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NSW Department of Education & Training
7308
2009 Annual School Report Plattsburg Public School
NSW Public Schools – Leading the way
Our school at a glance
Students Plattsburg Public School is located in the township of Wallsend where it has served the community since 1864. Generations of families continue to enrol their children at Plattsburg Public School with an expectation of quality education and a culture of a fair go for all.
Students Total enrolments at the end of 2009 were 263 students with 129 boys and 134 girls. Over the previous four consecutive years there has been a trend toward more boys than girls. In 2009 this trend reversed, female enrolments were greater than male enrolments.
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Male 170 157 141 136 129 Female 134 111 97 107 134
Staff In 2009 the school had 11 classroom teaching positions. This included three executive staff and eight classroom positions
Additional staff included a teacher librarian, support teachers learning, reading recovery, English as a Second Language (ESL), Priority Schools Funding teacher allocation, a permanent part time teacher (PPT) and relief from face to face teaching (RFF). Staff is supported by a School Administration Manager and two School Administration Officers.
All teaching staff meets the professional requirements for teaching in NSW public schools.
Messages
Principal's message The community of Plattsburg Public School values a fair go for all students and is characterised by a willingness to both support and contribute to school initiatives, events and daily life.
This has been my first year at Plattsburg Public School and I wish to acknowledge the support extended to me by the parents and carers of students from the school. Particular mention must be made of our passionate P&C and the parents and carers of our Aboriginal students.
The volunteers who assist daily to operate the canteen, assist with reading or organise special events in our school are to be commended for
their community spirit and selfless contribution to school life and success.
Teaching staff have a deep commitment not just to the teaching of students, but to their care and welfare.
Ours is a school whose fortune is in its community participation and passion for the provision of the best educational experiences that we can collectively and collaboratively provide.
I certify that the information in this report is the result of a rigorous school self-evaluation process and is a balanced and genuine account of the school's achievements and areas for development.
Ellen Bax
P&C 2009 has been an outstanding year of achievement for the P&C. This is largely due to the passion and commitment of our members. The focus of our year has been around strengthening school and community partnerships.
Our achievements have included joint planning and decision making with the school in regards to the construction of a junior playground. The outcome has been the creation of an environmentally friendly play area for our junior students.
A further achievement has been an authentic consultation with the principal and teaching staff in regards to the Essential Moves program. This program was researched by P&C members then presented to the principal for discussion with teaching staff. The staff evaluated the program and agreed that it would be valuable to the students of the school in 2010. The P&C contributed financially to the introduction of this program but more importantly have had a direct impact on the professional development of staff and the teaching and learning outcomes of students.
A level of dissatisfaction was registered with P&C members in regards to the School Athletics Carnival. In the spirit of genuine community partnerships a committee was formed with P&C representatives and a school staff member.
The outcome of this committee thus far has been a plan for a comprehensive Athletics Carnival in 2010 and weekly skills based sport. There is now a clear understanding that parents and carers have a role to play in enhancing student learning outcomes.
Suzie Travalos
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Student representatives message The 2009 Student Leadership Team included the two captains, two vice-captains and six prefects. The Student Representative Council (SRC) was successful in bringing to the principal’s attention that more hand ball courts were needed in the asphalt play area. With the financial support of the canteen an area was created for new handball courts.
As well as running assemblies, the leadership team represented the school at Young Leaders Day in Sydney, the Dawn ANZAC Services, Remembrance Day Ceremony and participated in the Callaghan College Leadership project. The Plattsburg projects can be viewed at: http://web1.jesmondcch.schools.nsw.edu.au/jsandpit/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=61
Ben Gorgievski, Melanie Mitrevski, Lili-Rose Bignall and David Roberts collect a merit award for their Callaghan College Leadership project 2009.
Ben Gorgievski and Stephanie Kumar
School context
Student information It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all students must be consistent with privacy and personal information policies.
Student enrolment profile Across 2008 and 2009 Kindergarten enrolments increased. The cumulative result of this consecutive increase was that overall enrolments for 2009 were the highest they had been since 2004 and attracted an additional teaching position.
In 2009 Plattsburg had 35 students coming from six different cultural backgrounds. Aboriginal students represented 14% of the school
population. Plattsburg Public School had a mobility rate of 12%.
Enrolments
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2005 2006 2007 2008 2009Year
Stud
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Male Female
Student attendance profile During 2009 the school again continued its focus on improved attendance with the region’s Home School Liaison Officer supporting our efforts. Those students who attained 100% attendance across the school year were recognised each term. Students with 100% attendance across the whole year were recognised at an end of year assembly.
