Cook School Annual Report

Transcription

1 Cook School Annual Report

2 Introduction The Annual Report for 2015 is provided to the community of Cook School as an account of the school s operations and achievements throughout the year. It provides a detailed account of the progress the school has made to provide high quality educational opportunities for all students, as set out in the school plan. It outlines the findings from selfassessment that reflect the impact of key school strategies for improved learning and the benefit to all students from the expenditure of resources, including equity funding. Mr Dave Hobson Principal Bachelor of Education in Special Education (Honours) School contact details: Cook School Rawson Avenue LOFTUS cook-s.school@det.nsw.edu.au Message from the Principal 2015 marked my first year as Principal of Cook School. It is a school that I am proud to lead, and I take particular pride in the achievements of the staff, students and wider school community throughout the year. Cook School has a dedicated and highly specialised team of staff who are committed to working together in order to provide a safe, high achieving, inclusive environment where all students are nurtured and encouraged to achieve their personal best in all they do. The school aims to support students individual social and emotional needs through the implementation of personalised learning plans that incorporate quality teaching practices. During 2015, our school community met together to refresh the school vision statement and develop a new school motto that reflects the Cook School program cycle. Typically when students first enrol at Cook School, they have experienced significant challenges in the mainstream learning environment, often believing that they will never be successful at school. When students are in a safe, supported environment, promoting the development of their self-confidence and social skills as well as the provision of curriculum at appropriate entry points, students engage with schooling and experience success. Believe, Strive, Achieve is our new school motto, succinctly describing this process of change. During 2015, Cook School continued to expand our successful academic and wellbeing programs. Key achievements include: 10 of our students successfully transitioning back to home schools 80% of graduating students successfully accessing post compulsory schooling options, such as full time employment, TAFE enrolment, traineeships and Year 11 in a mainstream setting. 56% reduction in student suspensions, from 2014 levels

3 School receiving environmental grant to provide a calm sensory space for primary school students Significant upgrades to the school site and facilities to provide further specialist support for students A thorough review and expansion of school programs, with all staff members leading action projects, including the establishment of a school café, clinics with NSW Health, more detailed student learning assessment processes, expanded work readiness and work experience programs, significant investment in ICT infrastructure and a review of integration practices. Many of these projects aim to engage students in ways which are responsive to student needs and learning styles, providing opportunities for them to improve their participation in schooling, gain higher academic outcomes and greater levels of self-confidence. The School Plan maps out an ambitious path to build upon the school s success and plan for its future. It is underpinned by three key elements that promote the quality teaching and learning programs that our students, staff, parents and community value and appreciate. The following report will outline these elements in further detail. I certify that the information provided in this report is the result of a rigorous school self-assessment and review process undertaken with staff, parent and student leaders and provides a bal11anced and genuine account of the school s achievements and areas for development. Dave Hobson Principal School background School vision statement Cook School strives to create confident, respectful and responsible students that contribute positively to their community, through the provision of a quality education that is supportive, engaging and consistent. Cook School is committed to improving educational and post school outcomes for students that have not experienced success in a mainstream schooling environment. Our specialist staff are committed to enabling students to break down the barriers to their learning as well as closely supporting their referring schools by upskilling staff and assisting learning support teams to better cater for a wide variety of student support needs. Cook School actively supports families by linking them with appropriate support networks and agencies through NSW Health. School context Cook School is a NSW DoE facility established in 2002 to provide support for students who have been identified by their mainstream school as those who could benefit from the intensive educational and social support of a specialist setting. Cook School runs two distinct specialist programs. There are a maximum of 14 places for students in Years K-6 that present with a diagnosed mental health support need, and a maximum of 21 places for students in Years 5-10 who typically demonstrate challenging behaviours in the classroom. Student enrolment takes place via an external selection panel. The school aims to deliver a program designed to help students learn to better manage their approach to learning and successfully integrate back into regular schools. Cook School sets challenging, yet attainable goals for all students. The emphasis is to provide students with a safe and caring environment in which they can access quality teaching and learning and be supported in making positive informed choices. Cook School operates on an integration model, with students initially attending four days and integrating into home schools or work placements one day per week. Students engage in the program at Cook School from four, to a maximum of six school terms.

