Blackwood High School is a co-educational government secondary school located in the charming foothills of Adelaide. The school opened in 1961 and has served the local community for over 60 years, gaining a reputation for high academic standards and excellence. The school is currently undertaking a process to review and update our core values; transitioning to Respect, Responsibility and Resilience.
Our students study the Australian Curriculum across Year 7 to 10 and the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) in Year 11 and 12.
Goal 1
Develop effective learners such that all students will be empowered with the necessary skills and dispositions to strive for excellence in learning.
Challenge of Practice and Success Criteria
Challenge of Practice
If we design learning programs that set high expectations for all learners and explicitly develop their strategic awareness, then we will increase capacity to learn and raise achievement for all.
Student Success Criteria
As a result of work undertaken as part of the SIP, students will:
- increase their GPA when we ensure our teaching and learning programs provide challenge and intellectual stretch for all learners.
- understand how to become ‘effective learners’ when we explicitly teach them the necessary strategies, skills and habits to become effective learners.
- increase the likelihood of achieving A+ grades in Stage 2 when we support our teachers to understand and implement supports for our students to achieve academic excellence.
- increase their level of literacy, against NAPLAN/PAT-R measures, when we explicitly scaffold appropriate writing strategies across all learning areas.
Goal 2
Foster a learning environment that encourages positive and confident student engagement and rigorous learning while promoting feelings of safety, inclusion and belonging.
Challenge of Practice and Success Criteria
Challenge of Practice
If we intentionally implement agreed PBL strategies for “Our Learning Spaces” across all year 7 to 10 classes then we will increase student engagement and rigour in learning.
If we actively know our care group students and advocate for them then we will increase their sense of school belonging and school attendance.
Student Success Criteria
As a result of work undertaken as part of the SIP, students will:
- Demonstrate greater self-efficacy
- Work harder,
- Try longer,
- Overcome greater obstacles
- Bounce back more quickly from setbacks
When we observe and talk with students in class.
Department for Education
The Department for Education has published our strategy for public education in South Australia. Included are four areas of impact that help clarify and define the major levers for systemic change in our system. They describe what the Department will prioritise and resource to successfully deliver on our shared purpose.
These areas of impact are all interrelated and are underpinned by a series of domains – the outcomes we’re all aiming for. A solid evidence base and set of success measures will help us track how we’re going and what we need to focus on to fulfil our purpose.
Blackwood High School has already engaged heavily with key elements of these areas of impact, particularly with our recent School Improvement Plans (SIP). In 2024, we have refreshed our SIP to enhance alignment with key areas of impact, driving innovation and change at Blackwood High School over the years to come.
