2016 Gresford Public School Annual Report - Amazon S3 · PDF fileThe P&C also thanks the amazing teachers and staff of Gresford Public School for supporting the P&C’s ... the Public

Gresford Public SchoolAnnual Report

2016

2083

Printed on: 5 May, 2017Page 1 of 17 Gresford Public School 2083 (2016)

Introduction

The Annual Report for 2016 is provided to the community of Gresford Public School as an account of the school'soperations and achievements throughout the year.

It provides a detailed account of the progress the school has made to provide high quality educational opportunities forall students, as set out in the school plan. It outlines the findings from self–assessment that reflect the impact of keyschool strategies for improved learning and the benefit to all students from the expenditure of resources, including equityfunding.

Pauline Mitchell

Principal

School contact details

Gresford Public SchoolDurham RdGresford, 2311www.gresford-p.schools.nsw.edu.augresford-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au4938 9304


Message from the Principal

The annual report for Gresford Public School provides an account for the school community of the operations andachievements of the school for the 2016 academic year. It is provided in a new format to highlight the high qualityeducational opportunities provided for our students to support the directions set out in the school’s strategic plan. It givesan account of the professional learning undertaken by staff to achieve the school’s goals and the use of departmentalfunding to support learning programs.

Our school plan is underpinned by three key elements: to promote quality teaching and learning; a consistent highstandard of educational practice across key learning areas; actively engaged students growing into resilient, responsibleand respectful learners; and a strong, positive school community that is well informed and supportive of the directions ofthe school. Evaluation of the progress of the school plan has involved students, parents and staff through participation insurveys, focus group meetings, continuing data collection and analysis and regular informal feedback.

This year has brought a range of achievements, all demonstrating strong learning outcomes credited to the highengagement and hard work of our students, the dedicated professionalism of our staff and the strong commitment byparents and the wider Gresford community.

Our students have gained excellent academic achievements across the grades. We are especially proud of the growth inliteracy skills in the junior grades attributable to the recently introduced L3 program. L3–Literacy, Language and Learningis a statewide program which, through delivery by highly–trained teachers such as ours, elevates the reading and writinglevels through explicit and intensive teaching. In the national testing program of Years 3 and 5, all Year 3 children wereabove the minimum national standards with half being placed in the top 3 bands. All students in Year 5 demonstratedgrowth from their Year 3 results.

Strong results stem from student dedication and from the enriched curriculum provided by the range of programs offeredhere at the school. Such programs include our whole school Shakespearean studies culminating in a visit from the BellShakespeare Company; students involved in the Waterwatch Environmental Program; our students competing withconfidence at the Maitland Public Speaking Competition; our promising spellers participating in the Premier’s SpellingBee and our senior students winning the Dungog Community of Schools (CoS) Science and Engineering Challengewhich is testimony to the school's wonderful science program led by our Scientist in Residence, Dr Lesley Wright. Wehave had students participate in the Dungog CoS Gifted and Talented Virtual Education Programs in electronics,computer coding and visual arts. Our Ensemble and Dance Group have performed at school functions and at the CoSEducation Week ceremony; all children participated in the Musica Viva Program and were thrilled with two liveperformances. Our trainee cattle judges competed at the Gresford Show and Year 5/6 enjoyed fitness camp at MyunaBay. Children have learnt about and practised our chosen school values of Respect, Responsibility and Resiliencethrough the Positive Behaviour for Learning Program. Much energy has been devoted towards our primary focus ofbuilding better learners.

On the sporting field, we have had students participate in interschool soccer, cricket and rugby games; our annual crosscountry event and athletics carnival have encouraged fitness, skill and endurance and the Sporting Schools Program hasprovided children with a range of sporting and fitness activities such as tennis and rugby. Essential skills were learnt inthe Swim School Program and the whole school was involved in a Dungog CoS Olympic event. Our school wasrecognised with an Education Week Award for "Collaborative Professional Learning Across Stage 3 and Stage 4 inMathematics Pedagogy and Practice"; and our talented P&C secretary, Julie Hartigan, was presented with an award foroutstanding service to the children of Gresford School. Students demonstrating excellence in all aspects of school lifewere Liza Kelehear and Katharina Lawrence.