4 Self-assessment and school achievements Self-assessment using the School Excellence Framework This section of the Annual Report outlines the findings from self-assessment using the School Excellence Framework, our school achievements and the next steps to be pursued. The Framework supports public schools throughout NSW in the pursuit of excellence by providing a clear description of high quality practice across the three domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading. This year, our school undertook self-assessment using the elements of the School Excellence Framework. Cook School staff have discussed the School Excellence Framework and its implications for informing, monitoring and validating our journey of excellence. Time was dedicated at a School Development Day to thoroughly examine the school plan to determine the elements of the School Excellence Framework that the plan most strongly addressed. Improvement processes and projects from each of our Strategic Directions were mapped against the School Excellence Framework, in each of the domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading. Upon mapping the School Excellence Framework against our School Plan it became evident that most of our focus falls into the Learning domain, with projects and processes being split almost evenly into each of the elements. Projects that fell largely in this domain include our Assessment Project which aims to improve the use of diagnostic and norm-referenced assessment of student literacy and numeracy abilities in order to better plan appropriate PLP goals, and provide referring schools with an effective student handover package; the Barista project which aims to address student transition and wellbeing needs in a functional work readiness program; the Sensory project which aims to address our younger cohort s learning requirements by assisting the development of sensory regulation; our Re-integration project, which seeks to build efficient, evidence-based structures for integration back into home schools, as well as upskill staff from referring schools; and our Clinic Project which provides wraparound supports for student wellbeing by linking families with appropriate health services. A large number of our projects address the Wellbeing element in the Learning domain. Cook School aims to implement an effective whole-school approach to wellbeing that has clearly defined behavioural expectations creating a positive teaching and learning environment. Initial evidence of impact of these projects and measures include increased attendance among our student body and a 56% reduction in suspensions compared to 2014 figures. The main focus of Cook School in the domain of Teaching has been on Collaborative Practice and Effective Classroom Practice. During 2015, Cook School placed a great emphasis on preparation for the new History syllabus, with two of our teachers delivering professional learning workshops to mainstream peers at the community of schools Time for History event held at Kirrawee Public School. Our Quality Teaching and Learning project has sought to meet the Learning and Development and Professional Standards elements of the Teaching domain by introducing mentoring processes to build teacher capacity and establish effective frameworks for teacher performance and development. During 2015, Cook School placed a significant emphasis on the School Resources element of the Leading domain. New processes for strategically managing financial and human resources were developed and the school s financial situation has improved accordingly. ICT equipment and teaching resources were equitably distributed throughout the school and a thorough audit of teaching resources was undertaken to minimise duplication. The school also sought new revenue streams for equipment and playground upgrades through the local community. The school now has a long term roadmap for resource acquisition and site upgrade which will be implemented during The development of purposeful leadership roles has also been a feature of the school in 2015, with the establishment of staff teams, led by teachers, each assuming ownership for implementing a whole-school project. Our self-assessment process will further assist the school to refine the strategic priorities in our School plan leading to further improvements in the delivery of education to our students.