Management of non-attendance Student attendance was monitored by the school executive throughout each term. Parents and carers of students with attendance below 85% and without satisfactory justification were contacted by phone and in writing. Where required, meetings were conducted with the Home School Liaison Officer to discuss strategies and supports to improve individual attendance.
Overall school attendance was .3 above the regional average and .3 below state average.
Student attendance rates
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2006 2007 2008 2009
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Class sizes In March 2003 the Government announced its commitment to publish primary class sizes in annual school reports in order to provide parents with as much local information as possible.
The following table shows our class sizes as reported at the 2009 class size audit conducted on Wednesday 18 March 2009.
Roll Class
Year Total per Year
Total in Class
1B 1 21 21 2/3M 2 10 23 2/3M 3 13 23 2B 2 21 21
3/4B 3 19 23 3/4B 4 4 23 4L 4 27 27
5/6B 5 12 28 5/6B 6 16 28 5/6F 5 14 29 5/6F 6 15 29 5/6S 5 13 29 5/6S 6 16 29 K/1U 1 12 20 K/1U K 8 20 KA K 20 20 KP K 20 20
Staff information It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all staff must be consistent with privacy and personal information policies.
The school had 14.777 teaching positions allocated in 2009 including a principal, three executive staff, eight classroom teachers and 2.7 specialist staff.
The teaching staff is supported by a School Administration Manager, a School Administration Officer, six part time School Learning Support Officers and a part time General Assistant. No indigenous staff is a part of the school workforce.
Staff establishment Position Number Principal 1 Assistant Principal(s) 3 Classroom Teachers 8 Support Teacher Learning Assistance 0.6 Reading recovery Teacher 0.315 Teacher Librarian 0.6 Teacher for Relief for Face to Face 0.462 Teacher Part Time 0.5 PSF staffing allocation 0.3 Total 14.777
Teacher qualifications All teaching staff meet the professional requirements for teaching in NSW public schools.
Qualifications % of staff Degree or Diploma 100% Postgraduate 20%
Financial summary This summary covers funds for operating costs and does not involve expenditure areas such as permanent salaries, building and major maintenance.
Date of financial summary: 30/11/2008Income $
Balance brought forward 112 027.58Global funds 136 949.95Tied funds 223 230.39School & community sources 55 889.30Interest 4 637.97Trust receipts 8 183.65Canteen 0.00Total income 540 918.84
ExpenditureTeaching & learning Key learning areas 9 017.64 Excursions 29 745.15 Extracurricular dissections 9 561.25Library 3 305.84Training & development 4 513.82Tied funds 231 643.69Casual relief teachers 30 495.21Administration & office 59 701.31School-operated canteen 0.00Utilities 24 657.91Maintenance 24 730.02Trust accounts 12 142.44Capital programs 9 334.91Total expenditure 448 849.19Balance carried forward 92 069.65
A full copy of the school's 2009 financial statement is tabled at the annual general meetings of the School Council and/or the parent body. Further details concerning the statement can be obtained by contacting the school.
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School performance 2009
Achievements
Arts Plattsburg Public School has provided performing arts opportunities where students have had an opportunity to develop new skills, perform in public and explore film media. Experiences have included:
• Song Room – instruction in drums (K-6) throughout terms 3 and 4;
• Hunter Dance Festival trials;
• Choir performance at the Wallsend Winter Fair, Pioneer Hall and the Wallsend Home for the Aged;
• DVD production for Education Week and Callaghan College Leadership project;
• In class drama activities (3-6).
Planning is in progress for the formation of a Stage 3 Brass Band in 2010.
Sport
Active After School Sport Active After School Sport (AASS) is run at Plattsburg Public School three times a week. This is a Federally funded initiative through the Australian Institute of Sport and includes teacher supervision, sporting equipment and a healthy afternoon tea each session.
This program is facilitated by an outstanding teacher. Students are exposed to a program that involves a range of Play for Life games, striking and fielding, net and court games and target games.
The program is open to all students and has no pre-requisite skill requirements. The most important aspect of Active After School Sport is that students have fun and learn at the same time. Careful management by the teacher ensures proper consideration is given to the inclusion of students with personal challenges and disabilities.
Observable gains in student performance include:
• Increased confidence to try new things;
• Improved social interactions and the subsequent capacity to share, turn take and show tolerance for differing abilities;
• Improved gross motor skills e.g. throwing, catching and body positioning.
