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Guidelines
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Table of contents
1. Showcase Awards for Excellence in Schools………………………………...3
1.1 Background and purpose………………………………………………………3
1.2 Criterion and categories………………………………………………………..3
2. Recognition and rewards – grants for schools………………………………5
3. Entering the Showcase Awards…………………………………………………5
3.1 Writing an awards submission………………………………………………...5
3.2 Entering your award submission……………………………………..………..6
3.3 The state final……………………………………………………………………7
3.4 Documentation to support your outcomes……………………………………8
3.5 Assistance with writing your submission……………………………………..8
4. Selection process……………………………………………………………….…9
5. Development grants…………………………………………………………..….10
5.1 Accountabilities………………………………….…………………….………10
Attachment A………………………………………………………………………….…11
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1. The Showcase Awards for Excellence in Schools
1.1 Background and purpose
In 2015, the Showcase Awards for Excellence in Schools (Showcase Awards) will continue its 15
year tradition of recognising and rewarding Queensland state schools that are significantly
improving student learning outcomes through excellent teaching practice.
The Showcase Awards are acknowledged as the Queensland Government's most prestigious
educational awards and give Queensland state schools the chance to share in more than
$370,000 in development grants.
The program aims to:
•
recognise, celebrate and reward excellent teaching practice in state schools
•
foster a learning culture that supports sharing excellent practices
•
create professional development opportunities and
•
promote public education.
1.2 Criterion and categories
1.2.1 Criterion
The overarching criterion for the Showcase Awards is:
The program must significantly contribute to students’ quality outcomes and continuous
improvement. These could include education, personal, health and social wellbeing and
vocational outcomes.
The criterion focuses on student development through competence, character, creativity and
citizenship.
All programs must:
•
be capable of being promoted as best practice
•
document evidence of commitment to continuous improvement to achieve quality
outcomes for students (see section 3.4 for further details).
A school program must include a range of the following features:
•
sustainability
•
transferability of process
•
inclusivity.
1.2.2 Categories
There are six categories. A state award and three state finalist awards are presented in each of
the categories, and up to 84 highly commended and 42 regional awards are also presented
within these categories.
1.
Showcase Award for Excellence in the Early and Primary Years
Recognises programs which create positive outcomes and improved performance for
young children and students from birth to Year 6 through:
•
high quality teaching of a consistent curriculum
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•
•
•
productive partnerships
instructional leadership
improved student achievement.
2.
Showcase Award for Excellence in the Junior Secondary Years
Recognises programs which create positive outcomes and improved performance for
Year 7 to 9 students, engaging them, providing support and a sense of belonging, and
addressing the seven guiding principles of:
•
distinct identity
•
quality teaching
•
student wellbeing
•
parent and community involvement
•
leadership
•
local decision-making
•
improved student achievement.
3.
Showcase Award for Excellence in the Senior Years
Recognises programs which create positive outcomes and improved performance for
Year 10 to 12 students through:
•
flexible education and training
•
opportunities, including post-secondary pathways
•
engaging students as active learners
•
consistent curriculum and high quality teaching
•
productive partnerships
•
instructional leadership
•
improved student achievement.
4.
Showcase Award for Excellence in Inclusive Education
Recognises programs which create positive outcomes and improved performance for
students through:
•
catering for their diverse needs
•
identifying and removing barriers to achievement
•
consistent curriculum and high quality teaching
•
productive partnerships
•
instructional leadership
•
improved student achievement.
5.
Showcase Award for Excellence in Community Engagement
Recognises programs which create positive outcomes and improved performance for
students through:
•
productive partnerships with students, staff, parents and their communities
•
opportunities that enhance community engagement
•
projects that involve hands-on learning through collaboration with community
•
improved student achievement.
6.
