Kew Cluster of Schools
About this page
The Kew Cluster consists of six schools:
Belle Vue Primary School
Hawthorn West Primary School
Kew Primary School
Kew East Primary School
Kew High School
Roberts McCubbin Primary School
Introductory audio to the website
Introducing the Kew Cluster website (QuickTime audio)
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Cluster Background
The six schools have for some time demonstrated a preparedness to undertake reform and innovation, both at an individual school level and as a collective. In 2002 five of the cluster Principals participated within the Principal and School Development program. Through this program it became apparent that there was a consistent approach across the schools to reform for pedagogical improvement and a desire to ensure effective student engagement. The focus upon learning and teaching has subsequently been transferred into the School Charters of the six Cluster schools.
Kew Cluster Projects
Innovations and Excellence
The Schools for Innovation and Excellence initiative commenced in 2003 and was aimed at supporting primary and secondary schools to work closely together in clusters over three years to deliver innovation and excellence in Victorian education. This project is one of four initiatives in the middle years, all aimed at providing schools with the opportunity to develop innovative and exciting approaches and programs in the middle years of schooling (years 5-9). It was anticipated that school clusters would implement a range of proposals that would result in the development of cutting ? edge teaching and learning programs, significant school organizational reform and partnerships with the local community.
The project involves three phases of cluster development and initiatives - Phase 1 (2003), Phase 2 (2004), and Phase 3 (2005). Clusters received on average, start-up funding of approximately $200,000 in the first year to develop strategically effective educational programs. A further $80,000 is provided in the second and the third years to maintain the ongoing employment of a cluster educator / co-ordinator to embed the innovation across the cluster
The Kew Cluster applied for inclusion within Phase 2 of the project and was subsequently accepted in September 2003.
The cluster aimed for two intended outcomes from its participation within the Innovation and Excellence initiative:
- To build and sustain a school and cluster culture that embraces ongoing pedagogical improvement and student engagement.
- To focus upon school and cluster learning and teaching challenges through the vehicle of Professional Action Learning Teams (PALTs).
It was envisaged that within five years the Kew Cluster will have developed a sustainable culture within and across schools that seeks continuous improvement in classroom teaching practices through committed and collaborative PALT?s
As a result of these two aims, it was anticipated that PALT?s would adopt "action learning" as the research model, and that action learning would be embedded into the working culture of each school / cluster team.
Projects (inquires) undertaken by cluster teams were to be designed to meet these aims through:
- Building a repertoire of effective teaching and learning strategies designed to engage our students in meaningful learning.
- Strengthening professional learning through collaborative, cluster-based projects.
- Provision of opportunities for professional dialogue, clarification of new and existing understandings and reflection upon current practices.
- Learning from the "inside out" using the classroom outcomes as the context for professional learning.
These guidelines for the project implementation are incorporated into the guiding principles.
Boys Education Lighthouse Schools Project
As a result of an application through Kew Primary for inclusion within the second intake of schools into this Federal project, cluster schools are currently investigating issues in relation to the education of boys and developing a number of programs to address areas of need.