Calamvale Community College
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Calamvale Community College | |
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| Building on Success | |
| Established | 2002 |
| School type | P-12 College |
| Principal/ Headmaster |
Sue Bremner |
| Location | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Campus | Calamvale, Queensland |
| Enrollment | Approximately 2110 (2006) |
| School colours | Maroon, Teal and Navy |
| Homepage | calamvalecomcoll.qld.edu.au |
Calamvale Community College is an Australian state school based in Brisbane, Australia. The College opened in 2002 with 1150 students ranging from Preschool to Year 8. In 2003, Year 9 was added and the enrolment was 1540. In 2006, Calamvale Community College became Preschool to Year 12 with an estimated final enrolment of around 2200.
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[edit] Background
The Junior School consists of the preschoolers (100 students), Lower Juniors (Years 1-3 with 450 students) and the Upper Juniors (Years 4-6 with 420 students). The scheduling of break times means that these groups are out of class at different times and do not have to compete for space in the playground and at the canteen. Children and staff feel as though they are working in a small close-knit community while still accessing the rich set of resources provided through the large enrolment base. Middle School (Years 7-9) caters for 600 students and Senior School (Years 10-12) for 600 students.
[edit] Prime Minister's Visit
Prime Minister John Howard and Federal Member for Moreton Gary Hardgrave paid a special visit to tour Calamvale Community College on Tuesday May 17, 2005. Flanked by security and the media, the Prime Minister had been invited by Mr Hardgraves to visit the college to see firsthand the wonderful advances in education the school is making. He was particularly interested in the progress of the exciting Senior School, which he said he had heard much about.
[edit] Educational Philosophy, Curriculum and Pedagogy
The College operates under a whole school team philosophy. This philosophy underpins a seamless curriculum from Preschool through to Year 12, promoting the concept of lifelong learning. The development of the individual as a creative problem solver and a confident lateral thinker, is paramount in school actions and activities.
The organisation of five precincts; Junior, Middle, Senior, Sporting and Community, promotes the concept of teams within teams, allowing individuals to identify with a particular group. This concept permeates the school at a number of levels extending down to small teams of teachers planning together and working extensively with a group of students while still supporting the whole school focus.
The curriculum caters for the needs of all students to successfully achieve the objectives of the programs. Students with disabilities in the areas of Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Impairment and Speech Language Impairment, work with students in the POD environment where possible.
As identified in the QSE 2010 strategy, the school focuses on the partnership between learners, teachers and other providers. Most students will spend three years in a POD within a sub-school and during that time will have the optimal situation to develop positive relationships between small teams of adult facilitators, and other students. Strong partnerships will develop with parents, and other community members, involving them in the planning and implementation of learning programs. Sue Bremner, principal of Calamvale Community College, a state P-12 school that has grown to 2130 students since it opened in 2002, said the seamless transition from primary to secondary had "worked brilliantly" at the school.
[edit] Learning
Learning at Calamvale Community College is based upon an approach the staff call MAYOP (Move At Your Own Pace). This allows the needs of all students to be catered for by enabling them to learn in different ways and rates through flexible pathways. Learning groups are formed in different ways. They could be based on the outcomes of students at that time, the interests they have or their gender. Therefore, student groups will often be multi-aged rather than the traditional year levels. The design of the POD building supports this learning approach.
Practices based on productive pedagogies, which highlight deep understandings, problem solving and real world connections, and 'design make and appraise' projects, help provide students with a futures orientation for survival in the changing world in which they live.
MAYOP easily caters for target groups including students with non-English speaking backgrounds, gifted and talented students and those with learning difficulties. Enrichment programs have been established within the integrated New Basics curriculum rather than as stand-alone programs and can be accessed by all students. Processes for monitoring and reporting progress of all students will ensure the needs of every student are identified and addressed.
