To achieve certification principals are required to demonstrate, with evidence, how their leadership meets the Australian Professional Standard for Principals (Principal Standard). Providing and receiving nuanced feedback, followed by critical reflection on personal practice, underpin the deep professional learning experience.
Apply
Attend induction
Connect the Portfolio Initiatives to your current improvement plans
Implement plans, generate data, analyse impact
Reflect critically on your own practice
Achieve recognition
1. Application
Help and support
Need help or have a question? Get in touch.
2. Induction
All successful applicants must attend an induction series.
As part of the induction, principals will develop formal proposals for each of your Portfolio Initiatives.
Forthcoming induction series
Additional start dates can be arranged by mutual agreement in cases where a cohort of 8 principals or more has been recruited by a Principal Association or a System
| Term 2, 2020 | Term 3, 2020 | Term 4, 2020 | Term 1, 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enrolment deadline | 28 May | 22 July | 6 October | 17 February |
| Part 1 - Online during COVID-19 lockdown | 3 June | 5 August | 20 October | 3 March |
| Part 2 - 1 hour online | 10 June | 12 August | 27 October | 10 March |
| Part 3 - 1 hour online | 23 June | 19 August | 12 November | 18 March |
| Part 4 - 1 hour online | 2 July | 26 August | 19 November | 23 March |
All times are AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time)
3. Connect Portfolio Initiatives to current improvement plans
Certification requires principals to document two improvement initiatives they are leading.
Principals select two of the Portfolio Initiative options, as outlined below, and go on to develop case studies of their leadership in action. The Portfolio Initiatives provide the scaffolding to ensure a manageable workload.
Principals choose the focus and scope of what they choose to document. Streamline work and professional learning by aligning the CPP award requirements with your school's agenda for improvement. The certification process should form part of the school's best practice.
Portfolio Initiative options (Select 2 of 3)
Demonstrate how your leadership is increasing the effectiveness of teaching in your school and promoting student learning as a result
Demonstrate how your leadership is strengthening and sustaining your school as a professional community
Demonstrate how your leadership is strengthening partnerships with your school’s wider community to address an identified need or to seize an opportunity for innovation
4. Implementation, data generation and analysis
Portfolio Initiatives are dynamic endeavours that evolve throughout the course of the candidature as principals continuously review and amend their plan while they monitor its implementation.
It is expected that principals will require at least 18 months to generate enough clear evidence of change and the impact of their leadership.
Supporting principals through certification
Candidates can network with peers monthly throughout the certification process as they negotiate best practice and exchange feedback on initiatives.
Principals have at their disposal access to a comprehensive set of guides, tools and scaffolding to help build their portfolio throughout the process.
5. Complete Reflective Analyses
The Reflective Analysis forms the core of each Portfolio Initiative submission.
It is an opportunity for principals to tell the story of their leadership, illustrated by the evidence they have generated along the way.
Principals will detail the significance of the evidence they have chosen to include, and explain how it demonstrates the impact of their leadership.
The Reflective Analyses and supporting evidence are assessed against published criteria, mapped to the Principal Standard.
Provide the rationale, focus and scope for the initiative, defining strategies and the criteria for success.
Describe the implementation, monitoring and responses to issues that arose.
Reflect critically on the impact of the initiatives led, as well as leadership practices.
Analyse the data generated during implementation.
Provide the rationale, focus and scope for the initiative; defining strategies and the criteria for success.
Describe the implementation, monitoring and responses to issues that arose.
Reflect critically on the impact of the initiatives led, as well as leadership practices.
Analyse the data generated during implementation.
6. Achieve recognition
Submission
Reflective analyses, evidence and data from the independent validation instrument are submitted to CPP assessors
Assessment
Submissions are double-blind evaluated based on the CPP assessment framework.
Certification
Candidates are recognised for their achievement at an awards ceremony. Successful candidates may use the post-nominal CPP.
Resubmission
Candidates whose initial submission is deemed not at the level required for certification have the opportunity to resubmit.