Building a stronger community is one of our school’s strategic directions and parent and community involvement hasbeen an outstanding feature of the school year. Our tireless and creative Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association hasbeen integral in supporting school initiatives at every opportunity. Parent and community members, as well asextraordinary efforts from staff members, provided creative opportunities for children through the organisation of thebiennial Create: Art Carnival and this was a highlight of the year. P&C supported our Harmony Day event as well as Fruitand Veggie Day which add authenticity and real life learning to important school extracurricular areas. We have beeninvolved in community events such as Anzac and Remembrance Day commemorations, the CWA International Day andtree planting with Gresford Community Group. The community, together with the P&C have supported the school in therestoration of our historic school bell. Students also contributed over $1000 towards the bell restoration with the proceedsfrom their Spellathon. Community members individually have donated their most precious commodity of time tosupporting student learning.

Staff have continued their pursuit of professional excellence in a range of key learning areas with a particular focus onliteracy which is the cornerstone of education. I thank all staff from office to classroom, along with the school communityfor their continued striving and aspirations for the children in our care. This is what makes small schools so special.

Pauline Mitchell – Principal


Message from the school community

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

This quote is from the great Nelson Mandela and a powerful message for everyone involved in education – our children,parents, the teachers and staff of Gresford Public School and the volunteers of our P&C who work to support all of thesepartners in education.

The P&C’s fundraising means we, as parents and carers, can support our students by providing the extra dollars neededfor resources and a range of opportunities they would otherwise miss out on.

Major fundraising for the year came through the school canteen which is co–ordinated by P&C members SylviaLawrence and Kristy Duncan and supported by the mums, dads and even grandparents who volunteer their time behindthe counter. Other efforts that helped boost the P&C’s fundraising for 2016 were a bottle top trivia night and raffle, PonyPat Lotto, canteen duties at Gresford Rodeo and Gresford Show, the hiring out of the marquee and the sale of the schoolsteer 'Lotto'. The P&C is extremely grateful to everyone who played a part in these fundraising activities.

These efforts have allowed the P&C to subsidise a range of school events and projects, including: • Restoration of our historic school bell; • An excursion to Shortland Wetlands; • A school disco; • A new bike rack; • Re–upholstery of the computer room bench seats; • A new school camera; • Slushie machine and new blinds for the canteen; • The Year 6 farewell dinner; • The online Matific maths program; • Swim school, which was also supported by David Latham who donated goggles for every student; • Hats for the representative cricket players and socks for the soccer players; • TheYear 5/6 camp to Myuna Bay; • Harmony Day lunch; • The Easter Hat Parade; • Keepsake gifts for the Year 6 students; • Student injury insurance; • The yearbook project; and • Visits from Bell Shakespeare and Musica Viva.

In addition to these activities, the P&C runs the school uniform shop, co–ordinated by Lyndell Osmond. School banking,co–ordinated by Bec Spinks and Emma Simpson, has also continued to be a success.

The P&C continues its “sponsorship” of Lyn Jupp for her endless dedication to helping our children with their literacyskills. This helps Lyn provide all the stationery and “little extras” she needs for her students.

The P&C also thanks the amazing teachers and staff of Gresford Public School for supporting the P&C’s efforts but,more importantly, for their dedication to our children. You are truly amazing.

The P&C looks forward to another successful year in 2017. It really is amazing what can be achieved by workingtogether.

Annual report prepared by

Julie Hartigan

Secretary

Gresford Public School P&C Association


School background

School vision statement

Leading the Way in Quality Education for All.” • We will work with the community to provide an enriched program of learning which will develop innovative

thinking in all. • We will do this by building a solid foundation of learning. • We will provide a safe, high quality learning environment where excellence is valued. • We will empower our students to be effective team players. • We will develop self–directed and resilient individuals. • We will make a difference for all of our students.

School context

Gresford is a caring school community committed to achieving high educational outcomes for all students. Thiscommitment is evidenced in the range and depth of both curricular and extra–curricular programs offered after carefulanalyses of student needs. Student population stands at 83 with a significant portion of low SES families.

Academic needs are provided for through flexible organisation of available staffing and the offer of a range of supportprograms designed to both extend and consolidate student learning. Such programs include specialised small groupmaths and literacy instruction, a parent reading tutor program and a learning support program for identified students.

