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Leah Brideson, Burrul Gi Gi Wuuri (2022)
Burrul-gi-gi, Wuuri, meaning ‘grow’ and ‘give’ in Gamilaraay language is about coming together in the journey of education, learning, growing with knowledge and passing the knowledge on. The landscape of this place, the cracked earth, pays respect to the traditional custodians, the importance of their connection to Country and their eternal care and passing on of such vital knowledge of Country. The piece in its entirety embodies the gift of time, being together and sharing the growth of each other’s personal and collective journeys.
Leah Brideson is a Canberra-based contemporary Aboriginal artist.
The Bogong moth you see throughout the Strategic Plan 2022-25 symbolises the connection to the Canberra region. Here, it represents the journey of life and transformation of our children into young people and then adults.
Strategic Plan 2022-2025
Document No: 00114
© Australian Capital Territory, Canberra 2022
Education Directorate
ACT Government
GPO Box 158, Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: 13 22 81
www.act.gov.au
Accessibility
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Acknowledgement
The Education Directorate acknowledges the Ngunnawal people as the traditional owners and custodians of the Canberra region. The region is also an important meeting place and significant to other Aboriginal groups.
We also acknowledge and pay respect to the Wreck Bay peoples as traditional owners and custodians of the land on which the Jervis Bay school is located.
We respect the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, and their continuing culture, and contribution they make to the Canberra region and the life of our city.
Foreword
The ACT has a vibrant community of education professionals working to ensure every child and young person receives an excellent education.
Our system is unique, with equity and inclusion at the core of who we are and the way we work to provide every child and young person with the opportunity to achieve their aspirations.
While we play a strong stewardship role across all schools and early childhood education and care settings, ACT Education has a particularly important responsibility to deliver welcoming, supportive and aspirational public schools.
This plan represents our commitment to achieve this with the ACT community.
Katy Haire
Director-General
ACT Education
Our vision
Every child and young person receives an excellent education, delivered and supported by highly skilled and valued professionals.
Our mission
We lead and deliver excellent, inclusive and equitable education where all are safe, valued and able to flourish.
Our Strategic Plan 2022-25 is designed to create a coherent, equitable, inclusive and excellent education system where:
- all children and young people are supported to learn, thrive, have agency, participate and achieve high expectations
- we deliver exciting, innovative, and tailored learning opportunities that set children and young people up for a successful life
- our people are valued and supported to develop in their work and aspirations
- cultural integrity is central to our work
- everyone is safe and well, including supporting wellbeing and physical health
- families and communities are welcomed and included
- research, evidence and feedback are sought out and accountability is provided
- continuous quality improvement for the whole system is delivered
- we work together to achieve this in a way that is aligned, supporting everyone to be successful.
How does it all fit together?
This strategic plan brings to life our shared commitment to the Future of Education principles of equity, inclusion, access and student agency, with the aim of ensuring every child and young person can grow with confidence and creativity as lifelong learners and active community members.
The ACT Education Directorate plays a significant role in ensuring quality learning for children and young people. The way we work is underpinned by the ACT public service values of respect, collaboration, innovation and integrity.
The ACT Wellbeing Framework guides the territory-wide approach to lift the quality of life of all Canberrans. Our educational mission closely contributes to this wellbeing framework by focusing on empowering children and young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to learn for life.
Set Up for Success and the Future of Education are the ACT Government’s 10-year early childhood and education strategies, capturing our educational reform objectives and actions to provide excellent, inclusive and equitable education that maximises children and young people’s wellbeing and learning from birth until they finish school.
Our Strategic Plan 2022-25 focus areas are delivered through the four foundations of the Set Up for Success and the Future of Education strategies. The implementation plans for each of these strategies outline the specific commitments that will be delivered. More information at education.act.gov.au.
How will we work together?
Each part of our education system contributes something different. By working as a cohesive education system with a shared vision, mission and principles that guide the way we work, we will achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people and our community.
Working together guided by these principles in everything we do
Focus on Learning - we deliver excellent, inclusive and equitable education for every child and young person by growing highly skilled and valued professionals.
Embed Cultural Integrity - we acknowledge, respect, and actively include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures in our work.
Keep Everyone Safe and Well - we ensure our staff, children and young people are safe and supported to thrive in their education and work.
Align Our Work - we collaborate and align our work to our shared vision, mission and principles.
Use Evidence and Be Accountable - we design and deliver excellent, sustainable education services using quality research, data insights and lived experiences.
Lead Together - we build leadership capability and understanding of the distinct yet complementary roles we all play in planning, managing and delivering an excellent and cohesive education system.
How will we work as a cohesive education system?
We will align our planning, reporting and quality improvement cycles to maximise our coherence, efficiency and effectiveness as an education system.
Building capability in evaluative and reflective practices will be the foundations of our excellent, inclusive and equitable education system.
How will we measure our collective impact and improvement?
Achieving excellence as an education system is only possible when all children and young people are supported to learn.
Every child and young person must be supported to learn and grow in an environment that is inspiring, inclusive and aspirational. We will use quantitative and qualitative data to review and understand both where we have success, and where we need to improve.
Evidence shows that when children and young people feel safe and well, their sense of belonging improves, which enables them to learn. For this reason we will measure our impact in four key areas:
Learning / Belonging / Equity / Wellbeing
Learning: strengthened educational outcomes
Belonging: increased identification with school
Equity: greater equity between all learners
Wellbeing: improved indicators of wellbeing
These headline measures will be underpinned by robust data but will still provide only part of the picture. Measuring our success will also require listening and learning from our people, children and young people, and families. By collecting stories and committing to acting on feedback, we will have the greatest impact.