Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Bayswater REGISTERED SCHOOL NUMBER: 1645 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY
Contents Contact Details... 2 Minimum Standards Attestation... 2 Our School Vision... 3 School Overview... 4 Principal s Report... 5 Education in Faith... 6 Learning & Teaching... 8 Student Wellbeing... 10 Leadership & Management... 12 School Community... 14 Financial Performance... 16 Future Directions... 17 VRQA Compliance Data... 18 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 1
Contact Details ADDRESS 23 Orange Grove Bayswater 3153 PRINCIPAL Brendan Welsford PARISH PRIEST Father Sebastian Mappilaparambil SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR Craig Ferguson TELEPHONE (03) 9729 3411 EMAIL WEBSITE principal@olbayswater.catholic.edu.au www.olbayswater.catholic.edu.au Minimum Standards Attestation I, Brendan Welsford, attest that Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Bayswater 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. 23 May 2014 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 2
Our School Vision At Our Lady of Lourdes we strive to present a knowledge and love of the Catholic faith and to ensure that all our children are given every opportunity to develop their potential Spiritually, Intellectually, Emotionally, Physically and Socially and to become active, independent, interdependent and reflective learners. 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 3
School Overview Our Lady of Lourdes Bayswater is located in the outer-eastern suburbs in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. It is situated twenty kilometres east of Melbourne and services the primary education needs of the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes. Father Sebastian Mappilaparambil is currently our parish administrator. Our Lady of Lourdes is a school where Catholic faith and traditions are an integral part of education in a community atmosphere. Our philosophy is to foster a love of learning, the highest possible educational standards and help all members to achieve their maximum individual potential as well as to demonstrate our motto Serve the Lord with joy. The school is an active and important part of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish family where joy, love and ongoing growth are experienced. Our Lady of Lourdes School strives to develop the child s self-respect, respect for others, and an understanding of responsibility and justice. We aim to give each child equal educational opportunities by catering for individual needs. Our Lady of Lourdes commenced the 2013 year with a student population of 189 students drawn mainly from Bayswater, Bayswater North and Boronia and a small number of children from other suburbs. The catholic identity of the school underpins all areas of the curriculum and permeates through all facets of teaching and learning. Thirty-eight Preps began in January 2013. This is the largest number of Prep enrolments we have had for a number of years. The student population is made up of a variety of cultural backgrounds. There has also been an increase in the number of children being enrolled with language backgrounds other than English. The school is organised into eight classes with an excellent staff/student ratio in all classes. The specialist programs, which enhance the children s learning, continued in 2013. They were Italian, Music and Physical Education. The curriculum was further enhanced with the introduction of a formal visual arts class each fortnight. Extra-curricular activities included interschool sports, school choir, G.A.T.E WAYS, keyboard and guitar lessons and student action teams. The school facilities provide a bright, beautifully-maintained learning environment and work place for students and staff. Facilities include eight classrooms, an art room, music room, Italian room, hall, shaded playgrounds and sandpit, full-sized oval and basketball courts, and a large multi-purpose room. In 2013 we continued to enjoy our new facilities using the inquiry hub and library for team teaching. 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 4
Principal s Report It is with pleasure that I present the 2013 Annual Report to the School Community. In 2013 we continued on our mission to provide the best possible learning environment and experiences to the children in our care. It was another wonderful year of learning and growth for our students and teachers. I value the wonderful partnerships we have with our school community and thank the School Board members and the Parents and Friends Committee for their hard work in 2013. Together we celebrate the successes of 2013, reflect on the needs of our students and focus our energies to improve the learning outcomes for all students. This document has been prepared as part of the Australian Government s requirements to report to the community on various organisational and educational aspects of our school. This report relates to the 2013 school year and relies on data collected by both the Catholic Education Office and our school. This report will be presented to the School Education Board and copies will also be made available on our website and upon request from the office. Brendan Welsford Principal 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 5
