SSTUWA - State School Teachers' Union of Western Australia

The School Leaders’ Council - 12th March

The School Leaders’ Council met again on 12th March, their first professional development day for 2012.

The breakfast address was presented by Assistant Auditor General Mr Jason Beeley who spoke to his recent report Right Teacher Right Place Right Time, 2011.

The management of staffing is close to the hearts of principals who often state it as one of their main concerns. Mr Beeley noted the extensive reviews of central placement system, 5 reviews over the past 10 years, and the risks involved in changes to the staffing placement systems. The Report Right Teacher Right Place Right Time illustrates the need for risk management to be embedded in the overall strategies governing school staffing.

Dr Scott Fitzgerald presented the School Leaders with a research proposal to examine the impact of Global Education Reform Movement (GERM) (Ravitch 2010 & Sahlberg 2011). The GERM refers to organisational change and the push to greater ‘autonomy’, with self-managing schools known as Independent Public Schools, (IPS) being the Western Australian manifestation of the concept.

The Curtin University proposal is being conducted in collaboration with academics from Sweden and Sydney will examine the impact of IPS.

Dr Fitzgerald welcomes involvement and interested principals are encouraged to contact him via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

After recess, Mr John O’Brien Manager Labour Relations and Mr Alan Jones Principal Consultant addressed the processes for effective staff management highlighting the potential pitfalls of failing to follow process. Emphasis was given to the different processes including the importance of induction. Concerns were raised by principals regarding the lack of resourcing and funding of Clause 47.7 that is, the provision for training under Performance Management Agreement for Education Assistants to be funded and resourced by the Department.

Concluding the morning session was a presentation by Mr Alan Dodson, Director Evaluation & Accountability. Mr Dodson outlined the recent changes to the information now being accessed on line by the broader community. He demonstrated the modifications made by DoE in allowing access to the material and the difference between the data presented at the State and National level.

The School Leaders’ Council next professional development day is 28th May, 2012

Pictures from the morning