Balgowlah Boys Campus has been recognised by the Department of Education for its effective teaching practices, which resulted in substantial improvement in student results in English in the National Assessment Program, Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) and Higher School Certificate.
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A case study by the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE) showed Balgowlah Boys Campus has seen improvement in HSC English. HSC refers to the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete senior high school level studies.
In English standard in 2011, Balgowlah Boys Campus students had an average score 7 points lower than the school’s statistically similar schools group, whilst in 2021, it was 9 points higher.
According to CESE, these are the things that worked best to improve student achievement in English at the school:
- Strong school leadership with a well-defined vision, and strong instructional leadership to implement change.
- An explicit approach to teaching writing that is introduced early, and practised and refined regularly as students progress through their schooling.
- A strong focus on teacher professional learning and collaboration – especially in faculty groups – to ensure that all teachers are skilled in the approach and consistent in their practice.
- Providing students with regular feedback on their work that is timely, specific and actionable.
Literacy has become a whole-school priority since Mr Paul Sheather took up the role of Principal at the campus in 2009. At the time, he identified that many students were underperforming academically and he wanted to turn the school around.
Mr Sheather’s vision was to create a strong learning culture that would lead to improved outcomes for all students and produce confident and articulate young men.
In 2011, 32 percent of students in Year 7 and Year 9 at the school achieved a result in the top 2 bands for NAPLAN reading and numeracy, whilst in 2021, 53 percent of students achieved a result in these bands.
Balgowlah Boys Campus is now one of the state’s most consistently top‑performing schools in HSC English, having placed in the top 10 since 2016.
About Balgowlah Boys Campus
The school is a government comprehensive secondary school for boys in Years 7 to 12, located at 27 Maretimo St, Balgowlah. It is one of 5 schools that constitute the multi‑campus Northern Beaches Secondary College.
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The school has an average Family Occupation and Education Index 1 of 24, indicating that it serves a relatively advantaged population, and a current enrolment of 1,176 students.
