2017 Bankstown Senior College Annual Report€¦ · Introduction The Annual Report for€2017 is...

Bankstown Senior CollegeAnnual Report

2017

8381

Printed on: 12 April, 2018 of 24 Bankstown Senior College 8381 (2017)

Introduction

The Annual Report for 2017 is provided to the community of Bankstown Senior College as an account of the school'soperations and achievements throughout the year.

It provides a detailed account of the progress the school has made to provide high quality educational opportunities forall students, as set out in the school plan. It outlines the findings from self–assessment that reflect the impact of keyschool strategies for improved learning and the benefit to all students from the expenditure of resources, including equityfunding.

Marianne Doyle

Principal

School contact details

Bankstown Senior CollegeAntwerp StBankstown, 2200www.bankstowns-h.schools.nsw.edu.aubankstowns-h.School@det.nsw.edu.au9707 3288

Message from the Principal

At Bankstown Senior College we are committed to empowering all students to be responsible, active learners byproviding them with a flexible, individualised learning environment which focuses on key skills such as respect,resilience, reliability, problem–solving, planning and organisation and cross cultural understanding. We value theindividual and all members of our school community are encouraged to work independently and as part of a team toachieve personal and group goals.

At Bankstown Senior College we provide a quality educational environment that recognises the importance of the wholeperson. In order for all students and staff to achieve their best outcomes, the College provides a comprehensive Studentand Learning Support system and a variety of teaching and wellbeing programs which cater for both the academic andwellbeing needs of students.

The teaching and non–teaching staff are focused on improving their practice through ongoing reflection and evaluationagainst the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and the School Excellence Framework. This ongoing cycle ofreflecting, planning, implementing and evaluating ensures that student outcomes are maximised.

We value the support and participation of our parents and caregivers in the education of our students.


School background

School vision statement

Bankstown Senior College empowers a diverse range of students to be confident, active 21st century learners.

School context

· Bankstown Senior College provides secondary education to students of post compulsory age, new arrivals,refugees, re–entry students and those who have found it difficult to engage with education in a traditional setting. Overninety per cent of our students come from a language background other than English.

· The College curriculum focuses on English language acquisition, literacy, numeracy, employability skills and thedevelopment of digital literacy across all key learning areas.

· The College prides itself on offering a broad flexible curriculum with an emphasis on individual patterns of studyacross a four day week. Students’ prior learning and cultural knowledge is recognised and valued. Emphasis is placed ondifferentiated teaching and learning.

· A full range of academic and vocational courses are available for students in Years 10–12. In addition the Collegeprovides Intensive English courses for full and part time students and mid–year preparation courses.

· The College teaching and support staff is committed and dedicated to building their capacity to provide the besteducational opportunities for students enrolled in the various programs the College offers.

· Students’ social and emotional wellbeing is supported by strong Student Support structures.

· We value the contribution of the wider community and have developed stronger links with parents, TAFE,universities, relevant community agencies and businesses.

Self-assessment and school achievement

Self-assessment using the School Excellence Framework

This section of the Annual Report outlines the findings from self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework,school achievements and the next steps to be pursued.

This year, our school undertook self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework. The framework supportspublic schools throughout NSW in the pursuit of excellence by providing a clear description of high quality practiceacross the three domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading. Our self–assessment was based on consideration ofevidence provided across all Year Groups and all KLAs including our onsite Intensive English Centre.

Learning

In the element of Wellbeing, our evidence supported our operation at the Excelling Stage. In the elements of LearningCulture, Curriculum and Learning, Assessment and Reporting and Student Performance Measures, we feel that theevidence supports a judgement of Sustaining and Growing.

Teaching

In the element of Collaborative Practice, our on–balance judgement is that we are Excelling. In the elements of EffectiveClassroom Practice, Data Skills and Use, Learning and Development and Professional Standards, we feel that theevidence shows that we are operating at the level of Sustaining and Growing.

Leading

In the elements of Leadership, School Planning, Implementation and Reporting and School Resources, we feel theevidence shows that we are Excelling. In the element of Management Practices and Processes, we believe that we areSustaining and Growing.


Our self–assessment process will assist the school to refine our school plan, leading to further improvements in thedelivery of education to our students.

