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Principal: Mr Ray Werren Address: 5 Forest Road WARRIEWOOD NSW 2102
Phone: (02) 9997 7044 Fax: (02) 9997 6042 Web: www.matermaria.nsw.edu.au Licensed for NEALS
© Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay 2009
22001100 AAnnnnuuaall RReeppoorrtt
Mater Maria Catholic College Warriewood - 2010 Annual Report
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1. Message from Key Groups in Our School Community
1.1 Message from the Principal
The Annual Report is always an opportunity to reflect upon achievement as well as being a chance
to see missed opportunities or areas where a community might be able to do even better. We
would like to express our thanks to each and every member of the College community and the
wider Catholic community for their energy and enthusiasm over this past year. 2010 was a year
when we worked in close partnership with our local parishes to build Catholic community; it was a
year when our Higher School Certificate (HSC) students performed outstandingly well; it was a year
in which we implemented our renewed pastoral structure for students; it was a year in which we
advanced our own maintenance and refurbishment program; it was a year in which our ratio of
Catholic student in the college passed 82% - in short it was a year to be very proud of.
As a diocesan Catholic community, the driving force for us in school improvement is the pursuit of
our ‘Mission in Context’ and our ‘Leading of Learning’. 2010 was a year in which the spiritual,
academic and pastoral lights of our community shone brightly and it is my pleasure to introduce
this Annual Report to you.
Principal
1.2 Message from the Parent Body
In 2010 the College Board continued to build, strengthen and nourish the College as part of the
wider faith community. In its key role in the partnership of parents in the College, it is an integral
part of the College leadership framework. The College Mission Award presented annually by the
College Board recognises a student who exemplifies the College mission by their actions. The
College Board serves as an active conduit between the College community and the
College executive. The College Board follows the model of Shared Wisdom in its decision making
processes. The year of 2010 was one of continued growth for the College and its community and
we are pleased to have been a part of the journey throughout this past year. We look forward to
this Annual Report as an official record of that journey.
College Board Co-chairpersons
1.3 Message from the Student Body
It has been an excellent year for the Class of 2010. Along with the College Prefects, College
Leaders and fellow Year 12 students we aimed to enhance the College spirit and connect with the
student body and staff of Mater Maria Catholic College. Each portfolio of leadership; Community,
House, Liturgy, Peer Leadership, Performing Arts and Sport has attempted to enrich their area of
responsibility and make the College a better place.
Over the course of the year, we have been rewarded by the friendliness of the community and their
support of the Year 12 students as we prepared for and completed our HSC examinations. We
extend our best wishes to the younger students of the College and wish them well during their
remaining years at the College.
College Captains
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2. School Profile
2.1 Student Profile
The following information describes the student profile for 2010:
Girls Boys LBOTE* Indigenous Total
421 406 21 2 827
*Language background other than English
2.2 Enrolment Policy
The Diocese of Broken Bay has established an Enrolment Policy† which is implemented by all
systemic schools in the Diocese.
The implementation of this policy is monitored by the Catholic Schools Office.
†Copies of this policy and other policies in this report may be obtained from the Catholic Schools Office website at: http://www.csodbb.catholic.edu.au/about/index.html or by contacting the Catholic Schools Office.
2.3 Staff Profile
The NSW government requires that this report detail the number of teachers in each of the
following categories:
a) have teaching qualifications from a higher education institution within Australia or as
recognised within the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) guidelines
b) have qualifications as a graduate from a higher education institution within Australia or one
recognised within the AEI-NOOSR guidelines but lack formal teacher education qualifications
c) do not have qualifications as described in (a) or (b) but have relevant successful teaching
experience or appropriate knowledge relevant to the teaching context. Such teachers must
have been employed:
- to ‘teach’ in NSW before 1 October 2004 (either on a permanent, casual or temporary
basis), and
- as a ‘teacher’ during the last five (5) years in a permanent, casual or temporary capacity.
a b c Total
71 2 0 73
Further information about the staff profile can be found in the School Facts section of the school’s
profile page on the My School website.
2.4 Teacher Attendance and Retention Rates
The average teacher attendance rate during 2010 was 96%. This figure does not include teachers
on planned leave.
The teacher retention rate from 2009 to 2010 was 100%.