Student well being is a major priority with a whole school Values Program, Anti–Bullying Program and a StudentLeadership Program. Positive Behaviour For Learning, (PBL) will be a focus to support student well being andconsistency of approaches across the school community.

Enrichment programs such as the Public Speaking and Debating Program, the Literacy Through Shakespeare Program,the promotion of music through the School Ensemble and Dance Program, as well as the Scientists in Schools Programwill continue to provide opportunities for students to achieve their creative potential.

As part of the Dungog Community of Schools, Gresford will continue to be involved in collaboratively determined groupinitiatives such as the Transition Maths Project, the Virtual Gifted and Talented Program, the PBL Networking Group, theLAST Network Group, needs based teacher professional learning and relevant transition programs.


Self-assessment and school achievement

Self-assessment using the School Excellence Framework

This section of the Annual Report outlines the findings from self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework,school achievements and the next steps to be pursued.

This year, our school undertook self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework. The framework supportspublic schools throughout NSW in the pursuit of excellence by providing a clear description of high quality practiceacross the three domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading. Using the school excellence framework, all teaching staffagreed that, based on school practices and current contextual evidence, the school is delivering consistently highstandards of educational practice across the areas of learning culture, curriculum delivery and student assessment andreporting. Five weekly reflections on our progress towards the achievement of the goals set out in the school's strategicplan ensured our improvement efforts were aligned with predetermined directions.

Learning

In the domain of Learning, our focuses have been primarily on the areas of curriculum development and associatedprofessional learning, together with new directions in student learning. A second staff member has undergone intensivetraining in the Literacy, Language and Learning Program (L3), to extend this outstanding early literacy program tostudents in the second year of schooling. Results for students in L3 classrooms continue to show the benefits for allstudents, of individualised learning and explicit teaching, particularly those with identified needs. Other members of staffhave undergone training throughout the year in the Focus on Reading Program (FoR), which aims to improve students'comprehension skills through the delivery of lessons which explicitly teach effective comprehension strategies. Allteaching programs now have documented the use of the six comprehension strategies in their literacy sessions. Allteachers have participated in Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR), in Terms 1, 2 and 3, in which they have engaged inprofessional reading and dialogue and have observed and discussed each others' lessons. Feedback from teachers hashighlighted the value of these sessions in clarifying lesson content according to the principles of direct instruction. Newsyllabuses have been examined, namely Mathematics, Science, History and Geography as well as the PhysicalEducation, Health and Personal Development continuum (PEHPD). These documents have been carefully organised intoa whole school scope and sequence of teaching units to guide teachers' programming over a two–year cycle. Allteachers have engaged in the drawing up of their own Professional Development Plans (PDPs), and have had regularmeetings with the Principal focusing on the content of, support for and evaluation of the plan. Training for the PositiveBehaviour for Learning Program (PBL) has been undertaken, ensuring effective program delivery. Student and teacherlearning in technology has centred on the Microsoft 365 platform and teachers have been familiarised in the use of theassessment tool, PLAN. These processes have enhanced the learning culture of the school and ensured that the mostcurrent educational practices are being delivered to our students contributing to our core business of continuedimprovement of student learning outcomes.

In the domain of Teaching, in addition to teacher professional learning, our central focus has been on continuedimprovement of student learning outcomes. According to the School Excellence Framework, teachers' on balancejudgement based on evidence, ranked the school as sustaining and growing the majority of the descriptors for teaching.Improving teacher practice through professional learning has been outlined and there have been clear results of thebenefits, particularly in literacy in the early years. Data collection and analysis has become systematic across the schooland reporting to parents has been based on this continuing data collection. Collaborative practice has been enhancedthrough the engagement of teachers in QT Rounds with regular sharing of best practice being an outcome. Thesuccessful mentoring of a beginning teacher has provided a leadership opportunity for a younger staff member. As adirect result of the explicit teaching of PBL strategies there has been a decrease in incidents of unacceptable behaviour ,particularly in student suspensions. There has been strong parent support for the program, evidenced by parentattendance at PBL assemblies and engagement with the reward system.

