annual report 2019 - st mary star of the sea college

I am born for Higher Things

2019Annual Report

ContentsMessage From The Principal

Message From Chair of Board

Message From The P&F President

Annual Report- About The College- Educational and Financial reporting Policy- Procedures- Requests for Additional Data From The NSW Minister For Education and Communities- DESE Annual Financial Return

Results- NAPLAN- Higher School Certificate Results - Year 12 2019

Staff, Students, Community- Professional Learning- Staff Qualifications- Workforce Composition- Staff Attendance and Retention Rates- Parent Satisfaction- Student Attendance- Staff Satisfaction- Year 12 Student Outcomes- Promoting Respect and Responsibility

Policies

2019 Achievements And 2020 Goals

Finances

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St Mary Star of the Sea College has a rich history of educating young women in the Good Samaritan/Benedictine tradition. Established by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan in 1873 as an independent Catholic College for girls, the College has provided the city of Wollongong with outstanding women who have made significant and valuable contributions to our community and our Church. The College is conducted by a Board of Directors under the guidance and direction of Good Samaritan Education (GSE), an ecclesial entity established by the Sisters. Working in partnership with Good Samaritan Education, the College continues its commitment to offering a holistic education aimed at enabling all girls to achieve and develop to their full potential. Through a range of programs and opportunities for involvement, girls enjoy experiences that enhance their academic, social, spiritual, emotional and physical well-being. The College has again enjoyed a successful and exciting year as we reflect on our achievements in 2019. This year we introduced the MYP Personal Project for students in Year 10 as a way of allowing them to pursue an area of interest. This resulted in students completing a substantial project over a six-month period in an area of personal interest. The results were outstanding, and an exhibition evening was held to allow students to share their projects with friends, families and community members. Our Year 12 students performed very well in the HSC and are planning to undertake university study, further training, apprenticeships, and for some, a gap year before university to discern what they would like to study. The College has much to celebrate and 2019 was outstanding in the areas of the Arts, Sport, academic achievement, social justice endeavours and building a better and more inclusive community. St Mary’s has a student population of 1100 girls and a staff of 148. The College offers a contemporary education that supports students in thinking about and reflecting on their faith and values and offers opportunities for students to explore their strengths and

interests. We have developed contemporary learning spaces that provide staff and students with opportunities to work in a variety of modes and groupings, from large lecture style facilities, through to class, small group and individual learning spaces. This has resulted in the development of a modern campus offering a technology rich environment and enhanced learning and teaching opportunities for all members of the College community. In 2019 our Pastoral Care team continued to focus their attention on the importance of building our knowledge of students in our classes in terms of both their learning and their pastoral needs. Student visibility was again a strong area of focus and significant benefits and improvements in outcomes were observed. We are increasingly seeing the link between being known and belonging that promotes students achieve better academic, social and emotional outcomes. The important aspect of this work is that motivation, persistence, and academic performance have a direct correlation with feelings of belonging, but this sense of belonging decreases in secondary school. This is important work and we as a College are ensuring all students at St Mary’s feel they are known and belong. St Mary’s is a wonderful school, and this is reflected in our culture, our emphasis on pastoral care and student wellbeing and in our academic results. We have a dedicated staff of fine educators who have themselves a love of learning and who are passionate about their field. When we add an excellent Board of Directors and outstanding students, we can feel rightfully proud of our school. In 2020 the College will continue to grow and develop as an inclusive community that is focused on our College motto “I am born for higher things.”

Dr Frank PittPrincipal

Message from the Principal

I am born for Higher Things Page 2

OUR MISSIONInspired and informed by our Good Samaritan heritage, St Mary Star of the Sea College

educates young women, encouraging all to realise the full potential of each individual and to act for social justice, to make a difference in the world.

Message from Chair of Board

The Board of St Mary Star of the Sea College aims to fulfil its mission through careful planning, good governance and support of the College administration led by its Principal, Dr Frank Pitt. Based on the College Strategic Plan (2016 -2019), the Board, Dr Pitt, and his staff, plan for the best educational experience for each student at the College in an environment characterised by inclusion, compassion and encouragement. St Mary Star of the Sea College and its Board operate under the governance of Good Samaritan Education (GSE), a Public Juridic Person (PJP), established in 2011 to assume the rights and obligations pertaining to the ministry of Catholic education of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. Thus, the College and its Board are based on the philosophy and values of GSE and the Good Samaritan Benedictine charism. We appreciate the support and guidance provided by GSE and report to them through the Members of the Company.

The Board of St Mary’s meets at least eight times per year, to plan strategically for the ongoing vision of the College. Four committees: Finance and Audit, Risk Management, Governance and Nominations and Building, Facilities and Infrastructure Development meet between Board Meetings to ensure good governance of the areas for which they have responsibility. Each committee reports at Board meetings. We fulfil our legal responsibilities through the structures and processes which have been established and are monitored by the Governance and Nominations Committee. At all times Board deliberations work towards an innovative, forward-looking College where young women are given the encouragement and challenge to make the best of their abilities, through education and personal, spiritual growth, which encourages their commitment to the greater good. All decisions are aimed at creating improvements for students.In 2019 the Board was responsible for the recruitment of a new Principal/CEO for the College, following the very successful 10 year tenure of Dr Frank Pitt, who made

the decision to retire. This process was undertaken following community consultation, which revealed the criteria considered important by the community. By June, Mr Tony Fitzgerald was appointed and a period of induction was undertaken to ensure a smooth transition of leadership. Both Dr Pitt and Mr Fitzgerald were very generous of their time and expertise in enabling this process to take place before the end of the school year. The College farewelled Dr Pitt with great gratitude for his faithful service to the College, which benefited from his example of Christian life, his innovative programs and his emphasis on well-being and relationships.

