Big Picture Education Australia Report on survey of schools

1. Big Picture Education AustraliaReport on survey of schools

2. Big Picture Schools Survey: At what stage is your school in developing or implementing the Big Picture model? Some schools have Big Picture students through school already. Most schools are in their first year of implementation

3. There are 862 students enrolled in Big Picture Advisories in the fifteen responding schools. • They are at various stages: • undertaking shadow days • planning internships • started internships • well established in internships • (around 300 students in the last two categories)

4. Big Picture Schools Survey: What changes have you noticed about students enrolled in the Big Picture program? Noticeable improvement Some improvement Daily attendance Engagement in learning Discipline issues Measurable test scores Retention at school Suspension and exclusion rate Completion of learning tasks Engagement in the life of the school

5. IMPACT ON STUDENTS – SOME ADDITIONAL RESPONSES • A number of the students have commented that they are doing much more work this year, to the point that they have surprised themselves. One student said that he had done more work in the first two terms than his 3 years at secondary school. • Students who previously struggled to get to school, engage with lessons, respect their own learning, have become not only engaged, but leaders within their Advisories and with specific learning areas. • Four of our Year 12 students ran an information kiosk about Big Picture at the school. Most of the students commented that they had never been involved in promoting their school before. • The rigour of BP is causing some students to show avoidance, bad behaviour/attendance issues. • In the first year of Big Picture the number of suspension dropped by 56%. The First Cut data and NAPLAN results show marked improvements from 2007. • There are few attendance, behaviour or retention issues with the group. What has been striking has been the increased level of interest in learning, even amongst previously engaged students • Students enrolled following their increasing disenchantment with traditional approaches to schooling elsewhere. Their OWNERSHIP over their learning, through being able to pursue their passions as a focus for learning is motivating them to come back to school. They are surprised at how much 'say' they have in the program, and the way the class works - makes them feel valued, yet challenged. • The engagement & connection with one or two adults who know the student well, immediately removes discipline issues, encourages them to come to class and to see pathways which includes completing year 12. • It is too early to give much evidence as we only began 2nd term.

6. Big Picture Schools Survey: To what extent do students exhibit ……? Noticeable improvement Some improvement Positive self concept Use support Understand the system Involved Realistic self-appraisal Can focus on long term goals Show leadership Acquire knowledge in a sustained way

7. Big Picture Schools Survey: What about the parents? Comment on ….. Noticeable improvement Some improvement No real change Frequency of visits to the school Involvement with the school Interest in their sons/daughters

8. IMPACT ON PARENTS – SOME ADDITIONAL RESPONSES • The TAFE system and its culture does not seek to involve or include parental involvement. Over time I hope I can change this. • Feedback from parents is encouraged after exhibitions and this has been extremely positive. • At recent Exhibitions each student had at least one parent/family member attend, in many cases more than one. Past experience was poor attendance at parent teacher events. Also phone calls between advisors and parents are more commonplace and we even have regulars who now drop in to sample our students’ coffee making skills in one of the advisories. • Parent interest in the program when it was offered at the end of last year was unprecedented in the school. Parents have strongly supported their students by attending learning planning meetings and exhibitions and there have been numerous positive comments about the program. • Our families have to actively choose to come to our school, because we're not the local govt school nor a religious school - most parents did NOT go to a school like ours, so they're full of doubts about doing something different! Their primary concern was that it might somehow adversely affect our existing educational approach! So, we've had to expend energy allaying their fears! • Over time, engagement with families, and their engagement with the school does improve. A conscious effort to involve parents in positive experiences encourages them to want to come to school. Many are used to negative school experiences in their own school days and those of their children.

9. Big Picture Schools Survey: What about the schools general links with the local community? Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Have long been meaningful Have delivered real benefits More links than previously Quality of links has improved

10. Big Picture Schools Survey: How effective is Big Picture as successful school reform? Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Uses proven methods & research Provides HQ external support Uses integrated approach Uses evidence Provides good support Uses good resources Sets goals & benchmarks Involves parents & community Uses frequent evaluation Provides quality learning and training Well supported within school

11. BEFORE AND AFTER – SOME OBSERVATIONS Our school before Big Picture ... …..was not very successful in engaging 15-17 yr olds and losing significant numbers of students….. was struggling to engage students….. was losing students who disengaged early and then quietly left….. was heading in the right direction….. was chaotic. High absenteeism, significant behaviour issues, not valued by students.….. was a place of conflict and disharmony where students had few aspirations towards higher learning.….. was struggling - serious levels of disengagement….. was on a parallel path, but felt isolated and constantly having to defend our educational approach. ….. was struggling with a range of students who were not engaged with learning Our school after Big Picture ... ….. is getting significant numbers of parents wanting to enrol their teenagers in Big Picture programs to the extent that we can't keep up with demand due to lack of teachers.….. has significantly improved engagement and outcomes for students and clarified issues for staff ….. is heading towards an innovative program with adequate resources, with strong focus on internships ….. is showing signs of a positive group identity and relationships for our Year 9. They have created their own space and are developing a strong and positive culture. ….. is full of engaged students, proud parents and happier teachers! ….. is continuously exploring better ways of learning ….. is able to demonstrate that there is a different way of doing school ….. is enjoying a shared journey, and able to refer 'worriers' to the success stories and the research coming out of Big Picture, particularly in the US, so that parents in particular don't feel that we're simply experimenting on their children! ….. is providing a real alternative for students for whom the mass produced approach has never worked effectively.

12. IN THE FUTURE WE …. ….. can see the program growing so large that a whole school will need to be set up to provide for interested students. ….. will hopefully build a Big Picture campus to meet the need of the large numbers of students at risk and disengaged from secondary schooling.….. will see improved relationships with families/cares, and increased understanding by staff of BP philosophy….. will continue to work on improving retention, completion and quality learning for all students.….. will introduce Big Picture to our current grade 8's next year and possibly also add some of the current year 10's to the Big Picture School in 2011. Eventually we will have our new buildings and new staff members to help create a special and exciting new Big Picture 9 - 12 School. This school will hopefully provide the community with real opportunity and encourage significant cultural change in this low SES community at a time when employment and training opportunities in the local area are also increasing and becoming a viable option for locals. .….. will continue to move forward with BP education. We hope to see our first group of uni grads in a couple of years!….. hope more students will have access to this approach….. would love to explore new possibilities through Big Picture e.g. the establishment of a new category of school with flexibility and autonomy in its day-to-day operation, so it's self-managing yet accountable, and partnered up with a university to ensure accountability but also be supported to trial and evaluate different ways on doing schooling ….. can see the program growing so large that a whole school will need to be set up to provide for interested students.