Sportlink Students in Stages 2 and 3 participated in Sportlink Gala Days in Terms 2 and 3 respectively. These gala days brought together students from the Wallsend Community of Schools (Wallsend, Glendore, Shortland, Maryland, Plattsburg, Heaton and Jesmond Public Schools). The aim of the gala days was to provide students with the opportunity to play a chosen sport against students from local schools in a non-competitive environment of participation, fairness, teamwork and fun.
For part of the term preceeding the gala day, students involved were explicitly taught the skills for netball, soccer, T-ball, Oztag and Benchball. Students then chose one sport to train in for the rest of the term and participate in for the gala day. Weekly school sport days emphasised game skills. At the end of the term, all the schools in the immediate district participated in gala days over several school sites.
2009 School Athletics Carnival, long jump.
Academic In the National Assessment Program, the results across the Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy and numeracy assessments are reported on a scale from Band 1 to Band 10.
The achievement scale represents increasing levels of skills and understandings demonstrated in the assessments.
Yr 3: from Band 1 (lowest) to Band 6 (highest for Year 3)
Yr 5: from Band 3 (lowest) to Band 8 (highest for Year 5)
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Literacy – NAPLAN Year 3 In 2009 twenty eight students sat the NAPLAN tests in reading, grammar and punctuation, spelling and writing. The following graphs show the percentages of students in each skill band.
Percentage of students in bands: Year 3 writing
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State average 2009
The above Year 3 writing graph shows that in the skill area of writing overall performance is below state average. A comparison to state figures shows that more than twice the percentage of our students score in the lower half of achievement bands (1-3).
The Year 3 spelling graph below shows that the majority of students are scoring in Band 4. This, when compared to previous years suggests that programs currently being offered in this sub strand are impacting positively, with 25% of students scoring in the top 3 bands.
Percentage of students in bands: Year 3 spelling
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Percentage of students in bands: Year 3 grammar and punctuation
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The Year 3 grammar and punctuation graph above shows a distribution of 50% of students in bands 3 and 4. In the lower bands of 1 and 2 32.2% of students were placed.
Results in the Year 3 reading graph below show that 60.7% of students achieved results that placed them in the lower half of the spectrum.
Percentage of students in bands: Year 3 reading
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Numeracy – NAPLAN Year 3 High percentages of year 3 students scored in the lower bands of 1 and 2 (42.2%). No student entered the top band of 6. However, a concentration of students in bands of 4 and 5 suggest a potential for improvement.
Percentage of students in bands: Year 3 numeracy
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Literacy – NAPLAN Year 5
Thirty seven students sat the NAPLAN Literacy tests. The Year 5 reading graph shows a significant decrease in the percentage of students in the lower bands of 1 and 2. Strong growth has occurred in band 5. There is a fall off in band 6 while the top bands show minor growth.
Percentage of students in bands: Year 5 reading
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3 4 5 6 7 8Band
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School average 2007 - 2009
State average 2009
The Year 5 writing graph below shows 67.5% of students placing in bands 5 and 6. 16.2% of students placed in band 7, an improvement on the school average.
Percentage of students in bands: Year 5 writing
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State average 2009
The Year 5 spelling graph below shows 29.7% of students placed in the upper bands of 7 and 8. The majority of students (43.2%) were ranked in band 6.
Percentage of students in bands: Year 5 spelling
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The Year 5 grammar and punctuation graph below shows the majority of students (64.9%) ranked in bands 6 and 7.
Percentage of students in bands: Year 5 grammar and punctuation
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Percentage in bandState average 2009
Numeracy – NAPLAN Year 5 Statistics presented in this table indicate growth in numeracy. There is a decrease in the percentage of students in the lower bands of 3 and 4 with no students ranked in the lowest skill band of 3. The majority of students have been ranked in the upper middle band of 6.
Percentage of students in bands: Year 5 numeracy
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School average 2007 - 2009
State average 2009
Minimum standards The Commonwealth Government sets minimum standards for reading, writing, grammar and punctuation, spelling and numeracy for years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
The performance of the students in our school in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy is compared to these minimum standards. The percentages of our students achieving at or above these standards are reported below.
Percentage of Year 3 students in our school achieving at or above the minimum standard in 2009
Percentage of Year 3 students achieving at and above minimum standard
Reading 89 Writing 86 Spelling 96 Punctuation and grammar 86 Numeracy 79
The above graph indicates that this cohort will require continued intensive support in both literacy and numeracy.
