We are very pleased with the Review Report received last week. This highlights many significant achievements over the last four years and sets the school’s agenda for the next four years. The report includes the following comments:
“The review found that NAPLAN results at Year 5 achieved sustained improvement across all domains measured, with the improvement in Reading being the strongest.”
“ … in 2016 there had been clear improvement in the percentage of students making 1 year of learning growth in 12 months of learning, across Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening and Mathematics.”
“Over the period of review the school reduced the average number of absence days at all year levels Prep – Year 6. The tracking and recording of absences was improved and streamlined by the use of an electronic platform.”
“ … improved outcomes had occurred in both School Connectedness and Connectedness to Peers. DPS’s score on these measures exceeded that of the state and the region in 2016.”
Overall the report recognises that the school has made significant improvements in both the children’s academic learning and their well being. There is of course further work to be done to reach the highly aspirational standards we set. The main aspects of our work over the next four years will focus on:
1) Ensuring that the excellent teaching and learning available in most parts of the school is embedded consistently in all parts of the school.
2) Ensuring the highest attaining children fulfil their potential as much as the other children.
3) Ensuring children have a greater say in the direction of their learning and parents are better engaged in the educational partnership.
I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the staff, wonderfully supported by our School Council in making sure that we delivered the ambitious targets set during the last four years. Creating change is not an easy road to travel, but the staff have stuck to the task and made Drysdale Primary School an even better school. We are excited to be setting out on a new journey over the next four years.
I would also like to thank the parent community for standing alongside their children as co-educators. There is a strict limit to what we can achieve as educators without a good parental partnership. We have had amazing support from so many families and through consistent encouragement and positive feedback.
The reports from these reviews are now made public. Ours can be accessed on this website by following this link – http://www.drysdaleps.vic.edu.au/?page_id=10661