College Learning Plans (CLPs)
Since 2021, Sydney Secondary College has implemented the College Learning Plan (CLP) to support all students to individually reflect on their academic progress, identify areas of growth, and to set SMART goals in response to their semester reports.
The CLP will ensure that all Sydney Secondary College students are active participants in their learning, having set individualised goals in response to identified strengths and weaknesses based on their report. Additionally, the CLP will further support teachers in strengthening their knowledge of their students and how they learn.
The CLP process
At the end of each reporting period, students attend a presentation that is tailored to their year group. They are then given time to complete reflection activities through the analysis of their report.
These reflection activities include the:
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calculation of their College Grade Average (CGA) and comparing this to their historical CGAs as well as the average CGA of their cohort.
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analysis of their teacher comments with a focus on identifying their reported strengths and areas for growth.
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identification of 3 SMART goals to discuss with their CLP Coach.
After the presentation, students then attend a one-on-one coaching session with a CLP Coach. During this session, students review:
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the strengths they have to support ongoing growth
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the challenges they face to academic achievement
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their academic goals, both short term and long term
Students' SMART goals goals and strategies for success are then recorded in their College Learning Plan in Sentral, which is updated with every reporting cycle and subsequent CLP Coaching session. This Plan is designed to facilitate an ongoing conversation for all students and teachers focused on student-identified areas of improvement.
Student Reflection Sheets
Along with their reports, students are provided with templates that provide a scaffold for the self-reflection process.
These templates prompts students to:
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calculate their College Grade Average (CGA) using their Grades (A-E).
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carefully read their teacher comments and briefly state identified strengths and areas for growth across their subjects.
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identify 2 SMART goals to discuss with their CLP Coach.
Image (above): The College Learning Plan in Action
Image (above): A Year 10 Student Focus Group provides their feedback on the CLP process so far
2022 Reflections and 2023 Directions
Since 2021, all three campuses have implemented the College Learning Plan (CLP) where students' learning goals are recorded in Sentral for ongoing support over subsequent CLP coaching sessions.
Feedback from both students and coaches has highlighted the perceived value in the process for providing students with an opportunity to reflect on their own learning behaviours, and for the coaching support in determining goals and strategies that empower students to make positive changes for improvement.
We are constantly reviewing how the CLP is implemented at each campus to ensure that our students continue to value the process and feel best supported as they strive to achieve their personal goals. This year, we will continue to guide student reflection on their progress in 2022 and help them determine next steps for extended growth in 2023.