2016 glen alice public school annual report...an engaging and meaningful way while also teaching...

Glen Alice Public SchoolAnnual Report

2016

3903

Printed on: 4 May, 2017 of 11 Glen Alice Public School 3903 (2016)

Introduction

The Annual Report for 2016 is provided to the community of Glen Alice 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.

Natalie Merz

Principal

School contact details

Glen Alice Public SchoolBeaumont StGlen Alice, 2849www.glenalice-p.schools.nsw.edu.auglenalice-p.School@det.nsw.edu.au6379 7208

Message from the Principal

Glen Alice Public School is a dynamic centre of learning focusing on a holistic approach to education. While we strive toassist every child to reach their academic goals, we believe that it is equally as important to teach life skills, resilienceand self worth creating life long learners and responsible citizens.

2016 was a busy year at Glen Alice. Students participated in the Fast Forword program which produced significantimprovements in auditory processing, concentration and sound recognition in our younger students as well asimprovements in vocabulary, grammar and comprehension in our older students. The Stephanie Alexander KitchenGarden Program was very successful on many levels. It provided an opportunity to practice maths and literacy skills inan engaging and meaningful way while also teaching students valuable life skills.

The students experienced success in Sports Carnivals, Public Speaking and the Eisteddfod. Their acting, filming andediting skills were developed significantly in 2016 and their entry in the Mudgee Small Smalls Film Festival won firstprize.


School background

School vision statement

Our school's vision is to enable each child to reach his or her potential. It aims to provide individual enrichment forstudents and comprehensive educational experiences which enhance the intellectual, physical, social and emotionaldevelopment of all students

School context

Glen Alice Public School is a P6 school located in a rural, isolated area, situated in the Capertee Valley between thelarger centres of Lithgow (95km) and Mudgee (99km).

Glen Alice Public School serves the Capertee Valley which includes the villages of Glen Alice and Glen Davis. Due to alack of facilities in the area, the school is a focal point in the village and community.

The students enrolled in the school come from families who live and work nearby. The community is very proudand supportive of our school with high levels of participation at school based initiatives and events.

Glen Alice Public School reflects the rural community and the sustainable living values of the families that supportthe school through innovative programs such as the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program and theChicken program .

Key focus areas for the school include catering for individual student strengths, developing positive and constructiveparent–school partnerships, and enhancing networks, both within the Department of Education and Communities andwithin the wider community.

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.

In 2016, staff under took professional development in understanding the Literacy continuum and the recording of studentachievements on PLAN. The implementation of this professional development within the school has seen the school gofrom Delivering to Sustaining and Growing. Student results were plotted each Term on PLAN and the students could alsobeen seen on the magnetic continuum in the staff room. All staff had access to the magnetic continuum and olderstudents were encouraged to look at where they were plotted and find out what they needed to do to mover themselvesalong to the next cluster. Further development in this area will occur with the adoption of EAfS and L3 in 2017.

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

All students achieve individual targeted outcomes within Literacy and Numeracy.

Purpose

To improve individual student achievement in all areas of literacy and numeracy, improving opportunities and creatinglife– long learners.

Overall summary of progress

The Fast Forword program achieved significant results for students in the particularly in the areas of auditory processingand language skills. Improvements in vocabulary and comprehension were also noted.

Progress towards achieving improvement measures

Improvement measures(to be achieved over 3 years)

Progress achieved this year Funds Expended(Resources)

All students will record individualtargeted outcomes within relevantclusters of the Literacy andNumeracy and Continuums.

All K–6students will recordindividual targeted growth usingPLAN data to measure and trackprogress and to set newindividual academic benchmarks.

All K–2students will record RRLresults matching individualtargets.

Years 2–6 achieved personal targets or beyond.Kindergarten and Year 1 need more support toreach targets. EAfS starts next year.Though we ran out of time and didn't have the PLwith MSSN, staff at GAPS have participated inother learning experiences to ensure that we areconfident that programs are aligned with the newNational Curriculum.