In the domain of Leadership, the school has looked to build sustainability of new programs and initiatives and provideopportunities for leadership for new and beginning teachers with a view to succession planning. In this domain the staffevaluated progress as delivering and, in the descriptor of resourcing, sustaining and growing the capacities forleadership. All teachers were regularly involved in the monitoring of the school plan and at the end of the year were themain stakeholders in the data analysis and design of the iterations to the plan for 2017. All were responsible for theleadership of strategic directions and either led or were integral participants in school teams. Two teachers were invitedto present at district professional learning workshops and two teachers served on the district Professional LearningNetwork Committee. One teacher co–presented at the State Rural and Remote Conference and two teachers served onthe Community of Schools (CoS) Gifted and Talented Virtual Program Committee. Our Learning and Support Teacher(LAST) was the secretary for the CoS LAST Network Group. One teacher was the QT facilitator for the school, reportingregularly to the University of Newcastle as part of the co–researching program the school has been involved in. Oneteacher took on the role of network coach for the PBL teachers of the CoS and another became the school's internal PBLcoach.


With the devolvement of funding to schools, through Local Schools, Local Decisions (LSLD), we are able to target fundsto directly address student needs and make a real difference for our children. Further indications of our achievementsand identification of our future steps to improve learning outcomes for our students are outlined in the following pages ofthis report. This self assessment process, together with community consultation will assist us to set our strategicdirections for 2018–2020.

Our self–assessment process will assist the school to refine the strategic priorities in our School Plan, leading to furtherimprovements in the delivery of education to our students.

For more information about the School Excellence Framework:

http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about–the–department/our–reforms/school–excellence–framework


Strategic Direction 1

Consistent high standard of educational practices across Key Learning Areas.

Purpose

To ensure learning for all students is of a high standard; equitable and engaging; and based on qualityeducational practice and delivery.

Overall summary of progress

Our purpose has been to ensure learning for all students is of a high standard; equitable and engaging; and based onquality educational practice and delivery. Our students have engaged in a range of quality learning experiences focusingparticularly on improving student learning outcomes in literacy and mathematics. Significant growth has been recordedfor students in the early years of schooling, directly attributable to the Literacy, Language and Learning program (L3)delivered by our teachers. Reading comprehension has been a focus in the primary classes through the explicit teachingof the strategies presented in the Focus on Reading Program (FoR).

Classroom learning, focusing on high intellectual quality, has been designed by staff who have undergone expansiveprofessional learning in the new syllabuses and pedagogical practice. Class programs have been responsive to the datacollected and analysed regularly from the literacy and numeracy continua. All teachers have designed their ownprofessional development plans (PDPs) and, together with the principal, have reflected on and adjusted the plan wherenecessary throughout the academic year. A whole school continuum for learning across the new syllabus areas ofEnglish, Mathematics, History, Geography and Science has been designed to ensure a balanced delivery of outcomesover a two–year cycle. Staff learning has been enhanced by the regular involvement in Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR)where teachers observe and reflect collegially on the lessons of their peers.

School community members have participated in meetings and workshops to enhance their understanding of curriculumcontent and the progress of their children on learning continua. Support for parents in assisting their children with homereading was presented and parents demonstrated their support for the school programs through setting up andmonitoring the home school maths program known as 'Bring Back Maths'.

Progress towards achieving improvement measures

Improvement measures(to be achieved over 3 years)

Progress achieved this year Funds Expended(Resources)

All students tracked usingLiteracy and Numeracycontinuums with the majorityshowing expected growth persemester relevant to expectedtime frames (egcluster movement quicker in ES1than S3)

Whole school scope and sequence is being used inall class programs in 2016. Assessment tasks willbe selected for inclusion in school's Assessmentand Reporting Policy in Term 1 2017.

Resources: 4 Teacherrelease days – $1480

Source of Funding:Teacher ProfessionalLearning (TPL)

Staff growth evident in the areasof classroom practice andprogramming

QT Rounds were conducted in Terms 1, 2 and 3with a whole school focus and based on theschool's strategic directions.

Resources: 12 teacherrelease days – $4440

Source of Funding:Quality TeachingSuccessful Students(QTSS)

All staff have professionaldevelopment plans focusing onattainment of professionalgoals reflecting the standards bythe end of 2017

All teachers have participated in setting andtracking their own professional learning goals whichare aligned with the school plan.

