Students in good hands

BRENTWOOD Park Primary School students are in good hands if a recent award is anything to go by.
The Berwick school was recently recognised for excellence in teacher training by the State Government.
Education Minister Bronwyn Pike congratulated the local campus along with more than 100 others Victorian government schools for their on-the-job training and support offered to new and current teachers.
Brentwood Park Primary School principal James Bell received the award on behalf of the Bemersyde Drive school.
Ms Pike presented the accreditation certificates to the 130 schools at an awards presentation at East Doncaster Secondary College.
“The most important influence on student learning is the quality of their teachers,” Ms Pike said.
“These schools have introduced high quality induction programs to support new teachers and set up programs to ensure teachers have the opportunity to develop their professional skills.
“While the schools range from small country primary schools to large metropolitan secondary colleges, they all share a strong commitment to strive for teacher excellence.”
Performance and Development Culture accreditation recognises schools that: support the professional growth of their staff and employ outstanding processes for developing and managing staff.
Since 2005, 498 government schools have achieved Performance and Development Culture accreditation, including the 130 schools recently announced.
“The Brumby Government is committed to providing high quality work environments so teachers can achieve their best, share their skills and knowledge with other teachers, and foster a culture of improvement across the school,” Ms Pike said.
In order to be accredited, schools must provide detailed evidence of the steps they have taken to develop a performance and development culture.
Accredited schools are expected to share their best practices with other schools and encourage them to seek accreditation.