2.5 Teacher Satisfaction
An independent Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey was carried out in Term 3 of 2010: 35% of
parents, 73% of staff and 90% of students completed this external survey instrument. Staff
reported ‘Very High’ levels of satisfaction with: the College leadership; the emphasis placed on
Religious Education; and with College resources and facilities. In addition, staff reported ‘High’
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levels of satisfaction with: the pastoral care program; the overall academic program; the
administration of the College; and with communication within the College.
2.6 Student Attendance and Retention Rates
Year Average student attendance
rate (%)
7 93
8 92
9 92
10 90
11 92
12 92
The average student attendance rate for 2010 was 92%.
Of the students who completed Year 10 in 2008, 69% completed Year 12 in 2010.
Management of non-attendance: In order for students to reach their full potential it is of
paramount importance that they attend school regularly. While it is the parents’ legal responsibility
under the Education Act to ensure that their children attend school regularly, our staff as part of
their duty of care, monitor all absences and work in partnership with parents to support and
promote the regular attendance of students. In doing so the school, under the leadership of the
Principal:
• provides a caring environment which fosters in students, a sense of wellbeing and belonging
• maintains accurate records of student attendance
• implements policies and procedures to monitor student attendance and to address non-
attendance issues as and when they arise
• communicates to parents and students, the school’s expectations with regard to student
attendance and the consequences of not meeting these expectations
• recognises and rewards excellent and improved student attendance.
School attendance records also contain information regarding student absences including reasons
for absence and documentation to substantiate reasons for absences. Teachers are required to
monitor non attendance diligently on a student by student basis and to bring to the attention of the
Principal immediately any unexplained absences, non attendance of a chronic nature, or reasons for
non attendance that cause concern. Matters of concern are referred to the Principal, the Catholic
Schools Office and the relevant Department of Education and Training officer where appropriate.
Where a student is not able to attend school for a prolonged period of time due to a medical
condition or illness, the school in collaboration with parents provides resources to contribute to the
student’s continuum of learning where possible.
The Catholic Schools Office (CSO) monitors each school’s compliance with student attendance and
management of non attendance on an annual basis as a minimum, as part of the system’s School
Review and Development processes.
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2.7 Student Satisfaction
90% of students completed the independent Stakeholder Satisfaction Survey which was carried out
in Term 3. Students reported ‘Very High’ levels of satisfaction with the emphasis placed on the
academic life of the College. In addition they reported ‘High’ levels of satisfaction with: overall
satisfaction with the ‘school’; the College academic program; communication within the College;
and with the emphasis on Religious Education. Students expressed ‘moderate’ levels of satisfaction
with: College resources and facilities; and with College leadership.
2.8 Senior Secondary Outcomes
The percentage of students in Year 12 attaining a Year 12 Certificate or equivalent VET qualification
in 2010 was 100%.
The percentage of students in Year 12 undertaking vocational or trade training was 35%.
2.9 Student Destinations
Data collected from our students who leave after the compulsory leaving age (17) suggests that the
unemployment rate amongst our past students is negligible or nil. 55% of our 2010 HSC class
received offers of university places. The universities in Sydney continue to be the most favoured
although an increasing number are travelling further afield to take up university places. The
university town of Bathurst has a significant number of our past students studying there. A number
of the students are travelling abroad in 2011 and will take up study options at university or TAFE in
2012. Approximately 20% of the 2010 HSC class have taken up apprenticeships.
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3. Catholic Life and Mission
3.1 Catholic Heritage
There continues to be a focus on the heritage of the College which was founded in 1962 by the
Sisters of the Good Samaritan. The place of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan within the
foundational story of Catholic education in Australia is celebrated in the life of the College. The
College is supported by and participates actively in the life of the two surrounding parishes: the
Catholic Parish of Pittwater and the Lakes Catholic Parish.
3.2 Religious Life of the School
Liturgy is an integral part of the everyday life of our Catholic school. The Eucharist is celebrated on
occasions such as the Opening Year Mass, Mater Maria Day in May, on significant feast days and at
the graduation masses of both Year 10 and Year 12. In addition, the College is fortunate to have a
local Parish Priest who celebrates the Eucharist with students and staff weekly at lunchtime.
