2016 School Performance Report St Francis Xavier s Regional Catholic School Inspiring a Community of Innovators
School Performance Report 2016 This report is a requirement of the Commonwealth Government as outlined in the Schools Assistance Act 2009. Introduction St Francis Xavier's is a Reception to Year 7 Primary School, established in 1983 as a joint venture of the parishes of Tea Tree Gully and Modbury/Para Hills. In our Catholic setting, we encourage students to contribute to the growth of a more peaceful and forgiving society. We seek to challenge students, aiming for them to question, explore and imagine as they become self-motivated learners who will view with critical eyes the society in which they live. We are constantly evolving to meet the needs of our students, families and staff, and make a commitment to provide a safe and caring environment. We value relationships that are based on trust, respect and cooperation. We embrace our unique environment by engaging children to connect with nature by accessing the nearby Wynn Vale Dam, encouraging nature play and cubby building experiences, and caring for our established Indigenous Garden in living out Pope Francis message of Caring for Creation. In 2016, following intensive consultation and conversations, a new school vision was devised INSPIRING A COMMUNITY OF INNOVATORS. This vision will assist in driving a future focussed community that wishes to build capacity for innovation within our community. Student Enrolment Numbers Year Level February Census August Census Reception 82 85 Year 1 95 93 Year 2 80.8 81.8 Year 3 73 74 Year 4 84 85 Year 5 87 83 Year 6 73 75 Year 7 61 61 Total 635.8 637.8 Student Attendance Year Level Term 1 Term 2 Term 3 Term 4 RE 94.37% 92.23% 91.68% 92.15% 1 95.41% 94.40% 91.80% 93.68% 2 96.33% 93.72% 92.36% 93.93% 3 94.21% 92.83% 93.70% 92.90% 4 95.53% 95.69% 92.50% 94.58% 5 97.19% 93.32% 92.45% 92.06% 6 96.24% 93.52% 93.06% 94.08% 7 95.30% 92.95% 89.13% 92.20% Average 95.57% 93.58% 92.08% 93.20%
Non-Attendance Management School attendance is monitored by classroom teachers, and absences recorded on our student system, CESIS. In 2016 the text messaging service for families continued to prove successful in providing suitable tracking of student nonattendance. Alongside the absence line, our tracking has been thorough and supportive of families. In cases of continued absence, Leadership will work with the families to improve attendance and provide counselling support if needed. Human Resources In 2016, St Francis Xavier s Regional Catholic School employed 61 staff in both teaching and non-teaching roles. St Francis identified 1 staff member as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. The following summarises the workplace employment data for 2016: Staff Total FTE Teaching 40 34.4 Non-Teaching 21 14.13 Indigenous 1 Staff Attendance Teaching staff attendance for the 2016 school year was 95%, and the types of leave taken include sick leave, family leave, carers leave and bereavement leave. Staff Retention In 2016, 100% of our teachers continued from the previous year. Staff Qualifications We are very fortunate to have many staff with two or more qualifications in education. The total percentage of qualifications at St Francis Xavier s Regional Catholic School is: 15% Graduate Certificate 43% Diploma 15% Graduate Diploma 138% Bachelor Degree 9% Masters Degree Graduate Certificate Diploma Graduate Diploma Bachelor Degree Masters Degree
Professional Development In 2016, approximately $10,500 was spent on the professional development of staff. Training details: Numeracy Project, Pedagogical Leadership for Collaborative Learning Cultures; Languages and Culture Project; Re-Imagining Childhood; DISA Network Project; Autism SA Training; Climbing Trees Nature Play; Environments for Learning; Sustainability; Special Education; Classroom Observations. NAPLAN 2016 Comparison of SFX Mean Scores Reading Writing Spelling Grammar & Punctuation Numeracy Year 3 to 5 415 500 85 403 477 74 401 485 84 421 515 94 400 482 82 Year 5 to 7 516 557 41 499 530 31 500 543 43 518 549 31 503 570 67 St Francis Xavier s School performed well in the 2016 NAPLAN tests and demonstrated significant gains across all areas. These gains were determined by the progress of our students made between Year 3 and 5 and Year 5 and 7, and can be attributed to the focus in recent years on the provision of professional learning in the areas of literacy and numeracy. The growth in these areas is indicative of a pattern of growth displayed at SFX for several years previously. School Funding As a Catholic School we rely on the prompt payment of school fees to assist with the operation of the school. The school receives its income from three main sources: Government funding Tuition fees and charges Private income The graph below shows the school income broken down by Government, Fees and Other, and therefore, without the payment of school fees, the school would be unable to provide many of the resources that we currently offer. The school attempts to minimise the level of fee increases, and school fees are set with due regard for the nature of the school community, appropriate resourcing and equity considerations and consistent with other recommendations as determined by Catholic Education South Australia. In 2015 a 1% overall increase was applied to tuition fees only. The Diocesan Capital Levy is increased each year in line with the recommendations from Catholic Education South Australia. 1% 29% 70% Government Funding Tuition Fees & Charges Private Income
