Calista school builds teaching skills

Calista Primary School will be providing support to neighbouring institutions after being awarded Teacher Development Status for 2016-17 by the Department of Education earlier this year.

The TDS system works by teachers at other schools throughout the State requesting help from CPS to develop their skills.

Principal Craig Skinner said he was very proud of the staff and students and attaining TDS had been a whole school effort.

“It’s recognition and acknowledgement of what we’ve been doing in the school,” he said.

“I think it has really instilled a sense of pride in the students, when they know other people are coming to the school to see what they’re doing.

“They really want to do their best for their teachers, school and themselves.”

Mr Skinner credits the schools success to the consistency maintained from one classroom to the next for students.

“Consistency along with high-quality teaching has enabled our students to make significant progress and gains,” he said.

CPS has already sent teachers to Gosnell Primary School to provide advice and will be opening its gates to 30 teachers to sit in on numeracy and literacy lessons in the coming months.

With NAPLAN testing starting last week, Mr Skinner is hopeful students results will be positive.

“Over the past two years of NAPLAN we have seen marked improvement and we are anticipating that improvement will continue,” he said.

“We’re really pleased with the progress we are seeing with our own assessments so hopefully that will translate to positive results in the NAPLAN tests.”