Annual Report for 2016 Introduction. Contextual Information

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1 Annual Report for 2016 Introduction This 2016 Annual Report is written to comply with the requirements of the Australian Education Act 2013 (in accordance with Regulation 60 of the Australian Education Regulation 2013) and the reporting standards as outlined by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA). Presbyterian Ladies College, Melbourne publishes an extensive alternative Annual Report for the members of the PLC community. This alternate publication, of approximately 60 pages, includes reports written by the Chair of Council and the Principal, and describes the achievements of the year. In contrast, this report contains the essential elements required to comply with the federal and state government regulations. This report is made available on our web site; hard copies can be collected from the College Reception. Contextual Information PLC is well recognised as one of Australia's finest schools for girls. It is an exciting and dynamic learning community, where staff and girls are engaged in their learning and in life itself. It is a nurturing community where girls and young women are given every opportunity to grow and develop, to explore their interests, pursue their passions and develop their talents in a stimulating, safe and supportive environment. Our commitment is to ensuring that the girls of PLC, both today and in the future, are given every opportunity and are challenged and supported to achieve their best, both personally and academically, across all fields of endeavour, empowering them to live meaningful and fulfilled lives as responsible global citizens. PLC is a school at the forefront of educational thinking and practice for girls. There are many tenets that are foundational to a PLC education: the traditions laid down in PLC's earliest days; a commitment and belief in the capacity and strength of women; the development of the whole person; the pursuit of personal and academic excellence; a belief that education transforms lives and brings with it a responsibility to use one's education to make a difference; a commitment to equipping young women to be leaders in their world; an international outlook and the promotion of respect, encouragement, understanding, equity, justice and compassion; a strong focus on looking beyond oneself and to the service of others in need; a clear Christian foundation promoting Christian values and faith, and encouraging a sense of responsibility for oneself, for one another and for the world. As a Christian independent girls' school, Presbyterian Ladies' College aims to provide breadth, strength, balance and quality of education in both the national and international context for the purpose of encouraging leadership, service and life-long personal development and learning. Founded in 1875, PLC's students consistently achieve the highest of academic standards within an encouraging Christian environment that welcomes girls and their families who represent a diverse range of cultural backgrounds and abilities. The college adopts an internationally-minded approach to studies by drawing on the diversity that exists within a community that includes over 40 different nationalities.

2 Starting in pre-school, students ultimately have access to either VCE or IB programs in their final two years. In public examinations since 2000, 67% of all final year students have had ATAR scores greater than 90.00, data that positions PLC as one of Australia's leading schools. Over 98% of all students who graduate in Year 12 from PLC will proceed to university, either immediately or after a year of deferral to explore other interests. The tertiary courses that our graduates enrol in are many and extremely varied, a reflection of the thorough and outstanding careers counselling they have had during their final years at school. Most of our graduates will enrol in universities within Victoria, whilst some will study interstate and, in increasing numbers, our graduates are studying internationally. A significant proportion of PLC's graduates will subsequently study a second degree or seek higher-level degrees in their area of training. Extensive opportunities in language and cultural exchanges, music, drama, sport (over 30 are offered as interschool competition), outdoor education, leadership and service, contribute to a balanced education and give every girl the opportunity to explore and develop her own talents and interests. In a range of individual and team sports, as well as in academic and cultural competitions, PLC students consistently enjoy success at state and national levels. Recent facility developments at PLC have included an entirely new Junior School building (2005), the refurbishment and extension of our Boarding House (2007), the development of a new synthetic hockey pitch, incorporating nine tennis courts (2011), a new Learning Resource Centre (2012), a Year 7 Centre (2013), redeveloped state-of-the-art science laboratories (2014), and most recently a state of the art Performing Arts Centre (2017). In addition, a significant refurbishment program for all classrooms in the Senior School is in progress ( ). PLC is a vibrant learning community. It is a school of excellence with an exciting future. PLC s Mission As a Christian Independent girls school, Presbyterian Ladies College aims to provide breadth, strength, balance and quality of education in both the national and international context for the purpose of encouraging leadership, service and life-long personal development and learning. Congratulations to the C lass of 2016 PLC s Class of 2016 have graduated with flying colours, all receiving a tertiary offer of their choice. Over 80% of the cohort received first round offers to The University of Melbourne or Monash University, with many girls receiving interstate and overseas offers as well as scholarship offers as part of their university study placements. From the Class of 2016, 4 students gained the maximum ATAR of a wonderful effort. However, it was the depth of achievements of the 173 graduates of the Class of 2016 that testifies to the strength of our cohort of girls and the support and direction provided by the College. The overall results for the Class of 2016 are as follows: 9.2% of the Class of 2016 achieved an ATAR of 99.5 or above, placing them in the top 0.5% of Australia. 13% achieved an ATAR of 99 or above 24% achieved an ATAR of 98 or above 50% achieved an ATAR of 95 or above 68% achieved an ATAR of 90 or above 87% achieved an ATAR of 80 or above The median ATAR was The success enjoyed by PLC students during 2016 reflect personal endeavours, the commitment of teachers, the support of ancillary and administrative staff, the encouragement of parents and the careful planning of the College Council PLC Annual Report, prepared in accordance with Government Requirements Page 2 of 6

