Future Focused Strategic Planning in Schools: A Launchpad for Student Success
Leading SA girl’s college Principal, Dr Nicole Archard, on leading the development and implementation of a nationally recognised school strategic plan and its powerful impact for future students.
Loreto College Marryatville’s School Strategic Plan has been recognised as one of Australia’s most innovative. The college was recently announced as a finalist in the 2022 Australian Education Awards’ Best School Strategic Plan category.
Speaking to the finalist nomination, Dr Nicole Archard said:
“We are thrilled Loreto College’s School Strategic Plan has been recognised as one of the nation’s most innovative. It is through such a bold and integrative strategic plan that we will be able to continue achieving our core mission of educating strong, passionate, and confident girls and young women who have the knowledge and skills to make a difference in their world.”
Key to the strength of the Loreto College Marryatville School Strategic Plan is placing students' learning and well-being outcomes as an integral and actionable pillar of the strategic plan. This has been achieved through the implementation of the College’s award-winning Social, Emotional, and Academic Development (SEAD) Program.
The SEAD Program provides a framework for the integration of social and emotional skill development in conjunction with learning outcomes to ensure students develop holistically as resilient and confident girls and young women. Whilst it is taught explicitly via two structured timetabled lessons each week, the program is also embedded in all curriculum and co-curricular areas to bolster program efficacy.
“Our SEAD Program is an important underpinning element within our Strategic Plan. It was developed from an identified need for an explicitly taught social, emotional, and academic program specific to girls, and has seen significant success within the College. As a result of the SEAD program, we have seen our students consistently achieve higher wellbeing outcomes than students in other Australian schools,” said Dr Archard.
Loreto College has been able to monitor the effectiveness of the SEAD Program in improving student outcomes through another actionable component of the College’s Strategic Plan, the learning data analytics program e-Pulse.
Dr Archard continues, “e-Pulse has allowed us to continually monitor how we approach student and staff wellbeing at Loreto College. This was of particular importance at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning arrangements. It allowed us to gain immediate feedback on student and staff wellbeing and take immediate action if act needed. We continue to utilise the program to conduct weekly wellbeing check-ins across the College.”
Outside of student wellbeing, Loreto College Marryatville’s strategic planning also places emphasis on broadening the horizons of the traditional curriculum. The College offers embedded programs for Netball, AFLW, Artificial Intelligence, Musical Theatre, Fashion Design and Construction, Global Cuisine, Photography and Digital Media subjects and even a Patisserie Academy for senior school students.
“Our comprehensive curriculum encourages our girls to be creative and critical thinkers. We use evidence to drive best practices and a process of continuous learning for students. From this, they are able to explore a wide range of enriching learning opportunities that not only support specific educational outcomes but nurture their holistic growth and development during adolescence,” said Dr Archard.
This strategic focus on continuous learning and growth is also extended to Loreto College Marryatville’s forward-thinking approach to professional development, with a continuous 360-feedback cycle utilised to foster ongoing staff development and professional learning. This includes encouraging teachers to be innovative users of technology to facilitate greater student learning and well-being outcomes.
Dr Archard continues, “At Loreto College, our strategic focus is firmly on innovation. This flows through our approach curriculum deliverance and structures, student social and emotional wellbeing programs, professional development, and of course, our world-class school facilities.”
Loreto College Marryatville’s extensive capital works program includes the development of an innovative science centre, information learning centre and libraries, as well as new classroom developments to reflect contemporary pedagogical approaches and support student learning and wellbeing outcomes into the future.
The 2022 Australian Education Awards Best School Strategic Plan winner will be announced at a Gala Dinner event held at Sydney’s Doltone House on Friday, 12th August 2022.
About Loreto College
Loreto College Marryatville is South Australia’s leading all-girls day and boarding school, catering for students from Early Learning to Year 12.
Established in 1905, a Loreto education is built on a 400-year-old tradition first inspired by the founder of Loreto schools worldwide, Mary Ward, and encapsulates her beliefs in delivering an education that inspires strong, passionate, and confident girls and young women.
In delivering this view, Loreto College Marryatville provides girls with a well-rounded education where students are presented with a broad range of opportunities and given the support and encouragement to become confident and engaged learners with the knowledge and skills to make a difference in their world.