PLC

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are an approach to school improvement where groups of teachers work collaboratively at the school level to improve student outcomes.​

Professional learning community (PLC) schools start from a simple idea: students learn more when their teachers work together. 

Building a PLC is a proven way for schools to increase student learning by creating a culture that is:

• focussed on continuous improvement by linking the learning needs of students with the professional learning and practice of teachers
• committed to professionalism
• fuelled by collaborative expertise.

The 10 principles of effective PLCs

Found in all effective PLCs are 10 principles that bring together the best available research on school improvement:

1. Student learning focus: School improvement starts with an unwavering focus on student learning.
2. Collective responsibility: For every child to achieve, every adult must take responsibility for their learning.
3. Instructional leadership: Effective school leaders focus on teaching and learning.
4. Collective efficacy: Teachers make better instructional decisions together.
5. Adult learning: Teachers learn best with others, on the job.
6. Privileged time: Effective schools provide time and forums for teacher conversations about student learning.
7. Continuous improvement: Effective teams improve through recurring cycles of diagnosing student learning needs, and planning, implementing and evaluating teaching responses to them.
8. Evidence driven: Effective professional learning and practice are evidence-based and data-driven.
9. System focus: The most effective school leaders contribute to the success of other schools.
10. Integrated regional support: Schools in improving systems are supported by teams of experts who know the communities they work in.