5 Strategic Direction 1 Student Learning Student learning is meaningful, personalised, connected and engaging for all students. Purpose To provide a learning environment that has high expectations for student achievement. Students will be productively engaged in tasks that are relevant to assessed needs and continually challenged to meet personal academic and social goals. Students will value educational opportunities and work collaboratively with staff to engender a school wide culture of respect and success. Overall summary of progress Cook School embarked on a number of projects in order to address the breadth of this strategic direction. One of the key areas for improvement was to gain clear student assessment data as due to the short term placement of students, NAPLAN and other standardised statewide assessments do not give an accurate indication of student growth throughout their time at Cook School. The Assessment Project has sought to consider, trial and select appropriate evidenced based, diagnostic and norm referenced tools in a range of competencies. Additionally, it was important to ensure the assessments are engaging for students who are considered to be educationally marginalised or disengaged. After a thorough review, staff decided upon the online ACER Progressive Achievement Tests. These were purchased at the close of PM Benchmarking kits for the primary school students were also purchased. The establishment of a barista program and working café has also been a key project aimed at improving student engagement and connecting senior students to the workplace. During 2015, staff visited working cafes at other schools to examine models already in place. Staff and students completed the Use Hygienic Practices for Food Safety course, and both staff and students completed basic Barista training through Amore Coffee. Onsite the Multi-Purpose room has been transformed into a café. Students have designed a mural, and tables and chairs appropriate for café use have been set up. Eco friendly lidded takeaway cups have been purchased and students are arriving to school early to receive daily practice in making espresso coffees every morning before school commences. An increasing number of our students coming to us have been diagnosed with ASD or sensory integration issues. Ensuring personalised learning for all students at Cook School encompasses catering for sensory needs, therefore a significant focus of this strategic direction has been geared toward improving staff expertise in catering for the sensory needs of students as well as improving student access to appropriate sensory equipment and experiences. During 2015 a 1:1 sensory program was implemented for a student. In doing so 80% of staff were upskilled in the use of a sensory diet for self-regulation. The school purchased weighted blankets, sensory kits and therapy balls for use in the program. The school also upgraded a toilet block to better suit the needs of a student with sensory dysregulation issues. Contact was made with a specialist Occupational Therapist who provided advice and training to specific staff members. A successful government funding application has allowed the school to to plan a specialist sensory calm area, and a further $3500 of community funding has been raised for the purchase of specialist equipment. Air conditioning units were moved out of the way of the site designated for the calm area to clear the area ready for building in Improving student access to ICT has also been a significant project that the school has undertaken under the umbrella of this strategic direction. An audit of ICT within the classroom saw significant disparity throughout the school. Teacher laptops were updated to ensure equity. Computers for student use were also updated and equitably dispersed throughout the school to ensure that each classroom has a minimum of five computers. An audit of internet speeds throughout the school found that there were some areas that had intermittent Wi-Fi access as well as greatly reduced wired speeds. Contractors were sought to quote on upgrading the cabling of the LAN to bring all areas of the school to gigabit to the desktop speeds. ipads have also been grouped together as a class set and a booking system has been introduced so that teachers can conduct whole class lessons using tablets. Staff have received training on the innovative use of ipads in the classroom. Blinds were installed in all demountable classrooms to improve visibility for interactive whiteboards.

6 As 2015 has been a year of preparation and establishment of new programs, further assessment of the impact of these measures will be more substantially reported on during the next two years of the planning cycle. Progress towards achieving improvement measures Resources (annual) Improvement measure (to be achieved over 3 years) 100% of students demonstrate a measurable improvement in Literacy and Numeracy competencies during a 12 month period. 90% of students experience a > 30% reduction in executive behaviour referrals during a 12 month period. Progress achieved this year 2015 focused upon the research of appropriate evidence based, norm referenced tools with which to assess student learning. In Term 4, the ACER PAT Assessments were selected for use, as well as PM Benchmarking kits. Trials to begin in 2016, with quantitative evidence to follow in the remaining years of the planning cycle. Executive referrals have been recorded to provide baseline data during There has, however, been a 56% reduction in student suspensions in 2015 compared to 2014 levels. The monetary figure provided accounts for the expenditure of all projects listed under SD1 with the exception of the Assessment Project listed above. Funds Expended $2064 Assessment Project $9880 Barista Project Sensory Project ICT Project Next steps This section includes future directions for 2016 and ensures the 3-year plan remains on track to provide high quality educational outcomes. There were only two listed improvement measures under this Strategic Direction, neither of which fully encapsulated the breadth of the goal. To this end a third improvement measure has been added, related to students acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills, to the 2016 update of the Cook School School Plan. Key focus/strategies to be undertaken in 2016 as part of the implementation of the 3-year plan include: Staff training to implement and interpret the results of ACER PAT Assessments to take place during Term 1, Student assessment process to begin Term 2, Baseline data on student achievement and growth to be obtained throughout the year to inform interventions/plps for Staff to complete Certificate III module Food Safety Supervisor Course, all High School students to receive formal Barista qualification through The Coffee School, Sydney. Mural to be painted in MP Room/Coffee Shop, working café operations to begin, starting with supplying coffee to neighbouring businesses during Occupational Therapist to deliver on-site training to staff during Term 1, Sensory play equipment to be purchased. Funding to be sought for occupational therapy program to run within the school. Sensory calming area to be cleared, designed and built utilising existing and additional funds. LAN and WLAN remediation works to be completed by end of Term 1, ipads to be administered via trial of an MDM solution. Additional mobile technology to be purchased as required. Further staff PL to focus on ICT integration into the classroom. Initial PBL training to take place Term 2, Full introduction within the school by Term 1, 2017.