Education in Faith Goals & Intended Outcomes Goals To strengthen Education in Faith and the Catholic identity of the school. Intended Outcomes That students make more explicit links between their Catholic faith and their daily lives. That staff and student behaviour reflects the importance of the religious dimension of the school. Achievements At Our Lady of Lourdes, Education in Faith continued to be driven by our Mission Statement Developing a truly Christian Environment of love, justice and peace within the school, based on the teachings of Christ. Liturgy remained a fundamental part of life at Our Lady s in 2013. Students were actively engaged in liturgies through reading and liturgical singing. Liturgies included feast days, class and sacramental masses and Sunday family masses. Our Lady of Lourdes lives out its Mission and Vision and gives witness to our Catholic identity through the following practices: Daily prayer school masses, class masses, reconciliations and liturgies celebrated throughout the year the school assists the parish with sacramental programs held throughout the year staff gathers weekly for staff prayer staff participates in a spirituality day focusing on prayer and meditation. daily mediation for all children class visits by Father Sebastian A lived practice of social justice, pastoral care and an awareness of others is embedded in the school community. Examples of outreach programs which support our Mission and Vision are: Spirituality Student Action Team Mini Vinnies Team Student SRC The Care Group 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 6
The school s annual parent, student and staff surveys continued to show positive feedback from all community members. Please find below a sample of student responses to their school experience the scores are on a 1-5 scale: 1 being a low score 5 the highest score. At this school I have the opportunity to celebrate mass. Average student response 4.4 At this school I have the opportunity to participate in prayer. Average student response 4.2 At this school I am encouraged to be compassionate. Average student response 4.3 Please find below a sample of parent responses to their school experience the scores are on a 1-5 scale: 1 being a low score 5 the highest score. This school provides the opportunity for my child to learn about the Catholic faith. Average parent response 4.5 This school provides the opportunity for my child to participate in prayer. Average parent response 4.7 Staff at this school always show respect to others. Average parent response 4.5 Please find below a sample of teacher responses to their school experience the scores are on a 1-5 scale: 1 being a low score 5 the highest score. Teaching at a Catholic School is very important to me. Average staff response 4.4 At this school I have the opportunity to participate in prayer. Average staff response 4.8 At this school I have the opportunity to celebrate liturgies. Average staff response 4.7 Staff at this school always care about others. Average staff response 4.5 Our Lady of Lourdes is a strong faith community with a strong focus on living out the Gospel values. To further develop our sense of Catholic identity we encourage full participation of community members within all the activities we offer here at school. 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 7
Learning & Teaching Goals & Intended Outcomes Goals To enable all students to experience continuous improvement and success in an engaging and stimulating learning environment. Intended Outcomes That students are more engaged in their learning. That student learning outcomes in Writing, Spelling, and Grammar, and Punctuation will improve. That student achievement in Numeracy will improve. Achievements In 2013 the staff continued to have a strong focus on improving the learning outcomes of all students by providing a challenging and motivating curriculum. Our Lady of Lourdes provides a number of school activities that have a positive effect on the wellbeing and achievements of students and the school community. Involvement in the Lighthouse Project with students from St Joseph s College Staff participation in extensive professional learning to further their knowledge and understanding of effective teaching and learning in the 21 st century Appointed Literacy and Numeracy Leaders to support students and staff A strong wellbeing program throughout the school including: - Circle time strategy - Revved Up for Boys and Mpower n Girlz program - Student Actions Teams - Buddy Program - Student Meditation - Involvement in the esmart and Kidsmatter initiatives - Mini Vinnies - Bounce Back Program Lunchtime activities each Thursday Twilight Sports Interschool sports Swimming Program Year 5/6 Camp Class incursions and excursions Prep-6 Music and Visual Arts program Choir performing internally and for community groups LOTE Program (Italian) Reading Recovery Program 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 8
Outside Hours School Care Laptops and ipads in classrooms Interactive whiteboards in all classrooms Sustainability Days Throughout the year the children worked incredibly hard alongside our talented musical and artistic staff and parents to produce a magnificent Christmas music CD. This opportunity provided the children with rich learning experiences in many areas of life. The children are to be commended on their efforts and congratulated on recording such a wonderful CD. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES It is pleasing to see, from the VRQA compliance data on page 18 of this report, that a very high proportion of students reached national benchmarks. It is also pleasing to note the gains made by Year 3 students in the area of grammar and punctuation and Reading within a three year period between 2011 and 2013. We will continue to work closely with a small number of students not reaching benchmarks in spelling to ensure they are offered every opportunity to reach their potential. The Year 5 students achieved pleasing results in reading and writing, making positive improvements over the three year period between 2011-2013. 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 9