3 University Offers for the Class of 2016 All students of the Class of 2016 obtained a tertiary offer for a University or Tertiary course of their choice: 43% of students were offered a place at The University of Melbourne 40% of students were offered a place at Monash University 7% of students were offered a place at Deakin University 5% of students were offered a place at RMIT University 2% of students were offered a place at Swinburne University 2% of students were offered a place at La Trobe University 1% of students were offered a place at other institutions A number of students have also been offered places at interstate or overseas universities, including a number of students being offered places in Medicine at Interstate Universities. National Benchmarks Annual testing at Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 assesses student levels of achievement in Reading, Writing and Mathematics with school results being benchmarked on a National scale. The tables below summarise this data: Table 1. Percentage of students achieving at or above the National Minimum Standard Reading Writing Numeracy / Mathematics Year PLC Annual Report, prepared in accordance with Government Requirements Page 3 of 6

4 Spelling Grammar and Punctuation Year Table NAPLAN data comparing PLC and Australian average scores Year 9 Year 7 Year 5 Year 3 PLC Australia PLC Australia PLC Australia PLC Australia Reading Writing Spelling Grammar & Punctuation Numeracy Student Attendance The following table lists student attendance data for the 2016 census periods: Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year % 96.5% 97.3% 97.1% 96.9% 96.1% Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year % 96.5% 96.5% 96.8% Teacher Qualifications All teachers at PLC are registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) and hold degree qualifications. Where these degrees are in a discipline other than Education, post-graduate teaching qualifications are required. PLC is able to attract and retain teachers with considerable expertise. Ongoing Professional Learning is part of the culture within the College. The following table lists the highest qualification held by classroom teachers at PLC: 2016 PLC Annual Report, prepared in accordance with Government Requirements Page 4 of 6

5 Qualification Level Female Male Degree qualifications (some with post-graduate diplomas) Masters qualifications 36* 9 Doctorate qualifications - 1 *One staff member identifies as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. The workforce composition of our school psychologists and teachers of instrumental music is listed in the following table: Qualification Level Female Male Degree qualifications (some with post-graduate diplomas) 20 5 Masters qualifications 10 2 Doctorate qualifications 2 1 Teacher, Parent and Student Satisfaction Teacher satisfaction at PLC is demonstrably high. Staff turnover is low, and length of tenure is high, by all comparative standards. All staff who leave the College are offered exit interviews; the majority of staff accepted this offer and have provided positive and constructive feedback for the College to consider. The College continues to attract high quality and experienced staff when positions are advertised. Every year a selection of parents and students are surveyed regarding their satisfaction with College. Overall there are very high levels of satisfaction on the part of students and parents. Parents have expressed particular appreciation for the strength and breadth of the curricular and co-curricular programs. We are encouraged that we continue to satisfy the needs and aspirations of our parents and students in key areas. Business Operations 2016 During 2016 construction continued on the College s new Performing Arts Centre. This magnificent building comprises a 550 seat auditorium, and new music and drama schools. It has three large rehearsal rooms and a black box drama theatre, as well as numerous music studios and classrooms. The building was officially opened on 16 May 2017 by Old Collegian, Professor Liza Lim. Further refurbishments were undertaken in the Senior School in late 2016, including the two remaining Science Laboratories, Classrooms 1 to 4, and the creation of a new Art Staff and Research Room. Planning has commenced to completely refurbish the Art Studios in late The old Music School will also be refurbished in 2017 once it is vacated. The Business Office continues to work with the Senior and Junior School leadership, and the ICT Department, to improve the College s systems and processes in order to provide efficient and effective workflows. During 2016 the Business Office commenced issuing fee notices to parents via , and the College plans to move the payment of fees and other processes into a Parent Portal over the next months. This will include electronic communication between the College and parents. The Business Office has assisted with the implementation of a new Policies and Risk Management platform to the College, including staff training, as part of the College s ongoing commitment to provide a safe workplace for staff, and our zero tolerance for Child Abuse PLC Annual Report, prepared in accordance with Government Requirements Page 5 of 6

6 Figure 1 Income 2016 Income $47,038,858 Figure 2 Expenditure 2016 Expenditure $71,338, PLC Annual Report, prepared in accordance with Government Requirements Page 6 of 6