National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy

National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy
FAQs

1. What is the purpose of the National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy?

This National Partnership is aimed at bringing about sustainable improvements in the reading and numeracy achievement of students in NSW schools. Challenging targets for accelerating students’ achievement in reading and numeracy have been set. Closing the gap for Aboriginal students and individual students experiencing difficulty in reading and literacy are specific reform targets.

The three priorities to meet these targets are:

•effective, evidence-based teaching

•strong leadership and whole school engagement in literacy and numeracy

•monitoring school and student performance to identify where support is needed.

Within the framework of these three reform priorities schools will have some flexibility to decide how their funding is used to achieve the school’s improvement targets in reading or numeracy, with a particular focus on students in Stages 2 and 3.

To achieve these reform targets individual students who are experiencing difficulty in reading or numeracy will have access to specific interventions programs. Teachers will access sustained professional learning focused on accelerating whole class improvement.

2. How were schools identified for involvement in the National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy?

Schools in the three education sectors in NSW (Government, Independent and Catholic) were identified as eligible using a range of criteria including:

Schools across government, independent and Catholic sectors were identified as eligible according to 2008 National Assessment Program on Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results, the school’s ‘suitability and readiness to participate’, the school’s student background characteristics (enrolment size, student language background, student enrolment data, and community (ie. ‘disadvantage of the school’).

Participating Independent schools were identified using only the 2008 NAPLAN dat

3. What extra support will my school receive through our participation in this National Partnership?

Through this National Partnership schools will have access to funding, tied to the reform priorities, to review and refine their school improvement plan. Revisions will include, for example, a focus on building leadership capacity and change processes for sustained improvement in classroom teaching practices in reading or numeracy.

Schools will also have access to reading and numeracy classroom leaders and program facilitators and, where possible, will benefit from participating in a network of schools that share best practice.

4. What can the allocated funding be used to purchase?

Schools must use their funding to implement the targeted improvements identified in their revised school plan by:

•undertaking a self-evaluation on reading or numeracy

•involving the school leadership team in a leadership capacity building program

•implementing an intervention program targeting students in Stages 2-3 who are experiencing difficulty in reading or numeracy

•focusing on improving teaching and learning in the classroom by teachers participating in a sustained professional learning program on reading in or numeracy in Stages 2-3.

Within the context of the school improvement plan the funding may also be used to support staff to participate in a local Aboriginal cultural awareness program; to provide release for collaborative programming, resource development, shared reflection, team teaching and the like; to work with school/classroom program facilitators and/or teaching and learning leaders; to purchase any equipment or resources essential to the implementation of the professional learning program; or to employ teacher aides where essential to the implementation of an intervention.

5. How will schools decide on their reading or numeracy focus?

Each school will use school self-evaluation workshops, a leadership team improvement program and their school’s data to choose a whole-school program for reading or numeracy and a specific intervention for individual students experiencing difficulty in reading or numeracy.

The self-evaluation workshops and executive team leadership improvement programs will have a specific focus on data analysis through the School Measurement, Assessment and Reporting Toolkit (SMART). The toolkit, developed by the NSW Department of Education and Training, can be accessed by all NSW schools.

Schools will use both their NAPLAN results and school-based assessment data.

6. What individual student intervention programs are available for students experiencing difficulty in reading and numeracy?

Schools can choose the reading program Making up lost time in literacy (MULTILIT) for students experiencing difficulty in reading or in numeracy QuickSmart Numeracy or the intervention program in Taking off with numeracy (TOWN).

7. What whole school programs are available for reading and numeracy?

Programs in the suite of options in the National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy include those developed by the NSW Department of Education and Training such as Focus on Reading 3 -6 and Taking off with numeracy and externally developed and delivered programs Reading to Learn and Accelerated Literacy.

8. What is the length of time for our schools’ participation in the National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy?

It is expected that schools will participate in professional learning and implement their programs and interventions over a two year period.

9. What is expected of schools participating in this National Partnership?

Schools will be asked to demonstrate how participation in this National Partnership will contribute to lifting reading or numeracy outcomes for students in their school.

Schools will be expected to identify an individual intervention approach for students at risk of achieving at or below minimum standard and support the implementation of a classroom-based reading or numeracy program for all students in Stages 2 and 3.

Schools will not be required to develop separate plans but will need to specify in their existing school plan what reforms they intend to implement and the actions they will take to address the reform requirements to meet the challenging targets for accelerating students’ reading or numeracy performance.

Endorsement of revised school plans will be undertaken in each sector.

10. How will schools report on their progress in improving reading or numeracy?

Schools will be expected to report on their progress against the strategies and targets specified in their revised school plans through their Annual School Report.

11. Who should I contact?

The National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy state coordinator is Frances Plummer who can be contacted at: Frances.Plummer@det.nsw.edu.au