The College Strategic Plan (2016 – 2019) which was developed by the Board, Principal and community consultation, is coming to an end. It will be necessary to review our vision in the light of current educational research and trends and to make plans to continue to fulfil our mission over the next few years. With the recruitment of the next Principal, it was decided by the Board to delay this planning until 2020 to allow Mr Fitzgerald the time to become acquainted with all facets of the College, so that he can fully participate in new planning. The Strategic Plan provides direction for the Board, its Committees and the College Leadership Team, resulting in the implementation of educational and well-being programs in the College and the formation of community members in the Good Samaritan, Benedictine charism.

As a Catholic College, Christian values, with a Good Samaritan Benedictine flavor, underpin our planning, programs and culture. We maintain a strong, focused approach to our work enabling an excellent educational experience for every student, based on need and high expectations. We consider at all times what is needed from the Board, for the College to provide an education which is based on equity, excellence, compassion and flexibility, using facilities which are designed to allow for maximum personal and educational achievement.


The Middle Years Program of the International Baccalaureate was phased into Year 10 in 2019 to complete one full cycle. The Board has continued to monitor this initiative, visiting classrooms and speaking to students and teachers to gain their opinions of their experiences. All staff have now been involved in the implementation of this program, with teachers using new pedagogies to engage students in meaningful learning activities, aimed at developing each student’s skills and understandings of the learning process. Teamwork, among students and teachers is a hallmark of the process. Learning spaces continue to be developed to allow for more cross-discipline planning and student

collaboration. The completion of a new Master Plan by the Board will inform future development of learning facilities.I thank each Board Director and the Principal for their commitment to the work of the Board for the benefit of the students of St Mary Star of the Sea College Wollongong.

Mrs Brenda Wilson Board Chair

Message from Chair of Board - Continued


Message from the P&F PresidentThe 2019 school year was a productive one for the P&F, with the Committee able to distribute funds provided by parents for resources and infrastructure items to support the teachers.

The P&F directly supported the Year 7 Welcome BBQ which was well attended by families and College staff. This event is a great opportunity to welcome new parents to the College and for the families to meet each other. We thank the Year 8 parents who assisted with the running of the BBQ and to the Year 7 students for their hospitality skills.

Sponsorship was provided to students involved in the International Lego League Competition (Houston, USA), Soccer Development Tour, Bluescope Youth Orchestra (tour of Greece) and the All Australian Hockey Team (European tour). In addition, funds were provided to the Visual Arts Department for the purchase of photography equipment, portable studio lighting equipment and light-painting workshops, the Dance Department for the purchase of dance costumes and the Student Art Club for supplies.

The Year 12 Graduation Luncheon in September, which follows the Graduation Mass, was again held at the Lagoon Restaurant and was attended by over 450 parents and students of Year 12, some College staff members and Board Directors. The luncheon is a great way to celebrate the completion of the Year 12 students’ time at St Mary’s.

We also continued to run the meals program aimed at supporting families experiencing loss, ill health or hardship and we thank all of those parents who contributed food throughout 2019. We supplemented the meals with Coles / Myer vouchers where appropriate.

I thank the members of the P&F Committee for their hard work and for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend meetings and functions at the College.

It has been a pleasure to work with Dr Frank Pitt and the Executive again this year and we thank them for their hard work.

We look forward to welcoming the new Principal, Mr Tony Fitzgerald in 2020.

Dr Elizabeth Clingan-JonesPresident P&F Committee


Annual ReportAbout the College Annual ReportWe are pleased to provide for our community an annual account of the College in a range of areas including educational results, teacher training and financial responsibility. School reporting is mandated by the NSW Education Act, and detailed in the Registered and Accredited Individual Non-government Schools (NSW) Manual (Section 3.10). This report forms an important part of the College’s relationship with our community.

• Identification of the person responsible for coordinating the final presentation and distribution of the annual report to the Board of Directors, NESA and other stakeholders as required.

• For each reporting area, identification of the staff member responsible for the collection, analysis and storage of relevant data and for the provision of the relevant information to the coordinator for inclusion in the report.

• Determination of the specific content to be included in each section of the report and its review each year to ensure ongoing compliance, relevance and usefulness.

• Preparation of the report in an appropriate form so it can be sent to NESA and be published for the College community.

• Setting the annual schedule for: 1. delivery of the information for each reporting area to the Coordinator; 2. preparation of publication of the report and; 3. distribution of the report to the Board of Directors, NESA and the College community.

ProceduresProcedures for implementation include:

Requests for additional data from the NSW Minister for Education and Communities

To ensure that any requests from the Minister for additional data are dealt with appropriately, the College will identify the staff member responsible for coordinating the College’s response. The person is responsible for the collection of the relevant data and for ensuring it is provided to NESA in an appropriate electronic form.

DESE Annual Financial ReturnThe College will identify the staff member responsible for completing the questionnaire. This person is responsible for the collection of the relevant data and for ensuring it is provided to DESE in an appropriate form. Nominally, this person is the enrolment and registrations officer.