During the course of 2010 we celebrated a range of significant liturgical events. These included: the
Diocesan Schools Staff Mass; the Diocesan Mission Mass; the Feast of the Assumption;
Thanksgiving mass for the Volunteers of the College; Christmas Carols service; our Presentation of
Awards liturgy and our Christmas liturgy. In addition the seasonal Church Lenten liturgy of Ash
Wednesday and the Easter celebration enabled us to place focus on this seminal period of the
Church calendar. A special celebration was conducted in October to mark the canonisation of St
Mary of the Cross. Thanksgiving masses were also held for the retiring College Bursar and
departing College Principal. The liturgical life of the College is a vehicle for the celebration and
support of our Catholic community.
In 2010 the College increased again the proportion of students who are Catholic. In 2010 we had a
Catholic student population of 82.5%, an increase of 2.2% over the 2009 figure. In 2010, retreats
and reflection days were held for students in Years 10, 11 and 12. Once again, spirituality days
were celebrated for students in Years 7, 8 and 9. The Youth Ministry Coordinator in the College
continued to work on outreach and on developing strong connections with students to the local
parishes. The College Mission team consists of the Principal, Assistant Principal, the Religious
Education Coordinator, the Youth Ministry Coordinator and the Liturgy Coordinator.
3.3 Catholic Worldview
The College community reflects the Catholic worldview in the way that it functions as a just,
collaborative community which is founded upon the message of Jesus and which sits within the
tradition of the Catholic Church. The pastoral, academic, cultural and sporting directions of the
College all reflect this spiritual foundation.
Social Justice is an important expression of the Catholic Worldview and the College’s St Vincent de
Paul group and the Year 7 Social Justice Society are a key source of direction in this area. The
College Board and the Youth Ministry Coordinator ensure that there is a source of outreach in the
College for families who are experiencing difficult times. All families are included and there is a
deliberate strategy to ensure that financial hardship is not a barrier to participation in the fuller life
of the College.
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3.4 Professional Learning in Catholic Life and Mission
The Diocese of Broken Bay has established a policy on the Professional Requirements for the
Accreditation of Teachers of Religious Education which is implemented by all systemic schools in the
Diocese.
In Term 4 the staff experienced a reflection day which was designed to deepen the awareness of
staff to the nature of the spiritual journey and the need for people to be accepted and nurtured
along the way. It was centred on youth spirituality and the influence of the media, and was led by
an expert in the field and staff reported very positive feedback about its appropriateness and utility.
During 2010 a number of staff took up study with the Broken Bay Institute in Graduate Certificates.
In addition, two staff members studied Theology units with that Institute at Masters Degree level.
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4. Pastoral Care
4.1 Diocesan Policies
The Diocese of Broken Bay has established Pastoral Care and Student Discipline Policies which are
implemented by all schools in the Diocese.
The implementation of these policies is monitored by the Catholic Schools Office.
4.2 School Implementation of Diocesan Policy
Student management procedures are based upon Diocesan policy. The foundation of our practices
is restorative justice and a proactive stance towards resolution of potential issues before they
become problematic. Expectations of appropriate behaviour are clearly set out in the student diary
and emphasised in Year assemblies, mentor group periods, College assemblies and via written
communication.
The quality pastoral environment of the College was enhanced in 2010 as a result of the
implementation of a student mentor system which meant staff had smaller pastoral groups with a
mentor program designed to focus on building student connection to the college and connection to
learning. A vertical structure and partnership exists for students in Years 7 and 10, Years 8 and 11,
and Years 9 and 12. Pastoral Coordinators now work in Pastoral teams in year groupings which has
led to an enhanced pastoral environment in each year group.
4.3 Pastoral Care of Families
The College places a high value on working with parents in partnership. The interface between the
parents and the staff is provided by the College Board and the Parents and Friends’ Association. The
College Board continued to sponsor the parent outreach group and they were able to assist a
number of families who were experiencing significant periods of distress during 2010. The Family
Mass and the meal which is shared afterwards continued to be a most appropriate spiritual occasion
for students, parents and their extended families.
Care is extended to all members of the College community and counselling is offered to students.
Parents are also advised of apt contacts with health professionals in the local community and in
nearby adolescent units should that be required. The College works sensitively with families during
times of grief and all relevant assistance is offered.
4.4 Resolving Issues
The Diocese of Broken Bay has established a Complaints Handling Policy which is implemented by
all schools in the Diocese.
The implementation of this policy is monitored by the Catholic Schools Office.
4.5 Occupational Health and Safety
Each school is required to implement and comply with the Diocesan School System Occupational
Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS). This system reflects the current statutory
requirements for OHS and complies with the Australian Standard for OHS Management Systems.
