Quality Pathways For All Young People - Advancing Education

YOUTH ENGAGEMENTQualitypathways for allyoung people:A commitment toalternative education

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ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SETTINGSCommittedto successWe, the leaders of Queensland education, are committed tosupporting the educational success of every young person.That success will look different for every young person and oureducation system must deliver a diverse, adaptive range ofschooling options to support the range of pathways they need.Alternative education options are acritical and complementary part of ourdiverse system. One important piece in abroad puzzle of education optionsand delivery.While our quality mainstream schoolswork hard every day to provide diverseopportunities for the vast majority ofyoung Queenslanders, some youngpeople find a better fit within alternativeeducation settings.Alternative education settings are also animportant option for young peopleexperiencing life challenges sooverwhelming that mainstream school isno longer a sustainable option.For these young people addressing theircomplex health, safety and wellbeingneeds in a tailored environment is anessential component to meeting theireducation needs.Our alternative education settings arethere for these young people, to provide asafe, nurturing, individualised learningenvironment to give each student theeducation pathway to a brighter future.They provide a broad range of high qualitylearning options, tailored programs, andwrap-around support. Most importantly,they provide hope to young people andtheir families when they need it most.Alternative education settings are non-statespecial assistance schools and state schoolsoffering an alternative learning environment.3

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The role ofalternative settingsThe majority of young people find success in amainstream state or non-state school. High qualitymainstream schools differentiate their teaching andlearning strategies, innovate to keep young peoplefocused, and individualise and tailor programs asneeded to help young people get the most out of theirlearning. In some schools, this means developingbespoke delivery approaches and partnering withyouth services to keep vulnerable young peopleat school.However, not all young people thrive in mainstreamschools, even with these adjustments. This iswhere alternative education settings step in. Youngpeople who are disconnected from schooling andare not thriving in a mainstream school, even withadjustments and flexible arrangements, can enrol inalternative education settings.Mainstream schools have critical responsibilities forevery student – to know their students, assess theirAlternative educationsettings are not foreveryone, they’re therefor young people whoneed them the most.learning needs, adjust programs and approaches toprovide the best learning outcomes for each student,and — when a young person is disengaging — taketargeted action to keep them engaged.If a young person is still disengaging after all of theseefforts, a careful assessment is conducted with thestudent and their parents/carers. The assessmentconsiders the best options and pathways availablefor that young person. The assessment can alsoinclude the Department of Education’s Regional YouthEngagement Hubs*, and if alternative settings arebeing considered, these should be consulted.Sometimes the best pathway for a disengaged youngperson will be an alternative education setting, butnot always. Schools have a critical responsibilityto not refer young people to alternative educationsettings without this careful consideration. If thestudent’s enrolment is unsuccessful at the alternativeeducation setting, they can feel an even greaterloss of belonging and their disengagement canbecome entrenched. The department will set clearguidance for all state schools in implementing thisresponsibility.*Regional Youth Engagement Hubs support youngpeople who are disengaged to reconnect withschool, training or employment. They support theyoung person to identify potential pathways andcan provide other services that may be required toget them back on track. Regional Youth EngagementHubs do not replace the role played by schools, whohave a responsibility to support the engagement andsuccessful transition of every student.5

Quality standards inEvery young person is entitled to a high qualityeducation, and every state and non-state school,including alternative education settings, isrequired to deliver this high quality education.These are accountabilities that all schoolsare held to, and students can be assured thatthe same expectations apply in alternativeeducation settings.All schools have core responsibilities to supportthe learning gain of every student. Every schoolis accountable for planned improvement andevery educator has a professional responsibilityto approach teaching and learning with acommitment to continuous improvement.Every state and non-state alternativeeducation setting is accountable to legislativerequirements to provide quality educationfor its students, despite different legislation.Key requirements are outlined below andshow comparable expectations for state andnon‑state alternative settings.Requirements forstate alternative education settingsState alternative settings are schools under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (EGPA) with thesame legislative and policy requirements as state schools.All state schools must:}} deliver the AustralianCurriculum from Prep toYear 10}} deliver QCAA endorsedsyllabus for senior secondaryeducation (Years 11 and 12)}} where appropriate, delivervocational education andtraining that complies withthe Australian Skills QualityAuthority requirements}} participate in a four-yearschool planning and reviewcycle}} have a School Strategic Plan,outlining a four-year overviewof the school’s explicitimprovement agenda}} have an AnnualImplementation Plan,outlining a year’s worth ofschool improvementinitiatives.}} publish their School AnnualReport each year}} publish their endorsedSchool Strategic Plan andAnnual Implementation Plan}} comply with the completeSchedule of Corporate DataCollections.}} comply with the reportingand accountabilityobligations detailed in theP 12 Curriculum, Assessmentand Reporting Framework.School improvement review processes and regional office leadership oversightseach school’s compliance and performance.6