Results

ABOUT THE COLLEGE ANNUAL REPORTWe are pleased to provide for our community an annual account of the College in a range of areas including educational results, teacher training and financial responsibility. School reporting is mandated by the NSW Education Act, and detailed in the Registered and Accredited Individual Non-government Schools (NSW) Manual (Section 3.10). This report forms an important part of the College’s relationship with our community.

NAPLAN

LITERACY: Reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuationNUMERACY: Number patterns and algebra, measurement and data, space and geometry – these elements are tested within the numeracy test, but as from 2018, separate results for each element for the cohort is no longer available in separate categories.

Data gained from NAPLAN testing is used in the context of school improvement and student growth. NAPLAN results are reported on a common 10 Band scale from Years 3 to Year 9. Students are reported within an upper and lower limit according to their year cohort. Students in or below the minimum Band for each year group are considered to be at risk of adverse learning outcomes without urgent intervention. It is important to identify that there can be a diverse level of achievement within each Band with score variance of around 50 marks occurring. Students sitting in the top Band may benefit from enrichment or extension. Student NAPLAN data is one source used to identify students who may need Literacy or Numeracy support. Identified students are offered additional Numeracy support via support staff. The MacLit program is used to offer intensive literacy support. Students are pre and post tested to map improvement.

Band Grammar,punctuation Reading Spelling Writing Numeracy

10 1.0 (2.0)below

1.0 (1.5)below

1.0 (1.5)below

0.0 (0.5)below

1.0 (3.4)below

9 22.1 (13.6)above

13.6 10.2)above

12.1 (12.1)equal

5.5 (3.9)above

10.2 (14.6)below

8 19.1 (17.1)above

24.1 (20.4)above

22.1 (21.6)above

23.6 (14.7)above

29.4 (19.7)above

7 35.2 (26.6)above

41.7 (29.9)above

38.7 (29.4)above

27.6 (23.4)above

27.4 (26.2)above

6 17.1 (19.1)below

16.6 (22.3)below

23.1 (21.6)above

32.2 (31.0)above

25.9 (21.3)above

5 5.0 (14.5)below

3.5 (11.3)below

3.5 (8.9)below

10.6 (18.4)below

6.6 (10.9)below

4 1.5 (6.2)below

0.5 (4.0)below

0.5 (3.7)below

0.5 (6.2)below

0 .5 (3.6)below

YEAR 7 2019

Students performed well across all domains in Literacy and in Numeracy. Means were above the State for all components of the tests but slightly lower than State average in the top Band. Literacy components are above the State mean and concentrated in the upper Bands. However, numeracy shows a lower result in the highest Bands. The table below indicates the percentage of St Mary Star of the Sea College students within the various domains of the NAPLAN tests and a comparison to State average (above State average – blue, below State average – red). Ideal is blue (above) in the higher Bands and then red (below) in the lower Bands.

State % in each Band is shown in brackets next to the school average.


YEAR 7 2019 - Continued

The following is a comparison of results achieved in the different domains of the NAPLAN tests compared to all schools in the State as well as a comparison against all girls in the State.

Comparing mean to schools in the StateGrammar and Punctuation – 25.03 points above State average Reading – 21.11 points above State average Spelling – 10.74 points above State averageWriting – 25 points above State averageNumeracy – 3.5 points above State average

These results reflect learning undertaken namely in primary school, however they can be considered a source of quality data for the College to be able to identify at-risk students and design appropriate literacy and numeracy interventions. The results at the top of the scale (primarily for Numeracy) indicate a need for teachers to challenge students and consolidate literacy and numeracy in the early months of Year 7, so that they can launch into high school learning from a strong base.

YEAR 9 2019

Students performed well across most domains in Literacy. Means were higher than the State average in every aspect of the Year 9 NAPLAN in the middle to upper Bands, apart from Numeracy and Spelling which show a lower than hoped result in the highest Band. Following is a table indicating the percentages of St Mary Star of the Sea College students within the various domains of the NAPLAN tests and a comparison to State average (above State average – blue, below State average – red). State % in each Band is shown in brackets next to the school average.

Comparing mean to schools in the StateGrammar and Punctuation – 18.22 points above State averageReading – 22 points above State averageSpelling – 13.21 points above State averageWriting – 34.20 points above State averageNumeracy – 2.87 points below State average

Band Grammar,punctuation Reading Spelling Writing Numeracy

10 4.5 (7.5)below

6.7 (7.1)below

5.1 (7.8)below

3.4 (4.4)below

6.7 (11.5)below

9 23 (14.5)above

23.5 (18.4)above

17.4 (17.9)below

10.7 (9.4)above

16.8 (17.2)below

8 29.8 (24.5)above

43.6 (29.4)above

43.8 (30.2)above

41.0 (24.7)above

32.4 (27.3)above

7 28.7 (27.4)above

20.7 (26)below

29.2 (27.6)above

31.5 (25.3)above

36.9 (28.6)above

6 11.8 (17.3)below

4.5 (12.7)below

3.9 (10.6)below

11.8 (21.4)below

6.7 (14.1)below

5 2.3 (7.1)below

1.1 (5.7)below

0.5 (4.5)below

1.7 (12.3)below

0.5 (1.3)below


Conclusions

The results indicate that the literacy and numeracy needs of our students are very well supported. Regular formative and summative assessment, academic care structures and NAPLAN provide us with rich data and periodic feedback about student growth and development in these domains.

