Mission statement
“Our school is a community in which people are valued and our students are given the opportunity to develop in learning, responsibility and character."
School motto: “Learn now to succeed”
Our vision
Our school as a community of learners in which every person is valued and able to take advantage of a range of opportunities to achieve personal academic success and to develop in responsibility and character. In essence everyday, in every classroom every student is learning and achieving.
Our values and beliefs
Cairns West State School values the diversity of its community and student population and the focus of our teaching across all year levels is the sound development of standard Australian English, numeracy skills and of socially and emotionally well balanced students.
At Cairns West State School we value:
To meet this vision statement and values, Cairns West State School is committed to students, quality teaching and accountability. We use key conditions, key elements and key strategies to meet standards and targets that we have designed to help us continue to strive for the best learning outcomes for all students.
We believe children are more likely to learn when the following key conditions are present and as a community we strive to provide them:
Expectation: Children can and will learn.
Prior knowledge: Learning is constructed from where children are at both socially and academically. We build in and build on prior knowledge.
Environment: Non– threatening, where the problem solving approach of “have a go’ is encouraged.
Integration: All subjects including literacy, numeracy and ICTs are taught across all other areas.
Learning activities: Structured, sequenced, achievable, enjoyable.
Learning Style: Predominately “hands on’ but with differentiation to encompass all learning styles.
Grouping: Daily whole group experiences, daily small group experiences, daily independent experiences.
Resources: Material resources - ability, interest level, quantity and quality, human resources - trained and enthusiastic.
Continuous assessment: To enable appropriate intervention and scaffolding.
Evaluation/ reflection
Appropriateness of programs, activities, teaching strategies
Formal and informal collegial discussions
Sharing best practice sessions
Good public relations: (worthwhile partnerships)
Acknowledge, respect, listen, negotiate, win-win situations
Formal and informal discussions, information sessions, consistency
Open door policy
Home visits
We further seek to engage with parents and carers to empower them to better contribute to their children’s education. In essence, our priority is to ensure:
"Every day, in every classroom, every student is learning and achieving."