Showcase Award for Excellence in Industry Partnerships
Recognises programs which create positive outcomes and improved performance for
students through:
•
opportunities that develop skills in industry-based programs using an integrated
curriculum, structured industry placements, school-based apprenticeships and
traineeships or cadetships, and industry activities
•
projects that involve learning through collaboration with business/industry
•
improved student achievement.
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2. Recognition and rewards – grants for schools
In 2015, the Showcase Awards school grants will include:
•
42 regional awards, each comprising a $1000 development grant
•
up to 84 regional highly commended awards, each comprising a $250 development grant
•
selected from the regional award winners, 18 state finalists (three per category) will be
announced on Friday 31 July, each receiving a $7500 development grant
•
six state awards, each comprising a $25,000 development grant, presented at the
Showcase Awards Gala Dinner, on Friday 30 October 2015.
3. Entering the Showcase Awards
Participating in the 2015 Showcase Awards involves the following steps:
1.
Nomination
Electronically enter a 2015 Showcase Award submission, describing the school
program’s alignment to the category criteria and outcomes. Nominating requires only one
submission, which will be assessed regionally and, if selected as a regional award winner,
will be reassessed for state award judging.
2.
State awards judging
Shortlisting will occur in July 2015 and will identify three state finalists per category (18
programs in total) to participate in state awards judging. Judging will take place in
Brisbane in October 2015, with winners announced at the Showcase Awards Gala Dinner
on Friday 30 October 2015.
Participation is open to all Queensland state school employees and volunteers; however,
approval from the school’s principal must be sought prior to commencement.
Nominations may be submitted by schools, clusters of schools or regional directors who have
identified school programs in their region worthy of recognition.
School programs that have won a Showcase state award previously cannot submit the same
program again, regardless of whether the program has been adapted.
Schools making a submission should note that content, not presentation is the basis for judging
at all levels.
3.1 Writing an awards submission
Submissions must be lodged electronically via the Showcase Awards submission portal
(available on the Showcase Awards website) by 5 pm Friday 5 June 2015 using the template
provided in Appendix A. It should include:
•
•
a short, catchy project title and a one paragraph project summary for public relations and
media use
a clear, concise description, and qualitative and quantitative evidence of the program’s
contribution to quality outcomes and continuous improvement for students (see section
3.4).
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The following questions may assist in starting the submission writing process:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What is the program called, what is it about?
Who developed it, who delivers it and where is it delivered?
If delivered by a cluster of schools, how does each school contribute to the program?
How long has it been operating? Who does it benefit and how?
What is new or different about this program?
How is it making a difference to student outcomes?
How do you know it is working?
What evidence do you have to support this?
Submissions must:
•
•
•
•
not exceed 15 A4 pages – a maximum of five pages using the submission template in
Appendix A, and up to 10 pages of appendices
use a minimum font size of 11 point
include a compulsory signed statement from the school’s principal (statement must form
part of the 10 pages of appendices). For cluster schools, the principals’ statement should
come from the lead school entering the submission
include a compulsory signed statement from a P&C association, school board or school
council (statement must form part of the 10 pages of appendices).
Photographs should not be included in the submission, but may form part of the appendices. If
an appendix contains high-resolution items such as photos, consider zipping the file or
converting it to a high resolution PDF format file to meet the electronic file size limit.
Publication of student details
Guidelines on publication of details identifying state school students can be found at
http://ppr.det.qld.gov.au/corp/ict/management/Pages/Personal-Information.aspx.These
guidelines must be considered when preparing Showcase Awards submissions and organising
Showcase publicity.
Intellectual property
All submissions remain the intellectual property of the Department of Education and Training. If a
submission uses material from a source not covered by Department of Education and Training
licences, the school should seek permission for its use before entering the submission and
provide written proof of permission.
3.2 Entering your award submission
Due: 5 pm Friday 5 June 2015
Please ensure you have downloaded (from the Showcase Awards website) and completed your
Appendix A submission template prior to lodging your submission electronically.
1.
