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Merewether Public School Annual School Report 2014

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School context statement The school serves a diverse community of wide ranging socio-economic circumstances. While it brings together students from a variety of backgrounds and dynamics, it predominantly serves a low SES community. Surveys show that parent satisfaction with school performance, administratively and educationally, is very high.

The staff consists of the Principal, two teaching Assistant Principals, six permanent Classroom Teachers, a Learning and Support Teacher, a Librarian two days per week, and two School Administrative and Support Staff. As well, the school is supported by two School Learning Support Officers who assist teachers in the delivery of individual learning programs in literacy and numeracy for students with specific needs.

The District Guidance Officer and the Assistant Principal Learning and Support are based on site and serve the needs of schools across the Local Management Group of Schools.

Merewether Public School has completed its 4 year commitment to National Partnership under the Low SES and Centre for Excellence initiatives. These programs no longer exist within new funding arrangements.

The benefits of the school’s participation and leadership in National Partnership Programs are manifested in the school’s high academic performance, professionalism of staff and the informed pedagogical practice in each classroom.

Student information It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all students be consistent with privacy and personal information policies.

Student enrolment profile

Student attendance profile

Workforce information It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all staff must be consistent with privacy and personal information policies.

Workforce composition

Position Number Principal 1 Assistant Principal(s) 2 Classroom Teacher(s) 6 Learning and Support Teacher(s) 1 Teacher Librarian 1 School Counsellor 1 School Administrative & Support Staff 4 Total 16

The Australian Education Regulation, 2014 requires schools to report on Aboriginal composition of their workforce.

At this time, there are no staff members that are of Aboriginal descent working at the school.

The School

Year 2012 2013 2014 K 93.6 93.1 93.3 1 93.1 93.3 92.2

2 93.6 93.2 92.8 3 91.0 92.7 93.7 4 94.3 95.6 94.4 5 94.7 93.7 93.9 6 92.6 93.8 94.4

Total 93.3 93.6 93.6

The State DEC

K 94.3 95.0 95.2 1 93.9 94.5 94.7 2 94.2 94.7 94.9 3 94.4 94.8 95.0 4 94.3 94.7 94.9 5 94.2 94.5 94.8 6 93.8 94.1 94.2

Total 94.2 94.7 94.8

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Male Female 1

Teacher qualifications

All teaching teachers meet the professional requirements for teaching in NSW public schools.

Qualifications % of staff Degree or Diploma 100 Postgraduate 6

Professional learning and teacher accreditation

The main focus for professional learning was improving the teachers understanding of assessment including student self-assessment and quality feedback to determine future direction.

Over $9,000 was spent in staff training and development throughout the year.

The average number of professional learning hours, including online courses, by each teacher was 57.5.

Further, all teachers participated in five full staff development days.

Beginning Teachers

One permanent teacher is deemed to be a beginning or Early Career Teacher, (ECT). Three casual teachers, who are Early Career Teachers, worked as full time staff members in 2014.

In 2015 there will be two casual ECTs working in the school.

Financial summary This summary covers funds for operating costs and does not involve expenditure areas such as permanent salaries, building and major maintenance.

A full copy of the school’s 2014 financial statement is tabled at the annual general meeting of the school’s P & C. Further details concerning the statement can be obtained by contacting the school

Date of financial summary 30/11/2014

Income $ Balance brought forward 291389.20 Global funds 169038.22 Tied funds 279750.65 School & community sources 129848.53 Interest 10235.07 Trust receipts 5370.85 Canteen 27924.10 Total income 913556.62 Expenditure Teaching & learning

Key learning areas 8502.98 Excursions 19147.09 Extracurricular dissections 83703.42

Library 2453.72 Training & development 570.00 Tied funds 160557.02 Casual relief teachers 43770.58 Administration & office 58179.13 School-operated canteen 16073.79 Utilities 37594.23 Maintenance 11003.76 Trust accounts 27692.19 Capital programs 18981.82 Total expenditure 488229.73 Balance carried forward 425326.89

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School performance 2014

Academic achievements NAPLAN

In the National Assessment Program, the results across the Years 3, and 5 literacy and numeracy assessments are reported on a scale from Band 1 to Band 8.

The achievement scale represents increasing levels of skills and understandings demonstrated in these assessments.

Year 3: from Band 1 (lowest) to Band 6 (highest for Year 3)

Year 5: from Band 3 (lowest) to Band 8 (highest for Year 5)

The My School website provides detailed information and data for national literacy and numeracy testing (NAPLAN).

Click on the link http://www.myschool.edu.au and enter the school name in the Find a school and select GO to access the school data.

NAPLAN Year 3 - Literacy (including Reading, Writing, Spelling and Grammar and Punctuation)

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Percentage in bands: Year 3 Writing

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2011-2014SSG % in Bands 2014State DEC % in Bands 2014

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Percentage in bands: Year 3 Reading

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2010-2014SSG % in Bands 2014State DEC % in Bands 2014

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Percentage in bands: Year 3 Spelling

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2010-2014SSG % in Bands 2014State DEC % in Bands 2014

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Percentage in bands: Year 3 Grammar & Punctuation

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2010-2014SSG % in Bands 2014State DEC % in Bands 2014

NAPLAN Year 3 - Numeracy

NAPLAN Year 5 - Literacy

NAPLAN Year 5 - Numeracy

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Percentage in bands: Year 5 Spelling

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2010-2014SSG % in Bands 2014

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Percentage in bands: Year 5 Grammar & Punctuation

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2010-2014SSG % in Bands 2014State DEC % in Bands 2014

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Percentage in bands: Year 5 Numeracy

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2010-2014SSG % in Bands 2014State DEC % in Bands 2014

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Percentage in bands: Year 3 Numeracy

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2010-2014SSG % in Bands 2014State DEC % in Bands 2014

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Percentage in bands: Year 5 Writing

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2011-2014SSG % in Bands 2014State DEC % in Bands 2014

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Percentage in bands: Year 5 Reading

Percentage in BandsSchool Average 2010-2014SSG % in Bands 2014

Other achievements Our results in the 2014 UNSW International Schools Competitions and Assessments are shown below.