7 Strategic Direction 2 Community and Transition Learning Successful student transition through collaborative case management. Purpose To work collaboratively with a wide range of relevant multi-disciplinary stakeholders in order to ensure successful student transition to school, vocational training, workplace or alternate pathway. Students will develop confidence in their abilities and be well prepared to meet the challenges of their transition setting. Overall summary of progress This section describes the school s ongoing self-assessment, reflection processes and progress for Strategic Direction 2 of the School Plan. It draws on a comprehensive range of evidence to demonstrate school achievements. The main focus of Strategic Direction 2 during 2015 was the establishment and subsequent refinement of the School Clinic Project. Meetings were held with NSW Health personnel and Senior School Psychologist to establish need and purpose of clinics. Staff developed detailed procedures and timelines for the organisation, implementation and follow up of these complex case management meetings. Our counsellor received training in the implementation and interpretation of the Conners assessment. Four separate clinics were held during 2015, each focused on a different student and served as a wraparound support for the family, linking them with other services. Each clinic was independently reviewed and procedures were refined following feedback from participants. An information package for participants was also developed and distributed. During 2015, a range of initiatives were developed, commenced, maintained and reviewed in relation to community connections and workplace learning. Community connections with Engadine District Youth Service, Sutherland PCYC, Project Youth, Headspace and other local community agents were established/maintained through student focused programs such as RAGE, PCYC Relationship building, PCYC Boxing Program, Drumbeat and Surf Awareness. A specialist counsellor from NSW Health also established and delivered a healthy lifestyle program within the school for senior students. Workplace learning involving TAFE, Registered Training Organisations and local businesses were implemented through our White Card (general construction WH&S induction) Training, Barista training, CPR, Learner Driver and TAFE taster courses. Work Experience and work readiness programs were further expanded. Staff consulted extensively with Careers Advisor networks, Ostara (local school to work agency) and successfully applied for funding grants such as LINK in order to support our understanding and expenditure for such programs. A Cook School Careers Roles Description and Timeline were also designed to assist in the management of student transition. A review of student integration procedures also commenced during Participating schools have been surveyed with respect to integration requirements and asked to comment on the efficacy of current support structures. As such a baseline level of data has been acquired and will be reviewed in As part of a community of schools project, Cook School along with Green Square School and Canterbury Vale School outlined a program to review integration together in order to gain consistency between like settings across the Ultimo Operational Directorate and made a funding submission.

