classroom observations focusing on student voice, agency and leadership, curriculum content and teaching practice. Report these observations to the core Panel
• Engage in a collaborative evaluation of performance against the School Strategic Plan goals and targets
• Take part in a collaborative validation of the school’s self-assessment against the FISO Continua
• Co-determine any additional days for review
• Contribute to developing terms of reference (ToR) focus questions and methodology for the review

Fieldwork and final panel meeting tasks

• Take part in fieldwork as determined in the school review methodology
• Contribute to the final collective assessment of the school’s proficiency level against the FISO Continua
• Contribute to collaboratively developing goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS) for the next School Strategic Plan

Tools and resources:

• Template – Validation Day agenda resource – Validation Day questions (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – School Review Report (includes terms of reference and methodology) (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – Classroom observation and focus group schedule (DOCX) (staff login required)

Post review tasks

• Complete the post-review survey via Survey Monkey
• Attend the presentation of the Review Report to school council, and support school council members to understand the review outcomes
• Take part in developing the School Strategic Plan, including engaging with the school community

Tools and resources:

• School Strategic Plan in SPOT

Good review practice

Good review practice is demonstrated when the school council president understands the importance of their role in the school review and that it comprises:

• an assessment against legislative requirements
• an assessment of the school’s performance against the School Strategic Plan goals and targets
• development of new school improvement directions.

Good review practice is also demonstrated when the school council president:

• is familiar with tools and resources that build knowledge and capacity for a productive school review
• contributes and engages collaboratively in Panel discussions and related activities
• ensures a school council representative is identified to support the school review if the school council president is unable to attend
• understands the need to respect confidentiality about some issues that arise within the school review process
• offers objective insights into the school from a school council and community perspective
• encourages school community members to actively engage with and participate in school review opportunities open to them
• works collaboratively through the Panel to promote a shared vision for school’s continuing improvement journey.

15. Challenge partners – roles and responsibilities

Your school review roles and responsibilities

Challenge partners are external professionals who provide impartial and invaluable support throughout the review process. They work collaboratively with other members of the panel to bring another perspective to discussions around the school’s data and practices, and take part in fieldwork. This includes classroom observations and focus groups.

Based on their experience and expertise, challenge partners advise the school on strategies to embed improved cultures for learning. They share knowledge and advice which directly assists the school to initiate improvement.

Challenge partner selection

The principal and senior education improvement leader (SEIL) select 2 challenge partners for the review. Their experience or expertise is matched to assist the school’s unique improvement journey. Principals and SEILs consider their selection from a broad range of challenge partners from the government, Catholic and independent school sectors, and from the broader community.

They may consider approaching:

• principals
• representatives from external or representative bodies, such as principals associations and unions
• members of relevant community agencies, businesses, or other education partners
• regional or central office staff from the department, such as members of regional multidisciplinary teams
• community leaders or specialists from outside the education community.

Challenge partner professional learning

Those wishing to be challenge partners for more than one school should attend professional learning which prepares them for their unique role and responsibilities. Participants are accredited as challenge partners in school reviews after completing the professional learning. Their profiles, contact details and specialist expertise can be provided to principals and SEILs for their consideration in selecting challenge partners.

The challenge partners’ main tasks are outlined in 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 and other tools and resources listed throughout. An A3 printable checklist for the review process can also be downloaded (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, 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 School Review Panel members

Core School Review Panel members

Challenge partners are members who add value through expertise and challenge. Two challenge partners are used in the review process.

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

• Principal – section 11
• SEIL – section 12
• Reviewer – section 13
• School council president – section 14
• Students – section 16
• School Improvement Team – section 17
• School staff and other community members – section 18

Tasks

Professional learning tasks

• Attend the school review professional learning program for challenge partners
• Develop a short challenge partner bio, if interested in being selected for other challenge partner roles

Tools and resources

• Roles and responsibilities for School Review Panel members (DOCX) (staff login required)

Pre-review tasks

• Familiarise yourself with the expectations of the challenge partner role and related responsibilities, and ensure you have the capacity to fully commit
• Analyse the school’s Pre-review Self-evaluation (PRSE) Report and other school data to test school performance against previous School Strategic Plan goals and targets

Tools and resources

• Template – Validation Day agenda (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Resource – Validation Day questions (DOCX) (staff login required)
• Template – Classroom observation and focus group scheduls (DOCX) (staff login required)

