Quality Teaching Strategy – Lead School
The QTS is the central element of our school improvement architecture. It sits at the heart of our commitment to improving outcomes for students.
The QTS shares the responsibility for strengthening the conditions needed for quality teaching, effective management of data and evidence-based improvements in teaching practices between teachers, school leaders and the system.
The QTS brings together programs, services and supports for principals and teachers to build cultures of teaching excellence that develop, implement and sustain effective classroom practice.
QTS provide system-wide support and have the following attributes:
- a strong school culture of collaboration including evidence of high expectations, trust and feedback
- capable leadership at all levels within the school and strong relationships between students, staff and families
- high impact teaching practices, based on evidence and research, visible across the school.
QTS lead schools demonstrate, share and lead effective classroom instruction. They:
- exemplify and share the practices and expectations in Teaching for Impact
- build understanding of effective school cultures and capability in how to use Teaching for Impact to improve student achievement
- provide evidence-based professional learning on effective teaching practice
- support teachers to evaluate the impact of their practice and improve by extending their range of teaching strategies
- provide support across primary, secondary, district high and education support contexts, all phases of learning and learning areas.
What is Teaching for Impact?
The Quality Teaching Strategy is the Department’s position on effective teaching and the aspects of school culture that support improved teaching practice.
Teaching for Impact is a major component of the Quality Teaching Strategy and is the result of wide consultation with school staff. It shares the Department’s position and understanding of effective teaching practice and is grounded in evidence, and the practical experience of teachers and principals across Western Australia.
The Teaching for Impact overview outlines what teachers believe, know and do. The supporting resources elaborate on the what, why and how of the elements identified as having significant impact on student outcomes.
The strength of Teaching for Impact is that the elements are brought together in one place, providing a common language across schools, and supporting a unified public school system.
There is no single formula for how Teaching for Impact should be used in each school. Every school has unique circumstances, and principals and their staff will work collaboratively to make decisions about how the resource will be implemented to best assist improved teaching and learning.
Teaching for Impact guides schools to focus on the elements that have the greatest impact on student wellbeing, engagement and learning. This resource will provide practical support to assist staff’s ongoing efforts to drive school improvement and increase student outcomes.
We are very proud to say that we were the first QTS Lead School in Pilbara and have maintained the QTS Lead School status 4 years in a row now. We feel privileged to be one of 23 QTS Lead School in WA – out of 834 government schools altogether.
One of the QTS supports is Teaching for Impact. Teaching for Impact recognises the effectiveness of quality teaching on student learning.
Teaching for Impact is:
- our shared understanding of effective teaching practice
- informed by research and the practical experience of teachers and principals
- for all schools.
As a part of Teaching for Impact, leaders and teachers can access:
- teaching and learning resources
- professional learning and support.
Learn more about what teachers believe, know and do in the Teaching for Impact overview.