For more information about the School Excellence Framework:

https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching–and–learning/school–excellence–and–accountability/sef–evidence–guide


Strategic Direction 1

Develop successful, confident, independent learners through authentic and personalised learning experiences

Purpose

To provide equitable access to appropriate educational experiences by promoting a culture of excellence throughinnovative and personalised learning, which maximises future opportunities.

Overall summary of progress

Our continued College–wide focus on growth in individual learning has enabled us to achieve measurable progress inthis Strategic Direction through the continued implementation of the Individual Growth Project, which identifies individualstudent learning needs through data analysis and consultation and then addresses them through targeted, explicitlearning support. Targeted classes and individual support is provided to students of low socio–economic, EAL/D,Aboriginal and refugee students alike, according to need. The excellent growth of Year 11 students in numeracy can bepartly attributed to the explicit, focused work that is being done in Year 10 Numeracy lessons. The Lesson Study Projectis a vehicle that ensures that all teachers are committed to developing lessons that focus on achieving College goals inliteracy and numeracy.

Progress towards achieving improvement measures

Improvement measures(to be achieved over 3 years)

Funds Expended(Resources)

Progress achieved this year

50% of students in Year 10 or 11will achieve 0.4 or above growth(Hattie effect size) in BANPLANtesting in reading.

Salaries:

Socio–economicBackground

Low level adjustment fordisability

58.6% of Year 10 students achieved better thangrowth of 0.4 in reading.

55.6% of Year 11 students achieved better thangrowth of 0.4 in reading

30% of students in Year 10 or 11will achieve 0.4 or above growth(Hattie effect size) in BANPLANtesting in writing.

As above 57.7% of Year 10 students achieved better than 0.4growth in writing.

39.6% of Year 11 students achieved better than 0.4growth in writing.

50% of students in Year 10 or 11will achieve 0.4 or above growth(Hattie effect size) in BANPLANtesting in numeracy.

As above 55.2% of year 10 students achieved better than 0.4growth in numeracy.

63.5% of Year 11 students achieved better than 0.4growth in numeracy.

Increase the number of HSCstudents achieving Band 4 orabove.

As above Although there was an increase in the number ofstudents achieving band 3 or above, the number ofstudents achieving band 4 or above showed a slightdecrease.

80% of IEC students successfullycomplete the Basic & Key SkillsBuilder Program.

As above In 2017, both the quantitative and qualitative datahave demonstrated that, on average, over 2 terms,over 60% of students progressed by 2 levels acrossa continuum of 6 levels from Preliminary toAdvanced English (Level 5).

80% of IEC students makeappropriate progression throughthe Individual Reading Program.

As above 12.65% of students advanced one level, 28.92%advanced two levels, 34.4% advanced three levels,19.28% advanced four levels and 3.61% advancedfive levels.

• Year 12 students progressthrough the MyGoals program inLearning Support.

As above All Year 12 students accessed the My Goalsprogram through their Learning Support classes.






60% of students in Year 10 makeappropriate progress in ICT skills.

As above Although some students made growth above 2.0(Hattie effect size), as a cohort, the group madegrowth of only 0.213

Next Steps

Continue to build on the improved Learning and Support processes and strengthen the capacity of staff to collect,analyse and use appropriate student data.

Further develop the IEC's Basic Key Skills Builder program and the Individual Reading Program to concentrate oncomprehension as well as decoding of English language. This will ensure that IEC students develop skills to assist in thetransition to the College or the next stage of their learning journey.

Further expand the explicit Learning Support program to Year 11 students, including the use of outside agencies such asElevate Education.

Ensure that the programming of Learning Support aligns with the new Mentor program in 2018.

Ensure all students with an identified disability have a personalised Learning and Support Plan and that all students fromYear 10 to 12 have a Personal Education Plan.

Data from staff and students on assessment for learning will be used to drive improvements in assessment andperformance.

Establish a whole school approach to meeting minimum Literacy and Numeracy standards through professional learning,with an emphasis on comprehension and writing and reciprocal numeracy.

Further professional learning for all staff on best ways to support refugee students and students with refugee–likeexperiences.