Resources: Nil


Next Steps

• Continued professional learning for L3 teachers and training for one new teacher; • Completion of the Focus on Reading professional learning program; • Participation in the Early Action for Success Program (EAfS), with the mentorship of an Instructional Leader (IL); • Embedding selected assessment tasks into a yearly cycle as set out in the new Assessment and Reporting Policy; • Continuation of QT Rounds aligning lesson observations with strategic directions; • PDPs to be extended to School Administrative Staff (SASS); • Parent meetings and workshops to be continued according to parent need; and • Home school maths program to be continued.



Students will be actively engaged in school life in order to become successful, confident, resilient and responsiblelearners.

Purpose

To ensure the school environment supports student engagement through accessing the range of learningstyles; and encourages resilience, leadership and responsibility.


In this direction we have been focused on ensuring the school environment supports student engagement by catering tothe range of learning styles of our students and encouraging in them resilience, responsibility and respect. To this end,the staff has been regularly collecting data electronically and together with data from the Tell Them From Me (TTFM)student surveys, have analysed and adjusted programs according to findings from this data. The Positive Behaviour forLearning Program (PBL) is being explicitly taught in all classes and PBL assemblies are held each term with excellentparent attendance. Students are progressing through the PBL award system and striving to achieve the various levels.As a consequence, we have seen an upward trend in positive notifications on our system and an encouraging decreasein negative notifications. One staff meeting each term is dedicated to mapping the progress of our PBL program withcareful data analysis which we consider to inform our next directions. We have had one staff member take on the role ofthe school's PBL coach and another staff member has taken on the responsibility for the network coach for ourcommunity of schools (CoS). One teacher presented the school's directions in PBL at the PBL Showcase conference.




*Student behaviours trackedelectronically and data assessedeach term

SET data for 2016 provided by head teacher PBLand used to support directions for 2017. Regulartracking of Milestones and data analysis hasinformed program iterations.

Nil

*Teacher and parent satisfactionwith student engagement andwell being evaluated using datafrom TTFM surveys and schoolbased sources.

Dedicated PBL staff meetings held each term foranalysis of data and staff feedback.

TTFM surveys and anecdotal data used to gaugestudent and parent satisfaction.

Nil

Next Steps

• SET data recommendations to be included in milestones for 2017; • Communication and support from PBL head teacher to be initiated in Term 1, 2017; • PBL staff meeting to be held once per term for data analysis and tracking of milestones; • Data entry to be streamlined on computer systems and one person allocated the responsibility for central storage; • System to track major PBL awards to be established; • School coach to attend network meetings and liaise with Head Teacher PBL; • Leadership Program to commence Week 3, Term 1; • Responsibility to be the focus value for 2017.



Our school community will work together to foster positive relationships and information exchange with all stakeholders.

Purpose

To maintain and develop a positive school community where all stakeholders are well informed and can say“why we do what we do".


This strategic direction was to foster the partnership of school and home to continue to build positive relationships andinformation exchange with all stakeholders. With the support of the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) and the parentbody, the home maths program was introduced and maintained. Parent TTFM surveys were analysed for data to supportpreferred communication strategies. The school newsletter was the preferred option. Parents were to be asked forwritten permission to publish their child's photograph on Facebook. More information was to be given to parents in theirchild's reports and interviews, regarding comprehension, spelling, problem solving and numeracy. Continued feedbackfrom students and parents will be sought by various means to ensure a full school community response in deciding newdirections.




Student goal setting and actionplan design is less dependent onteacher support.

Data walls to be introduced in 2017 to encouragestudents to track their own learning.

Nil

Parent community, student andstaff satisfaction increasedas measured by TTFM surveysand anecdotal data.

Home Maths Program to be continued in 2017;incentives to be given to encourage older studentsto be more involved.

TTFM surveys administered as well as surveys andother data collection strategies when school eventsare held.

Nil

*Parent access of school websiteimproved as indicated by regulartracking of data from SWS.

Data reveals regular use of school website. Nil

Next Steps

• Home maths program to be continued with encouragement to further engage older students; • Student photographs to be published on Facebook with parent permission; • Common assessment tasks to be administered across the grades to inform parents regularly of student progress; • Home/school communication app (Seesaw), to be used to enhance parent knowledge of students' daily classroom

performance.


Key Initiatives Impact achieved this year Resources (annual)

Aboriginal background loading In–class literacy, numeracy and homeworksupport using School Learning SupportOfficers (SLSO')s. Program very successfulwith positive feedback from all stakeholders.

