2015 Annual Report. St Vincent de Paul Strathmore TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY REGISTERED SCHOOL NUMBER: 1422

Transcription

1 2015 Annual Report TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY St Vincent de Paul Strathmore REGISTERED SCHOOL NUMBER: 1422

2 Contents Contact Details... 2 Minimum Standards Attestation... 2 Our School Vision... 3 School Overview... 4 Principal s Report Education in Faith... 7 Learning & Teaching... 8 Student Wellbeing Leadership & Management School Community Financial Performance Future Directions VRQA Compliance Data ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 1

3 Contact Details ADDRESS Woodland St Strathmore VIC 3041 PRINCIPAL Shane Byrne PARISH PRIEST Fr Peter Ray SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR Anthony Hengel TELEPHONE (03) WEBSITE Minimum Standards Attestation I, Shane Byrne, attest that St. Vincent de Paul Primary School is compliant with: All of the requirements for the minimum standards and other requirements for the registration of schools as specified in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) and the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2007 (Vic), except where the school has been granted an exemption from any of these requirements by the VRQA. Australian Government accountability requirements related to the 2015 school year under the Australian Education Act 2013(Cth) and the Australian Education Regulations 2013 (Cth) 20 May ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 2

4 Our School Vision 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 3

5 School Overview Strathmore is located in the North-Western suburbs about 12 km from central Melbourne. It is an area well served by public transport and is adjacent to the Tullamarine Freeway. It is primarily a residential zone with little or no secondary industry. The majority of families attending the school are employed in clerical, sales and service workers, professionals and associate professionals with an associated high level of socio-economic status, the current SES for our school is 114.This is reflected in the high collection rate of school fees and the low number of families receiving CSEF. Catholic families make up the overwhelming majority of the school population with the average percentage of Prep students over the past 5 years being 100%. The families are very involved in activities within the school and new parents often comment on how social the school environment is with well organised activities. Consequently, many of the fund raising activities organized by the Parent Association are well supported. The money raised by the Parents Association, together with school levies, make up the bulk of the private income per student figure for the school. Over recent years Strathmore has seen a number of young families move into the area and as a result many are seeking a Catholic Education. To cater for this the school has increased the number of classes growing from 15 classes and classrooms in 2009 to 18 classes and classrooms in Over this time the school has been involved in a number of building programs which have provided modern learning facilities which better reflect the school s approach to Learning and Teaching. Throughout 2015 St Vincent de Paul Primary School has been involved in many educational initiatives. These catalysts for change have encouraged the school community to review and renew its Vision, Learning and Teaching practices, curriculum focus and resources, creating a positive and supportive learning culture with a greater sense of purpose and focus on student learning ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 4

6 Principal s Report In 2015 following our School Review last year, the school was able to implement many of the initiatives identified in our Annual Action Plan which is the first year of our 4 year School Improvement Plan. Our Catholic values underpin all the work we do as a school as we endeavour to follow Jesus teachings. As a community we have had the opportunity to celebrate the sacraments of Reconciliation, Communion and Confirmation which are so important for the children s faith development. We have continued to strengthen the community s links with the parish with Family Masses for all year levels throughout the year as well as the school and year level liturgies which families are part of. We have encouraged the students to put into action those values which form the basis of their faith development. One example of using these values to take action was when the Social Justice Leaders this year took the very brave step of changing the major fundraising activity for the Columban Mission. This year they organised a Walk-a-thon with the focus being on the students doing something for others. Their efforts and those of their peers raised over $ for the work the Columban Mission do with the people from Chile. An outstanding result. Across all year levels the Levelled Literacy Intervention Program (LLI) was introduced to target children learning in literacy. The spelling program Words Their Way was also introduced to support children s understanding of letter sounds, blends and letter patterns within their writing and reading. The Maths Assessment Interview was also introduced across all year levels to give teachers a clearer understanding of the needs of students. The consistent use of these programs combined with the commitment from staff to use these programs effectively continues to support the children in their understanding of the complexities of the English language and the concepts involved in Mathematics. Our Professional Learning Teams this year have continued to provide opportunities for staff to share knowledge and consult with other professionals in their fields. Understanding and using data has been a focus of many of these meetings. With a number of new standardised tests being introduced including Pat-Maths and Pat-Reading teachers are better equipped to analyse the children s progress and address and plan for their needs in collaboration with the students. This use of data has also allowed targeted intervention using available personnel to be directed towards students most in need across the school. The staff have worked tirelessly to ensure that the needs of all students are catered for and that the students have continued to grow in their learning. Our diversity in opportunities for students is also reflected in our Arts and PE programs. A highlight of this year s Visual Arts Curriculum was the Art Show in September. This was an opportunity for the students to showcase their many talents and share these with family and friends. The excitement this event created and the number of people who attended indicated to the children the significance of their work. Our PE Curriculum gave children the opportunity to participate in a plethora of sporting activities and a variety of levels. This year our basketball teams took all before them making it to the state level competition. Students were able to participate in interschool sports competition 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 5

