Professional Learning Communities
Frankston Primary School staff lean in to learning, sharing and discussing, and building teacher knowledge, focused on being the best teachers they can be through our work as a professional learning community.
We enjoy working together and have a strong sense of collective efficacy. Teachers and Education Support Staff have a shared purpose to support the learning of all students at our school.
Frankston Primary School completed PLC training in 2022. We have a strong commitment to PLC and the work that strengthens our school improvement journey.
What are Professional Learning Communities?
PLC is an approach to school improvement where groups of teachers work collaboratively at the school level to improve student outcomes. Professional learning communities start from a simple idea that students learn more when their teachers work together.
Building a PLC is a proven way for schools to increase student learning by creating a culture that is:
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- focussed on continuous improvement by linking the learning needs of students with the professional learning and practice of teachers
The 10 Principles of Effective PLCs
- Student learning focus: School improvement starts with an unwavering focus on student learning.
- Collective responsibility: For every child to achieve, every adult must take responsibility for their learning.
- Instructional leadership: Effective school leaders focus on teaching and learning.
- Collective efficacy: Teachers make better instructional decisions together.
- Adult learning: Teachers learn best with others, on the job.
- Privileged time: Effective schools provide time and forums for teacher conversations about student learning.
- Continuous improvement: Effective teams improve through recurring cycles of diagnosing student learning needs, and planning, implementing and evaluating teaching responses to them.
- Evidence driven: Effective professional learning and practice is evidence based and data driven.
- System focus: The most effective school leaders contribute to the success of other schools.
- Integrated regional support: Schools in improving systems are supported by teams of experts who know the communities they work in.
At Frankston Primary School, our work has:
- A focus on teacher professional learning – continuous improvement in practice
- A focus on teacher collaboration – building on the strength and knowledge of a Team
- A focus on student learning growth – maximising learning growth for all students.
Creating a culture of working collaboratively to continuously improve teaching and learning is at the heart of our teaching practice.