Percentage of Year 5 students in our school achieving at or above the minimum standard in 2009
Percentage of Year 5 students achieving at and above minimum standard
Reading 97 Writing 89 Spelling 97 Punctuation and grammar 95 Numeracy 100
The above graph indicates that the 2009 Year 5 cohort have performed to a high standard however, a focus on Writing, Punctuation and grammar is required.
Significant programs and initiatives The school ran a number of programs to give students extra educational support throughout 2009. These were:
• Priority Schools Program
• Priority Action Schools Program
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Aboriginal education This year a focus was given to our Indigenous students and their personal journey towards a meaningful cultural identity. Specifically, three Aboriginal Totem poles were erected in the school playground and decorated in a traditional manner. Students were assisted by two Aboriginal women artists. This experience was more than the application of paint but the oral story of the spirit and life within the wood and how that spirit remains with us.
All of our Aboriginal students were trained in an understanding of Welcome and Acknowledgment of Country. Each week an Aboriginal student nominates themselves to deliver the Acknowledgment of Country. This public way of acknowledging culture is a challenge for our students, yet each week they stand before their peers and share in their pride.
Personal Learning Plans (PLPs) were designed for all Aboriginal students at individual meetings. At these meetings specific discussion with parents and carers included future goals and an insight into the opportunities that now exist for Indigenous students. As PLPs were conducted each Aboriginal student contributed to the painting of a Spirit Person. This artwork stands in the school foyer.
A Stage 3 student was acknowledge at the Indigenous Student’s Recognition Ceremony for Excellence 2009.
Aboriginal perspectives are integrated across the curriculum. During school assemblies opportunity was taken to share Aboriginal story telling and the meaning of the colours on the Aboriginal flag.
This year, for the first time parents and carers attended the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) and not only represented our school but took their place in the Aboriginal Community, working to make collective decisions about student educational outcomes.
Plattsburg Public School received funding to implement the Norta Norta program during Terms 3 and 4 of 2009. The Norta Norta program assists students in Year 6 who performed below the national benchmarks in the 2008 NAPLAN tests. The program involved 2 students who did not meet the benchmark in mathematics, and 6 additional students who required support in mathematics.
The students were involved in daily small group instruction in their areas of difficulty, as identified by NAPLAN results. The program was designed specifically to meet the needs of these students, and was implemented by two School Learning Support Officers (SLSOs) trained in the program prior to implementation.
The Norta Norta program provided explicit instruction in targeted areas of mathematics. Staff evaluation of the Norta Norta ranked increased student confidence in whole class numeracy lessons as the most significant outcome for these students. An improved willingness to attempt tasks and seek help has impacted positively on their learning.
Multicultural education All students experienced cultural variations in literature and narrative through participation in class, school and community activities.
In 2009 the school Anti-Racism Contact Officer (ARCO) was Ms Donna Brooks. Training for this position was not provided early in 2009 however, was provided in late November 2009.
Students newly arrived to the school with English as a second Language (ESL) were allocated specialist teacher support and assisted to improve their grasp of the English language for learning and social engagement.
The school respects and supports the cultural and religious observances required by students and their families and works to ensure things such as Ramadan and prayer time are given both regard and practical support.
Respect and responsibility At Plattsburg Public School we provide opportunity for our students to participate in a process of respect and responsibility by: • Using the Australian flag at assemblies; • Singing and signing the National Anthem; • Recognition of student achievement through
the award of certificates; • Acknowledgement of Country at each
assembly and at formal occasions; • Attendance by School Captains at ANZAC
Day and Remembrance Day Ceremonies; • School based recognition ceremonies for
ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day.
A review of the current award system was undertaken by executive staff and discussed with the P&C. A decision was reached to acknowledge those students who gained a Bronze, Silver and Gold award with an age/stage appropriate badge. The badges are intended to promote the high value the school community place on achievement and participation. This will commence in 2010.
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Other programs
Priority Schools Program (PSP) PSP schools are provided with funding to support the achievement of program targets around the three PSP action areas – quality teaching and learning; classroom and school organisation and school culture and home, school and community partnerships.
In 2009 Plattsburg Public School targeted quality teaching and learning with a focus on achievement in literacy. This focus is driven by a conviction that our students can excel with appropriate teaching strategies. Funds were allocated to supplement two critical supports for student learning the first was the Reading Recovery Program specifically for Year 1 students and the second was the supplementation of the Support Teacher Learning K-6.