NAPLAN data provides fresh evidence about the strengths and weaknesses demonstrated by our students and indicate where student gain has met expectation, or where achievement gaps exist. This highly individualised information can feed successfully into tailored learning experiences. The students with the poorest results already are being supported through literacy and numeracy workshops and intensive programs. This new data will feed into the identification process, as well as being a source of data for teachers when planning differentiated and adjusted learning activities.

With the changes to HSC attainment in 2020, requiring students to have demonstrated a Band 8 level or equivalent in Literacy and Numeracy, it is important that all teachers are teachers of literacy and numeracy. The NSW Government originally identified that the achievement of a Band 8 in NAPLAN would prequalify students in meeting the Minimum Standards of literacy and numeracy, however this decision was scrapped in 2018. As such, the achievement of literacy and numeracy standards as well as the participation rate of students in 2017 may differ from subsequent years. Irregardless, the profile given to these skills by this test is an important reminder for teachers that literacy and numeracy must be explicitly taught in the context of each course.

NAPLAN has made proposals for all schools to move to an online testing format by 2020 which should allow quicker access to the results from these tests. This will facilitate targeted teaching in areas of student weaknesses and greatly assist those students who did not yet reach the HSC minimum standards to reach this benchmark in future testing.

Record of School Achievement (ROSA)

Eligible students who leave school before receiving their Higher School Certificate will receive the NSW Record of School Achievement (RoSA). The RoSA has been designed to provide grades for all Stage 5 (Year 10) and Stage 6 (Preliminary) courses completed during secondary education. In 2019, the number of students issued with a RoSA from Years 10 to 12 was eight.


Higher School Certificate Results Year 12 2019St Mary’s students performed well in the 2019 Higher School Certificate. We are very proud of our students and their achievements and congratulate them on the many academic goals they have attained. The average subject marks in the HSC were above the State mean for 27 of our courses.

HSC Top Achiever

A HSC Top Achiever is a student who places in the top few of all students who sat that particular course in the HSC. It is a remarkable achievement for a student to be named on the HSC Top Achievers list. In the 2019 cohort, one student achieved a first in State result for Mathematics Standard 1.

Top ATAR – 97.7

The ATAR is a ranked score calculated by the University Admission Centre for the purposes of qualifying students for admission to university courses. In 2019 the highest student ATAR result was 97.7.

Distinguished Achievers List

The Distinguished Achievers List contains the names of any students who achieved Band 6 for a course, or in the case of extension courses, Band E4. In 2019, 28 students were named on the Distinguished Achievers List and there were 55 Band 6 results.

Highlights of HSC results in subjectsMarks in Band 6 indicate a mark of 90 or above.

Subject Percentage of students in Band 6 No. of students in Course

Ancient History 30 10

Arabic Continuers 100 1

Dance 33 3

Design & Technology 25 8

Extension History 29 7

French Beginners 100 1

Italian Extension 100 1

Mathematics Standard 1 exam 40 5

Textiles & Design 17 6

The following courses scored 5% or greater above State average:Ancient HistoryBiologyBusiness StudiesDanceEnglish Studies ExaminationEnglish Standard

Design and TechnologyHospitality ExaminationIndustrial TechnologyMathematics Standard 1 ExaminationTextiles and Design