The OHSMS adopted by the CSO for Broken Bay Systemic Schools has been designed to address
general health, safety and welfare matters and also to take account of specific issues that apply to
school communities. The management system supports the provision of a ‘safe and supportive’
environment for all students as well as taking into account the health, safety and welfare of staff,
visitors and contractors to the school site.
Principals, in consultation with the relevant CSO personnel, are responsible for monitoring the
school’s compliance with OHS legislation and for the implementation of the management system in
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keeping with the Catholic Schools Office’s Annual OHS Plan. External OHS system audits are
conducted across a sample of schools each year to validate the implementation of the management
system.
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5. Excellence in Teaching and Learning
5.1 Quality Teaching and Learning
In 2010 we continued to develop our integrated approach to the delivery of curriculum using
Information, Communications and Learning Technologies (ICLT) resources. There was a
continuation of monitoring of the Fitzmaurice Learning Centre to ensure that this open learning
space was being well utilised and it continued as a centrepiece of self-directed learning. The
College’s Teaching and Learning Committee continued to focus much of its efforts in further skilling
staff in the area of ICLT integration and staff professional development.
The second group of students who were given the chance to accelerate their learning by completing
a Preliminary Course in Year 10 completed their HSC courses in these subjects. All of the students
expressed satisfaction with the extension program although they did not generally achieve to the
same high extent as the previous group of accelerated students had done.
In 2010 the College again ensured that all curriculum documents and information were available to
the community electronically and feedback from parents again indicated that they were very
pleased about this level of availability of information. Once again in 2010 we learned from the data
available to us from the HSC, School Certificate and NAPLAN. In addition, the independent
Satisfaction Survey carried out in Term 3 gave us valuable insights into the perceptions of our
community about the quality of teaching and learning in the College. The College continues to
appoint a Literacy-Numeracy Coordinator who assists in the analysis of NAPLAN data and in
directing follow-up literacy and numeracy strategies for staff to utilise with students. One of our
goals for the year had been to enable each staff member to have ready access to the SMART 2 data
on NAPLAN. In part we were thwarted in this by ICLT difficulties which meant that not all staff could
readily access this data. It will remain a key focus for 2011.
In 2010 we implemented a team-teaching approach in Stage 4 classes which included integrated
students with identified learning difficulties. This approach to rich pedagogy will be evaluated at the
end of 2011 – it was supported by the Diocesan Catholic Schools Office and received very positively
by the community in 2010.
5.2 Student Achievement
Students in Years 7 and 9 sat the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)
in May. NAPLAN assessment results provide valuable information about student achievements in
literacy and numeracy. Analysis of these results assists school planning and is used to support
teaching and learning programs.
Several points should be noted:
• In Year 7, students placed in Band 4 are achieving below the National minimum standard.
Students in Band 5 are achieving at the National minimum standard. Students in Bands 6-9 are
performing at a standard deemed above the National minimum standard. Students in Bands 8
and 9 are “at proficiency”.
• In Year 9 students in Band 5 are achieving below the National minimum standard. Students in
Band 6 are achieving at the National minimum standard. Students in Bands 7-10 are performing
above the National minimum standard. Students in Bands 9 and 10 are “at proficiency”.
• Students who were exempted from any test were deemed not to have met the National
minimum standard in that test area.
• State data for band distributions is sourced from the School Measurement and Reporting Toolkit
(SMART), developed by NSW Department of Education and Training. All national data and state
figures for the percentage at or above national minimum are sourced from the NAPLAN
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summary report published by the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development
and Youth Affairs (MCEECDYA). All school data is sourced from SMART.
• In the 2010 cohort, there were 144 students in Year 7 and 175 students in Year 9.
Detail on school performance is provided in the following tables where band distributions and
percentages of students achieving the national minimum standard are outlined separately for Years
7 and 9.
Band Distributions (%) – Year 7
Band 4 (-)
Band 5
Band 6
Band 7
Band 8
Band 9 (+)
% at or above national minimum
Reading State 4 13 21 26 22 11 95 National 4 13 24 28 19 10 95 School 5 7 21 33 24 10 95
Writing State 5 11 32 24 18 7 93 National 6 14 28 28 16 8 93 School 4 9 31 31 18 6 96
Spelling State 5 9 19 29 25 11 94 National 6 12 22 29 21 9 93
School 4 6 19 43 24 4 96
Gr. & Punct. State 10 10 24 28 14 12 92 National 7 14 25 26 17 9 91
School 6 9 22 41 10 12 94
Numeracy State 3 14 24 26 16 14 95 National 3 13 26 27 18 12 95 School 4 9 27 33 17 10 96
The percentage of students who achieved at or above the National minimum standard exceeds both
the National and State figures in all areas except reading where it is equal to the National and State
figure. Significantly though, the percentage of students who achieved in the two highest bands was
less than the National and State figures in Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation and Numeracy.