Support teacher oneday/week @ $8720, total foryear $17440

Next Steps

In 2017 our school will become an Early Action for Success school. Staff will undertake professional development inmaths strategies and L3.



All students will undertake high quality, engaging lessons incorporating the use of relevant technology into all KeyLearning Areas

Purpose

To boost communication, enhance thinking skills, make instruction more efficient and effective, and develop life skillscritical to success. To offer avenues to succeed as citizens in a global society.


Students at Glen Alice enjoy access to technology through a wide range of experiences. All students contributed to thePower Point about Mongolia that went on to receive a Highly Commended Prize in the CWA Country of the Yearcompetition. Students worked collaboratively on documents with the help of Microsoft 365. A sure highlight for thestudents was learning how to film and edit their own movies.




All students will be able to clearlyarticulate expected learningoutcomes and criteria from tasks,activities and lessons.

All students will be able toeffectively use relevant ICTincluding multimedia to presentand publish work across all KeyLearning Areas.

Most students still not understanding what isexpected or not prepared to go back and improvetheir writing. Lots more work on writing (andimproving rubric) needed. Theseprograms are popular with the students and areinvaluable to their well being. We will continuethese programs next year.

Literacy focus/drama $3060SAKGP $150 Poultry $150Total $6720

Next Steps

In 2017 we hope to collaborate more with other schools using Microsoft 365. It is hoped that when working with others,the students will see a need for editing there work.



That school, parent and community partnerships are encouraged and enhanced in order to enrich student engagementand outcomes.

Purpose

Increase the combined capacity of our school, parent body, families and to work within the Mudgee Small SchoolsNetwork to positively influence student outcomes.


In 2016 we erected a lovely new school sign which has changeable letters to inform families and community membersabout upcoming events in our school. We also started sending notes and newsletters home via email and have had anexcellent response from parents.




To maintain high levels of SchoolCommunity engagement. Both inplanning and the reviewof educational processes takingplace within the school. This isevident through formal andinformal feedback, support andparent contribution. Thepreviously disbanded P&C to befunctioning again by the end of2017.

To maintain high levels of parentparticipation in school andcommunity activities throughoutthe school year.

An effective framework is used toguide Professional Learningacross the MSSN and broadereducational network.

Engaging student extra–curricularactivities are used tocomplement and enhanceeducational programs within GlenAlice Public School.

A supportive educationalcommunity is evidenced byeffective staff ProfessionalLearning and engaging studentextra–curricular activities. [Enterthe equivalent quantitative orqualitative improvementmeasure/s

Both the emails and the sign have greatly improvedcommunication. While some of theplanned PL didn't pan out, there was opportunity forlearning at meetings

School sign $3000

Next Steps

In 2017 we hope to reinstate the P&C which has been in hiatus for a couple of years due to a lack of families in ourschool. We also plan to step up our Facebook presence with more posts and encourage parents to look there for any


urgent information such as school closures due to fire threat.


Key Initiatives Impact achieved this year Resources (annual)

Aboriginal background loading Significant improvements in receptivelanguage, sound recognition and readingwere recorded.

Program $3350 SLSOsupport $427

Low level adjustment for disability Most targets achieved, focus for 2017 willbe more intensive work with infants studentsregarding reading and writing.

Total funding $12036($1986 + 0.1 teacher)

Socio–economic background Students were well supported with somestudents requiring explicit teaching andpractice of some areas of Literacy. Havingissues getting Kinder/Year one to transferknowledge of sounds and sight words toreading books.

Total funding $10361($311 + 0.1 teacher )


Student information

Student enrolment profile

Enrolments

Students 2013 2014 2015 2016

Boys 4 7 4 4

Girls 4 7 6 6

Student attendance profile

School

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016

K 99.1 95.6 95.7

1 95.2 97.4 98.5 96.8

2 97.8 98.9 95.7

3 98.4 100 94.5

4 98.9 96.7 97.1

5 100 97.1 94 97.8

6 96.6 100 98.9 97.8

All Years 96.8 98.8 96.2 97.1

State DoE

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016

K 95.2 94.4 94.4

1 94.5 94.7 93.8 93.9

2 94.7 94.9 94.1

3 94.8 95 94.1

4 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

Engagement programs such as Stephanie AlexanderKitchen Garden Program and drama ensure that ourattendance remains high.