Number ofstudents

Band 5-6percentage

Band 3-6percentage

Band 1-2percentage

Ancient History 2 unit 10 80 90 10

Arabic Continuers 1 100 100 0

Biology 2 unit 49 57 90 10

Business Services Examination 2 unit 1 0 100 0

Business Studies 2 unit 55 29 100 0

Chemistry 2 unit 21 19 95 5

Community and Family Studies 2 unit 50 20 100 0

Dance 2 unit 100 3 100 0

Design and Technology 2 unit 8 50 100 0

Drama 2 unit 14 43 100 0

Economics 2 unit 9 33 100 0

English (Advanced) 2 unit 54 33 100 1

English (Standard) 2 unit 95 19 100 1

Food Technology 2 unit 9 33 100 1

French Beginners 1 100 100 1

Geography 2 unit 8 63 100 1

Hospitality Examination (Kitchen Operations) 8 75 100 1

Industrial Technology 2 unit 8 50 100 1

Italian Continuers 2 unit 8 25 100 1

Legal Studies 2 unit 29 52 90 10

Mathematics 2 unit 37 49 94 6

Mathematics Standard 2 2 unit 66 33 98 2

Mathematics Standard 1 Examination 5 75 25 0

Modern History 2 unit 26 58 96 4

Music 1 2 unit 7 71 100 0

Music 2 2 unit 2 100 100 0

Personal Development, Health and Physical 43 40 98 2

Physics 2 unit 10 30 90 10

Society and Culture 2 unit 32 56 100 0

Studies of Religion I 1 unit 52 52 100 0

Studies of Religion II 2 unit 103 40 95 5

Textiles and Design 2 unit 6 100 100 0

Visual Arts 2 unit 11 82 100 0

Higher School Certificate ResultsYear 12 2019


Number ofstudents

Band E3-E4percentage

Band E1-E2percentage

English Extension 1 11 100 0

English Extension 2 4 75 25

History Extension 7 71 29

Italian Extension 1 100 0

Mathematics Extension 1 16 44 56

Mathematics Extension 2 3 33 66

Music Extension 1 100 0

Science Extension 5 80 20

Higher School Certificate ResultsYear 12 2019

Extension Courses

HSC Band 5 and 6 History

Subject 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 %

Ancient History 12 14 5 4 6 8 7 8 3 8 80

Biology 20 25 18 24 20 14 29 26 23 28 57

Business Studies 27 12 19 12 13 13 19 14 24 16 55

Chemistry 5 5 14 9 7 8 12 17 7 4 21

CAFS 10 13 13 12 11 23 15 17 11 10 50

Dance 5 5 1 6 6 5 3 10 8 3 100

Design and Tech 2 0 5 2 2 4 - - 3 4 50

Drama 7 14 2 5 13 6 12 8 7 6 43

Economics 7 5 8 4 7 4 3 9 5 3 33

English Studies Examination - - - - - - - - - - 0

English Standard 11 30 14 3 13 5 15 22 23 18 19

English Advanced 61 56 48 32 45 41 45 45 54 44 81

English Extension 1 16 8 9 5 10 12 - - 7 11 100

English Extension 2 2 5 2 0 3 - - - 2 3 75

Food Tech 8 5 4 8 5 - 3 2 6 3 33


HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIF-ICATE RESULTS - YEAR 12 2019

HSC Band 5 and 6 History - Continued Subject 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 %

Geography 4 12 4 2 - 5 7 12 3 5 63

Industrial Tech 3 6 0 6 8 1 1 0 4 4 50

Legal Studies 16 12 16 13 18 15 16 17 14 15 52

Maths General 2 (dis. 2018) 40 35 17 23 25 17 20 43 40 - -

Maths Standard 2 - - - - - - - - - 22 33

Math Standard 1 Examination - - - - - - - - - 3 60

Mathematics (dis. 2019) 23 19 32 9 26 18 19 19 15 18 49

Maths Extension 1 9 8 15 9 13 9 - - 5 7 44

Maths Extension 2 2 1 2 3 0 - - - 2 1 33

Modern History 9 20 14 7 15 11 5 8 10 15 58

History Extension 4 4 4 2 6 6 - - 2 5 71

Music 1 12 9 5 7 9 5 7 7 9 5 71

Music 2 4 - 2 2 5 1 - 4 2 2 100

Music Extension 2 - - 2 2 - - - 2 1 100

PDHPE 14 15 13 15 6 11 20 17 27 17 40

Physics 0 2 2 5 3 2 1 3 3 3 30

Science Extension - - - - - - - - - 4 80

Senior Science (dis. 2018) - - - - 5 7 2 6 9 - -

Society and Culture 20 14 13 7 18 15 16 12 19 18 56

Studies of Religion I 83 59 52 42 46 52 46 48 28 27 52

Studies of Religion II 15 29 20 15 19 14 43 37 42 41 40

Textiles and Design 3 3 5 4 5 1 4 7 3 6 100

Visual Arts 9 5 11 12 16 14 12 17 17 9 82

French Continuers - - 0 0 0 3 3 0 3 0 0

Italian Continuers 6 4 7 3 4 3 - 3 3 2 25

Business Serv. Exam 3 5 6 4 5 3 5 - 4 0 0

Entertain Ind. Exam - - 2 2 2 - - - 0 - -

Hospitality Exam 11 6 12 8 13 3 6 5 3 6 55

Retail Exam - - - - 0 2 - - - - -

2019 VOCATIONAL COURSES:• Six students participated in EVET courses• Two students participated in VET Business Services• 11 students participated in VET Hospitality with three students successful in gaining apprenticeships (two at the

Novotel Northbeach and one at Steamers Restaurant)• No Entertainment class was run in 2019


Staff, Students, Community

Professional Learning

In 2019 the College provided a broad range of professional learning opportunities to enrich staff and build the College’s capacity to provide quality teaching and learning to our students. The focus of the staff professional development days were on the development of the College Goal 2020/21, practical workshops on standards setting and professional judgement and the creation and maintenance of inclusive classrooms. The workshops on these varied and significant aspects of professional learning and practice provided access to current research, the opportunity for exchange of ideas and debate, the application of skills and the formation of student focused strategies. The College also supported the teaching staff to focus on self-selected professional development goals. In this program the individual goals were identified through a series of mentoring sessions and then a plan to achieve goals was devised and implemented. This mentoring program is incorporated into a universal Teacher Performance and Development program. In addition, throughout 2019 staff members were able to access a vast array of external professional development programs which are listed at the end of the report. All these courses, seminars and professional exchanges have allowed all members of staff to reflect on what is best practice in relation to the development of life-long learning dispositions in students and to discuss what structures and practices support our students in their academic, spiritual and personal growth.

All members of staff completed Mandatory Child Protection Annual Training, via a staff Presentation in Term 1 2019 or via online My Ed Course in Term 2 2019.

All members of staff completed CPR Training across Term 4 2019.

1. Curriculum Development

2. MYP

3. Spirituality

4. WHS

5. Pastoral Care

6. Technical Training

Teacher PD Hours


Bachelor Degrees: 72 Masters Degrees: 26 PhD’s: 4

Teacher Accreditation Status In 2019, St Mary Star of the Sea College had 101 Teaching staff with 99 classified at Proficient Teacher level and two at Graduate level. During the year 21 casual Teachers were classified Proficient and 10 Graduate.

Workforce CompositionTeaching Staff 101Full-time equivalent teaching staff 91.4Non-teaching staff 47Full-time equivalent non-teaching staff 36.16

Staff Attendance and Retention RatesIn 2019, the teaching staff (91.4 FTE) attended an average of 94.5% of the teaching year. This represents an average ofnon-attendance by a Teacher of 6.4 days.

