The data

One of the major driving forces behind the establishment of Western Cape College was to improve the learning outcomes for Indigenous students across the Western Cape. This was epitomised in the College vision to enhance the senior schooling outcomes of Indigenous students. When the College was formed there was a strict focus on developing rigorous data frameworks. The implication of developing and implementing these frameworks was an increased focus on individual teacher and school effort to achieve positive teaching and learning outcomes. In 2001 the College set a series of achievable goals to ensure the concept of a data framework progressed.

Primarily, the College needed to establish baseline data from which to assess future progress and a statistical database was built to retain information on student attendance, behaviour and retention. This provided the College with a common statistical base across all Campus sites.

In 2006, a retrospective benchmark data report was compiled to analyse the efficiency and effectiveness of the framework. This report revealed that the vision was not materialised, as data is not an end in itself. Only the strategic injection of data into decision making can drive change. Accordingly, the College drive to achieve its strategic vision of improving the education outcomes of its students has seen the adoption of the 17 actions outlined in the Bound for Success: Cape York and Torres Strait Education Strategy, as the framework from which to base strategic work. This includes the collation, reporting and utilisation of data. The benchmark data retrospective highlighted that to achieve its vision, the College must use data collected to inform teaching practice more effectively. The premise being that the information gathered from testing procedures can inform teaching staff of individual student needs and therefore improve student outcomes.

The effective utilisation of data to improve education outcomes is a new focus for the College as the framework evolves. The benchmark, attendance and senior schooling data over the last five years has improved dramatically at Western Cape College. There is still a long way to go in terms of meeting state benchmarks on standardised testing but the progress highlighted by the following graphs is evident.

The Year 2 Diagnostic Net

These three graphs compare outcomes for students across all Western Cape College campuses. These graphs demonstrate the disparate outcomes experienced between the campuses at Western Cape College. Mapoon, Aurukun and Napranum have consistently poorer outcomes than Weipa and state benchmarks. The results for Aurukun and Mapoon are slowly improving. A drop in 2005 for Napranum and Weipa is attributed to the transition of students from Napranum to Weipa as school operations were phased out.

The Year 3 Test
The two graphs above highlight the improvements made across Western Cape College on Year 3 literacy and numeracy measures. The dramatic drop in scores for Aurukun and Mapoon in 2002 is consistent with a dramatic increase in student numbers. All campuses scores have since stabilised, with the exception of Napranum associated with the rolling out of school operations.

The Year 5 Test
The above graphs show a stabilisation of scores on the Year 5 Test across all campuses with the exception of Mapoon where scores were disrupted in 2003 due to no enrolments that year. Aurukun, Mapoon and Napranum experience a drop in 2002 associated with an increase in class sizes across all three campuses. Scores recover in 2003 and have steadily improved to 2005. Weipa has maintained consistent scores on the two components of the test, with a slight drop in 2005 noted, attributed to the influx of Napranum students to the campus.
The Year 7 Test
The above graphs compare results on the Year 7 Test for Aurukun and Weipa, from 2001-2005 there were no Year 7 enrolments for Napranum and Mapoon. Aurukun has made steady progress on the Year 7 test with scores graphically similar to Weipa in 2005. Both campuses remain below state benchmarks, with Aurukun having a significantly higher proportion of students in the bottom 15% on literacy and numeracy than Weipa.
Year 12 Outcomes
The senior schooling outcomes at Western Cape College have changed as the College has broadened the subject offerings in the senior years. This is reflected in the number of students accessing VET pathways. There remains a gap between enrolment numbers and year 12 outcomes which Western Cape College is aiming to address with the implementation of the Service Guarantee for Torres Strait and Cape District: A Senior Schooling Strategy. This initiative guarantees all students at Western Cape College will achieve an overall position, VET pathway or paid employment.