Student Wellbeing Goals & Intended Outcomes Goals To create a positive school and classroom environment that empowers students to be independent, self-motivated and resilient learners and leaders. Intended Outcomes That the school and classroom environments promote a sense of wellbeing, so that students feel secure, confident and have a sense of belonging. That students have a greater opportunity for a voice and choice in their learning and the wider school community. Achievements Our Lady of Lourdes continues to place great significance on Student Wellbeing. A number of programs and initiatives continued to support the students social and emotional development. Our Way to Go strategy, which focuses on values, encouraged the development of skills needed to develop healthy relationships. 2013 saw the implementation of an important initiative at Our Lady of Lourdes. In Term 2, in Wellbeing Week, the school launched KidsMatter Primary, a framework that recognises the importance of good mental health in the student s wellbeing. The Student Wellbeing Leader, released one day per week, continued to support all staff in creating a positive school and classroom environment for our students. Staff kept well-resourced and well informed on current research and initiatives in this area. The following programs and initiatives continued to be implemented as part of the whole school approach to student wellbeing; - Daily meditation for all classes - Seasons Program for those children dealing with grief and/or loss - Prep/Year 6 Buddy Program - REVVED UP for year 4 boys - MPower n Girlz for year 4 girls - Circle Time - Social Groups on a fortnightly basis - Classroom and individual achievements are acknowledged at a fortnightly assembly - School Leadership roles for students in Year 5 and 6 - Teacher aide support for students with special needs. - Mini Vinnies - Involvement in the esmart and Kidsmatter initiatives - Bounce Back 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 10
STUDENT ATTENDANCE At Our Lady of Lourdes School we believe that by regularly missing days of school, students are at risk of missing out on key learning activities and may experience long-term difficulties with their learning. We believe regular attendance helps children develop social skills such as teamwork and communication, which lead to healthy relationships. STUDENT SATISFACTION The school s annual parent, student and staff surveys continued to show positive feedback from all community members. Please find below a sample of student responses to their school experience the scores are on a 1-5 scale: 1 being a low score 5 the highest score. I am happy to be at this school. Average student response 4.2 My teachers really want to help me learn. Average student response 4.2 Doing well at school is very important to me. Average student response 4.6 I feel good about being a student at this school. Average student response 4.1 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 11
Leadership & Management Goals & Intended Outcomes Goal To strengthen the professional learning culture of the school. Intended Outcome That opportunities for professional growth are further enhanced. Achievements At Our Lady of Lourdes we believe that professional learning supports our overall school improvement and highlights the commitment of staff to the growth of their professional knowledge, practice and wellbeing. There is much evidence to suggest that all staff members are offered opportunities to undertake a range of personal professional learning programs. These opportunities include network and cluster meetings, in-school Professional Learning Team meetings and professional development course offered by the CEO and external providers. EXPENDITURE AND TEACHER PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DESCRIPTION OF PL UNDERTAKEN IN 2013 - Leadership for Learning and Teaching - Leading Language Networks - School Community- Partnerships for Learning - Change2 Facilitator Training - Kidsmatter - Supporting Transition to School - First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis updates - Celebrating Diversity in Contemporary Learning - Technology in Physical Education - Garden Art and Sustainability - Leadership Principal, Deputy Principal, Religious Education Leader, Literacy and Numeracy Leaders, elearning Leader Networks and conferences - Primary Principals Enrichment Program - Reading Recovery Teacher Training NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN PL 18 AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER TEACHER FOR PL $ 4500 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 12
TEACHER SATISFACTION The school s annual parent, student and staff surveys continued to show positive feedback from all community members. Please find below a sample of staff responses to their school experience the scores are on a 1-5 scale: 1 being a low score 5 the highest score. The staff are committed to the school s goals and values. Average staff response 4.5 There is support from the leaders in this school. Average staff response 4.4 Staff take pride in this school. Average staff response 4.2 I am encouraged in my work by praise, thanks or other recognition. Average staff response 4.5 Staff in this school are encourage to improve their skills, knowledge and professional performance. Average staff response 4.4 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 13