Strategies were put in place by the Literacy-Numeracy coordinator to address specific weaknesses
in these areas. Once again the percentage of students who performed at the two lowest bands was
again significantly lower than the National figures and this appears to reinforce the importance of
our early intervention strategies with students in Year 7 who performed below the minimum
standard at the Year 5 NAPLAN testing.
When compared to the 2009 results within the top Bands, in 2010 the College has received a higher
proportion of Band 9 results in Reading and Grammar & Punctuation. We received the same
percentage of Band 9 results in Numeracy. It is noteworthy that these results indicate general
strength in all areas although there is evidence that the learning gain shown on a National and
State level by other schools is comparatively stronger in some areas.
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Band Distributions (%) – Year 9
Band 5
Band 6
Band 7
Band 8
Band 9
Band 10
% at or above national minimum
Reading State 8 19 23 24 19 6 91 National 8 18 28 27 14 4 91 School 3 13 22 30 27 5 97
Writing State 10 22 22 25 12 8 88 National 11 19 27 22 12 7 87
School 2 19 25 27 19 7 98
Spelling State 9 11 23 29 18 10 91 National 9 16 26 26 15 7 90
School 2 7 23 36 24 7 98
Gr. & Punct. State 8 15 26 24 14 12 91 National 8 16 27 27 16 6 91 School 2 5 31 27 16 19 98
Numeracy State 6 16 27 24 14 13 93 National 5 16 28 26 15 8 93 School 3 11 26 37 15 7 97
The percentage of students achieving at or above the National minimum is significantly higher than
the National and State percentage in every test area. It is noteworthy that the combined
percentage of Band 9 and 10 results is significantly higher than the National and State figures in
every area of Literacy. This combined figure is less than the National and State figure for
Numeracy. Numeracy is an area that was targeted for the cohort with cross-curriculum strategies
put in place to target areas of particular weakness.
The success of Literacy strategies in general is reflected in these results. It was extremely pleasing
that the percentage of students who achieved in the bottom two Bands was significantly less than
the National and State figures.
School Certificate
Students in Year 10 sat for the School Certificate examination in November. The table provided
shows the mean of the 2010 school cohort in comparison with State and school results from
previous years.
School Certificate means, 2006-10
English
Literacy Maths Science Civics,
Citizenship & Australian History
Civics, Citizenship & Australian Geography
Computing Skills Test
2010 School 78.79 72.21 76.24 69.96 73.13 81.38 State 76.87 72.10 76.67 70.16 72.38 79.44 2009 School 79.37 72.89 74.80 73.01 73.54 83.51
State 77.43 70.61 75.00 71.56 72.36 81.67 2008 School 78.81 71.33 73.50 69.26 72.94 82.89 State 76.63 70.67 73.61 70.58 73.52 80.71 2007 School 75.17 68.15 73.02 69.35 75.70 79.40 State 74.76 69.38 73.48 72.14 74.60 80.28
2006 School 75.86 66.46 70.80 67.80 73.11 78.04 State 74.10 67.87 72.85 71.00 74.37 80.55
Students achieved better than the State mean in four of the six areas of testing. The result in
Australian History, Civics and Citizenship was marginally below the State mean, after having been
better than the State mean in the previous year. Of concern is the consistent pattern in Science
where the results have been below the State mean for the whole of the period under consideration.
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Whilst the Science results at the HSC have indicated strength in this Key Learning Area (KLA) there
is recognition of the need to implement strategies which have led to learning gains at the School
Certificate in other KLA ‘s such as English, Mathematics and in Australian Geography, Civics and
Citizenship.