In 2019, the College employed 91.4 FTE Teachers with a retention rate of 96%. This compares to 2018 with 88.1 FTE and a retention rate of 97%.

Parent Satisfaction

2019 marked the thirteenth wave of the St Mary Star of the Sea College Stakeholder Feedback Program and St Mary’s continued to receive strong positive feedback from its parent community. The sample of 468 responses from a total of 937 equates to a response rate of 49.9%, providing a solid basis upon which to draw inferences about the entire population of families.

St Mary’s recorded an overall satisfaction score of 80% (3.98 out of 5).

Parents were extremely satisfied with the following areas which achieved scores between 4 – 5: Resources and Facilities Curriculum Learning Environment Leadership and Direction Co-curriculum School Communication Values and Culture Pastoral Care/Wellbeing.

This is an excellent outcome that indicates a real commitment on behalf of the College to address the issues in a tangible and relevant manner.

The key strengths were that St Mary’s is a caring and happy place with a strong culture and excellent pastoral care. Students are able to access a broad curriculum and achieve high academic standards, as well as immerse themselves in a wide variety of co-curricular activities.

Some concerns were with the MYP in the junior school and parent engagement. There are opportunities to improve.

Overall, the majority of parents would recommend St Mary Star of the Sea College.

Bachelor Master PHD0

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20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Staff Qualifications


Student Satisfaction

Students participated in focus groups from various year groups as well as from new students to the College. The experiences as described by the students were generally positive. Students spoke highly about the Tutor Group system which builds strong relationships between staff and students and between the various year groups within each Tutor Group. New students felt that this was a warm and comforting environment where support was available on a daily basis. Students in Year 10 felt that the rigour of the Personal Projects in the MYP was good preparation for the step up into senior years and the need to be well organised and independent learners. The Year 9 Middle School leaders’ program, the Senior Leadership program and all the executive positions available in the many clubs at St Mary’s were seen as opportunities for leadership across many levels at the College. The clubs were also seen as ways to make friends and to be involved in the broader life of the College. The Year 12 students spoke well of their experiences at the College and the support, guidance and care they received from their teachers both academically and pastorally.

Staff Satisfaction

The staff survey conducted in 2019 received responses from 70.5 % of eligible respondents. St Mary Star of the Sea College recorded an overall satisfaction score of 79% (3.93 out of 5). The areas which were deemed best practice were: Work, Health and Safety, Resources, Organisation, Staff Engagement, Procedures and School Leadership. Fair to good areas included: Work/Life Balance, Team Leadership, Teamwork, Training/PD, Empowerment, Career, Equality, Recognition and Communication. Staff comments reflected the strong sense of community, support, respect and collegiality amongst staff. Pastoral care of students was seen as primarily important and the College promoted positive staff-student relationships. Commitment to the Good Samaritan ethos and promotion of the religious and spiritual life of the College were seen as highly significant. The majority of staff felt that St Mary’s provided high quality services to parents and students and they were confident in the Leadership Team and the College Board. 99% of staff were proud to be a staff member at the College. There were areas of concern and some of these revolved around the MYP and its perceived demands on staff along with those from NESA and the Australian curriculum.


Student Attendance

Student attendance is recorded according to the requirements of the NSW Education Act. Average attendance has been calculated as follows:

Student retention to year 12

Year group Total

Year 10 2017 172

Year 12 2019 156

% Retention 90.70%

Year Days Students Absence Days Student Days Net Day Attendance

7 185 198 2195 36630 34435 94.01%

8 185 188 2771 34780 32009 92.03%

9 185 176 2632 32560 29928 91.92%

10 185 177 3045 32745 29700 90.70%

11 185 180 2203 33300 31097 93.38%

12 143 156 1344 22308 20964 93.98%

Average Days Total Total Total Total Average

178 1075 14190 191350 177160 92.58%

Student Attendance Rates


Management Of Student Non-AttendanceThe College follows expectations and guidelines in relation to student non-attendance. Daily and ongoing attendance is managed and monitored by our SEQTA system, using NSW School Attendance Register Codes.

Daily • Attendance taken for every lesson, including Tutor Group • Non-Attendance monitored and managed by Student Office, ensuring rolls are taken and explanations for

absence registered • SMS messages sent to Parent/Carer in the case of unexplained absence • Daily Absentee Report sent to all members of the Pastoral Team • Attendance records adjusted accordingly to reflect attendance and non-attendance and clarifying reasons

Ongoing basis• Explanation for absences sought by Student Office • College Pastoral Team monitor ongoing absences • College Pastoral Team engage with students and families where absences are ongoing • College Pastoral Team seek to develop support strategies for students where school attendance is impeded by

illness, ongoing disability or other pastoral concerns.

Each Term • Attendance of Concern data is drawn from SEQTA • Data identifying absence of 14% absence rate (inclusive of partial and full day absent) is reported to House

Coordinators and Dean of Pastoral Care • Consideration given in light of ongoing medical absence and approved leave • Cases of ongoing concerns of punctuality and unexplained absences are highlighted• Absence of Concern letters are sent to Parent/Carers based on this data

Ongoing Absence of Concern In cases where student non-attendance is more than 14% for an extended period of time:• Development of Attendance Care Plan, inclusive of various strategies to support student needs in managing

attendance with the goal of improved attendance. • School Attendance Conferences held with student, Parent/Carer, House Coordinator and Dean of Pastoral Care • School Attendance Improvement Plans developed as a result of School Attendance Conferences and reviewed

accordingly • Engagement with Child Story – Mandatory Reporting for Educational Neglect where required • Engagement with Catholic Schools NSW and AIS NSW where required for additional guidance and support.