The Reading Recovery Program targets students in Year 1 who have difficulty engaging in literacy. The Program assists five students each day over a period of 12 to 20 weeks dependent on individual need. In 2009 15 students participated in the program, 12 of these students are now working above state benchmarks. The remaining three have had their needs further examined and have been referred for Learning Support.
Targeted outcomes included: • 80% of Year 1 students achieving
independent Reading Recovery level 16 or equivalent;
• Regular data collection and tracking of student performance;
• Provision of Reading Recovery levelled Home Readers.
PSP funds used to supplement the Support Teacher Learning K-6 allowed the school to increase its provision of small group and individual support to those students experiencing difficulties in learning and also to those students identified as needing extension. It further provided for the engagement of School Learning Support Officers (SLSO) to facilitate small group and on occasion individual instruction.
Targeted outcomes included:
• Regular small group instruction for Kindergarten and year 1 students reading below their PM Benchmark level;
• Uniform strategies of instruction (e.g. mastery learning);
• School Learning Support Officers trained in delivery techniques and strategies to promote consistent patterns of teaching and learning;
Assessment of student performance in Kindergarten to Year 2 participating in Learning Support shows: • All students know that text has directionality
(i.e. runs left to write); • All students know that text and symbols carry
a message; • Students are using word attack skills (letter-
sound relationships) to identify words in text; • Students are building a repertoire of sight
words (i.e. immediately recognising and reading some words);
• Students can use letter-sound relationships to build word families (e.g. an, can, tan, man).
Early identification of seven students in Kindergarten with literacy competencies nearing, at or above State benchmark (Reading Recovery Level 7) was the impetus for including literacy instruction that recognised a need to provide extension.
These students at the close of 2009 have Reading Recovery Levels of between 13 and 29. This is a significant achievement by these students.
Students in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 benefited from the provision of SLSO time through the reduced size of spelling and numeracy groups and the capacity for staff to support and monitor individual student learning.
Priority Action Schools Program (PAS) In 2009 Plattsburg Public School was included in the PAS Program. PAS is a significant equity program. Its objectives are to support schools to build their capacity to:
• Improve student’s educational outcomes; • Improve student’s behaviour and attendance; • Support teachers through mentoring and
induction programs; • Support whole school approaches to
improved teaching methods; and • Reduce the impact of socio-economic
disadvantage. School PAS priorities for 2009 included:
• The construction of a new school web page
that reflected community expectations, ideas and suggestions;
• Professional Training and Development of teaching staff in technology, specifically Smart Boards;
• Personalised Learning Plan processes and procedures established;
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• School Learning Support Officers trained to facilitate specific learning programs to students identified as requiring personalised outcomes; and
• Developing Community Partnerships beyond traditional fund raising activities.
PAS funds for 2009 were $70 000. A great deal of teacher professional development has been undertaken and there is now a readiness for staff to deliver visual literacy and numeracy lessons using Smart Boards. For this reason one of the areas funding will be directed to in 2010 is in school Teacher Mentor support for teachers and Smart Boards (see 2010 target 2).
The most significant outcome for our school under the PAS program has been the change and shift in the relationship parents and carers have with the school. It is critical that we nurture this relationship to ensure future planning is collaborative and owned by all stakeholders. This is particularly important because we have been included in the Low SES School Communities National Partnership for 2011 a key feature of which is joint planning.
Progress on 2009 targets
Target 1 School and external data will show a quantitative improvement in student literacy outcomes.
During 2009 the whole school will introduce the CARS (Comprehensive Assessment of Reading Strategies) and STARS (Strategies to Achieve Reading Success) program in which staff received training in late 2008.
Strategies to achieve this target include: • Introduction of an explicit comprehension
program K-6; • Training and development for classroom
teachers and supervisors of Stage 2 in Personalised Learning Plans (PLP’s), their design and implementation with formal reviews included in the Teachers Assessment and Review (TARS’s) process;
• School Learning Support Officers (SLSO) to implement PLP identified outcomes;
• Employment of additional teacher to support identified students in years 3 and 4 in literacy;
• In stages of learning teachers identify and trial core topic materials from web based literacy resources;
• Teachers investigate the use of e-stories for early readers and consider for future application to school website for parent and student access to literacy resources.
Early evaluation of CARS and STARS indicated that it was not suitable for our Kindergarten students and so was discontinued early in term 1. The CARS and STARS program grading system did not match our student cohort performance and for this reason Year 1 undertook the Kindergarten program.
