STRENGTHS:

1. System allows for collegial sharing.
2. Commitment of executive to education of students.
3. Qualities individuals bring to the role.
4. Flexibility, albeit it limited, to implement change.

WEAKNESSES:

1. Leaders lack authority to manage and lead in terms of their accountability.
2. Educational leadership second to other roles.
3. Executive (particularly head teachers) not adequately prepared for or trained in the role.
4. Lack of clear role statement and definitions/professional standards of leadership.
5. Lack of understanding of leadership by people in the role.
6. System constraints on Public Service to create desirable change/risk taking discouraged by fear of reprimand/lack of support by system.
7. Leaders not aware of future trends and effect on education.

OPPORTUNITIES:

1. Increased number of leadership courses coming online.
2. Existence of promotion system.
3. Secondary Principals Council provides leadership development opportunities.

THREATS:

1. Recentralisation of system/restricts initiative of leaders.
2. Threats to public education create reactionary leadership.
3. Political interference creates destabilisation.

TRENDS/EVENTS WITH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON LEADERSHIP FOR STUDENT LEARNING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS:

1. Trend towards more flexible structure, organisation, curriculum and delivery.
2. Trend towards recentralisation of educational policy/decision making.
3. Trend towards disregard for authority.
4. Tend towards rapid technological change and sophisticated communication.
5. Trend towards schools taking on more responsibility for social skilling - values, beliefs/social justice, equity, relationships etc.

EARLY STRATEGIC OPTIONS:

1. Principal selects staff and determines mix.
2. Reduce restrictions which currently prevail due to Department and BOS requirements.
3. Redefine the role of the principal as educational leader as well as administrator.
4. Pay staff for mandatory Training and Development after hours.
5. Reduce face to face teaching time and build in conferencing time.

STRENGTHS:

1. Sense of common purpose.
2. Commitment to change because of a recognition that it is needed.
3. Great pool of imaginative thinkers.
4. Knowledge, skills in change available.
5. Managing change is a powerful re-energising agent. More opportunity to be proactive.

WEAKNESSES:

1. The framework for change and the process of implementation is not understood.
2. Change, change and no change.
3. Lack of resources.
4. Cost of failed change.
5. Rules - public education requires transparencies.

OPPORTUNITIES:

1. To harness creative imagination.
2. To combine educational stakeholders.
3. To rediscover intrinsic stakeholders.
4. To produce an opportunity for people to embrace new ideas.
5. To provide better outcomes for students.
6. To develop a greater skills base.
7. To introduce greater equity.

THREATS:

1. Cynicism
2. Burnout.
3. Speed of change.
4. Reactionary short-term political agendas.
5. Equity in intellectual input and funding. eg. Vocational Education - ASTF Catholic Education.
6. Fear of change among school leaders, loss of security, comfort zone.
7. Confident that you can take a risk without being crucified.

TRENDS/EVENTS WITH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON MANAGING CHANGE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS:

1. Youth alienation.
2. Generation Gaps.
3. Greater focus on the human element. A shift from economic rationalism.
4. Connectedness will increase and social conscience will strengthen.
5. A shift in youth mobility, perceptions of political systems, gradual change in disillusionment.
6. Globalisation, +positive & -negative.
7. Population movement around the world.
8. Massive change within teaching staff force.
9. Student management and declining impact of known strategies.
10. Fear that public education system will become the ‘housing commission’ of education.
11. Declining status of public education.

EARLY STRATEGIC OPTIONS:

1. Strive for equity and access to technology with an emphasis on ethics and the learning dimension.
2. Reconnection of alienated groups through providing the opportunity to succeed.
3. Value learning associated with the education of self.
4. Focus on the positive aspects of globalisation, multiculturalism, migration, diversity etc.
5. Focus on ecological responsibility.
   

STRENGTHS:

1. Change management/leadership - introduction of Leading Teachers and merit selection, focus on learning.
2. Diversification of curriculum - subject choices, vocational education.
3. Tools/framework of secondary education is being reviewed.
4. Expertise in teaching fraternity.
5. Easy availability of resources on teaching and learning which teachers access.

WEAKNESSES:

1. Diversification of curriculum is patchy across the state.
2. Constants imposed by BOS and government.
3. Industrial parties unable to engage in discussion.
4. Lack of knowledge of what teaching is about in the future.
5. Lack of philosophy underpinning learning.
6. Bureaucratic system - particularly staffing and funding mechanisms.
7. Age of teaching force - resistance to change.
8. Limited thinking concerning futures education.

OPPORTUNITIES:

1. Schools have the capacity to set own agenda to equate with the needs of students.
2. A range of exit credentials. eg. Higher School Certificate, International Baccalaureate.
3. McGaw Review and HSC changes.
4. Industrial relations - the opportunity to get all stakeholders engaged in the debate about learning and change - improve industrial relations.
5. Lack of knowledge about the future provides the opportunity to be creative.
6. Create new philosophical framework for education.
7. Determine the skills required for successful learning.
8. Plan appropriate teaching and learning.
9. Amalgamation of Department of School Education and TAFE.
10. Vast array of learning opportunities in partnership with TAFE.

