School Improvement
Real Impact is Knowledge Society’s school improvement model. It is designed to be implemented at a system level, and includes all the elements required to improve student performance. Our educational model has three elements: an instructional model focused on high-impact teaching, evidence-based reading instruction, rigorous curriculum improvement, and leadership and change models that support continuous improvement. Schools are supported to implement the stages step-by-step and make remarkable progress transforming student learning outcomes.
All teachers learn, implement and receive feedback on classroom management, systematic synthetic phonics, evidence-based reading instruction, knowledge-rich curriculum, high-impact pedagogy, including explicit teaching, and protocols for assessment and intervention.
Implement an evidence-based instructional model
Monitor the fidelity of literacy implementation and student progress in reading, track the fidelity of explicit teaching implementation, and monitor the consistency and implementation of curriculum resources and the assessment and intervention protocol.
Monitor performance and quality of implementation
The staff share whole-school expectations with students and parents and embed across the school, review non-instructional activities for benefits, eliminate low value activities, and strengthen those remaining, and involve families in the journey of raising expectations and improving learning in their school.
Align the school culture for staff, parents and students
Implement a school leadership model, engage staff in the moral purpose and make the case for change, share the philosophy of education, establish an effective professional learning community, set goals and monitoring protocols and embed a culture of coaching.
Implement an aligned leadership and change model
What Real Impact schools do
Integrated, evidence-informed in-school professional learning program delivered both face-to-face and online. Our model is underpinned by the science of learning, a body of research that informs practice at Australia’s best performing schools. There are ten modules to our professional learning program, including self-paced online modules. Each contains theory, demonstration and practice.
Professional learning
Teachers are supported with visits to classrooms to see teaching and provide real-time feedback for improvement. Professional learning without in-classroom coaching does not change practice in every classroom in the school. We have designed all our professional learning programs to ensure the right number of sessions to support real change in the classroom. Our expert coaches provide the support and encouragement needed to transition to evidence-based practice.
Instructional coaching
Leaders are supported with change management and cultural strategies. Your school improvement journey is scaffolded and supported and you proceed in a systematic way through the change process. Leaders know they are tackling the most important next step at every stage and are well-prepared for it. The program has been designed with change management processes and supports built in ready for you to use.
Supported school improvement
Schools in the program gain exposure to national and global experts, and teachers leading the change. The program was developed by an international team of expert teachers and is delivered by expert teachers reinforcing the role of teachers. Your school is connected to a national and global community of practice in the science of learning and science of reading.
Expert guidance and community of practice
School and teacher progress is supported and monitored. Assessment protocols and teachers learning progressions are built into the program so you are monitoring your progress as you go. Leaders know how each of your teachers is going through every step of the school improvement journey. Teachers get regular check-ins to embed classroom implementation.
Feedback on progress
What support schools get
Real Impact is for school systems, networks and clusters who seek a holistic evidence-based approach to professional learning and school improvement.
Real Impact includes professional learning designed for the different audiences in your system, including executives, leaders and teachers. It is highly practical and integrated with teaching and learning, with a focus on what teachers do in the classroom. Catalyst includes a thorough introduction to critical evidence that all educators need to know. It includes talks and workshops with experts and close and regular contact with instructional coaches, as well as visits to leading Australian schools.
Real Impact includes professional learning designed for the different audiences in your system, including executives, leaders and teachers. It is highly practical and integrated with teaching and learning, with a focus on what teachers do in the classroom. Catalyst includes a thorough introduction to critical evidence that all educators need to know. It includes talks and workshops with experts and close and regular contact with instructional coaches, as well as visits to leading Australian schools.
Real Impact is based on a robust evidence base, compiled using Knowledge Society’s network of researchers, practitioners and accomplished teachers. Our model is aligned to the science of learning, the science of reading and other evidence about how students best learn. See the Catalyst case study from the Canberra and Goulburn Catholic education system here.
Media
Knowledge Society clients in the news
On ABC News: “Teaching model used in ACT Catholic schools praised: the Catalyst Program prioritises direct instruction but teachers insist it's not a ‘back to basics’ approach.” On Knowledge Society’s school improvement program.
On ABC News: “Canberra’s Catholic schools celebrate strong NAPLAN scores as ACT students perform better than national average”. The change was spearheaded by Ross Fox, who said he came to the view that traditional teaching methods were not working.
.png)
Sydney Morning Herald: “‘We changed everything’: How 56 schools transformed their teaching and boosted results.” Story of school improvement at St Bernard’s in Batemans Bay, NSW with Knowledge Society’s school improvement model.