8 Progress towards achieving improvement measures Resources (annual) Improvement measure (to be achieved over 3 years) Cook School Clinic established and operational each term, delivering coordinated service provision to improve outcomes for students and families with complex support needs. All integrating students successfully return to their mainstream schools with an improved ability to manage their own behaviours and engage in the teaching and learning process. Next steps Progress achieved this year School Clinic procedure established with significant support from NSW Health. Effective Clinics were held in Term 3 and 4, with Term 1, 2016 already planned. Process refined following implementation and feedback from participants. During 2015, 10 out of 11 students successfully returned to mainstream school placements, following completion of the Cook School Program. The parents of one student made a decision to pursue alternate schooling options, rather than a return to his mainstream school. Funds Expended $532 Clinic Project $2606 Re-integration Project This section includes future directions for 2016 and ensures the 3-year plan remains on track to provide high quality educational outcomes. It outlines the next steps required for 2016 to ensure that Strategic Direction 2 is successfully implemented. Two clinics to be held each term. Further expansion and local publication of written procedures and rationale for distribution to participants. Staff to visit other schools running similar programs in an effort to establish best practice guidelines. Engagement with a wider variety of NSW Health and affiliated NGOs to meet wider variety of family support requirements. Mindmatters/Kidsmatter will not begin implementation until 2017 due to the delay in commencing PBL implementation. Finalise Cook School integration procedures following review of surveys and consultation with like schools, Educational Services and community stakeholders. Publish updated policy and implement procedures, with emphasis on timely feedback. Continue engagement with other like settings across the Ultimo Operational Directorate to formulate consistency of procedures. The Cook School Careers Roles Description and Timeline is to be implemented and reviewed for adjustment at the close of 2016 to assist in the management of student transition. Program maintenance of annual courses such as Barista, food handling, CPR and WH&S to continue and be reviewed at close of year. Students will engage with Get Into VET courses throughout School based work readiness program to be established during Term 3. Parent and student information package detailing post-school options and legal obligations to be updated and distributed.

9 Strategic Direction 3 Staff Learning Staff are high performing collaborative and innovative. Purpose Our teachers will consistently demonstrate best practice in curriculum delivery, equipping students with the skills required to be 21st Century learners. Through effective support structures, whole school organisation and reflective planning, staff will be prepared to deliver an exceptional schooling experience for students. Management structures will be transparent, value inclusivity and build leadership density across the school community. Overall summary of progress This section describes the school s ongoing self-assessment, reflection processes and progress for Strategic Direction 3 of the School plan. It draws on a comprehensive range of evidence to demonstrate school achievements. Staff have engaged with the new strategic planning process and are routinely monitoring, evaluating and reviewing milestone implementation and impact. The engagement of the school community more generally in this process is ensuring a strong, positive and strategic approach to the progress of the school. High levels of collaboration have been fostered through the introduction of project teams, each staff member is productively engaged in supporting the implementation and delivery of processes and projects identified in the Strategic Directions. Leadership density has been built through all teaching staff taking responsibility for a key project in the School Plan. In addition, 40% of permanent classroom teachers have had relieving executive experience during The implementation of the new Performance Development Framework has led to staff engaging in a deeper reflective process that is guiding the ongoing development of all staff at an individual and collective level. All staff have a performance and development plan based upon the new policy. Staff are developing an understanding of how to best drive their own plans and to actively seek feedback and mentoring as an important part of their ongoing growth. Staff have engaged in significant and professional learning related to their own PDP goals as well as the implementation of the school plan. Review of curriculum and implementation of new syllabuses has been a focus of the Curriculum Project under this Strategic Direction. During 2015, K-6 staff attended professional learning for the implementation of the new History syllabus at the Centre for Professional Learning. In addition Cook School staff participated as curriculum leader, by delivering a workshop at a community of schools, Time For History course delivered at Bankstown Sports Club. An audit of current teaching resources was taken across the school in an effort to remove out of date documents and find gaps in resourcing. Resources were subsequently moved to the administration building from the library in order to be more accessible to teaching staff. Gaps in resourcing were identified and tabled for purchase. Distance Education was removed from Stage 4 and planning began for a school based BOSTES curriculum for this cohort, to begin in A music room and an art/crafts centre were also established within the school. Cook School joined a community of schools project with like settings across Ultimo Operational Directorate, which delivered a week long exhibition of student work at the Seaview Gallery at Dulwich Hill High School of Performing Arts. A designer was engaged to work on the design of materials to support the implementation of the Cook School ESES Special Schools as Centres of Expertise project. The project aims to deliver professional learning to mainstream schools that will improve student integration outcomes.