Characteristics of Student Body

2019

Girls 1075

Religion Catholic 620

ATSI 10

LBOTE 74


Year 12 Student Outcomes

• In the 2019 year 71% of Year 12 students were accepted and are attending a University in 2020.

• 8% are attending TAFE and 5% of the students are attending a Private College in Wollongong or Sydney.

• 7% are employed in a full-time position. This includes students participating in a Traineeship or Apprenticeship.

• 5% of students are having a gap year in 2020 and may commence University in 2021.

• Additionally, 4% of students stated they were working part-time. This could be as well as attending University,

TAFE or a Private College.

Year 12 2019University

TAFE

Private College

Employment

Gap Year/Travel

Working Part Time

71%

8%

5%

7%5%

4%


Promoting Respect and Responsibility

The College has undertaken a series of activities and initiatives to enhance and promote respect and responsibility:

• As a Catholic college, we explicitly teach the values of compassion and justice contained in the Scriptures and through our Benedictine values. We support our students in bringing meaning and purpose to the story of the Good Samaritan.

• Staff receive annual PD in relation to Child Protection. In 2019 key changes to legislation and recommendations for the Royal Commission were a focus.

• The Pastoral Care structures and programs within the College successfully reflect the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework. The five elements of leadership, inclusion, student voice, partnerships and support are embedded in an effort to promote student wellbeing, safety and learning outcomes.

• The programs, activities, initiatives and student management align to the Australian Curriculum, with particular recognition of ‘Personal and Social Capability’. The elements of self-management, self-awareness, social management and social awareness are promoted and enable student growth.

• Values Education is embedded in our pastoral care programs. Pastoral Care is conducted both horizontally in Year groups and vertically in Tutor Groups. The program ensures that all key domains on well-being are presented to the students and has embedded efforts to re-engage students and staff with a focus on gratitude, empathy and mindfulness via The Resilience Project and current resources. These pastoral programs also incorporate the MYP Learner Profile Attributes and Approaches to Learning. These encourage our students to be principled, open-minded students who are caring, balanced and reflective in their approaches.

• In 2019 a focus on ‘Student Visibility’ continued to develop staff awareness of all students across the College. This year the focus moved beyond House groups and into KLA’s.

• Regular Reflection Days for students in Years 7 to 10 and a Senior Retreat in Term 4 of Year 11 are core experiences where students develop their understanding of Christian values and social justice.

• Pastoral Care is supported by a range of external providers including Brainstorm, Youth Mental Health First Aid, RYDA, YLead, NSW Rail, P.A.R.T.Y. program, Butterfly Foundation and Flo Girls.

• The College also provides a “progressive” Outdoor Education Program that supports the development of resilience and promotes positive relationships with others and a sense of self, preparing students to be real world ready.

• The Pastoral Team has begun to meet regularly with the pastoral staff of Edmund Rice College, Wollongong to build connections, focus on relevant PD and seek to ensure worthwhile experiences for the students.

• The wellbeing of the community is also supported through our staff at the Kulilla Centre. In 2019 our College Counselling Team has continued to support students through a range of initiatives. A continued success has been the growth of the Wellbeing Club and a series of orientation activities for Year 7 students. Kulilla Centre staff also began targeted PD for the Pastoral Team. The PDHPE Curriculum also supports the domains of respect and responsibility throughout the Years 7 to 10 syllabus and senior courses.

• Moral decision making is a unit in the Year 10 Religious Education program and is supported by the Year 10 Reflection Day.

• Students are engaged in focus groups and online forums on a regular basis for feedback about Pastoral Care and related issues. This included the Mission Australia Youth Survey which provided valuable data.


• The College has a commitment to ensuring staff have a current CPR certification; engaging Wollongong First Aid for this training.

• The College House system continues to be a successful structure with continued growth in identity and connections

within the Houses for staff and students as well as continued connections to our House patrons. In 2019 we saw

the first cohort of graduates who had experienced this structure from Year 7 – clear connections were identifiable

in their leaving events which reflected their connection to their House community – namely an enhanced focus on

House/Tutor Group on the last day for Year 12 students.

• The Wellbeing Club, Stewardship Captains and SRC addressed initiatives relating to and promoting National Day

of Action to prevent bullying and violence. The Wellbeing Club promoted wellbeing and positive mental health

via a variety of materials and shared with the College over a broad range of platforms.

Page 21I am born for Higher Things

Policies

The College continues to use the Complispace system and the Governance and Nominations Committee of the College Board continue to review key policies on a scheduled basis.

The key policies are:• Child Protection• Complaints and Grievance• Data Breach• Enrolment (refer below)• Pastoral Care• Prevention of Bullying and Harassments• Privacy• Student Welfare (Wellbeing)

Updates are summarised below:

Policy Update

Child Protection Reviewed. Additions to supporting documents, procedures and policies list and reportable conduct.

Complaints and Grievance Reviewed. Addition of unsubstantiated or vexatious grievances.

Data Breach Board approval of policy.

Enrolment The full text of the Enrolment Policy is available: https://www.stmarys.nsw.edu.au/our-college/annual-reports-and-policies

Pastoral Care Reviewed. Addition of Pastoral Care Guidelines.