Sophie Loiselle was awarded the UNSW Medal for scoring the highest mark in the Year 5 writing test.

In the 2014 Newcastle Permanent Hunter Central Coast Regional Mathematics Competition for Years 5 and 6 our results were

Lara Manning in Year 6 was placed in the top 100 students in the competition.

Four of five Year 6 students were successful in being accepted to enroll in the local selective high school in 2015.

Three of three Year 4 students were offered places in local OC (Gifted and Talented) classes in 2015.

Significant programs and initiatives – Policy and equity funding Aboriginal education

All teachers promote Aboriginal Education as an across curriculum subject and where and when appropriate, teach an Aboriginal perspective to lesson content. The school utilised National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (NAIDOC) Week and other significant days to promote reconciliation through special assemblies and classroom activities including the study of Aboriginal literature and art.

Multicultural education and anti-racism

The school places major significance on the delivery of programs which promote racial harmony and tolerance. The school utilised significant calendar dates, such as International Harmony Day to increase student awareness and is opportunistic in promoting multiculturalism perspectives across the curriculum.

The school designates a staff member each year to act as the Anti-Racism Contact Officer (ARCO) which affords all stakeholders an avenue to resolve any issues involving vilification or discrimination

Aboriginal background & Learning and Support

Funding from the Resource Allocation Model (RAM) for Aboriginal students and those needing learning support was combined to purchase appropriate resources and to employ Support Learning Officers (SLSO).

All students receiving support had individual or personalized learning plans.

Socio-economic background

RAM funds for socio economic background were used to employ a classroom teacher that allowed an Assistant Principal to be class free and implement a teacher mentoring program that focused on quality teaching.

School planning and evaluation 2012—2014

School evaluation processes NSW public schools conduct evaluations to support the effective implementation of the school plan. The processes used include:

• The Teacher Assessment Review (TARs) process including supervision of programs and observation of pedagogy.

• Focus group meetings in which parents and staff review policy and practice.

• Online parent surveys that provided realistic feedback regarding the school’s performance and future direction.

KLA Entries Merit Credit D HD Computer 24 3 7 4 Science 19 3 4 5 1 Spelling 20 4 8 5 Writing 13 1 2 4 4 Maths 30 5 8 3 1 English 25 1 3 8 4

Entries Merit Distinction High Distinction 29 7 10 1

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School planning 2012-2014:

School priority 1

Numeracy

Outcomes from 2012–2014

Improvement in the performance of students in solving Mathematical problems in Measurement and Rational Number

Evidence of achievement of outcomes in 2014:

• Classroom programs and lesson plans reflected deep teacher understanding of explicit and systematic teaching in Maths

• Assessment tasks and work samples showed that students have an improved understanding of Rational Number and Measurement.

Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014

• The training of teachers in best practice in teaching Rational Number with emphasis on quality student assessment.

• Building the capacity of teachers to better plan, deliver and evaluate Mathematics lessons through demonstrations and modelling.

• Teaching students the strategies needed to identify key words, and key mathematical terms and language to be able choose appropriate problem solving technique

School priority 2

Literacy

Outcomes from 2012–2014

Improved student comprehension of texts with literal and inferred meaning.

Evidence of progress towards outcomes in 2014:

• All teachers demonstrated high level understanding & expertise in the teaching and assessment of reading

• 2012 – 14 NAPLAN Reading showed the school has more students in the top two proficiency bands and less students in the “below and at minimum standard” than the State

• Teachers believe all students demonstrated key strategies to better understand the meaning of text

Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:

• Supervision of assessment tasks and teaching learning programs

• Analysis of school assessment data

• Use DET consultancy to train teachers in Focus on Reading Phase 2 reading comprehension lessons with emphasis on quality student assessment

Parent/caregiver, student, and teacher satisfaction In 2014, the school sought the opinions of parents, students and teachers about the school.

Their responses are presented below.

Students responded most positively to the types of lessons taught, the level of interest and the management of classroom teachers.

Teachers were confident that their teaching practice was engaging and the school programming covered the curriculum well.

Parents were mainly positive in all areas surveyed however areas that were identified as needing some improvement were

― The introduction of daily PE (fitness)

― Greater attention to sun safety

― More use of school apps to enhance communication with parents

Future Directions 2015-2017 School Plan NSW DEC is implementing a new school planning process for 2015-17. The new plan will be published on the school’s website from the beginning of Term 2 2015.

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About this report In preparing this report, the self-evaluation committee has gathered information from evaluations conducted during the year and analysed other information about the school's practices and student learning outcomes. The self-evaluation committee and school planning committee have determined targets for the school's future development.

Richard Hartley Principal

Susan Manning P & C representative

Alison Verkuylen Teacher

Libby McCann School Admin Manager

School contact information

Merewether Public School

6 Henry St, Merewether 2291

Ph: 49631318

Fax: 49633490

Email: Merewether-p.school.det.nsw.edu.au

Web:

School Code: 2525

Parents can find more information about Annual School Reports, how to interpret information in the report and have the opportunity to provide feedback about the report at:

http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/emsad/asr/index.php

Ready to run at Cross Country

Everyone enjoyed Open Day

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