Our achievements include: • Delineation of a PLP proforma with explicit
inclusion of attendance and NAPLAN data; location of Individual student PLPs on school common drive;
• Staff with an understanding of the importance of parent/carer involvement and consultation;
• SLSO’s trained to deliver specific support programs;
• Increase in teacher knowledge of appropriate web based resources.
Target 2 School and external data will show a quantitative improvement in student’s numeracy outcomes.
Strategies to achieve this target include: • Implement the ‘Go Maths’ program K-6. • Adjusted maths outcomes delineated in
student PLP’s with provision for accelerated learning opportunities.
• Introduction of Numeracy at Home (NAH) and establish parent engagement with the program. SLSO’s to produce and monitor resources
• Training and development for staff in the use of DET web resources including Speedmath delux and ABC education web resources.
• Training and development for all staff in relevant support resources specific to Go Maths and individual PLP’s.
• Investigate the establishment of a school website for parent and student access to maths resources, expositions and homework.
• Investigate using Wikis to launch Math Challenges.
• Plattsburg Public School Maths reference and Math Gaming loaded on school website.
Our achievements include: • NAH implemented; • School website built and operational; • Website provision for every class teacher to
post links and resources.
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Target 3 Improved engagement of students as indicated by improved attendance rates and strengthening of community partnerships from 5% to 10% as indicated by in-house assessment tool.
Strategies to achieve this target include: • Production of DVD interviews of students
aspirations for their own education and future. • Staff analysis of PSP Reflection and Planning
Matrix to assist with the development of a vision of what an effective school / community partnership looks like for Plattsburg Public School.
• Conduct focus group to develop a shared understanding of school / community partnerships.
• Survey school community in order to gather benchmark data against this definition.
• Investigate the provision of continuous professional development on Ebackpack, creation of Wikis and tagging of students.
The concept of Community Partnerships has been successfully launched throughout 2009. With the assistance of the P&C the role of parents and carers is being expanded beyond fund raising and gala days. Parents and carers are encouraged to participate in the decision making around whole school planning and that their voice can have an impact on student outcomes, teacher professional development and school culture. The new school web page was built by a parent, who, in consultation with other parents, created a website that had the things that parents want to find when searching a school web page.
Our achievements include: • Quality DVDs produced by students; • 20% attendance by parents and carers to
Education Day activities; • 2010 shared planning and resourcing with the
P&C of a K-2 program Essential Moves; • 2010 shared planning with P&C and wider
community for the review of the school Athletics Carnival and sport across the school.
Key evaluations It is a requirement for all NSW public schools to conduct at least two annual evaluations – one related to educational and management practice and the other related to curriculum. In 2009 our school carried out evaluations of Engagement.
Educational and management practice – Engagement: Community Partnerships
Background
Throughout 2009 the school has been working towards a Community Partnership that is more substantial than traditional activities such as Mother’s Day Breakfasts and Father’s Days Stalls. A relationship that has, as a genuine feature, joint planning, that impacts on the decision making around the teaching and learning of students both at school and at home.
Parent and carer participation in traditional school activities has always been positive and on average 85% of parents and carers attend school or P&C organised activities.
A survey was conducted of families K-6 to evaluate their perception of our community.
Findings and conclusions
Learning Community
Parents and carers were asked if they felt a part of the learning community. Response to this question was definitive with 28% of respondents strongly agreeing and 64% agreeing. Overall, 92% of respondents agreed that they felt a part of the learning community.
Learning at Home
Parents and carers were asked if the school helped them to provide learning at home. Overall 84% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed. However, 16% disagreed suggesting that some further consideration be undertaken to assist parent/carers to work with students in the home.
Teacher Analysis
Using the PSP Reflection and Planning Matrix for School Community Partnerships staff analysed the schools current relationship with its community. The Matrix has three rankings the highest being partnership the second, participation, and the lowest ranking involvement.
Teacher analysis of the schools current School Community Partnership had an overall descriptor of participation. This suggested a need to reconsider how the school interacts with parents and carers so that a partnership is forged.
The same Matrix was presented to parent/carers on Education Day 2009. Feedback on Matrix aspects indicated a desire to improve communication between school and home. During the remainder of the 2009 school year a parent redesigned the school web page with a focus on the provision of information exchange.
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Future directions
• 2010 Strategic Plan to include a provision to expand on traditional activities, such as Mother’s Day Breakfast. Taking advantage of high levels of participation at such activities the school plans to offer workshops to parent/carers in the use of the Connected Classrooms and Smart Boards. The goal of parent/carer workshops is to inform our community of the ways our students learn; interact with teaching tools and contribute toward school decision making around teaching and learning;
• That staff ensure parents and carers are provided with information about student learning.