Tasks for during the review

Validation Day

• Actively participate in identified Validation Day actions
• Actively participate as part of the Panel
• Take part in classroom observations focusing on student voice, agency and leadership, curriculum content and teaching practice. Report back observations to core members of the Panel
• Take part in fieldwork as determined in methodology (nature and extent is determined by length and focus of review)
• Contribute to developing review terms of reference (ToR) focus questions and methodology
• Contribute collaboratively throughout the review to develop goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS) for the next School Strategic Plan

Post-review tasks

• Check the Review Report for accuracy
• Complete the post-review survey via Survey Monkey

Good review practice

Good review practice is demonstrated when challenge partners:

• undertake professional learning for challenge partners to ensure they have the knowledge, skills and capacity to effectively carry out the role and responsibilities
• work collaboratively through the Panel to promote a shared vision for school’s continuing improvement journey
• bring challenge to the process through critical inquiry and exploring evidence about the school’s performance
• offer detailed questioning about, and actively take part in, investigating the school’s performance outcomes
• value-add to the review process by openly offering their own professional experience and expert knowledge
• understand and respect the need for confidentiality.

16. Students – roles and responsibilities

Role and responsibilities of students in school review

Student role

Students play an essential role in their school’s improvement journey and are an integral component of the review. The review captures their importance through 4 touch-points. They have unique perspectives on learning, teaching and schooling, and through the school review process, actively contribute to the school’s improvement agenda. When student views, concerns and ideas are included in the decision-making processes they are more likely to feel they are significant contributors to school improvement.

Authentic adult-student partnerships build school and community cultures that value collaborative practice. These connections build a strong sense of belonging and significance for every student and successfully engage learners in mutually beneficial ways. Exploring the level and impact of student voice, agency and leadership as an authentic role in the review process is therefore critical to achieving shared experience for all participants.

Developing a culture that embraces adult-student partnerships involves a whole school community approach. School principals play a key role in promoting and embedding this collaborative culture. Student voice and participation ‘are threaded through the daily interactions and communications of school life and reflect a coherent and widely particular supported set of values and principles’xxiii

It is anticipated that individual students, the school council student representatives in secondary schools, student voice teams and/or student representative bodies will take part in the review process by sharing views, experiences and insights about their school to influence change.

A clear link should be established between the school’s approach to student voice and the School Improvement Team (SIT). The SIT can support this process with, and for, their students by identifying where the school sees itself against the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Continua of Practice: empowering students and building school pride and structure student involvement accordingly.

The level and type of student involvement, at each of the 4 school review touch-points, is likely to vary across primary, secondary and specialist school settings. These considerations may lead to the implementation of capacity building activities for school staff and students to ensure the best possible outcomes are embraced.

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
• listens to and reflects on varying opinions
• relies on inclusive engagement and accountability.

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

Core School Review Panel members

Students are recognised as important contributors to the School Review Panel. School community members provide input at designated touchpoints and include:

• students
• the SIT
• other community members

Details about other panel members’ roles and responsibilities are 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
• SIT – section 17
• School staff and other community members – section 18

Tasks

The following tasks outline a range of opportunities for individual students, members of a student voice team or a representative group:

Pre-review tasks

• Actively take part in sharing experience and insights associated with student voice, agency and leadership
• Take part in the school’s pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) activities as determined

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

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

• Complete the post-review survey
• Contribute to the development of the School Strategic Plan, appropriate to level of experience and involvement in student voice, agency and leadership

Good review practice

Good review practice for students is demonstrated when:

• the school implements formal and informal processes for staff and students to collaborate on school planning and improvement
• the SIT is actively involved in planning with, and for, students throughout the review process
• students and adults appreciate and understand the importance of shared decision-making
• students have a real sense of belonging and significance and feel empowered to influence change
• teachers understand the significance of student voice and apply this knowledge to their teaching practices
• teacher conversations with students build a sense of trust and mutual respect
• teachers ensure that some student voices are not inhibited by other dominating voices
• students can generate meaningful discussions on behalf of those students whose voices are less likely to be heard, who are disengaged or who lack the skills and confidence to express views and opinions
• student focus groups are representative of the school’s diversity to capture broad views and experiences.

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.

18. School staff and other community members – roles and responsibilities

Your school review role and responsibilities

Effective schools establish links and build relationships with a broad range of people and organisations to expand opportunities to improve student outcomes. The school creates opportunities for inclusive engagements to occur across the school and its school community.