Value Added Programs at St Francis Xavier s Regional Catholic School Our Catholic Culture Students from SFX and Gleeson met with the Chair of the Modbury PPC to strengthen the link between the school and parish. St Francis Xavier s supports the parish based, Sacramental Programs for Tea Tree Gully and Para Hills/Modbury Parishes. Close connections between our two Parishes and Schools are fostered through leadership attending; Parish Team meetings, Pastoral Council and Sacramental Team meetings. Many Social Justice Initiatives involved the students in: Mission Day, St Vincent de Paul Winter and Christmas Appeals, Project Compassion, St Vincent de Paul Winter Sleep-out, World Vision Sponsorship Krishna, St Vincent de Paul Assist a Student programme, Red Nose Day fundraiser for SIDS and Kids. Each term, Year level learning teams prepare and celebrate a Liturgy with their students, to which families are invited. Whole school Masses/Liturgies occur throughout the year to mark special feast days and events in the Church calendar. Students from Reception to Year 7 are involved in sustainability projects to deepen their awareness and understanding of the Christian responsibility to be stewards of creation. Liturgical dance, meditation, song and movement are encouraged to help students engage in prayer. Daily class prayer and weekly staff prayer are valued at St Francis Xavier s. Community Prayer began in our Reception classes to further build our Catholic Identity amongst families. Year 7 students participate in a Retreat Day each year. Year 4 students participated in the ReLat test Religious Literacy Assessment Tool. This test occurs yearly for all Year 4 students in Catholic schools to assess some of the basic knowledge taught in Religious Education lessons. Student representatives from Years 4-7 are part of the Mission of St Francis group to ensure students have a voice in organising and promoting fundraising activities. Students are also part of the Extreme Green Team to promote and organise our school sustainability initiatives. A Regional Mass was celebrated with staff from SFX, Gleeson, Saint David s and Our Lady of Hope schools, to strengthen ties as staff in Catholic Education, working towards a common vision and purpose. A small group of parents came together to learn about Godly Play and make resources for teachers to use in their RE curriculum. Further opportunities provided to students in 2016 The new student leadership model began in 2015, and continued to strengthen in 2016. Three committees were established concentrating on social justice, the environment and fundraising. It was a busy year for the students as they took on new roles throughout the school. We focussed our leadership on students in Years 4-7 to build further capacity and role modelling. These students also took on a stronger leadership role in hosting our school assemblies. During 2016, SFX children were able to participate in a number of activities designed to build upon their learning and social skills. Year 4-7 students enjoyed the opportunity to be involved in camping experiences in diverse environments, and in a range of different activities. Many excursions and incursions were planned by teachers to give students experiences both within our school setting and in other environments outside the school including, Adelaide Zoo Zoo school, Anstey Hill, Botanic Gardens, Central Market, Glenelg Mini Beach Safety Day, Marine Discovery Centre, Road Safety School, Uleybury School Museum, MARS Recreation Centre, Bowling, and Beach and Bounce to mention a few. Children were also involved in events such as regular school assemblies, tours of the school, Mother s Day and Father s Day stalls, ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day Service s, Grandparent s and Special Friend s Day, and Year Level discos. To improve the outdoor experiences for our children, our Year 6 students experienced for the first time an outdoor education camp at school. Outdoor activities were planned for the two days including camping on the oval overnight. This assisted in keeping costs to a minimum as plans were in place for a 2017 trip to Canberra for our Year 7 students. The Arts Program In 2016, the school continued to provide wonderful opportunities to those children with talents in the Arts. The instrumental program continues to flourish and children were able to participate in several experiences including the Catholic Schools Music Festival at the Adelaide Festival Theatre. We also continued, under the leadership of Sarah Wildy and Luke Ferguson, to offer both a senior and junior rock band, along with ensemble groups. In Term 3, the music group toured and performed to schools in the south of Adelaide. For the first time, Year 7 s chose to present a musical for the community in Term 3. This production was of a very high standard and appreciated by all the community. A Young Performers Concert took place in Term 3, highlighting all the instrumental children in our school. This concert included nearly 200 students in total. A new initiative took place at the end of the year, with our first School Christmas celebration. This involved every year level performing to families on our school oval. It was an excellent way to celebrate our musical talents. Sports Program SFX continues to provide an extensive Sports Program that children can be involved in. As well as a number of Catholic and SAPSASA Carnivals, children can participate in a wide range of sports including basketball, soccer, cricket, netball, softball and football. Students in the Early Years were also able to participate in cricket and football clinics after school.