Curriculum - Mathematics
Background
This year a sequential commercial program was introduced form Early Stage 1 to Stage 2. The school’s Maths Priority Team (MPT) was keen to determine the effectiveness of this program in terms of meeting the needs of students particularly in regard to whether it facilitated: • substantiative communication;
• connectedness; and
• engagement. A random survey was conducted of K-6 students and parents. All staff were surveyed.
Findings and conclusions
Substantiative communication.
Students were asked how often discussion was part of their maths lessons. While around 70% replied that it was, less than half indicated that discussion was amongst their peers. Teachers’ responses were similar. Following closer questioning by the MPT, it was determined that discussion was almost always teacher directed. Even when prompted to do so, students found the task of freely discussing the processes they used to arrive at an answer, very challenging.
The MPT concluded that the sequential commercial program needed to be supplemented by specific teaching strategies in maths lessons that created a climate where students felt more confident in discussion their solutions to mathematic problems.
Connectedness
In this area, students’ responses varied markedly to those of teachers and parents. While only 65% of students ‘sometimes’ saw relevance to the maths they learned at school to the wider world,
60% of parents and teachers` responses suggested that students ‘often’ or ‘always’ found maths lessons to be relevant.
The MPT concluded that more needs to be done to assist students to see the relevance of learning mathematics.
Engagement
Student and teacher responses both indicated that the sequencing of maths lessons where prior knowledge was built upon to introduce new concepts, maximised student engagement in lessons.
All respondents suggested that opportunities to work with instruments, tools or ‘play with things’ were limited. Further the survey showed that students in Stages ES1, 1 & 2, enjoyed mathematics` lessons much more than students in Stage 3.
The MPT concluded that engagement is highest in the Stages where the sequential commercial program is being used. Further the MPT concludes` that levels of engagement will improve in all Stages with a greater emphases on substantive communication and connectedness.
Future directions
• That the school ensures that teachers’ provide increased opportunities for students to be regularly engaged in sustained conversations with their peers about the concepts and ideas that they are encountering while learning mathematics.
• That the school ensures that lesson activities are linked to real life contexts or problems, and provide opportunities to share their work with audiences beyond the classroom and school.
Parent and teacher satisfaction In 2009 the school sought the opinions of parents and teachers about the school.
Background
Parents and carers registered their dissatisfaction with the 2009 School Athletics Carnival. In partnership with the P&C the school surveyed families K-6. Their responses are presented below: • 77% of respondents wanted the Athletics
Carnival held at Federal Park; • 91% of respondents called for a return to
House Sport; and • 98% of respondents agreed to structured
sports.
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Findings and conclusions
Comments gave strong support to structured sport and the opportunity it provides to students to access activities that they otherwise may not afford in the larger community.
Future directions
• That the Athletics Carnival be conducted in Federal Park;
• Parents/carers be involved in the planning of the Athletics Carnival;
• Students be placed into Houses with House Captains;
• Staff receive training in the instruction of Athletics Carnival sports.
Background
The Department of Education and Training (DET) require that all schools meet compliance standards for reporting student performance to parents and carers. In 2009 the staff of Plattsburg Public School agreed to use the DET web based reporting program known as School Based Student Reporting (SBSR).
In the Semester 1 reporting schedule staff experienced difficulties in accessing the SBSR web site, with it logging users out unexpectedly. Focus group discussion and a survey indicated the following levels of satisfaction and dissatisfaction:
• Staff were frustrated by the SBSR system logging them off when in the middle of a report;
• Inconsistencies in style were noted after publication of Semester 1 reports;
• Although the system was, at times, slow staff overall approved of the use of SBSR;
• The focus group discussion around style and format was positive and made reporting in Semester 2 easier;
• 89% disagreed that they would need support to use SBSR in 2010;
• 100% of staff identified themselves as having a good working knowledge of SBSR and were equipped to commence reporting in 2010;
Findings and conclusions
Focus group discussion with whole staff led to the clear delineation of an agreed style and format for SBSR reporting. Staff registered a high level of satisfaction with this process and outcome. Early planning and discussion around SBSR scheduled deadlines was favourably viewed.
Future directions
• Continue with the use of the SBSR format;
• Review agreed to styles and format with all staff;
• Schedule reporting dates early and communicate to all staff.