Parents and carers, community-based organisations, professional bodies, local employers, and other community members are encouraged to take part in the school review process. School staff should also be involved – staff participation should not be limited to members of the School Improvement Team (SIT).

School staff and community members may contribute to their school’s review process in a variety of ways. They may assist with the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE) by contributing to focus groups which provide the Panel with valuable information about the school’s practice and performance from a community perspective.

Key tasks allocated to, or shared with, school staff and school community members are listed in this section. For more detail about how these tasks relate to the wider school review, 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 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, 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

School community members are important contributors to the Panel. They provide input at designated touchpoints and include:

• students
• the SIT
• other community members.

Tasks

Pre-review tasks

• Remain well informed about the school review through various school communication channels available to school and community members
• Consider volunteering to support the school review through involvement in focus groups and other activities during the PRSE process

Tasks for during the review

Fieldwork and Panel time

• Consider taking part in focus groups and other activities occurring on the review fieldwork days
• Keep abreast of the school review and follow-up with the school on any items you would like to know more about

Post-review tasks

• Keep informed on the school’s new directions and consider how you can become more involved in the school’s improvement journey

Good review practice

Good review practice is demonstrated when school staff and community members:

• understand the importance of family/school partnerships and welcome opportunities for collaborative involvement in school review
• are well informed about their school’s improvement journey by reading and engaging with school communications and broadening their understanding by consulting other sources such as educational articles
• actively participate in the school’s PRSE
• encourage and support children/students to participate by sharing their voice during the review process
• share with other community members the learning and insights they gain from the review process, and encourage other community members to become involved in the process
• remain engaged with the review process from the PRSE stage through to post-review activity.

Appendices

A. The Continua of Practice for School Improvement

The Continua of Practice for School Improvement (the Continua) is designed to assist principals and teachers to identify areas of practice that require attention in order to deliver improved student outcomes.

The Continua assists principals and teachers to:

• use evidence and observations to self-assess their current practice
• locate their performance on an improvement-focused continuum
• understand what improved practice looks like
• develop a shared language for describing educational practice
• engage in conversations about improving professional practice.

Each continuum describes a range of practices across four proficiency levels (Emerging, Evolving, Embedding, Excelling).

Relationship of the Continua of Practice to the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO) Improvement Model

Identifying current levels of proficiency and identifying the practices and behaviours of the next level, allows schools to strategically plan for improving student outcomes. Being able to see progress along a continuum also helps to support change in teaching practice by articulating both the subtle and more significant differences required to achieve genuine change.

The FISO Improvement Model provides a common language for school improvement across the Victorian government school system. It is structured around four statewide priorities that are proven to have a strong bearing on the effectiveness of a school. The model then goes on to describe sixteen domains.

The Continua of Practice is integral to school self-evaluation at both the six-month and twelve-month stages when monitoring the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP). Then, through a deeper dive, the Continua are vital to the pre-review self-evaluation, the quadrennial school review and the identification and selection of initiatives that align with the goals, targets and key improvement strategies (KIS) for the next School Strategic Plan.

There are areas of overlap between the FISO dimensions and the evidence base behind them – this is common to the nature of school improvement, and this overlap is also apparent in the Continua. Schools can engage intensively with the Continua relevant to their particular area/s of focus for each year. They can also use the other Continua to understand their practices more broadly, track status and progress, and avoid a decline in performance across the set of dimensions that schools consider when planning and monitoring improvement.

B. School performance data

School leaders can access information on their school’s performance from 2 sources:

1. the School Performance Reports website
2. the School Information Portal

These websites are a central access point for school data and are available to the principal class and authorised regional and central staff only.

The School Performance Reports website contains reports that will be used during the pre-review self-evaluation, and must be provided to the School Review Panel as part of the validation of the school’s pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE). The reports required are:

• Parent opinion survey report
• Student attitudes to school survey (AtoSS) report
• Panorama supplementary school level report
• The School Performance report – from 2017 onwards.

The School Information Portal contains data sets on information provided in the reports above. It also includes additional information that can also be referred to when developing the school’s PRSE. These include:

• the school's enrolment and projection figures
• the school summary report and school profile
• Student Family Occupation (SFO)
• Victorian Curriculum F–10
• Attendance, school staff survey results and other data sets.

More information

School performance information

Resources

Developing key directions for the next School Strategic Plan (DOCX)