The College cohort in 2010 achieved a total of only six performances at the highest state
benchmark (Band 6) across the five School Certificate test areas. In contrast, there were 169
performances at the second highest benchmark level (Band 5) and 313 performances at the next
benchmark level (Band 4). Indeed the aggregate performance of students in these top three
performance Bands matched or exceeded the State level in each area of testing but there is a
question over the achievement of students matching their potential in these examinations. The
achievement of so few Band 6 results, in particular, is a question of note in a community where the
achievement of outstanding results at the HSC level has become an expectation.
Higher School Certificate
In the 2010 HSC 76.2% of all 2 unit course results were in the top three performance bands. Once
again this was an improvement on the percentage gained in the previous year (2009) when 71.5%
of these results were in this top category. The improvement shown in this measure of learning gain
over the last five years has been marked. Similarly, 42.3% of the 2 unit course results were in the
top two performance bands and this is also the best result which the College has had over the last
five years. Our analysis indicates that the HSC cohort of 2010 had very significant learning gains
and has achieved significantly beyond expectations.
Thirty one courses were presented at the HSC and our students performed above the state mean in
twenty three of them. They performed at the state mean in another three courses. Three of the
four courses presented in English were above the State mean and the three courses presented in
the Creative and Performing Arts were each significantly above the State mean. Three of the four
courses presented in Mathematics were also above the State mean. In the TAS learning area, Food
Technology, Textiles & Design and Industrial Technology were also quite significantly above the
State mean and this marked an achievement of great merit by that department. There were five
Extension courses presented at the HSC and students in Mathematics Extension II and English
Extension I achieved above the State mean. In total, 80% of all Extension course results were in
the top two performance Bands although the percentage in the top Band 4 had declined slightly on
the previous year.
In essence, just over half of the 2010 HSC cohort was offered places at university. This is an
indicator of the overall strength of their HSC performance. The results of the De Courcy analysis
also indicated that they achieved at a very high level, indicative of a group which has experienced a
significant learning gain. Compared to the previous 2009 HSC cohort, the 2010 group achieved a
learning gain which is best represented by the fact that the 2010 cohort achieved a smaller
percentage of Band 3 results and a correspondingly higher percentage of Band 5 results. The
percentage of Band 6 and Band 4 results remained approximately the same. The College
community has been most pleased with this evidence of school improvement.
5.3 Extra Curricula Activities
Within the college there is a broad range of opportunities for students to pursue their individual
interests and to develop their talents. There is a wide range of sporting teams and competitions
open to students and the College competes in local competitions with the opportunity for talented
students to compete at diocesan, regional, state and national levels. The Duke of Edinburgh
Program has grown in participation rate and is now very popular with students, parents and staff.
The College has a vibrant program in the Performing Arts and students are able to join ensembles,
productions, clubs and there are many opportunities within the college for students to experience
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live performance. In 2010, a group of students travelled to the United Kingdom and Italy for a
three week sporting or cultural tour.
Some of the highlights of 2010 were: the College’s Drama major production which involved a large
cast and crew of students, parents and staff and the Marana Music Festival which again involved all
twelve of the peninsula Catholic primary schools. The U15 girls were crowned Broken Bay
Champions in soccer. A Year 7 student was successful in the Zone final of the Catholic Schools
Public Speaking competition and a Year 12 student was selected as one of 26 high school students
from the around the world to compete in competitive research program at MIT in the United States.
5.4 Professional Learning
Staff professional learning days focussed upon the integration of ICLT in enriched pedagogy and
also upon Restorative Justice as the underpinning of our pastoral care program.
In addition, staff participated in relevant professional learning in their KLA focus areas:
• TAS staff took part in practical courses in Hospitality, Business Services, Electronics and IT;
• Music teachers attended courses in software development related to the delivery of Music in
Stage 5 of the curriculum;
• Religious Education teachers participated in courses related to the standards attached to
student work in Stage 6 of the curriculum;
• English staff attended their professional association annual conference and also attended
professional learning days in specialist areas for the HSC;
• New Scheme teachers attended regular professional learning days at the Catholic Schools
Office;
• KLA Coordinators participated in the range of professional learning network opportunities
offered by the Catholic Schools Office.
One staff member graduated in 2010 with a Masters of Educational Leadership from Australian
Catholic University (ACU). A further member of staff is progressing towards a Masters of Theology
via the Broken Bay Institute and Newcastle University. During 2010 three members of staff took up
study with the Broken Bay Institute towards the award of Graduate Certificate in Religious
Education. In addition, staff upgraded their First Aid and Resuscitation qualifications during 2010.
