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Leading Schools Fund Project

School Profile

Portland is a coastal town of approximately 10,000 people situated about 4 hours from Melbourne towards the South Australian border. Nearby secondary schools include Bayview College (private - 245 students)) and Heywood & District Secondary College (220 students); and a further 10 primary schools make up the local Portland Network.

Portland SC is a forward thinking visionary state secondary school set in a bushland setting, catering for approximately 740 students. Demographically we are a growing school (2003 - 718, 2004 - 737 and 2005 - 760) as a result of a growing town population and an increasing percentage of year 7 students choosing our school.

Its mission statement is to develop each student socially, physically and academically, in a safe, caring yet challenging environment. Despite its rural isolation the College's dedicated staff provide a wide range of special co-curricular programs that support and extend all students. A wide range of studies is offered at VCE level including VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning).

Portland SC places a strong emphasis on welfare and well being of its school community with excellent pastoral care and mentoring programs established. A sub-school structure, consisting of 7/8, 9/10 & VCE groupings, provides the basis for student management with pastoral care / form co-ordinators in place for all year 7-10 classes and mentors for all VCE students. Student management is based on clear expectations, consistency and the development of self-discipline skills in students.

The College Council works hard to improve school grounds and facilities located in permanent buildings. To date new facilities have been provided for Library, Gymnasium, Drama, Technology, Arts, Science and Home Economics.

Portland Secondary College is, we believe, already a "Quality School" and accordingly we are confident of successfully achieving the objectives of the Leading Schools Fund. In reflecting against the following characteristics of quality schools we can demonstrate significant outcomes:

At Portland Secondary College our ongoing staff development in professional learning teams (PLT's) over the last twelve years has focused on improving classroom teaching and learning. Our staff have a wealth of experience in educational innovation and are skilled / knowledgeable in the areas of Bloom's taxonomies, Gardiner's multiple intelligences, co-operative learning, use of IT, student learning behaviours (PEEL - Project for the Enhancement of Effective Learning (Monash University)), literacy / numeracy, unit writing, independent learning, strategies for boys education etc.

Staff have been involved in four comprehensive funded research projects with Monash and Deakin Universities and the University of South Australia. All three projects involved staff researching questions, collecting / analysing data, developing teaching and learning strategies, reflecting on shared experiences, writing /commentaries vignettes, sharing outcomes with wider groups, and publishing outcomes.

At Portland Secondary College our staff survey results confirm:
- a very high level of staff mutual trust, sharing and support;
- our school leadership is seen as being highly supportive;
- all other aspects of the staff survey (morale, goal congruence and professional growth) also rated very highly against benchmarks.

At Portland Secondary College the effective development of our intellectual capital has primarily resulted from ongoing staff development in professional learning teams (PLT's) and through demonstrated educational leadership. The PLT's raise issues, collect data, plan interventions, develop programs, implement actions, and evaluate results. Their goal is to facilitate improved outcomes for students based on improving teaching and learning in the classroom. They promote the idea of teachers as reflective practitioners.

Through these PLT's we have built up considerable knowledge and expertise - involving staff in effective groups, effective meetings, developing reflective practice, building levels of leadership, recognising / celebrating outcomes, etc. Our Levels of Educational Leadership (in addition to normal structures with Key Learning Area Managers (KLAM's) and Level Managers, we have three Leading Teacher METAL's (Manager of Effective Teaching & Learning) working on staff development, curriculum development and student partnerships, and a specific Literacy Coordinator. We have created the position of Operations Manager to release all three Principal Class Officer's for more educational leadership roles within each of the three sub-schools.

The principal, David Burke, with the assistance of Dr Ian Mitchell of Monash University, undertook a significant "self-study" on "Reflective Perspectives on Long-term Management of Change in Teaching and Learning - Principal Class", with his paper being presented to the AERA Conference, New Orleans and to education groups (school board authorities / principals) in Canada. The paper recently formed a chapter in a significant American book. David has also conducted professional development sessions for other schools and a group of curriculum co-ordinators.