Foster an inclusive, future– focused college learning environment which promotes positive relationships and personalwellbeing

Purpose

To build and sustain a culture of individual growth through healthy and respectful partnerships between students, staff,parents/caregivers and the wider community, maximising student opportunity.


Our continued school–wide focus on development and maintenance of a culture of individual growth has enabled us toachieve significant progress in this strategic direction through a successful, coordinated approach to student wellbeingand learning culture. Professional learning of all teaching staff in the Mind Matters modules on building of resilience andthe training of all non–teaching staff in Mental Health First Aid has led to the consistent use of a 'common language'when dealing with students exhibiting signs of mental illness. Our focus on providing students with relevant andmeaningful curriculum appropriate to their individual goals has led to measureable growth in attainment of vocationalcompetencies and employability skills through extra–curricula activities.





Parent/student/staff TTFMsurveys show enhancedsatisfaction with College.

Low socio–economic:$54,888 (cost of CLO)

Parent surveys showed that all parents feelwelcome in the College and believe that the Collegeprovides a safe and happy learning environment forstudents. TTFM survey revealed that thepercentage of students that are intellectuallyengaged and find learning interesting, enjoyableand relevant is way above state average. TheTTFM survey also indicated that the majority of stafffelt that school leaders are leading improvementand change and that staff morale is good.

Achievement of student postschool destination goals.

In 2017, 67 students received their Higher SchoolCertificate at our College, equivalent to 94% of thecohort. 34% of our Year 12 students were offered aposition at a university.

In comparison to 2016, there has been a increasein the percentage of Year 12 students enteringTAFE (11% increase from 2016) and a decrease inthose seeking employment (decrease by 7% from2016.)

High completion rates of all VETcourses across the College.

Of the 32 year 12 VET students, 81% achieved thefull certificate or highest qualification for theircourse. VET numbers in Year 11 were 38 and 51students in Year 10 were enrolled in VET courses.

Increase the level of attendanceof students across all years toabove state average.

Low socio–economic: $50,000 (cost of higherduties for Attendance andEnrolment coordinators)

Attendance rates were 89.9% for Year 10 and 91.7% for Year 11. (both above State average).The College attendance rate was 90.0%, above theState average of 88.4%.

Increase the level of attendanceand engagement of parents andcare–givers in the life of theCollege.

Parent surveys indicated a higher level ofparticipation by parents than in previous years(39%) with a greater number of parents showinginterest in being involved in the College planningprocess.






All staff complete the introductoryand resilience online modules ofMindMatters.

In 2017 all teaching staff completed theMindMatters online training modules across twostaff development days and multiple after schoolProfessional Learning sessions. Additionally, allnon–teaching staff completed and attained theirMental Health First Aid accreditation (ensuring allCollege staff are now trained).

Stronger industry links andgreater school and communityuse of the Bankstown TradeSkills Centre.

Low socio–economic : $40,800 (cost of communitylinks coordinator)

The employment of a Community Links coordinatorfor two days a week has led to the establishment ofsome links with local schools, leading to a plannedmulti–school VET planning day in early 2018.

Next Steps

Following feedback from IEC and College students and teachers, we will develop a coordinated Mentor/Learning Supportprogram that will be delivered across all years in the College and the exiting classes of the IEC.

Further development of the Transitions Team which will provide individual case management of students needing totransition to the next stage of their learning journey, as well as the seamless transition of the IEC students into theCollege.

Continue to develop the process of monitoring and review of attendance across the College including whole day andpartials, by the Attendance Coordinator, Enrolment Coordinator and the Head Teacher Wellbeing.

The College will continue to focus on strengthening community partnerships, through the employment of a CommunityLinks coordinator, to build community links through inviting other schools to use BSC facilities, like the Trade SkillsCentre.



Strengthen the leadership capacity of individuals to drive school improvement.

Purpose

To build a culture of high expectations in teaching and learning where all teacher learners are active, reflective andfocused on achieving personal learning goals.


Our continued emphasis on quality teaching via the Lesson Study Project has seen a vigorous alignment of strategicdirections to student learning outcomes. Constant reflection on best practice coupled with mentoring has seen staffconfidence increase and leadership capacity grow. Staff capacity to collect, analyse and use all forms of data to improvetheir teaching practice has translated into improved student outcomes. The employment of a full–time Teacher Mentorled to greater support for beginning teachers (both permanent and temporary). The contribution of our outside facilitatorto the Building Strong Leaders Project was instrumental in increasing numbers of staff taking on leadershipresponsibilities across the College and the IEC.