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6. Strategic Initiatives
6.1 2010 Priorities and Achievements
Catholic Life and Mission
The College continued to provide a setting which provides strong connections for students to the
broader Catholic community. The ratio of Catholic students in the College has now grown to 82%
and the authenticity of the College as an ecclesial community is paramount. The College’s
connections to the local parishes were strengthened in 2010 through the work of the Parish Priests
and the work of one Parish Youth Minister and that of the College Youth Ministry Coordinator. The
twelve local Catholic primary schools and their communities were connected to the College through
the breadth of the endeavours of the local Peninsula Learning Community of Catholic Schools and
the College took a lead in that. During the year the College also acted as a link for the teams of
Catecheses volunteers from the Catholic parishes who teach religious Education in the local State
schools. Social Justice became the communal expression of our discipleship throughout the year
and outreach groups and the St Vincent de Paul society in the College became its exemplars.
Leading Learning
Our second group of HSC accelerated students completed their designated HSC courses in 2010.
The project was evaluated and its merits were noted. In particular it has helped to raise communal
expectations of students and what they are able to achieve. It has been most successful with the
majority of the participants but it has necessitated a strong degree of individual initiative and
independence of learning on the part of the students. In 2010 the College deepened its
understanding of the part which can be played in school improvement through close attention to
available data. Data from the HSC, the School Certificate and NAPLAN formed the basis of
individual KLA analysis and presentations to the leadership team. The Literacy Numeracy
Coordinator and the Teaching Learning Coordinator were key people in this. All coordinators are
aware of the importance of the evidence and the task for succeeding years will be to embed this in
the individual classrooms. The accountability of the College for the learning of each and every
student is embodied in the nature of the MySchool website and the College is committed to
continual school improvement.
Pastoral Care
The College implemented a new pastoral structure which vertically paired year groups in mentor
classes. These paired year groups then would celebrate many aspects of College life, including
`House system of organisation was maintained across Years 7 to 12 whilst each Year Coordinator
was now able to have an individual Year-based pastoral care team. The thrust in pastoral care was
strongly on the accentuation of the positive with staff learning in the area of Restorative Justice a
vital basis of our pastoral care framework.
Professional Learning and Strategic Planning
The College Strategic Plan, 2006-2010 concluded this year. It was a year of evaluation and review
for the College as we head towards the diocesan School Review process in 2011. A system of
Coordinator Appraisal was instituted and four coordinators completed that appraisal process in term
3 of the year. At the start of the school year the College was able to open newly refurbished
facilities for staff and for student services. The staff area in the Gilroy Building was renovated and
refurbished and all counselling, learning support, careers and youth ministry coordination was
relocated in a refurbished area on the ground floor of the main administration block. All staff
received electronic netbooks and a major step was taken towards the digitisation of the learning
environment for staff, students and parents. Further planning took place for the further investment
of the Australian Government’s National Secondary School Computer Fund (NSSCF) in ICLT.
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6.2 2011 Priorities and Challenges
School Improvement Plan 2011
In 2011, the community of Mater Maria Catholic College will be committed to:
• Discipleship in the Good Samaritan Tradition
• Leadership of High Quality Learning
KEY DOMAIN 1: DISCIPLESHIP IN THE GOOD SAMARITAN TRADITION
By the end of 2011 we will have:
- Prepared for the College’s fiftieth anniversary year in 2012 by engaging the Sisters of the
Good Samaritan, the College Board and other interested parties in the celebrations
- Enriched our understanding of the Good Samaritan charism and the history of the College
so that all members of the community have the opportunity to be immersed in our
foundational story
- Researched possible links with the Sisters of the Good Samaritan for social justice activities
- Continued to provide rich experiences for students at reflection and retreat days
- Encouraged a better and deeper understanding of the liturgies we celebrate by engaging
the community in the new English translation of the Roman Missal (mass).
