Our Staff The role of the staff is critical to the achievement of the School’s vision and aims.
Although previous professional learning
Advancing Thinking Through Writing in Math
had been undertaken on evidence-
course; five teachers attended the Advancing
based effective learning strategies, these
Thinking Through Writing in Science course,
strategies were formalised into the GVGS
and one member of the Senior Leadership
Our dedicated staff are highly skilled and
Learner’s Toolkit and launched in 2021.
Team attended The Writing Revolution
The strategies, described by cognitive
Leadership Workshop. Key learnings from
psychological scientists, are designed to
The Writing Revolution have been embedded
help students maximise their learning
in Common Lessons, particularly in English,
and revision time. Teachers learnt how
Humanities and Science Lessons.
passionate about teaching and learning and are committed to continuing to grow and develop as professionals. They seek to improve the lives of young people through meaningful and effective learning.
to incorporate the strategies into each of
Professional Learning
their subject areas and all Year 7 students
Total expenditure on professional learning
were involved in the Learning to Learn
for 2021 was $258,785. This means that an
Programme, ensuring they were explicitly
average of $2,734 was expended on each staff
taught each of the strategies and shown
member for their professional development.
Despite the challenges of pandemic related lockdowns and their impact on teacher professional learning in 2021, the School maintained their commitment to two core values of Learning and Seeking Excellence. Two exciting whole school initiatives were launched at the beginning of 2021, with teaching staff involved in professional learning about the revised Teaching and Learning Model and the GVGS Learner’s Toolkit. The Teaching and Learning Model was developed by the Learning Leadership Team, with the focus on updating the previously utilised ‘Model for Effective Teaching’ to include recent evidence-based teaching and learning developments. With the three guiding pillars of Curriculum, Instructional Principles and Classroom Culture, the model will be used as the foundations for all future professional learning activities; as a strategy
how to apply them to different subject areas. Year 10 and 11 students participated in structured revision sessions before their end of year exams, being shown explicitly how to utilise strategies from the Toolkit to maximise their study experience. More can be read about the Learner’s Toolkit and
Staff Profile •
GVGS had 94.7 FTE staff in 2021
•
64.3 FTE teaching staff
•
30.4 FTE operational staff
•
Gender breakdown – teaching staff male 30% and female 70%
Learning to Learn Programme here: https:// www.teachermagazine.com/au_en/articles/ research-to-practice-developing-a-learners-
– operational staff male 40% and female 60% •
including from Indonesia, Poland, Italy,
toolkit
India, Vietnam, Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom; there are currently no
Specific year level teams in English, Science,
indigenous employees.
Mathematics and Humanities expanded the roll out of Common Curriculum lessons, applying the GVGS Common Lesson Protocols and using their connection to our Teaching and Learning Model and Learner’s Toolkit to create and deliver the common lessons.
to ensure a common language is shared
Several staff members were born overseas,
Staff Retention The teaching staff list at the commencement of 2021 included 72 teachers. Of these teachers, 65 remained on the teaching staff list at the commencement of 2022. This represents a 90% retention rate. There were five staff departures during 2021, comprising of one termination,
across the School and as a tool for staff to
Professional learning through The Writing
use when completing their yearly Teacher
Revolution continued in 2021, with a
Professional Reflection Process. Throughout
number of teaching staff and senior
2021, professional learning sessions focused
leaders completing The Writing Revolution
Staff Attendance
on the Instructional Principles section of
courses, run over Zoom from New York.
•
the Model, looking specifically at Explicit
Twenty one teachers including members
Instruction and Cognitive Load Theory.
of the School Leadership Team have now
two retirements and two resignations.
In 2021, the staff attendance rate was 98%.
attended the Advancing Thinking Through Writing 1 course. Five teachers attended the
Annual Report 2021
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