Log in to the Showcase Awards submission portal and create your account. An email
verifying your account will be sent to your nominated email address. Please retain your
log in details as you will require them to re-access your account should you progress to
state finals.
2.
Using your nominated account details, log in to the Showcase Awards submission portal:
http://showcase.eawards.com.au/newentry/mylogin.php
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3.
Click the ‘nominate’ button to commence your submission.
Nominee information – commence your regional award submission by entering your
project’s details into the relevant fields. Once completed, click the ‘save and continue’
button at the bottom of the screen to move to the next step.
4.
Entry details – enter your submission overview and personnel description in the relevant
fields. Once completed, click the ‘save and continue’ button at the bottom of the screen to
move to the next step.
5.
Submission – upload your completed Appendix A regional award submission template
and appendices/supporting documents under the relevant fields. It is recommended that
the supporting documents be uploaded as one PDF document. Click ‘save’ at the bottom
of the page to proceed to your next window.
6.
Nominees declaration – please ensure you have carefully read and understood each of
the tick boxes required to complete your submission. Click on the ‘complete’ button to
finalise. Your submission will now be reviewed by your regional coordinator. Should your
submission be incomplete or require changes, your regional coordinator will contact you.
How do I edit or enter another regional award submission?
Log back in to your account and you will immediately be directed to your nomination history.
To edit a current submission, click ‘edit’ under actions and follow the prompts.
To enter another regional award submission, click ‘nominate’ and repeat the previous steps.
To delete your submission, click ‘delete’. The deletion of a submission can only be performed by
the nominated school. Regional coordinators will not be able to action this task.
3.3 The state final
Video profiles of state finalists’ projects
Video vignettes of all state finalists’ entries will be professionally produced to promote excellence
in education, and videos will be screened at the Showcase Awards Gala Dinner and later
uploaded to the Showcase Awards website. The video production team will visit the state finalists’
schools in August and September to film the vignettes.
Showcase state award judging
State award judging will take place in October 2015. Two or three representatives from each
Showcase state finalist program will be allocated 15 minutes to meet with members of the State
Awards Panel to discuss their program and submission.
The Department of Education and Training will meet travel and accommodation costs for two
representatives from each state finalist school or cluster where necessary.
Showcase Awards Gala Dinner
The Showcase Awards Gala Dinner will be held in Brisbane on Friday 30 October 2015. At the
Showcase Awards Gala Dinner, six state award winners will be announced. All state finalists’
submissions will be profiled during the function.
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The gala dinner provides opportunities for business and community leaders, supporters of state
education, and representatives of other educational institutions to gather and network, and to
recognise and celebrate outstanding contributions to excellence in education.
3.4 Documentation to support your outcomes
In all submissions, schools are required to provide specific evidence of their contribution to
quality outcomes and continuous improvement for students.
Acceptable forms of qualitative and quantitative evidence may include:
•
systemic data (for example, NAPLAN results and My School data)
•
documentation of achieved outcomes
•
significant results in state, national and international competitions (for example, English,
maths, science, information technology, art)
•
teachers’ anecdotal records
•
graphs, which may be useful to provide quantitative evidence
•
survey results
•
retention data
•
case study findings
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evidence presented in percentages, although sample sizes must be stated
•
school opinion data, but it is recommended it is supported by other data to supplement
the results.
Submissions in the Early and Primary Years category should include data that maps the ongoing
progress of students, including their achievements.
When possible, data should be compared to results prior to the program’s implementation.
For examples of suitable documentation, visit the Showcase Awards website at:
www.education.qld.gov.au/community/events/showcase
3.5 Assistance with writing your submission
“Preparing your Showcase Awards submission” is a document that has been developed to
provide clear information on how to participate. It also includes tips for writing a cohesive
submission. This document, along with examples of best practice models, is available for schools
to download from the Showcase Awards website.