Homework support to be extended in 2017and literacy and numeracy support to beextended to an additional class.

SLSO employment –Strategic Direction 1

$12,824

• Low level adjustment fordisability ($0.00)

Low level adjustment for disability Community Helpers Program – targetingstudents in K–2 identified with literacy andnumeracy delays.

Multilit – targeted students from Years 3– 6with literacy delays. Focuses on phonics,sight words, word attack skills and oralreading. 11 students targeted with 5 of thembeing Aboriginal. Progress was greater in theearly years with 100% of students in Year 3achieving grade standard.

SLSO employment– Strategic Direction 1

$8,252

Quality Teaching, SuccessfulStudents (QTSS)

Teacher surveys indicated high degree ofsupport for program and a need to continueinto 2017.

12 teacher release days forQT Rounds partly fundedfrom QTSS; $3061; partlyfrom the ResourceAllocation Model (RAM)Equity $1379 Strategic Direction 1 $4440

Socio–economic background All programs, training and resources wereselected for bridging the gap for low SESstudents and made observable differences inthe quality of programs of learning presented,according to teacher and parent surveys.

Expended on student onlinesubscriptions, mathsresources for classrooms,teacher release days forPBL training, data analysisand QT Rounds, studentassistance, literacyresources and SLSOemployment

$36,115

Strategic Directions 1 and 2

Support for beginning teachers One beginning teacher was supportedthrough the mentorship of an experiencedteacher; training in L3; release time forviewing best practice, preparing reports andteaching program, Individual Education Plans( IEP's) and Personalised Learning Plans (PLP's), parent interviews, beginning teacherconference and classroom resources.

$13,127 – StrategicDirection 1


Student information

Student enrolment profile

Enrolments

Students 2013 2014 2015 2016

Boys 34 36 38 44

Girls 36 36 39 41

Students are arranged into four classes. Currentnumbers stand at: Kindergarten – 15 students; Year1/2 – 24 students;

Year 3/4 – 26 students; Year 5/6 – 18 students, makinga current school total of 83 students.

Student attendance profile

School

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016

K 93.5 94.8 94 93.5

1 94.5 92.3 95.1 92.5

2 98.3 91.9 92.5 95.2

3 96.6 95.7 93.3 94.6

4 90.3 92.5 94 95.2

5 95.6 87.8 94 96.6

6 95.5 93.8 91.8 91.6

All Years 94.5 92.7 93.5 94

State DoE

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016

K 95 95.2 94.4 94.4

1 94.5 94.7 93.8 93.9

2 94.7 94.9 94 94.1

3 94.8 95 94.1 94.2

4 94.7 94.9 94 93.9

5 94.5 94.8 94 93.9

6 94.1 94.2 93.5 93.4

All Years 94.7 94.8 94 94

Management of non-attendance

Management of Non–Attendance

Parents are contacted by phone on the second day ofabsence if no explanation has been received. Ifsatisfactory explanations are not received over a periodof time a meeting is scheduled between the principaland parents/caregivers. If attendance does notimprove, a reference is made to the Home SchoolLiaison Officer for intervention.

Class sizes

Class Total

K/1 16

1/2 20

3/4 28

5/6 15

Structure of classes

There are four classes with current numbers as follows:

K/1 – 15

1/2 – 24

3/4 – 26

5/6 – 18

The total school population stands at 83.

Workforce information

Workforce composition

Position FTE*

Principal 1

Classroom Teacher(s) 3.34

Learning and Support Teacher(s) 0.2

Teacher Librarian 0.2

School Administration & SupportStaff

1.41

Other Positions 0.13

*Full Time Equivalent

There are no Aboriginal members of the workforce.


Teacher qualifications

All teaching staff meet the professional requirementsfor teaching in NSW public schools.

Teacher qualifications

Qualifications % of staff

Undergraduate degree or diploma 100

Postgraduate degree

Professional learning and teacher accreditation

With the new funding model, the school's allocation forprofessional learning was $6420. The delivery ofprofessional learning was directly linked to the school'sstrategic directions.

Linked to Strategic Direction 1 were: courses, staffprofessional learning meetings, School DevelopmentDays; release time to familiarise teachers with newsyllabuses and include them in the school's scope andsequence for learning; training for the L3 program;training in the Focus on Reading course.

