Gunnedah Public School, New South Wales, were on a mission to find a programme that simplified their school data management into one system. Led by Executive Principal Cathie McMaster, the school recently adopted Hero.
Why Hero?
Tired of juggling multiple platforms, Cathie was drawn to the way Hero centralises data behind each student's profile, and how visible this data is. Attendance, behaviour tracking, academic progress—it's all there, in one platform, making life easier for teachers, school leaders and administrators.
“I really like that you see the child's face - and the bigger the school, the more welcome that is. Every time you want to know anything, you just type the child's name and it's all there.”
Cathie also views Hero as a game-changer for parent involvement, teacher empowerment, and data-driven decision-making. Teachers can easily track behaviour patterns, monitor progress, and, with the preloaded NSW curriculum syllabuses in Hero, easily tailor instruction to meet individual learner needs.
“The data is what we're driving more than anything, because we needed our staff to start using data to inform curriculum, and now they're both in the same place, so they can do that really, really easily.”
Coming Onboard
With Hero’s user-friendly interface and robust support, the transition has been seamless for Gunnedah. Cathie comments that teachers quickly embraced the change, realising the potential to transform teaching and learning.
Equipped with two years of historical data pre-loaded in Hero, Gunnedah teachers have been able to hit the ground running in 2024. This rich data allows them to gain a holistic understanding of their new students, fostering stronger relationships from the start.
“Teachers can arrange a class for ability for outcomes, or arrange a class for behaviours - you can see in an instant where everyone sits. When you dig deeper, you have absolutely every piece of data that's in the school behind that child.”
Launching to their Community
Now, Gunnedah Public School is bringing their community onboard with Hero. Through newsletter communications and engaging parents with a Hero welcome info session, they're showing parents how Hero enhances their child's education journey.
Cathie envisions parents actively engaging in their child's learning through Hero’s goal-setting functionality, fostering a stronger home-school connection and empowering students with agency over their own learning.
The Whole Package
Cathie encourages schools to explore Hero:
“You've just got to get on and have a look. It's all built around the child, all in one place, and very simple to navigate. You shape it to your school and run with it. It’s the whole package.”
Gunnedah's adventure shows how Hero can simplify school systems and put students at the centre. Ready to start your own heroic adventure? Book a demo.
Watch: 60 Seconds with Cathie McMaster - Gunnedah Public School
