The ‘no secrets’ teaching technique that turned this Hunter school around
This article by Simon McCarthy was published in the Newcastle Herald (paywall).
Having aced the 2024 HSC, with results among the state’s most improved revealed in March, Cessnock High School has continued a five-year trend of academic achievement turning results once well below the state average to exceeding in key benchmarks.
Tenured principal Belinda Cooper said the school’s culture has transformed to an extent not seen in her decades of experience.
In 2019, Cessnock High School was languishing below state benchmarks in basic skills and the Higher School Certificate.
HSC results fell into the bottom three bands, and NAPLAN standardised testing showed students were struggling with key skills they needed to succeed. Something had to be done.
The school turned to the University of Newcastle’s Quality Teaching Academy, and Hunter researcher Drew Miller, for help.
Dr Miller, the deputy director of the university’s Teachers and Teaching Research Centre, said there was some 20 years of studies that showed a deeply analytical approach to improving learning outcomes was a pathway to success, but it took leadership and conviction from schools to make the possible improvements a reality.