A particular highlight this year was the Year 5/6 Boys Basketball Team who were able to win the SAPSASA State Basketball Championship. Added to this, the school also has many participants involved in Aerobics and Glee competitions. Improved Facilities in 2016 Nature Play was further improved with established Cubby Building areas. Improved play space near the oval with tyres for climbing and seating. ICT services included a new server and further television installations. Line marking across carparks. Classroom learning spaces were improved with the removal of clutter and excess furniture to focus on space, collaboration and light filled, inviting classrooms. ICT in the Library was improved with a new software package. Lattice was removed from handrails and replaced with vertical uprights. Improved lighting around the hall and carparks. Community Satisfaction In Term 3, 2016 we implemented Learning Conversations for parents to our communication structures, which strived to give families quality information about their child in a particular aspect of learning. 83% of families attended Learning Conversations, and we have sought feedback from teachers and parents for the purpose of continual improvement. Teachers had a Staff Meeting where we discussed Learning Conversations, and parents were invited to respond to a survey via Survey Monkey. We received 94 responses via Survey Monkey, which was open over a two-week period. 68% of parents who responded, indicated that they felt comfortable being asked to do something to prepare before attending Learning Conversations (eg thinking about specific prompts/questions relating). Teachers liked another opportunity to meet with families to discuss learning. 79% of parents who responded felt they found out more about their child as a learner. Teachers felt having the child s voice included was very important. 87% of parents who responded found the information/strategies provided by the teacher useful. Teachers liked hearing from families about the child s learning in context of family/home life. This survey was the main community survey held in 2016. We also piloted surveys to parents using Survey Monkey. These surveys were all based on ways to improve communication in our school. They focussed on feedback regarding Home Learning, SeeSaw and emails. Our Year 6 teachers surveyed their parents in response to the changing learning environments and gained feedback on parent s perception. A New Reception Parent Reading Workshop was conducted in September, with 12 families participating. As well, a Numeracy Workshop was conducted, attracting 35 families. In Languages there were three surveys conducted - Staff Languages Survey; Year 6 Languages Survey and Year 5 Languages Survey. Results were shared with our Global Awareness Committee. During 2016 our Facebook page continued to be used as a regular means of communication. This has been well received by the community and increased awareness of happenings and learning at SFX. Community events throughout the year were numerous as we aim to build a rich and inviting school community. A highlight was the Gala Ball. This was a wonderful evening for families to enjoy themselves and a chance to truly build community. Throughout the year, our parent community supported our school in so many ways student discos, a quiz night, Mother and Father s Day stalls, and numerous welcome morning teas. School Improvement At the beginning of 2016, the School Board began the consultative process for Master Planning the school. This was an exciting time as it led to the engagement of an architect and an in-depth process of consultation with staff, parents and children. This was initiated through the requirement by CESA of each school having a comprehensive plan for our future needs. The state of our current buildings and the future for Year 7 s to move to a secondary setting created this need. We concluded the year with a Master Plan spanning approximately 10 years to totally rebuild SFX into a future focussed and inspiring learning community. As well, discussions began in 2016 for the proposed establishment of an Early Years service on site. An education brief and financial information began to be collected to assist with the process. By demonstrating innovation through pedagogy, school improvements, community and the environment, SFX will continue to be a leading school in the North East region of Adelaide.