Kedron State High School

Location: Brisbane, Queensland

Kedron State High School in northern metropolitan Brisbane has an enrolment of 1450 students, with a strong multicultural mix and range of income backgrounds. In 2015 around 35 per cent of students had a non-English-speaking background, with 50 languages are spoken, including international students as well as new arrivals to Australia. Approximately 35 Indigenous students are enrolled. Kedron has a Special Education Program which caters for students with a variety of identified disabilities and includes deaf students who are supported in mainstream classes for most subjects according to their educational needs.

How Kedron High has used its Gonski funding

Since 2014 Kedron received $506,000 Gonski funding in 2014 and $766,000 in 2015.

Kedron has focussed on improving literacy and numeracy teaching and learning programs across the whole school, with an emphasis on lifting the achievement of students needing English language support, building the skills of staff, and raising the numbers of students successfully completely their senior secondary education and Queensland Certificate of Education results.

Funds have been invested in employing more teachers and support staff to work with students of greatest need, developing more effective literacy and numeracy programs for students at all levels, providing more effective professional development for staff, and improvements in tracking and coaching of students to improve QCE attainment.

How Gonski funding has made a difference for students

There has been a lift in the performance of many students, in particular those requiring English language support. NAPLAN results in reading, writing, and numeracy have all shown demonstrable improvement for the majority of students. Alongside this, in-school assessment data also shows an increase in student engagement and re-engagement through the programs being offered for both mainstream students and those requiring English language support. In 2015 over 97 per cent of students successfully completed their senior secondary education; another strong improvement on previous years.

What Kedron could do with Gonski in the future

The full six years of Gonski funding would allow Kedron to expand the individual support it offers students, reduce class sizes to allow students to get more individual attention and direct engagement with their teachers, and provide increased levels of quality professional development for teaching staff. The Principal, Joseba Larrazabal says that needs-based funding is vital. Schools know that a continuation of Gonski funding will make a huge difference for our students well into the future. I believe this is an important message to share.