Proven Strategies to Increase Student Performance
Discover how Waverley College has seen success in student outcomes and enthusiasm after implementing Writer's Toolbox
Background
Sydney’s Waverley College teaches 1500 boys from Year 5 to Year 12. Searching for a programme to target student writing skills, Deputy Principal of Students Gabrielle Smith was impressed after experiencing Writer’s Toolbox firsthand at a Writer’s Toolbox conference. It was when she took part in a writing exercise—pen a story and then improve it using Writer’s Toolbox techniques—that she understood: this programme can improve anyone’s writing.
Smith knew the Writer’s Toolbox programme would be beneficial across the board. Not just in the English department. And so, Waverley College started their writing improvement journey with Year 5.
“The Writer’s Toolbox approach engages
all our students. The classrooms are alive with activity and hype when they’re working on the programme.”
Student impact
Within six months of using Writer’s Toolbox, Waverley College students transformed their writing outputs. Students were engaged, they responded well to the immediate feedback, and teachers could monitor progress in their classrooms with real time writing data. As a result, Waverley decided to roll out the programme across the school.
Smith enthuses, “The Toolbox approach resonates with me because it engages all our students. You can see that when you walk through the classrooms. It’s alive with activity and hype when they’re working on the programme.”
Director of Junior Curriculum and Year 5 teacher Charlotte Stevens instructs 26 boys each day in her classroom. Stevens uses Writer’s Toolbox in all contexts at all year levels.
“In the Junior school, Writer’s Toolbox supports the development of writing, sentence structure, grammar, and improves the quality of writing. In our Senior school, they’re using Writer’s Toolbox across subjects like business studies and science. The students are developing the skills they need to achieve highly in their HSC.”
Teacher impact
Stevens knows a programme works well when there’s enthusiasm from staff.
And her staff love Writer’s Toolbox. Professional development led by Writer’s Toolbox expert coaches means staff thoroughly understand the tool and all its uses. The teachers then confidently use the tool in their classrooms, with their motivation feeding into and inspiring the students.
Year 5 teacher Elliot McKimm says Writer’s Toolbox has made teaching easier. The student data and information McKimm needs is easily accessible, including student writing level, key skills, and progress. The scaffolded activities save him time—he’s not designing lessons from scratch—allowing him to focus on the important task of teaching.
The final word
It has been the immediate impact of the programme at Waverley College that has impressed the school. Bringing about school-wide change is never easy. Yet, Writer’s Toolbox has been adopted by everyone because of the evidential proof in the students themselves. McKimm recalls when a student used a Hammer Paragraph scaffold to organise his many thoughts into a powerful piece. “You could see the pride on his face.”
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