Cavendish Road State High School began operations in 1951. Throughout the decades our school has been a significant beacon of exemplary State schooling and notably one of the highest performing schools in the State. Our school does not take this status for granted.
The Cavendish Road State High School Strategic Plan was developed to inform the direction and evolution of our school between 2020 and 2023. It puts down markers for our school’s aspirations for continuous improvement over the next 4 years and is basis for the school’s Annual Implementation Plan for each of these years. Stakeholders across the school community contributed in some way to review our school’s attainment of goals set down in the previous Strategic Plan, and define actions in response to the school’s 2019 School Review to arrive at this plan.
Academic, instructional, perceptual and demographic data supports findings of the 2019 School Improvement Unit Review affirming Cavendish Road State High School to be a high performing school with excellent systems, people, and great student outcomes made possible by a quality school culture. The 4 pillars of Tradition, Innovation, Excellence and Community were identified in the 2019 School Review as powerful rally points and serve as the foundations to the next 4 years into the future, anchoring our school community to a revival of our school motto since 1951 ‘nil sene pulvere, nil sene optima’ and a distinguished 70 year history. The purpose of doing so is to ensure enduring values and relevance in a century that is marked by disruption and change to ensure our school remains grounded, aspirational and a herald of State schooling.
With a sound well-grounded culture for learning, academic and sporting successes and an extensive network of “Cavroadians" our school turns attention to other challenges of change of this century and the need to continue to be agile, creative and driven. Our school has experienced rapid enrolment growth over the previous 4 years, as also our school’s Index of Comparative Socio-Economic Advantage continues to climb for the aspirant families our school attracts. While our school enrolment increased to capacity in 2021, and natural talent continues to improve, school performance continues to track this trend. Students in our school achieve above State and National comparisons and experience very high post school success.
As a State school, the measure of student learning growth as a result of impactful teaching for every student is as valuable as outright performance. Challenges of practice in each of the next 4 years of Annual Implementation Planning will be sharp, narrow, and incremental in 3 key themes of Visible Learning Growth, Visible Teaching & Learning, and a Visible, Vibrant Culture.
Teaching staff are encouraged to seek professional growth as an expert team and to close gaps of variation in practice. In particular teachers have adapted to and adopted professional learning practices of peer observation and feedback to reduce the variance of teaching practice across our school and harness the expertise within. Differentiation, and identifying and providing learning opportunity for students in and near the top two bands to optimise student performance is an emerging priority.
Richard Usher BA LLB Dip Teach
Executive Principal