10 Progress towards achieving improvement measures Resources (annual) Improvement measure (to be achieved over 3 years) Increasing level of teaching staff demonstrating confidence in Australian Curriculum delivery. All staff aligned to the goals within the school plan and actively supporting its successful implementation. Progress achieved this year Staff are implementing History Curriculum into programs for Stage 4 students utilising school based curriculum. School resources redistributed, and new resources purchased. All teaching staff are leading a School Plan project. All SASS staff are part of project implementation teams. Next steps are to look at data collection/management systems to report on evidence of impact. Funds Expended $4819 Curriculum Project $25,900 All funds expended in the implementation of School Plan Next steps This section includes future directions for 2016 and ensures the 3-year plan remains on track to provide high quality educational outcomes. It outlines the next steps required for 2016 to ensure that Strategic Direction 3 is successfully implemented. One of the improvement measures detailed under this Strategic Direction in the School Plan was broadened to also include SASS staff, rather than just focus on teaching staff. The Policy and Welfare Framework Project will begin during Term 2, 2016 to coincide with the introduction of PBL at the school. Reviews of key student welfare and management procedures will form part of the PBL process. Further development and implementation of the Outreach Project funded under the ESES initiative will commence during Term 3, A designer has been engaged by the school to commence work on the print and digital materials required for project implementation. During Term 2, 2016, executive staff will work with SASS to design data collection systems which will meet external validation requirements and demonstrate evidence of impact. The whole staff will engage in data collection and the tracking systems devised in order to enhance our focus on impact and to better plan ongoing student learning growth. Staff will continue to engage with curriculum based community of schools project focus will be on Geography syllabus implementation. During Term 1, 2016 an experienced school-based curriculum leader will work with Stage 4 staff to redesign curriculum delivery to better meet the needs of this changing cohort. N

11 Key initiatives and other school focus areas Many of the projects listed under the each of our Strategic Directions were made possible through the use of the Aboriginal Background and Socio-economic funding loadings available to the school during The following table details the funding amounts received for these loadings as well as a summary of program expenditure and evidence of impact. Key initiatives (annual) Impact achieved this year Resources (annual) Aboriginal background funding Socio-economic funding Specific curriculum supports for enrolled Aboriginal students, PLP implementation, WH&S training courses for students, English and CAPA teaching resources. Zoo Visit Dreamtime Program The entirety of this funding allocation was expended on the implementation of the three Strategic Directions within the Cook School School Plan. Through these programs student suspension rates are down by 56% on 2014 levels, and students are experiencing a significant reduction in executive referrals, meaning students are spending a larger amount of time in class engaged in curriculum. $2134 $14,832 Implementation of projects detailed in Cook School School Plan Other school focus areas Impact achieved this year Resources (annual) Sport and PDHPE Programs Specific structured sporting programs were implemented at the school for both Primary and High School students. Primary School students benefited from the Got Game program, a key impact of the program being improved participation in sporting programs back at home schools. High School students attended Surf Awareness Programs, Bike Riding and road safety programs. Evidence of impact includes increased attendance rates and student participation during the cycle of the programs. Programs were funded through Active After Schools Care, Premiers Sporting Challenge and Sporting Schools funding. AASC -$1500 SSF - $5250 PSC - $1178 Next Steps

12 Mandatory and optional reporting requirements Student information It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all students be consistent with privacy and personal information policies. Student enrolment profile Cook School s enrolment is capped at 35 students in accordance with the NSW DoE requirements of a 1:7 teacher to student staffing ratio for specialist ED/BD settings. As enrolment is processed by Ultimo Operational Directorate s ED/BD panel, according to need, actual student numbers can fluctuate significantly throughout the year. The following table and graph show the number of students enrolled at the school on the day the census data was taken. A total of 35 students were enrolled at Cook School at some time throughout M F Parents or carers of students in the BD Program are telephoned every day a student is absent, and a digital attendance marking system generates reports based on attendance patterns and punctuality, notifying executive staff of attendance concerns. Home School Liaison Officers and Learning and Wellbeing personnel are engaged for students whose attendance patterns become of concern. Due to the short term placement of students at Cook School, longitudinal tracking of attendance does not provide data of statistical significance. Class sizes All classes at Cook School have a maximum of seven students as per the DoE staffing ratio for specialist ED/BD facilities. Retention Year 10 to Year 12 Cook School s BD program offers short term placement to students from Years 7-10 only. Upon completing their placement at Cook School, students either return to a regular education setting, the workplace or further education through institutions such as TAFE. Post-school destinations 50 Enrolments Proportion of students moving into post-school education, training or employment Year 10 % 40 Seeking employment 10% Students Employment 10% TAFE entry 20% Apprenticeship/Traineeship 20% Year Male Female Other 10% Stage 6 in mainstream 30% Unknown 0% Student attendance profile Programs at Cook School are designed to promote school attendance and engagement. Student attendance and engagement can be impacted by a range of factors, which are usually mitigated over time by appropriate individualised support. Student attendance rates for 2015 demonstrated further improvement from 2014 levels, particularly with respect to unexplained absences.

