School Review

8. Advice for specialist schools and designated purpose settings

The School Planning, Review and Annual Reporting Unit will match schools to a reviewer with expertise in working with specialist schools and designated purpose settings.

Flexibility for these contexts can be offered and agreed in consultation with the principal, reviewer and senior education improvement leader (SEIL). Schools can also contact the School Planning, Review and Annual Reporting Unit with specific requests or to seek personalised advice by emailing SchoolReview@education.vic.gov.au

For questions about using data from Panorama, schools can contact the Regional Evidence Unit at School.Performance.Data@education.vic.gov.au.

The following areas of compliance have special conditions for specialist and designated purpose schools noted in the pre-review self-evaluation (PRSE).

Curriculum and Student Learning Minimum Standard

• The Minimum Standard requires schools to present a curriculum plan (or equivalent documentation) which outlines, at a high level, the teaching and learning program delivering all 8 key learning areas. Specialist and designated purpose schools can indicate N/A if the school does not offer all 8 key learning areas and make a note confirming it is a specialist or designated purpose school.
• The Minimum Standard requires schools to provide sample timetables that demonstrate how the 8 key learning areas are delivered. Specialist or designated purpose schools that are not delivering all 8 key learning areas must still provide sample timetables (or other documents) that demonstrate the key learning areas being delivered.
• The Minimum Standard requires schools to provide curriculum documentation that explains how and when the curriculum and teaching practice will be reviewed. This is usually demonstrated via a Curriculum Framework (see template available on the School Policy Templates Portal (staff login required)).
• The Minimum Standard requires schools to ensure student performance is reported in writing at least twice yearly and that reports must include:
  • Teacher judgement against the curriculum achievement standard
  • An indication of progress since the student’s last report
  • A five point scale for all subjects (see: Five Point Scale resource (DOCX)).

Department policy requirements

Specialist schools are not required to demonstrate that they are delivering Holocaust Education (required by department policy) to students in year levels 9 and 10 unless they have students who are working towards achieving Level 9 and 10 of the Victorian Curriculum V2.0: History. For example, a specialist school with students in Year 10 who are working towards Level 2 of the Victorian Curriculum: History does not need to demonstrate that they are delivering Holocaust Education. Refer to Holocaust Education – Delivery Requirement PAL topic.

Flexible Learning Options (FLOs)

Schools with FLO settings or programs can describe in the PRSE how their practices and processes have contributed to student learning and wellbeing outcomes.

For further information on FLOs, refer to the Flexible Learning Options PAL topic.