Information for Leaders - Catalyst : Catalyst

Empowering schools to implement evidence-based practice through

Curriculum

Curated high-quality resources that align with Catalyst and relevant Syllabus and Curriculum guidelines.

Pedagogy

Embedding evidence-based pedagogy in all classrooms, informed by Rosenshine's Principles of Instruction.

Assessment

System-wide assessment protocols to track student achievement and the impact Catalyst makes.

Implementing Catalyst at my school

Catalyst is underway (at varying stages) at every school across the Archdiocese. Each school will have a unique implementation journey, with Principals and their Leadership Teams working closely with their Performance Improvement Leader and the Teaching and Learning team at CECG, to identify the appropriate approach. This will be addressed through Annual Improvement Planning. School Leaders will be responsible for –

High-quality education

Effectively leading and advocating for teaching and learning improvements

Low variance curriculum

Leading curriculum improvement in schools utilising curated high-quality resources

Data-informed decision making

Examining data to plan, prioritise and timeline the improvement journey

Fostering collaboration

Providing collaboration opportunities within the school and across the Archdiocese

How am I supported to implement this teaching approach?

All Leaders and Principals will work with their Performance Improvement Leaders to design and refine their Catalyst journey. If there’s anything specific you would like more information about, please get in touch with your Performance Improvement Leader or the Catalyst team.

To support the implementation and ongoing embedding of the Catalyst teaching approach, Leaders and Principals are provided with –

Professional learning sessions to build knowledge
Opportunities to collaborate and share experiences with peers in the bi-annual Catholic Leaders’ Days
Access to resources for planning and implementation
Bespoke mentoring and support

Supporting teachers at my school

Leaders should identify and work with teachers in their Catalyst planning sessions, to ensure they are included in the overall solution and roll out of the program in their school. Leaders should work with their teachers to build strong communities of practice to ensure the professional learning teachers are undertaking is becoming embedded in their schools.

What do parents need to know?

You will be provided with a ‘Toolkit for Leaders’ which will include key messaging, templates and instructions, and content ideas for school collateral (websites, newsletters, social media, school handbooks, proformas).

Professional Learning and support opportunities for Leaders

All Leaders and Principals will work with their Performance Improvement Leaders to design and refine their Catalyst journey. If there’s anything specific you would like more information about, please get in touch with the with your Performance Improvement Leader or the Catalyst team.

Principals have the opportunity to collaborate and share experiences with peers in the bi-annual Catholic Leaders’ Days.

All Leaders are also encouraged to participate in professional learning programs alongside their teachers to ensure they are abreast of the terminology, theory and resources being presented to teachers.

Helpful Resources

Episode 6: Learning about Catalyst featuring Maggie Lloyd

Sep 2023

In this episode we speak with Maggie Lloyd from St Monica’s Primary School, Evatt ACT. This is a great listen for those who’d like to refresh their knowledge of Catalyst or for those who are learning more about the aspects of Catalyst.