13 Workforce information Reporting of information for all staff must be consistent with privacy and personal information policies. Workforce composition Position Number Principal 1 Deputy Principal(s) 0 Assistant Principal(s) 2 Head Teacher(s) 0 Classroom Teacher(s) Teacher of Reading Recovery 0 Teacher qualifications All teaching staff meet the professional requirements for teaching in NSW public schools. A majority of permanent teaching staff, and all executive staff at Cook School hold additional postgraduate qualifications. Qualifications Undergraduate degree or diploma % of Executive staff 100% Postgraduate degree 100% Qualifications Undergraduate degree or diploma % of Teaching Staff 100% Postgraduate degree 75% Learning and Support Teacher(s) 0 Teacher Librarian 0.2 Teacher of ESL 0 School Counsellor 0.4 School Administrative & Support Staff Other positions (Itinerant Teacher EI) 1 Total The Australian Education Regulation, 2014 requires schools to report on Aboriginal composition of their workforce. At present there are no permanent staff members at Cook School from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander background, though there is a close cooperation with non-school based indigenous staff who offer expertise and provide essential support for students. Workforce retention 2015 saw the introduction of a new Principal to Cook School, following the retirement of the previous Principal. A temporary class was also established in Term 4, due to student need, which saw the addition of an extra teacher, and an extra SLSO. This increase to six classes facilitated an increase in General Assistant allocation as well as provision for a School Administrative Officer. Professional learning and teacher accreditation Currently there is one teacher at Cook School maintaining accreditation at the Proficient level. There are at present no teachers working towards accreditation at Highly Accomplished, or Lead. All staff participated in a range of professional learning activities during There were three whole school staff development days and four three hour after school sessions. The majority of staff indicated these opportunities were highly beneficial to their practice. Professional learning was aligned to Strategic Directions and covered topics such as embedding innovative use of ICT in the curriculum, the School Excellence Framework, the Wellbeing framework, Non-Violent Crisis Intervention and developing project milestones. Significant resources were directed to equipping staff for the introduction of the new History syllabus and staff attended courses such as Your school and the History K-6 syllabus, Historical Inquiry in Action, Resourcing and Programming for the Teaching of History, and SyllabusPlus course for History K-10. Additionally all teaching staff attended a community of schools initiative, SSGG conference: Time for History, and two staff members led one of the workshops on the day. The executive team attended several training sessions related to the reform agenda and financial