School Community Goals & Intended Outcomes Goal To strengthen partnerships with the community to support student learning and wellbeing. Intended Outcome That partnerships with parents, the parish and the wider community will be improved. Achievements Our Lady of Lourdes School aims to develop the school as an integral part of the Pairsh and wider community During 2013 the school community endeavored to become increasingly involved with the wider community. We continued to broaden our relationship with internal and external bodies, in particular the parish, Our Lady of Lourdes Childcare Centre and Knox Council. The Parents and Friends Committee continued to be active and supportive through fundraising and social events e.g. Trivia Night, with the aim of building strong social networks between families within the school. They have continued to operate a Mother s Day and Father s Day stall which the children enjoy. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child s education by participating in various areas of school life such as classroom helpers, canteen, uniform shop, the Care Group, excursions, Parents and Friends and the School Education Board. As an esmart School and a Kidsmatter School we have a parent representative on each working committee. In 2013, with the assistance of a community grant, we commenced work on a large sensory garden to the side of our oval. Our Sustainability and Wellbeing Leaders worked alongside parents, students and external community groups to commence this amazing project. We look forward to this area growing and developing over the coming years. 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 14
During 2013 the school engaged with the school community in the following activities to ensure the connectedness within the school: - Continued links with the Our Lady of Lourdes Childcare Centre, offering Art and Story Time twice a term - The Great OLOL Clean-up - Contact with local members of parliament - Community Christmas Carols - Twilight Sports - Lunchtime activities - Choir performances at the Craft Group and Childcare Centre - Father s/mother s Day Breakfast - Mini Vinnies - Book Week celebrations - Fortnightly assembly - Parent information evenings for Sacraments, cyber safety and numeracy - Celebrations of Learning days - Open Morning - Care Group - Sustainability Days PARENT SATISFACTION The school s annual parent, student and staff surveys continued to show positive feedback from all community members. Please find below a sample of parent responses to their school experience the scores are on a 1-7 scale: 1 being a low score 7 the highest score. My child looks forward to the learning they do at school. Average parent response 5.8 My child looks forward to going to school. Average parent response 5.7 My child is developing valuable social skills. Average parent response 5.8 My child feels accepted by other students at school. Average parent response 5.6 I feel comfortable about approaching this school with any concerns I might have. Average parent response 6.0 The teachers at my child s school are very good at encouraging my child to learn. Average parent response 5.5 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 15
Financial Performance REPORTING FRAMEWORK Recurrent income MODIFIED CASH $ Tuition School fees 75,869 Other fee income 64,272 Private income 13,489 State government recurrent grants 468,095 Australian government recurrent grants 1,363,342 Total recurrent income 1,985,067 Recurrent Expenditure Tuition Salaries; allowances and related expenses 1,482,698 Non salary expenses 341,017 Total recurrent expenditure 1,823,715 Capital income and expenditure Tuition Government capital grants - Capital fees and levies 76,844 Other capital income 9 Total capital income 76,844 Total capital expenditure 68,387 Loans (includes refundable enrolment deposits and recurrent, capital and bridging loans) Total opening balance 137,128 Total closing balance 155,488 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. 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 16
Future Directions At Our Lady of Lourdes we look forward to 2014 as we continue our learning journey. We will enter into our third year of our School Improvement Framework and with the support of our leadership team, will work towards our goals in each of the five spheres. At the conclusion of 2013 an application for a capital grant was submitted to Catholic Capital Grants. If successful, this application would assist us in repositioning our administration area to the front of the school and providing a more welcoming entrance to our school. The grant would also allow us to redevelop and refurbish a number of our classrooms and build new student amenities. At Our Lady of Lourdes we will continue to offer a high level of care for our students and aim to foster in children a love of learning and life. We welcome future enrolments and their families to join us on this journey. 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 17
VRQA Compliance Data E1241 Our Lady of Lourdes School, Bayswater PROPORTION OF STUDENTS MEETING THE MININUM STANDARDS NAPLAN TESTS 2011 % 2012 % 2011 2012 Changes % 2013 % 2012 2013 Changes % YR 03 Reading 100.0 96.7-3.3 100.0 3.3 YR 03 Writing 100.0 100.0 0.0 95.5-4.5 YR 03 Spelling 85.7 93.3 7.6 81.8-11.5 YR 03 Grammar & Punctuation 92.9 93.3 0.4 100.0 6.7 YR 03 Numeracy 100.0 100.0 0.0 90.0-10.0 YR 05 Reading 94.4 96.3 1.9 100.0 3.7 YR 05 Writing 94.4 88.9-5.5 95.8 6.9 YR 05 Spelling 94.4 96.3 1.9 83.3-13.0 YR 05 Grammar & Punctuation 94.4 96.3 1.9 95.8-0.5 YR 05 Numeracy 100.0 100.0 0.0 95.8-4.2 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 18
AVERAGE STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATE BY YEAR LEVEL % Year 1 96.61 Year 2 93.26 Year 3 96.05 Year 4 95.41 Year 5 97.67 Year 6 97.35 Overall average attendance 96.06 TEACHING STAFF ATTENDANCE RATE Teaching Staff Attendance Rate 83.18% STAFF RETENTION RATE Staff Retention Rate 82.35% TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS Doctorate 0.00% Masters 6.25% Graduate 0.00% Certificate Graduate 6.25% Degree Bachelor 62.50% Diploma Advanced 18.75% No Qualifications Listed 0.00% STAFF COMPOSITION Principal Class 4 Teaching Staff (Head Count) 21 FTE Teaching Staff 19.760 Non-Teaching Staff (Head Count) 8 FTE Non-Teaching Staff 7.343 Indigenous Teaching Staff 0 2013 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 19