THREATS:

1. Politicians.
2. The rigidity of the Higher School Certificate.
3. Age of the teaching force - resistance to change.
4. The industrial framework.
5. Amalgamation of Department of School Education and TAFE - sheer size of the organisation.
6. The impact of the role of the technology on the teacher.
7. NSW Teachers Federation.
8. The continuing movement of students to private education systems.
9. Public perception of public education.
10. Media perception and attack on public education.

TRENDS/EVENTS WITH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON PLANNING FOR 21st CENTURY STUDENT LEARNING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS:

1. The political agenda: One side of politics must surely win with a large enough majority to take on the industrial and bureaucratic framework - a move to by-partisan agreement about education issues.
2. The shift of enrolments to the private sector will be at least 50% of students in the state.
3. The continuing rapid technological and information access change.
4. Students balancing increasing hours of casual employment and senior secondary studies.
5. Productive use of diversity. Young people have a deeper understanding and valuing of Australia as a multicultural society than ever before, they are more politically aware.
6. The continuing fragmentation of society and the lack of connectedness of many young people.

EARLY STRATEGIC OPTIONS:

1. Larger schools / more options but may mean fewer schools.
2. Innovative curriculum including social skill curriculum.
3. Flexible staffing.
4. Schools to control curriculum.
5. Local autonomy.

STRENGTHS:

1. There are examples of schools which have taken their culture to the edge.
2. There is a sound knowledge base available about the nature of culture formation and cultural change and its link to student learning.
3. There are tools available for the analysis of school culture.
4. The National Schools Network demonstrates a partnership between the Department of Education and Training and the NSW Teachers Federation where schools can work together to effect real change.

WEAKNESSES:

1. Incongruence between the agreed values of the school and the actual values of its local community.
2. Lack of resources - rigidity of staffing formulae, shortage of time.
3. There is a disturbing element of lack of connection amongst the student population.
4. We have wasted linguistic resources in our country with tokenistic support from the government to effectively teach and maintain other languages.

OPPORTUNITIES:

1. There is a growing awareness from the system of the significance of a positive school culture.
2. There are many other examples of re-culturing organisations generally - there are interesting differences for schools.
3. Focus on the core values of the organisation.
4. Innovation and the Best Practice Research Project is occurring in up to 100 schools in NSW.
5. Principals should occupy the position of School Development Officer which would have credibility with principals instead of the poor relationship which exists now.

THREATS:

1. The coupling of development and accountability which inhibits the principles of reculturing.
2. In spite of the Department's strong promotion of reculturing in schools, the Department's practice does not reflect a commitment to a positive culture.
3. Chief Curriculum Officers, School Development, are not fulfilling the role of organisational / developmental facilitators.

TRENDS/EVENTS WITH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON SCHOOL CULTURE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS:

1. Shrinking resources and increased expectations for a more diverse population with a lower standard of living for many.
2. Impact of changes in social security infrastructure for adolescents.
3. Imposed external curricula change.
4. Older or totally inexperienced or retrained staff.
5. Nature of accessing and using information which will change the role of the teacher.
6. Building of global communities - schools can link people all over the world.
7. Australia-wide there is no clear sense of what it is to be Australian.
8. We will be a Republic, having developed a sense of common values and beliefs.

EARLY STRATEGIC OPTIONS:

1. Identify and embed core values.
2. Reconceptualise the curriculum to promote future opportunity and quality of life for all.
3. Professionalise the teaching community.
4. A truly self-managing school.
5. Schools have global partners all over the world.
   

STRENGTHS:

1. Highly qualified dedicated professionals.
2. Diversity of educational provision.
3. Equity as a consistent goal.
4. Interaction and knowledge of own and wider community.
5. Technology rollout / funding / Training and Development and commitment by government.
6. Growing articulation and accreditation between TAFE, school, universities, work etc.
7. Curriculum standards (as is).
8. Welfare programs based on identified student need enhanced and supported by system.
9. Design of new educational facilities.
10. Multiculturalism.

WEAKNESSES:

1. Rigid divisions in curriculum.
2. Inflexible staffing formula.
3. Lack of political will to adhere to true equality.
4. Lack of funding for pre-service school experience.
5. System inability to deal with poor teachers.
6. Poor quality centralised Training and Development provision and demand.
7. Expectations for technology to somehow produce improved measurable outcomes.
8. Lack of recognition for school achievement.
9. Physical state of a large percentage of our schools.

OPPORTUNITIES:

1. Recentralisation improves potential for reinforcing equity.
2. To provide more incentives and recognition for extra training of teachers.
3. Provide/ensure more in school pre-service time.
4. Improve opportunities for teachers to be general facilitators across ranges of curriculum.
5. Increase vocational education opportunities to model life-long learning.
6. More articulation for school staff between various educational institutions/providers.