7 against other schools in a variety of sports as well as participate in clinics including soccer, rugby and tennis. With the work done by the Parish Education Board in 2014 the children this year benefitted from the extra playground space created as a result of the children using the tennis courts at recess and lunchtime. This use of space has resulted in a less congested Junior playground and a more harmonious playground environment. In December the parish was fortunate to be able to purchase the property adjoining the junior yard at 11 Rosebank Avenue. The long term plan for this area is to demolish the building on the site and use the area for playground space. The Parish Education Board has been active in identifying a number of areas of focus for 2015 and beyond. A number of members of the board attended a seminar on the Role of Parish Education Board and how it operates, which was facilitated by Catholic Education Office. This gave the board the opportunity to identify three areas which would be the focus for 2015/2016. These were in line with the School Improvement Plan The three areas included: Building parent and community partnerships for learning Green Travel Plan Improving Board Effectiveness- Induction As part of the focus in these areas the board have provided feedback in the development of a new student Report Format for 2016 and the way the school and teachers communicate the curriculum to be covered, to parents. The board also continues to work towards a sustainable model of traffic management for the roads surrounding the school. With the imminent arrival of new signage and road markings in Roseberry Avenue and possibly Woodland Street this process continues to improve students safety. The sub committees have also been integral in providing much needed support in the areas of maintenance of the school facilities, the coordination of the hall and support for families who may be experiencing challenging times. The Parents Association have also been very active over the year. With a new executive structure being developed at the beginning of the year which has seen co-presidents and co vice-presidents the aim was to share the responsibilities between more people. Each class year level was given the responsibility of organising particular events to also share the responsibility. Feedback has indicated these structures have been effective in achieving this result and will continue into The events organised by the Parents Association have been very extensive and very successful. Not only have they raised important funds to be used by the school, the events have continued to provide opportunities for social gatherings to build that sense of community. Parents have been very supportive within classes and beyond, helping with the children s learning and supporting the work of the teachers. Expos presented by students have been well attended by parents as well as our regular school assemblies where students get to communicate their learning in a range of exciting and interesting ways. The school relies on parent involvement to help support the learning of the children as well as provide opportunities which would otherwise not be possible ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 6

8 Overall the school calendar has been full with the many opportunities for children, parents and staff to learn, take risks, explore, trial, succeed and to sometimes fail. All these have been done within a supportive and caring environment where we all, as a Catholic community strive to improve our knowledge and understanding of ourselves, others, and the wider world. Education in Faith Goals & Intended Outcomes To strengthen the Catholic Culture at St Vincent de Paul. That greater value on the school s Catholic identity is evident across all staff, parents and students Achievements Our school aims to promote the Catholicity of the school targeting a greater awareness of the Gospel values, guiding and informing actions and building more effective communication links between school, home and the wider parish community. We have sort to do this through a range of activities and opportunities that place our catholic identity at the centre of our purpose. VALUE ADDED Whole School Masses including Commissioning Mass for opening of the school year, Ash Wednesday Mass, St Vincent de Paul Day Mass and Thanksgiving Mass for the end of the year. Year level Masses held on a rotating weekly basis Year Level Family Masses held on weekends throughout the year Sacramental Evenings for Parents Sacramental Programs and Celebrations including the Sacraments of Penance [Reconciliation], First Communion [Eucharist] and Confirmation. Commitment Masses for Sacrament Candidates and their Families held on weekends during the Sacramental Program Whole school involvement in Stations of the Cross reenactment Retreat Day for Confirmation candidates Mission Partnership with the St Columban s Mission Society Mission Walkathon - whole school involved in fund-raising walkathon for indigenous communities in Chile through the Columban Mission Society In-service Faith Development RE planning sessions introducing contemporary teaching strategies Year 6 social justice leaders attend leadership conference presented by Caritas 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 7