Linked to Strategic Direction 2 included PBL trainingand conference attendance.

Linked to Strategic Direction 3 involved both theprincipal and the School Administrative Managerattending a course on communicating effectively withthe school community. Two staff members haveattained accreditation at the proficiency level and onemore is awaiting assessment for this level. Theprofessional standards for teachers are used to assessteachers at the various levels.

Financial information (for schoolsusing OASIS for the whole year)

Financial information

This summary financial information covers funds foroperating costs to December 1, 2016, and does notinvolve expenditure areas such as permanent salaries,building and major maintenance.

Income $

Balance brought forward 99 378.78

Global funds 83 150.13

Tied funds 193 673.31

School & community sources 41 682.45

Interest 2 674.61

Trust receipts 7 382.05

Canteen 0.00

Total income 427 941.33

Expenditure

Teaching & learning

Key learning areas 4 330.33

Excursions 10 878.34

Extracurricular dissections 36 227.27

Library 5 154.91

Training & development 3 308.58

Tied funds 148 166.37

Short term relief 9 582.39

Administration & office 50 638.90

School-operated canteen 0.00

Utilities 16 138.94

Maintenance 4 468.63

Trust accounts 7 266.05

Capital programs 2 461.50

Total expenditure 298 622.21

Balance carried forward 129 319.12

A full copy of the school’s financial statement is tabledat the annual general meetings of the parent and/orcommunity groups. Further details concerning thestatement can be obtained by contacting the school.


School performance

School-based assessment

School based assessment was drawn from continuingand systematic data collection across the schoolin Literacy and Numeracy. The results included aretaken from end–of–year data analysis and are basedon growth along the literacy and numeracy continua.

Early Stage 1

Literacy: 50% were working at grade level; 30% wereworking above grade level; 20% were workingbelow grade level.

Numeracy: 50% were working at grade level; 20% wereworking above grade level; 30% were workingbelow grade level.

Stage 1

Literacy: 67% were working at grade level; 26% wereworking above grade level; 3.5% were working belowgrade level and 3.5% were not applicable.

Numeracy: 67% were working at grade level; 26% wereworking above grade level; 3.5% were working belowgrade level and 3.5% were not applicable.

Stage 2


Numeracy: 50% were working at grade level; 43% wereworking above grade level; 7% were workingbelow grade level.

Stage 3


Numeracy: 41% were working at grade level; 30% wereworking above grade level; 29%were workingbelow grade level.

NAPLAN

In the National Assessment Program, the results acrossthe Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy andnumeracy assessments are reported on a scale fromBand 1 to Band 10. The achievement scalerepresents increasing levels of skillsand understandings demonstrated in theseassessments.

In Year 3, Bands 1–6 apply and in Year 5, Bands 3–8apply. Band 1 for Year 3 and Band 3 for Year 5 meanthose students are below the minimum standard.Students in Band 2 for Year 3 and Band 4 for Year 5are working at minimum standard.

In both Year 5 and Year 3, statistically the school isdisadvantaged. In Year 5, five students sat the literacytest and in Year 3, 14 sat the literacy test. (Note:statistically, 15 students is the reliable average).

In Year 3 there were no students in Band 1 for readingor writing and there were increased numbers in Band 6for writing and spelling. In Year 5 there were nostudents in Band 1 for grammar. 40% of Year 5students are reading at Proficiency Level and 40%were placed in Band 7 or Band 8 for spelling which isabove the state average for both bands. Year 5students are performing above the state average forgrammar and punctuation, with 60% placed in Bands 6or 7.

All students in Year 5 demonstrated growth from Year 3to Year 5 in all strands of literacy with 3 out of 4growing above expectations in grammar and 2 out of 5exceeding expected growth in reading and spelling..

In Year 3 there were no students in Bands 1 or 2 forNumeracy with Year 3 results trending upwardstowards the state average with a dip of only 5 pointsthis year so the general trend is still up. The trend is upin overall numeracy for Year 5 with no students inBands 1 or 2. All students in Year 5 were placed aboveBand 4.

All students in Year 5 demonstrated growth from Year 3to Year 5 in all strands of numeracy with 3 out of 4growing above expectations.

The My School website provides detailedinformation and data for national literacy and numeracytesting. Click on the link http://www.myschool.edu.auand insert the school name in the Find a school andselect GO to access the school data.


