2018

Goomalling Primary School

Annual Report

Every Child—Every Chance to Shine

OUR MISSION

To give every child every chance to shine.

OUR VISION Through effective teaching practices and a focus on social and

emotional well-being in partnership with home and community we will provide each student with the opportunity to

be successful.

From the Principal

It gives me great pleasure to present the Goomalling Primary School Annual report for 2018. This report provides our community with information about our school’s activities and performance for the year. It has been a year of changing leadership and it is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of the staff that they weathered the change and kept an unwavering focus on the best educational outcomes for the children. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of Mr Scott Palmer in the role of principal since 2016 and thank Mr Kim Anderson for lending his experience to our school in Term 3. On arriving at Goomalling at the beginning of Term 4, I met staff passionate about their students and keen to engage in the improvement cycle of the school. I met parents and extended family who are proud of the students and keen to support us to be a great school. I met community members who are hopeful for the strong future of the community and look to the school to be an integral part of that future.

I sincerely thank everyone who has supported our school this year. From the tiniest contribution to the largest, they all combine to improve the quality of the experience we provide for our students. Thank you all.

Whilst reflecting on the previous year it is impossible to resist projecting forwards. In a year of new leadership for the department, Goomalling Primary School is looking to the future in 2019 as well. As a school community we have recognised the need for a long term strategic plan in order to establish our common goals and provide continuity and focus for the hard work happening in our school. I am very excited about working with the School Council, staff and wider school community to create a forward thinking plan that achieves our mission of giving every child every chance to shine.

Amanda Roe Principal

From the School Council

Scott Palmer began his third year as our principal with the opportunity to continue his fine job leading the Goomalling primary school staff in their endeavours to educate the students in the wonderful environment we have come to expect at this school. Falling numbers lead to multiple year levels per class. I congratulate the Goomalling primary school teaching and support staff for not only continuing to teach in complex classrooms but encouraging the children to do their best and excel. During second term, Scott returned to Perth as Deputy Principal at Willetton Primary School. I thank him for his part in helping Goomalling grow and wish him well. In third term Kim Anderson was posted to Goomalling while careful consideration was given to our new principal. He brought with him a wealth of knowledge in leading schools and made us feel comfortable that we were in safe hands. Amanda Roe accepted the position in fourth term. She has brought with her the exuberance and passion to help us continue to extend the students and educators at our school. During third term Julie Forward and I attended School Council training. We found it extremely beneficial and confirmed that as a council we are heading in the right direction. Brendan Barratt, Jarna French and Sophy O’Keeffe became board members making a significant contribution this year. My involvement with Goomalling PS over the past 50 years has taken numerous forms, all of them rewarding. I have been chairman of the school council since its inception and have found the role at times challenging but above all rewarding. It is with a tinge of sadness that I retire from the council and I wish the council, Amanda and the staff continued success at this amazing school. Daphne Schell

School Council Chairperson

Highlights at GPS

CARNIVALS

Mortlock Swimming

1st - Goomalling 514

2nd -Sacred Heart 412

3rd - Bolgart 101

Mortlock Athletics

1st - Goomalling 1428.5

2nd –Sacred Heart

1172.5

VPSSA Interschool

Athletics

1st Goomalling 1066pts

2nd Sacred Heart 800pts

3rd Yerecoin 561.5pts

2018 Events

Yr 5/6 Point Peron Camp

Music Feste

Avon Valley Arts Feste

Attendance at Shire meetings

Dowerin Field Day Excursion

Yr 1-3 Zoo Excursion

VPSSA Cross Country

Year 6 Sleepover

Dowerin Leadership Day

ILN Maths Day

Graduation and Concert

Book Week Parade

Educational Incursions

ANZAC Service

Student Council Fundraisers

Achieving at GPS

PERFORMANCE AGAINST 2018 TARGETS

ENGLISH

Writing: - Y3: Students in Y3 2018 will achieve two bands of pro-gress in their writing assessment between Year 3 to 5 in NAPLAN

Ongoing

Y5: Students in Y5 2018 will achieve one band of progress in their writing assessment between Year 5 to 7 in NAPLAN

Ongoing

Y3: Continue uptrend of writing achievement of Y3 2018 and all Y3 students are at or above National Min Std.