9 St. Vincent de Paul food van working with students to load donations into van Learning & Teaching Goals & Intended Outcomes To address the individual learning needs of all students. That each individual achieves optimum level of relative growth. That student outcome in numeracy is improved. That students are more engaged in learning. Achievements Introduction of the Maths Assessment Interview Introduction of Online Pat R and Pat M testing Whole school approach using Word s their Way Spelling Program Continued use of SPA to analyse and triangulate student data 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 8

10 VALUE ADDED Track student growth over a 12 month period Ability to address cohort and individual areas of improvement Ability to target individual spelling needs Student Wellbeing Goals & Intended Outcomes To improve student wellbeing and connectedness with the school. That student engagement generates a sense of wellbeing and connectedness. That students become independent, resilient members of the community Achievements During 2015 staff have continued to develop their knowledge of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). This has been most evident through the use of Circle Time which is now implemented consistently throughout the school. Evidence of this is identified in the weekly planner across all levels, with some levels choosing to create their own Circle Time planner. This has also helped ensure that students are using common SEL language to do with problem-solving and building resilience. Students working with their buddies across different levels has also targeted SEL, particularly the Prep and Year Six buddy activities which has helped first year students become familiar and comfortable in their new environment. The use of Kimochi dolls in the junior grades has been useful in enabling role playing and allowing students to express a range of emotions/actions. Two students from each class are also nominated as SRCs and these students are involved in regular meetings where they have an opportunity to voice new ideas, suggestions and concerns and therefore be involved in the decision making process at a class/whole school level. The school offers a variety of activities at lunch time such as chess club, soccer club and coding club, the latter being an avenue whereby students design and create their own website. This enables them to exchange ideas and foster connectedness with each other and the school 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 9

11 The school has a strong attendance record with very few issues in this area. Any nonattendance problems are managed by the class teacher in consultation with a member of the leadership team who will work directly with the family of the student to assist in any way that may be required. A proactive approach is used with all staff instructed to contact families when any regular or extended nonattendance is identified. VALUE ADDED Student Buddy program; Staff training and development in SEL, including Circle Time; Student Counsellor one day per week to work with students; Incorporating Circle Time in weekly planners across all levels and opportunities for activities/resources to be shared; Extra-curricular activities including coding club; Staff PLT on teaching Students with a Disability led by Student Wellbeing Coordinator STUDENT SATISFACTION 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 10

12 Leadership & Management Goals & Intended Outcomes To embed a culture of learning, performance and development. That staff members feel valued, empowered and recognised in their professional practice. Achievements During 2015 the plan developed by the Change2 Team in 2014 was implemented. The focus of the plan was to come to a shared understanding of what effective feedback is and to implement protocols which would enable this feedback to operate within the school environment and beyond. This resulted in staff working with a colleague to provide feedback on their practice having decided on a goal to focus on. This involved observing the staff member in action and using data collection tools to provide this objective feedback. This approach and format was decided on after professional development provided to the whole staff by Glen Pearsall, an educational consultant. EXPENDITURE AND TEACHER PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DESCRIPTION OF PL UNDERTAKEN IN 2015 Literacy PD Chris Egan Feedback-Glen Pearsall Religious Education- Marg Carswell Maths-Michael Ymer Weekly PLTs and Staff meetings on curriculum focus areas and data analysis NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN PL 29 AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER TEACHER FOR PL $ 1100 TEACHER SATISFACTION 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 11

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14 School Community Goals & Intended Outcomes To foster genuine opportunities that build community engagement in the life of the school to enhance learning. That student learning is enhanced by an authentic partnership with parents and the wider community. Achievements Continue to build parent and community partnerships for learning. Parents Association events e.g. social events, mother s and father s day breakfasts, father and daughter night, Social Justice [students] Group who organised a whole school walk a thon Sacramental Information Evenings Year level assemblies Opportunities for parents to provide feedback on school reports Classroom helpers P-2 and year 4 Students responsible for organising and implementing the fundraising events. PARENT SATISFACTION 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 13

