Our Vision & Values - Port School

A Note from the Chair

Port School is rapidly growing and emerging as a high-end provider of re-engagement education and care programs for socially disadvantaged and at risk youth. Young people deserve to have the world at their feet, the opportunity to realise their dreams, sound mental and physical health and at least one adult who believes in them, pushes them and offers unconditional support and advice. Sadly, for many young people, none or few of these essentials are present in their lives. Port School aims to fill the void, mend the bridges and give real hope and possibility back to our students and emerging young adults.

The Port School Board met with staff and an education consultant (me at the time) back in 2010, to develop the first of the School’s formalised strategic plans, since its relocation to Hamilton Hill some 17 years before. Fittingly, we have outgrown this plan and should take time and stock of the myriad accomplishments achieved that were identified and acted upon over recent years. In 2010, Port was a simpler and much smaller organisation, with a relatively singular program focus. Port has developed and become a notable game changer in the realm of Care schools. Port’s diverse programs and offerings have become more sophisticated, beautifully interwoven and world-class in many respects.

The nature of the work we do is difficult, frantic and at times unpredictable, and it is understandable that we get lost in the demands of the everyday. This is why it is so important to pause, take stock, look back upon what we have achieved, identify areas of weakness, as well as strengths, so that we can move forward armed with a shared vision. As individuals we all contribute a variety of skills and talents while investing a good share of blood, sweat and tears into the growth of Port School. It is, however, our collective efforts that are truly powerful and it is this collective approach that graces us with the real opportunity to impact positively upon the lives of young people at risk, preparing them for a changing world.

As a Board we are concerned with the governance of the business in terms of direction and control, including structure, culture, goal setting and decision-making. The Board’s core business focuses on areas such as:

Sound and ethical business practices – including management of areas such as community and client relations, transparent finances, resources, and staff management.
Quality outcomes – ensuring that the programs developed, and the services provided by Port through the direction of the Principal, are of the highest quality and standard.
Compliance – ensuring that the School, as an educational institution and business, complies with all required regulations, legislation and standards on an ongoing basis.
Risk Management – protecting Port School from possible negative occurrences, as well as recognising opportunities and capitalising on these when they arise.

The 2018-2023 Strategic Plan has come about after meetings, retreats and collaborations from all Port School stakeholders over the course of 2016-18. This plan will act as a guide to ensure we hold true to our ideals. We are excited by the potential pathways and developments envisaged for Port School over the next 5 years.

Anne M Gee B Ed, ECE, Dip Teach, ECE/HPE
Port School Chair
Education and Strategic Planning Consultant

Our School Context

Port School is an incorporated body, overseen by a board of directors who guide and assist in the direction of the school, and who ultimately performance-manage the Principal. The Principal is the strategic and operational manager of the body, known as Port School Incorporated, which operates the following entities:

Port Middle School and Senior School
Port School Mobile Classroom
Port School Young Parent Centre (YPC)
Port School Early Learning Centre (ELC)
Port School Registered Training Organisation (RTO)
Port School Outreach Program (POP)

Port School

Port is an independent secondary school that aims to engage at-risk students in years 8 -12 who, for a variety of reasons and circumstances, have not been able to achieve success in mainstream school settings. The School comprises a Middle and Senior School, and a Mobile Classroom Program. It offers students small class sizes, personalised and flexible learning groups, community projects, individualised pastoral care and student support through a variety of networks and external providers.

Port Middle School

Port Middle School operates differently to a conventional secondary school system, in that students complete all their classes with the same teachers and education assistants, who cover the whole curriculum, with a critical focus on literacy and numeracy. The key goals are to bring students up to an educational standard that will help them flourish when they reach the Senior School.

Port Senior School

Port Senior School delivers core subject areas of English, Mathematics and Health. Additional programs including Visual Art, Cooking, Physical Education and Team Sport, Workshop and Theatre Arts are also offered. Port’s multi-tiered approach gives every student the opportunity to thrive, regardless of academic levels and experience.

Port Mobile Classroom

The Mobile Classroom is an innovative and progressive educational program, aimed at engaging our community’s most at risk, disadvantaged and disengaged youth. The program operates within the community from a customised, converted bus. This structured educational program encourages its participants to re-engage with the community and achieve educational outcomes. Port aims to do this through the building of strong relationships and placing decisions and consequences in the hands of our young people.

