Through the National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy schools have undertaken a focussed set of reforms with the clear aim of making a measurable difference to the educational outcomes in the participating schools.
Common to all schools participating in the National Partnership on Literacy and Numeracy is:
- capacity building in leadership
- school self-evaluation
- a focus on the achievements of Aboriginal students enrolled in participating schools.
Each school in the program has a whole-of-school plan that encompasses the reforms to be undertaken as part of their participation in the National Partnership. Having undertaken a supported self-evaluation schools are required to develop a School Plan aimed at achieving improvements in the focus area, either reading or numeracy.
Principals will lead development of their plans in consultation with teachers, students, parents and their community. The AISNSW provides a range of on-going support to each of the schools involved through facilitation and mentor support. The school leadership team from each of the schools has participated in an annual leadership program to provide a framework in supporting school leaders to use data to inform change, identify specific needs and to build capacity.
The school plan provides an overview of student and school needs in reading or numeracy and identifies which whole school and intervention programs from a reform menu are used to address these needs. Each school has produced a single plan to describe how existing as well as new resources will be used to support identified strategies.