15 Financial Performance REPORTING FRAMEWORK Recurrent income MODIFIED CASH $ Tuition School fees 312,029 Other fee income 312, ,280 Private income 184,280 40,862 State government recurrent grants 40, ,661 Australian government recurrent grants 727,661 2,531,179 Total recurrent income 2,531,179 3,796,010 3,796,010 Recurrent Expenditure Tuition Salaries; allowances and related expenses 2,926,417 Non salary expenses 499,307 Total recurrent expenditure 3,425,724 Capital income and expenditure Tuition Government capital grants Capital fees and levies 195,910 Other capital income 46,370 Total capital income 242,280 Total capital expenditure 237,170 Loans (includes refundable enrolment deposits and recurrent, capital and bridging loans) Total opening balance 850,500 Total closing balance 752,500 Note that the information provided above does not include the following items: System levies charged to individual schools, intra-systemic transfers and diocesan supplementary capital fund (SCF) supported borrowings for primary schools. The information provided is not comparable with other educational sectors. This VRQA template is not comparable to the ACARA school-level income reporting requirements which are to be reported on the MySchool website. ACARA school level reporting requirements will require system level income from Government grants and some private income to be allocated by school. This will be a small adjustment in relation to the total level of school resources. At this stage, recurrent income from Government sources, school generated income and capital expenditure are to be reported by schools. Additionally when assessing the private income of the school include both recurrent and capital school fees ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 14

16 Future Directions. EDUCATION IN FAITH Provide effective whole school professional development to build Catholic identity and teaching capacity Develop consistent practice and shared understanding in line with the new RE curriculum within current Catholic thinking. Making and deepening links between the school and the charities and organisations that it supports Update and expand resources for contemporary learning in RE (budget) LEARNING AND TEACHING Continue to review and evaluate Walker Learning Approach Consolidate a consistent understanding and practise of Spelling, Reading and Mathematics. Continue to use consistent assessment practices to collect, analyse and triangulate data to inform teaching and learning Linking planning and assessment with student reporting Developing student feedback to enhance learning Collect data, review and evaluate current Writing practises STUDENT WELLBEING To increase knowledge and understanding of SEL To embed circle time as a whole school approach to address SEL on a weekly / fortnightly basis To build knowledge, understanding and confidence of the Circle Time approach through whole school PD Increase opportunities for student voice and decision making To investigate and introduce more opportunities for extracurricular activities on the playground LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Continue to provide professional learning opportunities to develop a shared understanding of what effective feedback is Develop a draft of protocols to drive effective feedback for students Share draft protocols and decide on what protocols will be used between staff and students 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 15

17 Trial, review, reflect and evaluate protocols for student feedback SCHOOL COMMUNITY Explore ways of involving all families in a time of changing demographics Build parent and community partnerships for learning Identify and communicate opportunities that enhance parent partnerships 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 16

18 VRQA Compliance Data E1145 St Vincent de Paul's School, Strathmore PROPORTION OF STUDENTS MEETING THE MININUM STANDARDS NAPLAN TESTS 2013 % 2014 % Changes % 2015 % Changes % YR 03 Reading YR 03 Writing YR 03 Spelling YR 03 Grammar & Punctuation YR 03 Numeracy YR 05 Reading YR 05 Writing YR 05 Spelling YR 05 Grammar & Punctuation YR 05 Numeracy ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 17

19 AVERAGE STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATE BY YEAR LEVEL % Y Y Y Y Y Y Overall average attendance TEACHING STAFF ATTENDANCE RATE Teaching Staff Attendance Rate 91.39% STAFF RETENTION RATE Staff Retention Rate 78.79% 2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 18

20 TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS Doctorate 0.00% Masters 11.11% Graduate 25.93% Certificate Graduate 0.00% Degree Bachelor 70.37% Diploma Advanced 25.93% No Qualifications Listed 0.00% STAFF COMPOSITION Principal Class 3 Teaching Staff (Head Count) 38 FTE Teaching Staff Non-Teaching Staff (Head Count) 12 FTE Non-Teaching Staff Indigenous Teaching Staff ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 19

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