Port Early Learning Centre ELC

Port’s Early Learning Centre (ELC) is a fully ACECQA registered childcare facility. The stimulating and age appropriate learning environment nurtures safety and secure relationships embedded in a play-based educational safe environment. The program assists young teen mums to continue their education, undertake parenting programs and improve the health of themselves and their child, through a variety of health and social wellbeing iniatives.

Port Young Parent Centre YPC

The Young Parent Centre (YPC) provides flexible educational and training opportunities to young parents who have disengaged from their education and training, due to pregnancy or motherhood. These young people are supported in their transition to parenthood through our program that promotes healthy mental and physical lifestyles, though evidence-based knowledge and learning opportunities, and practical parenting skills with the aim of empowering self-belief and confidence.

Port Registered Training Organisation RTO

In 2015 Port School achieved status as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO no. 52718), through the Training Accreditation Council (TAC) of Western Australia, As an RTO, Port School is registered to deliver vocational education and training (VET) services. Port RTO is an accredited provider of quality-assured, nationally nationally recognised training and qualifications.

Port Outreach Program POP

Port School’s Outreach Program supports students academically, socially and emotionally to re-engage in their education. The program is tailor-made to meet the needs of the individual student. There is an emphasis in engaging students in areas of high interest, in literacy and numeracy and facilitating the student to access their specific educational pathway.

The Port Outreach Program is generally a one-on-one offsite program that aims to reduce the stress some students experience when required to work in classrooms in a conventional school environment. The program utilises local Youth Centres, libraries and other community services as part of the Outreach classroom. The long-term goal is to transition students back into an onsite school environment. The Port Outreach Team is staffed by experienced Youth Workers, Counsellors and Teachers.

Our Vision

Port School is an independent school of choice for our local and wider community, for students who have not been able to achieve success in mainstream school settings. Our vision is to provide a safe, nurturing and supportive environment in which students are empowered to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives.

In achieving our vision, Port School:

Provides distinctive, specifically designed, holistic education models.
Delivers and strengthens essential literacy/numeracy foundations and life skills.
Implements effective pastoral care and wrap-around health care programs.
Ensures small class sizes and real life, hands-on learning.
Commits to removing conflict between students and the school by developing meaningful and positive relationships.

Our Purpose

Port School creates and uncovers pathways to a meaningful life by providing experiences that enable student potential. The School supports attainment of its vision through an environment that:

Is safe, nurturing and inclusive.
Fosters confidence, personal best and respect for self and others.
Inspires students to live purposeful lives.

Our Values

Diversity

We welcome, nurture and promote each others’ differences.

Growth

We keep the educational development and wellbeing of people at the centre of what we do.

Empowerment

We enable each other to experience thoughts and feelings as valid and important.

Community

We provide a safe and secure environment that promotes contribution, ownership and mutual respect.

Our Practice - Teaching and Learning Framework

Quality teaching and learning is central to our purpose at Port School. As a provider to a very specific clientele base, our staff work together to provide students with the opportunity to succeed and grow in a learning environment that is engaging, encouraging, dynamic and purposeful.

Our approach to pedagogy is aligned with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) and is communicated through our Teaching and Learning Framework. This framework reflects the shared beliefs of our school community about high quality teaching, pastoral care and professional practice. Our framework guides the actions and behaviours that shape and direct staff practice at our school.

Engaging, innovated and differentiated programs and delivery.
Aligning curriculum and assessment.
Developing and maintaining positive relationships with high expectations for engagement and achievement.
Creating and maintaining safe, supportive and inclusive living and learning environments.
Ongoing reflection, analysis and adaptation.
Commitment to learning as a lifelong pursuit.
Establishing and maintaining successful partnerships.

Key Focus Areas

Underpinning the Vision, Purpose and Teaching and Learning Framework of the School is our day-to-day core business of schooling and re-engagement; our cultural practices, our academic and co-curricular initiatives, our character building programs and community partnerships. The School has four key focus areas that drive our planning, targets, actions and communications. Our School Improvement Plan will be addressed under these four areas.

Educational Offerings and Programs.
Quality Staff.
Community Connection.
Infrastructure and Governance.