alternative educationEvery school is accountable for plannedimprovement and every educator has a professionalresponsibility to approach teaching and learningwith a commitment to continuous improvement.**For more information, visit www.nssab.qld.edu.au/Accreditation/NewSchool.php or see the SchoolPlanning, Reviewing and Reporting Framework for further detail.Requirements fornon-state alternative education settingsA special assistance school is a school accredited to provide a fee-free specialised education program forschool-age disengaged young people who are not enrolled or attending other eligible education, training oremployment options. They are governed by the Education (Accreditation of Non-State Schools) Regulation 2017.Non-state special assistanceschools must deliver:}} the Australian curriculumand/or a curriculumrecognised by ACARA forstudents from Prep to Year 10}} QCAA endorsed syllabus forsenior secondary education(Years 11 and 12).A non-state special assistanceschool’s education program mayalso include:}} a vocational education andtraining course under theAustralian QualificationsFramework.Non-state special assistanceschools must have ademonstrable and systematicapproach to improvementprocesses, outlining:}} strategies to achieve schoolimprovement}} setting priorities to achievethe strategies}} regular monitoring of theachievement of strategies}} annual reporting about theachievement of the strategiesto the school’s community.Special assistance schools mustalso have a written standard ofservice that deals with:}} regular tracking andassessment of worksubmitted by students}} regular monitoring ofattendance, participation inthe educational program, andachievement of the learningstandards under theeducational program}} strategies for engaging andkeeping students engaged.The special assistance school’s governing body must be able to demonstrate howthe school is meeting the standard of service.7

What does a high qualityalternative setting look like?Second chance school does not have to be second best. High quality alternative settings strive to deliverexemplary services that meet or exceed all of the below quality standards.Holding explicit highexpectations and aspirationsfor every studentOffering multiple certification optionsto cater for the learning potentialof all students including QCE,VET qualifications and highereducation pathwaysImplementing quality andcontemporary teaching practices, withdifferentiated and individualisededucation programsOffering students opportunities toparticipate in NAPLAN and otherbenchmark testingWorking with other schools andeducation providers to maximise theopportunities and pathways availableto studentsProviding expert guidance, careeradvice and further education transitionsupportEnsuring broad curriculum offerings,providing every young person abreadth of opportunities, based onthe Australian Curriculum or ACARAaccredited programsParticipating in proactive self-reviewand continuous improvement planningUtilising robust wellbeingmeasurement tools to measure andevaluate the overall wellbeing of thestudent cohortDeveloping a strong school culture,with a focus on positive relationshipsand relational pedagogyMonitoring individual student learningprogress throughout each term,through a mix of formative assessmentand benchmark measuresWorking with families and othersignificant adults to support everystudent to succeedMonitoring individual and wholeschool data to measure and plan fortargeted initiatives and strategies8

Scenario‘Alex’Alex was enrolled and sporadically attending amainstream school. Alex was no longer proud ofherself, or the person she was becoming, she mixedwith the wrong crowd, got into trouble with the lawand was falling precariously behind at school.Alex’s mainstream school had put in place a numberof in-school adjustments to support Alex to re-engagewith education. This included a flexible timetable,differentiated curriculum and connection to alocal youth service. Unfortunately, even with theseadjustments, Alex was unable to re-engage with hereducation. After exhausting all their options, themainstream school initiated discussions with Alexand her parents about her aspirations, future optionsand alternative pathways to plot a course to success.A further meeting was conducted betweenthe mainstream school, Alex and her parents,the Department of Education’s Regional YouthEngagement Hub and a local alternative educationsetting that had been identified in previousdiscussions. They met to carefully assess Alex’s needsand the best options/pathways available to her andany transition support required.With everyone in agreement, Alex was transitionedfrom mainstream school to the Queensland PathwaysState College (QPSC), a state alternative educationsetting. A comprehensive transition support plan andhandover was developed between the mainstreamschool and QPSC, to give Alex the best chance atre‑engaging, and future success.QPSC offered Alex an opportunity to achieve her QCEand post-school goals through a flexible learningenvironment, individually paced learning andintegrated youth worker support. Two years on andAlex is now thriving. She is proud of the achievementsshe has made, including graduating with a QCE,working fulltime, training in the gym everyday andbeing selected in a professional sporting academy.Alex attributes much of her success to the QPSCand the staff for all their individualised supportand guidance. She is also grateful to her previousmainstream school for putting her interests first andgiving her the best chance of success at QPSC.9