Trend followed like schools exactly.

One outlier student below NMS. Other students all above and achieving around national average.

Y5: Continue uptrend of writing achievement of Y3 2018 and outperform like schools by one standard deviation.

Outperformed Like Schools by 1.3 Std Dev

Y3&Y5: Arrest downtrend of Reading results in 2018. Achieved

Y3&Y5: Paragraphing will remain a focus as a specific area of improvement.

Paragraphing still a weakness in Yr 3, improved in Yr 5.

MATHS

Y3: Arrest and reverse the downtrend in Y3 Numeracy by 2019 (has been trending down for 3 years).

Ongoing

Y3: 100% of Year 3 students in 2017 to achieve at or above Nat Min Std for NAPLAN

Achieved

Y5: Numeracy achievement of Y5’s tested in 2017 will be on par with the state average for schools when tested as Year 7’s in 2019

Ongoing

Y5: 80% of Year 5 students in 2017 to achieve at or above Nat Min Std for NAPLAN. (only 60% achieved this in 2014)

100% at or above 86% above

Achieving at GPS

NAPLAN Data

Writing

We are seeing improvement in writing results in the last two years. Both 2017 & 2018 are in high progress and high

achievement quadrant. 92% (11/12) students were at or above National Minimum Standard. A clumping of students at

the satisfactory level indicates improvement in writing but a lack of extension for stronger English students. Stronger

students are performing better in reading, spelling and grammar than they are in writing.

Reading

The target to arrest a downward trend in reading has been achieved. 84% (10/12) students were at or above National

Minimum Standard. Explicit teaching of comprehension strategies has been identified as essential for continued growth.

Spelling & Grammar

Spelling results are not comparable to other areas of English in both cohorts. A decline in spelling is confirmed by

teacher judgement and classroom testing. 92% (11/12) students were at or above National Minimum Standard.

Both cohorts demonstrated improvement in Grammar scores in 2018. Yr 5 shows improvement on 2016 and Yr 3

performed better in Grammar than Reading or Writing. 100% students were at or above National Minimum Standard.

Maths

Overall achievement in Numeracy is satisfactory. 100% students were at or

above National Minimum Standard. An achievement/progress analysis

indicates a trend towards lower growth which will be reflected in targets for

2019.

Small cohorts are making NAPLAN based targets increasingly unreliable. We

will be looking for a move towards growth based targets and utilising

alternative data sources in our next strategic plan.

ENGLISH

MATHEMATICS

Achieving at GPS

Strategies

English had a dual focus in 2018 of continued growth in writing alongside an improvement in reading comprehension.

The following strategies were engaged as part of a dedicated English block.

Spelling taught to targeted groups identified in diagnostic testing. Daily spelling instruction integrating phonological awareness and semantics instruction. Explicit grammar instruction occurring a minimum of 2x per week. CARS and STARS comprehension program occurring a minimum of 2x per week. Writing instruction following ‘7 Steps for Successful Writing’

Future Direction

In 2018 the staff began extracting the Whole School English plan from the Operational Documents to create a document

that facilitates clarity and consistency. This document and links to classroom practise and performance management will

be completed in 2019.

We will build on successful writing strategies by utilising Brightpath more effectively and Talk 4 Writing as the strategy for

younger students. Targets will be set for a focus group of students to extend writing results across 2019 and 2020.

Guided reading strategies the explicit teaching of comprehension skills are working at a classroom level. We will continue

to support teachers with resources and strengthen our practises through peer observation.

We will continue current teaching practises in grammar to build on success. Staff will review spelling program and source

resources to expand on current Diana Rigg practices, finalise the development of a whole school scope and sequence for

spelling rules and conventions and implement a rigorous phonological awareness program and assessment for K-1.

Strategies

In 2018 the mathematical focus was on mental strategies and application of mathematical knowledge to problem solv-

ing. The following strategies were engaged as part of a dedicated Numeracy block.

Use of iMaths strategies from PP-6 Explicit teaching of mental fluency skills eg, tables, number bonds etc. Focus on varied mental and written strategies. Integration of Maths into other learning areas.