14 management in preparation for the move to LMBR during Teaching staff attended the annual Redbank Conference on mental health and a staff member was also a delegate at the 2015 Disability Summit. SASS staff attended The Next Mission A Behaviour Conference for ED/BD settings. Our School Administrative Manager additionally completed an Advanced Diploma of Management as well as a Corporate Link information session. Priority areas for Professional Learning for 2016 have been identified in accordance with PDP goals and the school s strategic directions. Financial information Financial summary This summary covers funds for operating costs and does not involve expenditure areas such as permanent salaries, building and major maintenance. Date of financial summary 30/11/2015 Income $ Balance brought forward 67, Global funds 92, Tied funds 92, School & community sources Interest 1, Trust receipts 0.00 Canteen 0.00 Total income 254, Expenditure Teaching & learning Key learning areas 3, Excursions 0.00 Extracurricular dissections 1, Library Training & development 2, Tied funds 117, Casual relief teachers 29, Administration & office 25, School-operated canteen 0.00 Utilities 12, Maintenance 18, Trust accounts 0.00 Capital programs 0.00 Total expenditure 210, Balance carried forward 43, Further details concerning this summary can be obtained by contacting the school. School performance NAPLAN In the National Assessment Program, the results across the Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy and numeracy assessments are reported on a scale from Band 1 to Band 10. The achievement scale represents increasing levels of skills and understandings demonstrated in these assessments. NAPLAN Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 Nine students across Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sat for NAPLAN at Cook School during Due to the small number of students and the nature of the short term placement at Cook School, statistical data is not available. Record of School Achievement - RoSA All Cook School students who left school after the completion of Year 10 were eligible to receive a RoSA or transcript of study. Due to the small number of students in the cohort, detailed statistical performance data is not available. Parent/caregiver, student, teacher satisfaction Each year schools are required to seek the opinions of parents, students and teachers about the school. Their responses are presented below. During 2015, the school sought opinions of parents, students and teachers about the school with a focus on student integration processes and integration support structures offered by Cook School. Parent satisfaction with the program is extremely high with 100% of returned surveys stating that Parents either Agree or Strongly Agree with each of the 17 positive statements listed about the school. Survey statements included, The school is committed to my child s learning, The school has effective social/behaviour programs, The school has effective wellbeing programs, The school provides an effective case management structure, The students are the schools main concern. Parents also described the school in their own words, with comments such as, I feel Cook School is the best place for [my child] to reach his full potential and help him continue to do this throughout his school life. Cook School has a very positive can-do culture.

15 I have and will continue to recommend Cook School to families who need help. The school couldn t do more to help. Referring schools have also been overwhelmingly positive in their praise of the program. 100% of returned surveys stated that they Strongly Agree, that Cook School staff are supportive through the transition back to home schools. Sample comments left by referring schools included the following statements: Students returning to their home school are well prepared by Cook School staff for the transition. We have valued the honest, open and transparent relationship with Cook School staff and the complete process. Communication and the relationship between Cook School and the home school is professional, productive and easy to process. Cook School staff are highly valued and are a wealth of knowledge and support to the home school. Cook School has been brilliant with [student], the improvement in his behaviour has been enormous. Cook School executive and teaching staff have been outstanding in their roles. Our school has felt supported and communication is regular and informative. Outstanding support from classroom teacher from Cook School with class observations and review meetings. During professional development meetings, staff have expressed satisfaction with professional learning opportunities and an enthusiasm for the direction of the school as detailed in the School Plan. Policy requirements Aboriginal education The Department of Education s Aboriginal Education policy aims to provide for all students an increased knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal Australia through the inclusion of Aboriginal histories, cultures and languages in educational programs. Aboriginal education and training is core business for all staff. The national curriculum has identified the study of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders histories and cultures as a cross curricula priority to include the three concepts of Country, People and Cultures. At Cook School, Aboriginal Education is embedded in cross curriculum content within units of work and through participation in specific events and initiatives such as NAIDOC Week celebrations. Aboriginal background funding provided through our 2015 RAM allocation allowed for the provision of tuition fees for Aboriginal students for personalised curriculum through Sydney Distance Education High School, as well as covering course fees for students to gain Work Health and Safety and Barista credentials. An Aboriginal Educator visited from Taronga Zoo and delivered the Dreamtime Animals zoo program as part of our NAIDOC week celebrations for both our primary and high school students. As in previous years, students at Cook School researched and produced Aboriginal art works which reflected a respect and understanding of Aboriginal art and culture. Multicultural Education and Anti-racism Cook School promotes an inclusive learning environment where students and their families from all cultural backgrounds are supported. Teaching and learning at Cook School is culturally sensitive and inclusive for all students. Learning programs include topics and experiences that are significant and relevant to our students to increase engagement and connectedness to education and the community. The centerpiece for our celebration of multiculturalism and cultural diversity was our Harmony Day celebration in March, where all students took part in activities celebrating the 2015 Harmony Day theme, Everyone Belongs. The Cook School community are proud to be culturally diverse. Wherever possible, staff and students are encouraged to be aware and accepting of all cultures and people. The school has an Anti- Racism Contact Officer as well as strict policies on discrimination and bullying.