Parent/caregiver, student, teachersatisfaction

Each year schools are required to seek the opinions ofparents, caregivers, students and teachers about theschool. Their responses are presented below.

A large majority of students indicated they had apositive sense of belonging to the school, they valuedtheir school and indicated that they tried their best tosucceed. Bullying incidents reported by students haddecreased from 2015. In English and Mathematics,students indicated they felt challenged and confident.

The greater majority of parents indicated they feltwelcomed at the school and were well informed. Amajority of parents stated their satisfaction with the PBLprogram and the safe nature of the school environment,particularly regarding the Anti–Bullying Program.Surveyed parents were pleased with the school's highexpectations for discipline and felt that childrenunderstood school rules. Three–quarters of parentssurveyed were involved in school initiatives and a largemajority were involved in committee work andvolunteered throughout the year. A similar majorityagreed that children needing extra support were given itand that formal interviews were valued in sharinginformation about their children. They were pleased thatparent input was sought in school planning.

Teachers reported their satisfaction with andappreciation of the professional learning provided,particularly QT Rounds, L3 training and the mentoringprogram. The general response for PBL trainingprovided externally was that it was inadequate.Teachers indicated their satisfaction with the PDPprocess and were pleased with the resourcing of theschool. They appreciated the opportunity to be involvedin school planning and the regular monitoring of themilestones.

Policy requirements

Aboriginal education

Gresford Public School received Aboriginal backgroundfunding in 2016. The following initiatives were put inplace to increase student learning outcomes forAboriginal students and develop greater culturalawareness for all students. • School Learning Support officers were employed

in each class during the literacy and numeracytime blocks to provide in–class support forAboriginal students.

• A School Learning Support Officer was employedto provide homework support for Aboriginalstudents.

• School Learning Support Officers were employedto administer the Multilit program to identifiedAboriginal students.

• All Aboriginal students have PersonalisedLearning Plans (PLP's) which are shared eachsemester with parents.

• Aboriginal perspectives are embedded in a rangeof teaching units in the whole school scope andsequence.

• NAIDOC Week and Harmony Day arecelebrated to acknowledge the richness ofAboriginal culture.

As a result of these initiatives we have the following toreport: • in the NAPLAN test, (Y3 and Y5) for literacy, the

majority of Aboriginal students were above theminimum standard with most in Bands 4 or 5; innumeracy all were placed in Band 4;

• growth data for K–2 students, plotted on literacyand numeracy continua, showed excellent growthwith 27% of Year 2 students working at abovegrade level; 50% of Year 1 students working atabove grade level; and 64% of Kindergartenworking at above grade level;

• in Year 4, 69% are working at or above gradelevel in both literacy and mathematics; in Year 6there are very small numbers however growth hasoccurred with the intervention put in place so thatprogression is now taking place at an expectedlevel;

• intervention programs commenced inKindergarten and continued into primary will bemaintained next year and homework assistancewill be extended across the school as we strive tomeet the Premier's goals for Aboriginal students;and

• continued assistance from Learning SupportOfficers and greater involvement of students indesigning their own PLP's will be directed towardslifting achievements for Aboriginal students.


Multicultural and anti-racism education

Each of our three strategic directions is focused onengendering multicultural values where racism is nottolerated and the range of cultures in our society isunderstood and appreciated. We work, through eachdirection, to ensure that learning for all students isequitable and delivered in a learning environment whichencourages the engagement of all. We have furtherembedded cultural diversity and sensitivity to racism inunits of work across the curriculum and grades, as wehave embraced new syllabuses. Together with ouractive P&C, we have celebrated Harmony Day with aseries of lead up lessons and a multicultural feastprepared by parents. Involvement in the Musica VivaProgram brought us performances from Indonesia andthe Caribbean introducing students to the music andculture of those lands. Our senior class was involved inresearch of the culture of Mongolia through theirparticipation in the CWA International Day held eachyear. All these contribute to build understanding of thecultural diversity of our country. Next year, an additionalteacher will be trained in the Anti Racism Coordinator'srole.


Documents

2016 Gresford Public School Annual Report - Amazon S3 · PDF fileThe P&C also thanks the amazing teachers and staff of Gresford Public School for supporting the P&C’s ... the Public