Future Direction

As in English, the Whole School Maths plan is being developed from the Operational Documents to create a document

that facilitates clarity and consistency. This document and its links to classroom practise and performance

management will be completed in 2019.

Fine tuned data analysis of NAPLAN, On-Entry and End of Year testing will identify areas for improved growth in Maths.

There will be a focus on whole school Maths processes to ensure consistent approach to mental maths, problem

solving and maths literacy.

Students at GPS

Semester 1

Attendance Category

Regular At Risk

Indicated Moderate

Severe

2016 71.1% 8.4% 11.8% 8.4% 2017 71.9% 10.9% 14.1% 3.1% 2018 67.2% 12.1% 15.5% 5.2%

Like Schools 2018 68.0% 19.8% 9.1% 3.1%

WA Public Schools 2018

77.0% 15.0% 6.0% 2.0%

Attendance Strategies

Breakfast and homework clubs Dedicated attendance officer

Home visits Attendance celebrations/awards

PERFORMANCE AGAINST ATTENDANCE TARGETS

Improve school attendance to WA State Schools average of 92.6% (based on 2017 figures).

Semester 1 – 92.4%

Semester 2 – YTD 91% (Including 1 student at 25.9%)

Ensure no students fall into severe at-risk for non-attendance in 2018

Only students in severe risk category due to long absences from town and failing to enrol in another school. (4x stu-dents – 3 former, 1 current)

Future Direction

Data indicates that attendance strategies are effective within for our stable cohort. Attendance plans for 2019 will aim to target students and improve their current attendance category. Communication with destination schools to assist with follow up on transient students.

STUDENT ENROLMENTS

The total enrolment as at February census 2018.

ATTENDANCE

Staff at GPS

Staffing

Goomalling PS welcomed two new teaching staff in

2018. Mr Wayne Jones joined us from Leonora DHS to

teach Yr 4/5/6 and Miss Rachel Clarke became the (K/

PP) teacher. We also welcomed Mrs Jarna French to

join our support team. After 2 1/2 years the

community farewelled our principal, Mr Scott Palmer.

Mr Kim Anderson stepped in as principal for 3rd term

and Mrs Amanda Roe was appointed as the new

substantive principal beginning in Term 4.

TARGETED INITIATIVES/NEW PROGRAMS

CHAPLAINCY

We enjoyed emotional and well-being support from Miss Catherine Manning for the first three terms of the year.

Availability of chaplains prevented the program from continuing in term 4.

UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

This funding is utilised to support the provision of Kindergarten education in our Early Childhood program providing an

excellent education in accordance with the NQS guidelines.

SCIENCE GRANT

Goomalling PS was successful in applying for a $10,000 Science grant aimed at resourcing the school in order to provide

outstanding science and STEM education in to the future.

SPORTING SCHOOLS PROGRAM

Sporting schools grants allowed us to participate in tennis and lawn bowls in Term 4.

KETAWA

Sophy O’Keeffe has taken on the teaching of languages delivering Indonesian via the KETAWA program for Yr 1-3.

Community at GPS

NATIONAL SCHOOL OPINION SURVEY

The National School Opinion Survey was

completed in Term 4 2018. We received 13

parent responses which was an increase from

8 in 2016. Parents answered 75% of questions

between the “Agree” and “Strongly Agree”

categories. Questions with an average

response less than “Agree” where generally

agreed across parents, students and staff

indicating a cohesive idea around areas for

improvement.

Areas of strength include teaching staff, high

expectations, student feedback and the

school’s drive to improve.

A low staff response to school maintenance

indicated a need to upgrade the grounds and

a Grounds Committee is to be convened in

2019.

Behaviour management and strong parent

communication will continue to be a future

focus.

P&C

The dedicated parents of the Goomalling P&C have continued to support the school both physically and financially. The

executive committee have worked cohesively to lead the members of the P&C.

Executive Committee

President: Peta Clarke Vice President: Christie Kingston Treasurer: Christine Barratt Secretary: Hayley Sewell

Executive Committee: Jarna French

Support

Catering Fundraising Canteen Fete Stall Nature playground

Purchase of reading books Installation of Water Tanks Camp contribution

Finance at GPS