Prevention of Bullying and Harassment Reviewed. No changes.

Data Breach Reviewed. No changes.

Student Welfare (Wellbeing) Reviewed. No changes.

Policy Location and Access

College policies are available on the College website. Our procedures for the development and review of policies are overseen by the Principal in partnership with the Board of Directors. The policies also form part of the staff handbook and the student diary and are used in the induction of new members of staff. The College website is http://www.stmarys.nsw.edu.au

On the following page is a table of positive student behaviours which are based on mutual respect and the recognition that all have a right to a safe and stable environment in which to learn and that all students are responsible for their learning and their behaviour.


Positive Student Behaviours – Living Our ValuesRespect, Responsibility and Relationships

At St Mary’s College our behaviour expectations are founded on our Benedictine values. We will endeavour to teach explicit positive behaviours in all educational contexts. Our expectations are based on mutual respect and the recognition that all have a right to a safe and stable environment in which to learn. All students are responsible for their learning and their behaviour. As a Catholic community, we believe we should build positive relationships, and be reconciliatory in nature.

Context Respect Responsibility Relationships

Classroom

Respect: everyone has a right to learn;actively listen; value the ideas of others;use language that respects all people;take care of equipment and resources;enter and exit room in an orderly manner

Be responsible for own learning; be punctual;be prepared with equipment and homework;be a participant; be on task; accept and learn from consequences; be responsible for keeping your classroom clean; mobile phones switched off and out of view

Be considerate of others; be friendly; greet others with a smile; be optimistic; be polite to staff and students; be a good team member; use positive words; support the learning of others; use a respectful and considerate tone of voice and body language when interacting with others

Playground

Treat others as you want to be treated;respect others; respect others’ personal space and move carefully around others; respect College property

Play safe; show initiative to keep everyone safe; report anything dangerous; take pride in environment; clean up your area; be sun safe; be responsive to requests

Build positive relationships; share; be friendly; be welcoming; be inclusive; be accepting of others; be supportive; engage in positive conversations; to have a friend be a friend

Other School Settings Masses Liturgies; Assemblies Sport, PLC; Excursions; Guest Speakers; Reflection Days; Retreats and Camps; Canteen

Dress correctly; enter and exit space in an orderly manner; listen attentively; be mindful of others’ space

Be punctual; be in the correct place; be attentive; participate appropriately; use equipment carefully; care for and return all borrowed equipment; follow the rules and conventions of the wider community

Be polite: use other’s name correctly and say “please” and “thank you” ; listen and respond appropriately; speak nicely; be considerate of others

Technology

Respect and follow the Acceptable Use Policy; communicate respectfully with and about others; think before you send messages; appreciate the educational value of technological equipment

Look after equipment; use for positive promotion of education; care – keep laptops clean; protect – carry laptop in bag; repair as soon as possible after damage

Use IT to aid positive communication to build relationships; use IT to help you and others learn

In the Community On buses and trains; in shops; on the street; in cars

Respect others in the community; acknowledge and respond to needs of other

Uphold positive behaviours encouraged at school; wear uniform with pride; be a good ambassador for the College; adhere to road rules

Respond to others in a positive manner; smile; acknowledge people in the community; welcome and assist; be polite

Love of God | Love of Learning | Stewardship | Hospitality | Peace


2019 ACHIEVEMENTS AND 2020 GOALS


ACHIEVEMENTS 2019

Excellent academic results, with a top HSC ATAR of 97.7, an allrounder and a top achiever in Mathematics

Standard 1, excellent progress by students in NAPLAN and successful academic outcomes associated with the implementation of the MYP.

The successful introduction of the MYP into Year 10 and the completion of the MYP Personal Project by all Year 10 students.

The development of an alternative HSC pathway for students who want to complete their HSC but don’t necessarily want to gain an ATAR. This was achieved through a deliberate construction of the timetable to allow non ATAR course on each line and through the introduction of Work Studies.

A number of NESA approved professional learning courses were run by the College using a variety of delivery modes.

The redesign of reports Year 7 to 11 to incorporate measures of growth as well as attainment.

The College recruited a new Principal to commence at St Mary Star of the Sea College in 2020.

Provided opportunities for all staff to further develop their knowledge and skill in pastoral areas through in-school and external professional development.

Continued focus on student visibility, from invisibility to visibility.

GOALS 2020 In 2020 the College community will work toward the achievement of the following goals:

The successful induction of a new Principal into all aspects of College life.

Work further to utilise the analysis of data to tailor the curriculum to the learning needs of each student.

Work with the Building, Infrastructure and Facilities Committee of the College to design an implementation strategy for the Master Plan that will provide direction and timeframes around future building work or developments on the site.

Work with the College Board to develop a new strategic plan for the College.

Finances2019 Income and Expenditure

Income 2019

Income 2018

Expenditure 2019

Expenditure 2019

Commonwealth Recurrent Income

State Govt Grat

Ancilliary

Tuition Income

Capital Income and ICT Levies

Commonwealth Recurrent Income

State Govt Grat

Ancilliary

Tuition Income

Capital Income and ICT Levies

Salaries

Administration & Ancilliary

Capital Expenditure

Maintenance

Salaries

Administration & Ancilliary

Capital Expenditure

Maintenance

47%

48%

17%

17%

23%

23%

7%

6%

6%

5%

3%

3%

4%

3%

31%

30%

62%

64%


annual report 2019 - st mary star of the sea college

Documents