- Built stronger relationships with the Catholic Parish of Pittwater and Lakes Catholic Parish
communities
- Promoted opportunities for involvement and encouragement of members of the community
to be outwardly focused in service to those in need, particularly through Catholic social
justice agencies
- Concentrated the energy generated by World Youth Day 2011 to enrich spiritual
development with our young people
KEY DOMAIN 2: LEADERSHIP OF HIGH QUALITY LEARNING
By the end of 2011 staff will have:
- Developed a high quality learning statement for our community
- Enabled middle leaders to direct their learning teams in data analysis so that every teacher
has access to and is able to utilise information about the capabilities of each student in
their class
- Fostered opportunities for our middle leaders to reflect on their leadership as cohesive,
collaborative, progressive and purposeful leaders of staff teams
- Identified areas of development and subsequent professional learning experiences for staff
learning teams
- Promoted a regular professional development item at each staff meeting to engage staff in
continuous professional learning dialogue
- Supported staff with ongoing processes that ensure the tenets of Restorative Justice are
understood and implemented to support the best learning outcomes for students
By the end of 2011 students will have:
- Discussed their Effort and Behaviour reports and Academic reports with their mentor
teacher’s proactive guidance so to foster in each student goal
- setting, independence and leadership of their own learning
By the end of 2011 parents will have:
- Engaged in a range of best practice information and provision of support, presented by the
College, to enhance students’ learning outcomes at home
- Participated in open and timely communication with the staff of the College
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In 2011 the College will face the challenge of orienting the next Strategic Plan (2011-2013)
towards the achievement of a learning environment where the School Improvement planning has
the optimum chance of success. Within this school improvement framework the driving dimensions
will be our ‘Mission in Context’ and ‘Leading Learning’. 2011 will also be a year when the College
will experience the full School Review and Development Process. The College will finalise the
purchase of its Australian Government NSSCF 1:1 computer roll out which will include a refurbished
library space with new seminar rooms. The College will continue with its cycle of maintenance and
refurbishment with a focus on Industrial Technology facilities. There is a real commitment at the
College to continuous improvement, sustainability and accountability in all aspects of what we do.
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7. Parent Participation
7.1 Introduction
Parent participation at Mater Maria is structured through the Parents & Friends (P&F) Association
and also through the College Board. Parents are integral to the organisation of the Mater Maria
Festival which is held in May each year as an event which is organised and administered through
the Parents & Friends Association. Parents are invited to participate in the liturgical life of the
College and they respond consistently well to the Opening Year Mass, the Easter Liturgy, the Ash
Wednesday service and to the Graduation Masses for Year 10 and Year 12. A significant number of
families come along to the Family Mass celebrations which are held in the Mater Maria Chapel in
calendared evenings.
Parent support enables the College to cater for events such as Open Day, the Year 7 Parent
Welcome and a variety of Performing Arts and sporting functions at the College. Parental
involvement is seen through their service in the canteen and through the preparation of meals for
those families experiencing hardship or illness. Each year in November the College community
celebrates the Eucharist together in the Mater Maria Chapel as a most fitting way to give thanks to
the parent volunteers in our College community.
7.2 Parent Satisfaction
In 2010 the College community took part in an independent on-line satisfaction survey. This was
well responded to by parents and the information about parent satisfaction provided the college
leadership team with some invaluable data. A summary of parental satisfaction ratings appears
thus:
• ‘Overall satisfaction with the College’ rated Very High with a positive trend noted;
• ‘Overall satisfaction with the Religious Education Program and Faith Development Program’
rated High;
• ‘Overall satisfaction with the Academic Program’ rated High with a positive trend also noted;
• ‘Overall satisfaction with the Pastoral Care Program’ rated Very High with a positive trend
noted as well;
• ‘Overall satisfaction with Communication in the College’ rated High;
• ‘Overall satisfaction with the running of the College’ rated Very High with a positive trend again
noted;
• ‘Overall satisfaction with the Principal’s leadership’ rated Very High;
• ‘Overall satisfaction with the facilities in the College’ rated High;
• ‘Overall Affinity (loyalty) to the College’ rated as High.
This information summarised the nine domains of the survey and indicated areas of satisfaction and
some areas for the College to investigate.
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8. Financial Report
Consistent with Board of Studies requirements, financial income and expenditure for this school is
shown in the graphs below. More detailed financial data is available on the “myschool” website at
http://www.myschool.edu.au. Diocesan system financial reporting is found in the Diocese of
Broken Bay Catholic Schools Office Annual Report at
http://www.csodbb.catholic.edu.au/resources/annrep.html
Income
26%
17%
50%
2%5%
Fees & Private Income
State Government Grants
Commonwealth Recurrent Grants
Government Capital Grants
Other Capital income
Expenditure
70%
25%
5%
Salaries & Related costs
Non Salary expenditure
Capital expenditure
The contents of this annual report have
been validated by the School’s consultant,
Ray Werren.