Public School Review

Purpose

All Western Australian public schools are reviewed by the Department of Education’s Public School Accountability directorate. A review gives assurance to the local community, the Minister for Education and Training and the Director General about the performance of public schools in delivering high quality education to its students. The review acknowledges the achievements of the school and gives feedback to support the principal and staff with their improvement planning. 

Initially conducted on a three-year cycle, subsequent reviews are determined to occur on a one, three or five-year timeframe. 

The principal provides the review team with a self-assessment of the school’s performance based on evidence from the school. Information to be validated by the review team is considered before and during the school visit. This forms the basis for the school review report and determines when the next review will occur. The report is provided to the principal, the chair of the school council/board and the regional executive director.

Expectations of schools

For all Western Australian public schools, expectations are set out in either: 

  • the Delivery and Performance Agreement, which is an agreement between the Department (represented by the Director General), school (represented by the principal) and school board (represented by the school board chair); or 
  • the Principals’ Statement of Expectations

 together with the Funding Agreement for Schools. 

Public School Review – The Standard

 A Standard has been developed across the domains of the School Improvement and Accountability Framework to describe essential indicators of performance. The selection of the indicators is based on literature research and historical reviews of school performance in Western Australian public schools. 

The purpose is to better ensure that judgements about student performance are standardised and objective. Indicators describe what is evident in schools functioning ‘as expected’ within each domain. 

The Standard defines the expected level of school performance. Judgements are made in relation to the Standard. External validation is also based on evidence presented relating to the Standard

Context

Shenton College Deaf Education Centre is a secondary education support school co-located with Shenton College. The school is a specialist facility for deaf and hard of hearing students. Students are able to access mainstream classes through a partnership with Shenton College. 

Opened in 2001, the school is located in the suburb of Shenton Park within the North Metropolitan Education Region, approximately 8 kilometres from the Perth central business district. 

Shenton College Deaf Education Centre currently has 39 students enrolled from Year 7 to Year 12. 

The School Council consists of parents, community members, teachers of the deaf, allied professionals and the Principal. Parents are also encouraged to be involved in many other school-based activities. 

School self-assessment validation

 The Principal submitted a school self-assessment with evidence and reflections aligned to the domains of the School Improvement Accountability Framework. 

The following aspects of the school’s self-assessment process are confirmed:

  • A range of teachers, allied professionals, parents and school leaders provided feedback and engaged enthusiastically in discussion during the validation visit, adding significant value to the school’s self-assessment.
  • A culture of continuous reflection was evident in the school’s Electronic School Assessment Tool (ESAT) submission, as well as in the feedback provided from leaders and staff during the validation visit.
  • High levels of ownership for student success and ongoing improvement were demonstrated by staff at all levels during validation visit meetings.
  • There is a coherence in the cultural elements of school processes and practices leading to continuous school improvement. 

The following recommendation is made: 

  • Continue to refine school self-assessment processes through the use of whole-school data to inform decision making.