Greenbushes Primary School Starts New Term on High Note
Greenbushes Primary School has started the school year on a high note with a boost in enrolments and the commencement of a new three-year Fogarty EDvance Programme to support staff to improve student learning and outcomes.
Student numbers have more than doubled from the 2019 intake with 39 students enrolled for 2020 and School Principal Kylie Loney said the students and staff would see great benefits from the introduction of the new Fogarty Programme sponsored by Talison Lithium.
"This programme is having fantastic results around the State in lifting school improvement and student academic outcomes and we have been fortunate to secure the funding from Talison to embark on this transformative journey over the next three years," she said.
Mrs Loney said staff had put in considerable time over the holidays to prepare for the programme which would focus on explicit teaching with emphasis on reading instruction and comprehension.
"So much of what a student learns is dependent on being able to read and comprehend information and our aim this year will be to emphasise phonics and decoding as our primary reading strategy," said Mrs Loney.
"We have been working on Scope and Sequence Plans across the learning areas of English and Maths to provide consistency across the school, for students of all abilities, right throughout the school year," she said.
She said the boost in student numbers had also enabled the school to purchase new resources including Diana Rigg's PLD and Heggarty literacy resources, to support the Fogarty programme.
"An increase in our student numbers has certainly helped to provide funds for evidence-based, research-backed resources," Mrs Loney said.
"Every student makes a difference in our funding mode."
Greenbushes Primary School Fogarty Programme Mentor Denise Hilsz, who visited the school in Term 1, said the programme had already had a positive impact on 25,000 students in schools across the State.
"This programme is aimed at transformation of a school's academic performance as well as school culture."
"There is a lot of work put into planning and data analysis across the school and all staff and students benefit, not just the leaders," she said.
Mrs Loney said the Greenbushes Primary School would host an information session for parents and the community in Term One to provide more information about the Fogarty Programme.
She said the Fogarty Programme would lay strong foundations for the school's future development.
She added that the school was fortunate to have the support of Talison Lithium "in this improvement journey", as involvement in Fogarty would be simply out of reach, without that financial assistance.