For further assistance with preparing your Showcase Awards submissions, please contact your
regional coordinator. Regional coordinators’ names and contact details are available from the
website at: http://education.qld.gov.au/community/events/showcase/reg-coordinators.html
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4. Selection process
There are four stages in the selection process for the Showcase Awards:
Stage one
Enter an awards submission
Schools complete and upload an award submission (Appendix A) via the Showcase Awards
website. Regional coordinators check to ensure the submission meets all of the requirements
and sends the submission to the Regional Selection Team.
Stage two
Regional judging
Regional Selection Teams review regional submissions and identify one winner and up to two
highly commended winners per category.
The following table identifies the awards available per region:
Category
Regional awards
available
Highly commended
awards available
Early and Primary Years
1
2
Junior Secondary Years
1
2
Senior Years
1
2
Inclusive Education
1
2
Community Engagement
1
2
Industry Partnerships
1
2
Stage three
State finalist shortlisting
The State Evaluation Team evaluates the regional award winner’s submissions. The State
Evaluation Team is appointed by Department of Education and Training, and includes specialist
expertise relevant to the categories they consider. The State Evaluation Team includes members
who have academic, industry and the Department of Education and Training credibility, including
knowledge of current best practice across a wide range of curriculum areas.
A minimum of three programs (per category) are shortlisted and announced as state finalists.
State finalists each receive a grant of $7500.
Stage four
State awards judging and the Showcase Awards Gala Dinner
The State Awards Panel will collectively interview all state finalists from the six categories. The
interviews will be informal and take 15 minutes per finalist. The 15 minutes will consist of a 10
minute pitch from the school representatives followed by five minutes question time with the
panel.
Audio visual presentations are not permitted during interviews; it is a verbal interview only. The
set-up of any promotional or supporting items you wish to display will be included in your 15
minute allocation. As a guideline, it is recommended that your pitch includes:
•
•
•
•
•
a succinct outline of the program
how the program made a difference to student outcomes
how the program is sustainable
how you see the program working in other schools
any further developments since submitting the nomination.
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Up to three people may participate in the interview, including the two state finalist representatives
and a student, parent or teacher. Interview participants are at the school’s discretion.
State award winners will be announced at the Showcase Awards Gala Dinner on Friday 30
October 2015. Each state award recipient receives a $25,000 development grant.
5. Development grants
Award
Highly commended awards
Regional award winner
State finalist
State award winner
Development grant
Grants available
statewide
$250 each
$1000 each
$7500 each
$25,000 each
84
42
21
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Total grant
distribution
available
$21,000
$42,000
$157,500
$150,000
All development grants (region or state level) are paid to the selected schools through the grants
and allowances system GAPs.
The development grants are aimed to assist further development of the winning school program
and may be used for various purposes, including:
•
study leave
•
research — further or new
•
conference attendance or presentation
•
professional resources
•
study support
•
publication and distribution
•
team building
•
staff professional development.
All development grants must meet Queensland’s financial legislation requirements and Education
Queensland’s purchasing policy.
5.1 Accountabilities
When awarded a Showcase Award development grant, the school must prepare a proposal that:
•
is consistent with the school’s Partnership Agreement or School Planning Overview
•
is signed off by the regional director
•
indicates how the development grant will be spent
•
outlines how the school has shared information or knowledge about its program
•
a report on activities associated with a development grant must be included in the next
School Annual Report.
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Attachment A – submission template
1.
Description:
(A detailed description of the submission including the program’s contribution to quality
outcomes and continuous improvement for students — see section 3.1 of the Showcase
Awards guidelines)
2.
Statement:
(A detailed description of the submission’s connection to State Schools Strategy 2014 –
2018 core learning priorities and strategies)
3.
Outcomes and supporting evidence:
(A description of the quality and continuously improved outcomes that have been
achieved, including supporting evidence of claimed outcomes such as performance
measures used — see section 3.4 of the Showcase Awards guidelines)
4.
Other documentation:
(Other documentation that describes the significance of the achieved outcomes. These
items should be presented as an appendix)
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