Information and communication technology provides flexible modes of delivery and access to a vast range of current information. The range of delivery strategies supported by technology promotes access to learning from a range of users beyond the traditional school community. Planning and management of resources directly focus on improving learning outcomes.
[edit] New Basics Curriculum
Calamvale Community College is one of approximately 60 state schools who are trialling the New Basics, the curriculum identified by QSE 2010. The curriculum for students in the Junior and Middle schools has been developed around the four New Basics organisers rather than the traditional eight Key Learning Areas. There is a structured plan across the two existing sub-schools to ensure a cohesive learning program for all students.
Within the New Basics Framework, students will complete the state-wide moderated Rich Tasks. Our school-based assessment and reporting tracks and provides feedback on students' progress in the acquisition of the Repertoires of Practice. Students learn these cross-curricular skills in one context, practise in another and then demonstrate them in the Rich Tasks.
The repertoires are organised under five key elements- Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Technology & Trade, Problem Solving and Personal & Social Development. Eight Global Learnings represent the high intellectual quality that students will acquire in their learning journey.
[edit] Senior School Learning
The Senior School, opened in 2004 and catering students from Years 10-12. It has been designed to support the latest developments in senior curriculum delivery. During the first year in the Senior School, students will choose two to three broad areas and will develop specific fields of knowledge within these areas. As students progress into the second and third years, they will concentrate on more focused subject areas. The Global Learnings, identified in the Junior and Middle Schools, will continue to form the foundation of learning in the Senior School and link closely with the forty-nine Core Curriculum Elements that underpin the QCS Test.
[edit] Strategic Alliances and Networks
The College is designed to be a hub for the community and to promote 'life long' learning through a range of links with local government agencies, businesses, clubs and interest groups. These links will serve to enhance the learning programs for students within the school, provide educational, social and sporting opportunities for local community members, and facilitate continued facility upgrade and upkeep for the benefit of all.
For the development of Stage 1, a Reference Group was established with a broad membership. A number of Working Parties were involved in the collaborative planning for the college. Membership consisted of approximately 50% school based staff, 11% parents, 15% community members and 24% Education Queensland and other project staff. Students' opinions and ideas were sought by the Working Parties.
For the development of Stage 2, an Advisory Group has been established with some working groups based on those established for Stage 1. Membership is 36% school based staff, 14% parents, 22% community members, 14% students and 14% Education Queensland and other project staff. The Community Links group has a number of sub groups, each focusing on a particular area. Educational
[edit] Areas
Close links have already been developed with Algester State School, our main feeder school, through a partnership in the New Basics trial and teachers are working together to ensure that all students have a smooth transition into the Middle School at Calamvale Community College.
As teachers plan and develop curriculum in their POD teams, mentors from a variety of agencies have worked with teachers, on-the-job. This has proved to be a very powerful model of professional development. As teachers have devised curriculum in unfamiliar territory, for example robotics, they have utilised the students' excursion to the university as a training opportunity for staff as well as students.
The College has been proactive in developing links with the universities that are establishing Middle Schooling teaching qualifications. These links, not only inform our current practices, but also provide important recruitment opportunities for the future.
As the Senior School develops, a range of links will be forged allowing students and other community members to have access to VET programs, both on and off site, delivered by both teachers from TAFE and other providers and the school's staff. Links with universities will be developed to provide enrichment and extension programs for talented students.
[edit] Sporting Links
The Brisbane City Council will ultimately own the three ovals as part of a land swap with Education Queensland. Education Queensland will develop a Memorandum of Understanding with BCC and various sporting clubs to coordinate the maintenance, development and use of sporting facilities with the school. The P&C is managing use of the tennis courts out-of-hours. A successful submission to the Queensland Gaming Fund has enabled the upgrade of one set of hard courts which will also be available for hire out-of-hours.
[edit] Cultural Links
The multi-purpose hall / performing arts will provide a much needed venue for the local community's cultural activities and will be available for out-of-hours use. Use of other facilities for one-off and semi permanent bookings will be available to community groups.