Professional learning 2009 was the first year of PAS funding for our school. A significant sum of funds was expended on Teacher Professional Learning and the 2009 School Action Plan. Professional activities staff engaged in included:
SASS Staff • Emergency Health Care; • Diabetes Training; • ERN Training • One staff member completed the St Johns
First Aid Certificate; • Five School Learning Support Officers
(SLSOs) were trained in the implementation of Personal Learning Plans;
• Six SLSOs attended a professional learning day around aspects of OHS, working collaboratively and duty of care;
• The senior office manager successfully completed the Certificate IV in Frontline Management.
Teaching Staff • Four staff attended a 2 day conference on
technology during school holidays; • Two staff attended training on Connected
Classrooms; • Two staff attended a 2 day training on autism; • Two staff and one parent attended the PSP
Equity Conference; • A professional learning opportunity was
provided to three staff to work with staff from the Wallsend cluster of schools on approaches to teaching Mathematics;
• Two staff members were trained in the process of Personal Learning Plans (PLPs);
• Two staff attended a day workshop on websites for education;
• A staff member was trained in the processes of Learning Support Teams (LST);
• A professional learning opportunity was provided to stage 1 teams in websites for education.
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School development 2009 – 2011 The following targets have been developed in consultation with the P&C, staff and Callaghan Campus Wallsend High School.
Targets for 2010
Target 1 Implement a Middle School Model for Stage 3 students
Middle Schooling (10-15 year olds) refers more to a particular type of pedagogy and curriculum than a particular type of school structure. Strategies that comprise the middle school pedagogy and curriculum include cooperative learning, collaborative teaching, integrated curriculum and authentic assessment. Plattsburg Public School acknowledges that adolescents have unique needs and require a distinctive developmentally appropriate educational program.
Strategies to achieve this target include:
• Physically locate all stage 3 students in block H and in immediate proximity of the Connected Classroom;
• Employ a Mathematics teacher from Callaghan Campus Wallsend High School (CCWHS) each Monday to instruct Stage 3 students in numeracy using technology;
• Using Plattsburg PS 2009 NAPLAN data (Years 7 and 5) target specific strands of numeracy for instruction by CCWHS teacher and Plattsburg PS teachers
• Consider class groups according to gender, learning style preference and achievement.
Our success will be measured by:
• Stage 3 teachers using technology with proficiency to teach numeracy;
• Students completing authentic assessment tasks;
• Student tolerance and respect for differences.
Target 2 Implement a Teacher Mentor Program
Mentoring is an interactive process designed to support and establish professional competence. In 2010 every classroom at Plattsburg Public School will have a Smartboard. The Teacher Mentor Program will facilitate the development of professional competence in the use of Smartboards.
Strategies to achieve this target include:
• Installation of Smartboards into 5 classrooms;
• Team teaching with CCWHS Math teacher in the Connected Classroom;
• Provision of expert teacher support for team teaching and modelled teaching at least once a week;
• Professional Learning Plan checklist for each teacher in the Notebook 10 suite;
• Provision for team teaching opportunities and teacher modelling;
• Scheduled Stage Team meetings and personal professional development planning.
Target 3 Strengthen parent and community partnerships
Strategies to achieve this target include:
• Establish a reciprocal relationship with the Plattsy Playroup by making an executive staff member available to work in consultation with the members of the playgroup;
• Invite playgroup parents to participate in training for the Essential Moves program;
• Facilitate the Essential Moves program for the Plattsy Playgroup ;
• Involve the playgroup in Kindergarten activities;
• Work collaboratively with parent/carer groups to facilitate quality sport experiences for the whole school.
Our success will be measured by:
• Plattsy Playgroup participation in Essential Moves;
• Plattsy Playgroup regular participation in Kindergarten activities;
• 10% increase in membership of Plattsy Playgroup;
• School Sport carnival organised in collaboration with parent/carer community;
• Parent/carer community partnership in the management of the school Sports Carnival;
• Delineation of a school sport/activity policy.
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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.
Suzie Travolos, P&C President
Leonie Turner, P&C representative
Sheridan Armstrong, P&C representative
Anjella Bunn, Reading Recovery Teacher
Peter Seaton, Assistant Principal
Ellen Bax, Principal
School contact information Plattsburg Public School
1 Ranclaud Street Wallsend NSW 2287
Ph: 0249 55 9196
Fax: 0249 50 2186
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.plattsburg-p.schools.nsw.edu.au
School Code: 7308
Parents can find out more information about Annual School Reports, how to interpret information in the reports and have the opportunity to provide feedback about these reports at:
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/asr
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