Raising Student Achievement

Raising Student Achievement Through Targeted Actions

ERO produced a report at the end of 2015 which outlined for teachers (and school leaders) insights into effectively creating targets to accelerate students learning.  

This document represents a substantive analysis into what specific actions school leaders are taking to review the impact initiatives are having upon student progress.  The material specifically challenges management to justify their choices around measurable gains.  

I found this report to be extremely useful as it works through multiple aspects of education from BOT (governance level), through leadership, teacher and students/parents.  Many of the findings of the reports used case examples to juxtaposition success variations of strategies on less successful attempts.  

The importance of data is evident throughout this report.  The authors emphasising that schools are most likely to have the correct initiative/ideas in mind when planning change.  But often the success of these initiatives/ideas is inhibited by some simple failings.  The use of quality data (and by default reports) is a primary focus.  ERO challenges schools to strive to build up the capacity within staff for making improvements.  "The most significant difference between schools that succeeded and less successful schools was the explicit commitment to both equity and excellence." (p.36) 

This post is related to RTC #6. "Conceptualise, plan and implement an appropriate learning programme - i. articulate clearly the aims of their teaching, give sound professional reasons for adopting these aims, and implement them in their practice."  And ERO's School Evaluation Indicators Domain 2 Leadership of conditions for equity and excellence - "Leadership build capability and collective capacity in evaluation and inquiry for sustained improvement and innovation."