Class sizes

Class Total

K-6 11

Structure of classes

We currently have 10 students in one multi–stage K–6

class. Students also have the support of a StudentLearning Support Officer.

Workforce information

Workforce composition

Position FTE*

Principal 1

Classroom Teacher(s) 0.13

Learning and Support Teacher(s) 0.1

Teacher Librarian 0.08

School Administration & SupportStaff

1.1

Other Positions 0.1

*Full Time Equivalent

There is one staff member at Glen Alice who identifiesas being Aboriginal.

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

In 2016, along with all mandatory requirements, thestaff attended the following professional learningopportunities. • MSSN PLAN data • Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program

training • Mental Health Conference • OLIVER library training •

Financial information (for schoolsusing OASIS for the whole year)

Financial information

This summary financial information covers funds foroperating costs to 30/12/2016 and does not involveexpenditure areas such as permanent salaries, building


and major maintenance.

Income $

Balance brought forward 29 337.12

Global funds 46 849.52

Tied funds 27 521.38

School & community sources 9 280.99

Interest 637.46

Trust receipts 0.00

Canteen 0.00

Total income 113 626.47

Expenditure

Teaching & learning

Key learning areas 5 732.88

Excursions 897.32

Extracurricular dissections 763.69

Library 240.50

Training & development 587.39

Tied funds 27 242.74

Short term relief 938.16

Administration & office 46 450.59

School-operated canteen 0.00

Utilities 3 573.07

Maintenance 2 064.56

Trust accounts 0.00

Capital programs 0.00

Total expenditure 88 490.90

Balance carried forward 25 135.57

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

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 skills and understandings demonstrated in these assessments.

Due to the small cohort of students in Years 3 and 5 we

are unable to report on this area to protect anonymity ofthe students. In 2016 one Year 5

student undertook NAPLAN testing.

Due to the small cohort of students in Years 3 and 5 weare unable to report on this area to protect anonymity ofthe students. In 2016 one Year 5

student undertook NAPLAN testing.

Parent/caregiver, student, teachersatisfaction

Each year schools are required to seek the opinions ofparents, students and teachers about the school.

In 2016, Parents and careers were asked questionsabout their experiences with Glen Alice Public Schoolduring informal meetings.

Their responses were as follows.

The strengths of our school are • Children are happy at our school • The staff care about the children • Programs seem to meet individual needs • There is a lot of support for children with learning

needs • The school works well with other agencies such

as Royal Far West • The children have lots of opportunities to use

technology

Parents were also very happy about the new signerected during 2016. They felt that emailing notesand newsletters was helpful.

Policy requirements

Aboriginal education

All indigenous students benefitted from funding underthe RAM, with all indigenous students having anindividual personalized learning plan.

In Term 2 all students attended a series of AboriginalEducation Days at Cullen Bullen Public School alongwith Capertee and Hampton Public. They very muchenjoyed participating in a variety of learningexperiences relating to Aboriginal culture andperspectives.

Multicultural and anti-racism education

The students enjoy studying the CWA county of the


year each year. In 2016 the choosen country wasMongolia. Students studied all aspect of Mongoliaand Mongolian culture and celebrated with aMongolian feast prepared by the Ilford CWA. Thepower point we entered in the CWA competitionreceived a Highly Commended at State Level.

Along with this intensive study, aspects of multiculturaleducation were covered in classroom learning. Thestudents developed an awareness of differencesbetween cultures, religions, customs and food. Inaddition students studied aspects of multiculturalismthrough our Cooking program and integrated studies.


2016 glen alice public school annual report...an engaging and meaningful way while also teaching...

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