The Kawana Waters State College community has a strong focus on ensuring the best learning experiences and opportunities are available to all students from Prep to Year 12, and that these opportunities assist in preparing all students for future success.
Australian Curriculum documents outline the required skills, knowledge and understanding students are required to achieve at each year level from Prep to Year 10.
The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) informs the Year 11-12 curriculum. Students in senior schooling undertake studies and assessment under the Senior Assessment and Tertiary Entrance (SATE) system, which combines school-based assessment with external assessment. Upon their completion, qualifying students will still receive their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), as well as an Australian Tertiary Entrance Rank (ATAR).
We acknowledge and understand that students learn, understand and demonstrate skills at their own pace. In order to embrace this, we have adopted a research-based framework to ensure we have an unrelenting focus on student centred teaching and learning.
Our whole school approach to teaching and learning is underpinned by the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers from the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AiTSL) with particular influences from the work of noted educational research leaders such as John Hattie (Visible Learning, 2014); Lyn Sharratt (Clarity, 2019); Dr Robert Marzano (The New Art and Science of Teaching, 2016); and Austin Buffum, Mike Mattos and Janet Malone (Taking Action- Response to Intervention at Work, 2017) .
Teachers are regularly involved in collegial engagement where they professionally reflect and collaborate to continually enhance their skills in order to provide a distinct learning cycle that is safe, supportive and collaborative; has clear goals, enacting effective strategies and interventions where students are provided with regular and timely feedback to improve; within a guaranteed and viable curriculum.
Kawana Waters State College Whole School
Approach to Pedagogy
We regularly review the curriculum and our classroom practice to ensure quality learning, collective capacity and enjoyment and celebration through:
- Student Ownership of Student Learning – students constantly seek and receive feedback about their work and guidance to continually strive for higher achievement (5 critical questions for students. (Sharratt, 2014.)
- Teacher Ownership of Teacher Learning – teachers constantly reflect on their own practice and set and review personal goals within their own teaching style.
- Shared Approach to Pedagogy – teachers use the pedagogical framework and regular learning team meetings to reflect on and discuss their practice and classroom management (ESCM) with others, receiving and providing feedback with their teaching colleagues.
- Goodwill – student and staff achievements are regularly acknowledged and celebrated.
- Parent Support- parents play a vital role in supporting and encouraging regular routines of study and engagement with academic, social and extra-curricular activities within the college community.