THREATS:

1. Demographics of an ageing teaching force with lack of new recruits.
2. Inflexibility of the union and its failure to come to terms with education needs of a changing world.
3. The continuing cutback in professional development funding.
4. The changing social fabric.
5. Curriculum change ... eg Years 9/10 History/Geography demand.
6. Complex ever increasing demands on schools.
7. Increasing funding for private education - lack of support for public schooling.
8. Media influence.
9. Workcover - threat to school personnel when problems are system caused.
10. Workcover rules to force improvement to physical condition of schools.

TRENDS/EVENTS WITH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT of SCHOOLS of the NINTIES ON STUDENT LEARNING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS:

1. Redefine role and structure of schools and ensure appropriate resourcing.
2. Educate wider community to value of education in a changing world.

Need to:

EARLY STRATEGIC OPTIONS:

1. Redefine curriculum.
2. Redefine the role and structure of schools and resource accordingly.
3. Educate the community to value education in a changing world.
4. Further actions:

4.1 To analyse and research current practices in schools;

4.2 To provide support for other Teams in their Futures work;

4.3 To look at how systems data may assist in defining schools in the 90’s

STRENGTHS:

1. Accessibility to technology:

   - students to computers

   - coming ISDN internet connection

   - costs reducing

   - email.

2. Expertise in community (including students and families) and schools.
3. Availability of good learning software.
4. Political support for technology.

WEAKNESSES:

OPPORTUNITIES:

1. To individualise the curriculum for students.

2. To restructure schools and the nature of learning.
   - knowledge centred to information centred
   - home learning.

3. Internet:
   - world wide web (www)
   - opportunities to offer courses to students in     other states/countries.

4. Industry link.

5. Some costs:
   - efficiency of scale for our system
   - networking allows "dual terminals" which rarely need upgrading.

THREATS:

1. Competition over the net from other systems.
2. Industrial relations.
3. Political backflips / funding.

TRENDS/EVENTS WITH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY IN LEARNING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS:

Students will learn onsite and offsite:

EARLY STRATEGIC OPTIONS:

1. Student-choice curriculum: Students to control their learning and curriculum from a very wide choice of courses / pathways.
2. Virtual classroom – Development of specialised curriculum – available to students in physically separated schools, linked through technology.
3. School building designs to integrate technology.
4. Training teachers in Information Technology so they can be effective users.
5. Training teachers to be learning / curriculum brokers – facilitate individual student learning programs.
6. Industry links – to harness industry knowledge, expertise and technology
7. Increase accessibility to technology – for students and community.

Top of page

STRENGTHS:

1. History of building good achievements out of disasters.
2. Education has a great political impact among competing issues.
3. Local support of schools.
4. Resistance to league tables.
5. Quality of the teaching service.
6. Quality of systemic support for schools.
7. Willingness to evaluate and plan ahead.
8. Credibility of Principals Council grounded in common sense.
9. Overall good working conditions.

WEAKNESSES:

1. Relationship with NSW Teachers Federation.
2. Differentiation between TAFE and school teachers.
3. Industrial straight-jackets. eg. staffing, lack of local flexibility
4. Teacher morale.
5. Culture of reluctance to be open.

OPPORTUNITIES:

1. Re-education of the community about future.
2. Chance to be advocated for adolescents.
3. Proactive perceptive management.
4. Improve contacts and consultation with other lobby groups and organisations.
5. Involve NSW Teachers Federation in this process and in considering futures and change.
6. Chance to re-craft differences between staff and school cultures.
7. Chance to positively influence values and citizenship in society.

THREATS:

1. Limits of public funding.
2. Culture of private expenditure in childcare leads to acceptance of costs in education.
3. Increased social problems for adolescents - drugs, gangs, family re-alignment.
4. Direct competition with private schools.
5. Fear of other people’s children.
6. Media exaggeration of problems in public education.
7. "Competition" with vested interest groups to influence policy.

TRENDS/EVENTS WITH A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE POLITICAL/EDUCATIONAL INTERFACE ON STUDENT LEARNING OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS:

1. Increased importance of small "p" politics over big "P" politics due to fragmentation, technology changes etc.
2. More pro-active leadership of educational agenda by principals.
3. Diminishing of resources to public education (in view of competition on the political agenda from health and law and order).
4. Political instability and change of government priorities undermining definite directions.
5. Increasing media coverage and interest in education.
6. Increasing role of single issue and minority parties.
7. Teacher shortages and the capacity of the political system to respond without major shocks.
8. Removal of regulations of industrial kind which prevent schools acting flexibility to meet student needs.
9. Arrival on the political battleground of the need to be more flexible.
10. Willingness by government and the Department to collaborate with educational teachers in creating positive change.

EARLY STRATEGIC OPTIONS:

1. Establish media "teams" for public education.
2. Positive anecdote management.
3. Researched and targeted media marketing and reporting.
4. Broader member base to have Council competing with Teachers Federation as a determinerof policy.
5. Direct consultation with teachers and other staff on industrial relations.
6. Working with Teachers Federation to promote change.
7. Establish local partnerships.
8. Strengthen and extend the density and involvement of principals in influencing the Department and government policy.