Increased numbers of teachersare confident and capable oftaking on leadershipresponsibilities.

Low socio–economic:$3750 (cost of outsidementor for Building StrongLeaders program)

In 2017 the SPLAT team consisted of 10 memberswith two new teachers taking on the responsibility ofleading a Cross–curricula team and supervisingLesson Study teams. The Building Strong Leadersprogram continued to grow with 16 staff membersimproving their leadership through constructivefeedback and advice from a critical friend.

All teaching staff activelyengaged in personalisedprofessional learning and developa Performance and DevelopmentPlan using the language of theAustralian ProfessionalStandards for Teachers.

All teaching staff were provided professionallearning on setting SMART goals and regularmeetings were held with their supervisor to discusshow their professional goals align with the APSTand the College Plan. Some KLAs created a sharedfaculty goal as part of the PDP process.

All teachers actively engaged inthe Lesson Study Project whichdevelops their teaching andleadership capability to enhancestudent learning.

In 2017 there were 15 lesson study teams allfocusing on strategies to raise the standard ofliteracy or numeracy across the College and theIEC. 100% of teaching staff were involved in theproject and all teams reported positive growth instudent learning and provided evidence ofimprovement.

All teachers undertakingAccreditation successfullycomplete and maintain theprocess.

Support for Beginningteachers: $58,300 for 2.5days a week TeacherMentor

In 2017 two New Scheme teachers were accreditedby NESA at proficient and four New Schemeteachers completed maintenance requirements atProficient. One staff member continued to worktowards NESA accreditation at the Lead standardand two staff members successfully applied to theLeadership Development Initiative with the intentionof completing accreditation at the HighlyAccomplished standard.

All SAS staff develop and usetheir Performance andDevelopment Plan.

100% of SAS staff completed the Performance andDevelopment process in 2017 including goalsetting, planning professionallearning, implementation and annual review of theirPDP.


Next Steps

The highly successful Building Strong Leaders Project – incorporating both classroom teachers and substantive Collegeexecutive will continue in order to deepen the leadership capacity of the staff. This project will be further developed toinclude observations of team leadership and the provision of critical feedback on the teacher's leadership capability.

Professional Learning in 2018 will centre around the new Stronger HSC Standards and the Minimum Literacy andNumeracy Standards as well as a focus on Assessment For Learning.

The Lesson Study Project will continue with the same focus on Meeting Minimum Literacy and Numeracy Standards andAssessment for Learning. There will be a greater emphasis on evidence–based practice and data analysis.

In 2018 Assessment for Learning will be externally evaluated and the SPLAT Team will continue the regular cycle ofinternal faculty evaluations.

The Deputy Principal will mentor the Highly Accomplished applicant through the Leadership Development Initiative andbeginning teachers will complete an induction process and receive professional guidance by the Deputy Principalthrough the College's Mentoring Project.


Key Initiatives Resources (annual) Impact achieved this year

Aboriginal background loading Cost of one laptopcomputer and some SLSOtime to support Aboriginalstudent : $823

Laptop was used to facilitate learning inclassrooms and at home. Student had SLSOsupport for some subjects in the classroom

English language proficiency EAL/D teacher salaries :$609,444

Students were provided with explicit,focussed support across all KLAs, as well asthe delivery of ESL courses and theCertificate of Spoken and Written English.

Low level adjustment for disability 1.6 Teacher staffing forAdjustment for Disability:$187,072

PLASSPs developed for all identifiedstudents, learning supported in the classroomand in the learning centre by trained teachers,SLSOs and university tutors.

Socio–economic background Salaries, resources, coursefees and technologytotalling $931,628

College plan facilitated and implementedthrough the provision of extra learning supportthrough the College learning centre.

Support for beginning teachers Cost of a full–time teacherMentor was shared:$58,300 from BeginningTeachers money and$50,000 fromSocio–economicbackground money.

2 beginning teachers was successful ingaining proficiency while a member of theExecutive is working towards LeadAccreditation. One member has applied to doHighly Accomplished Accreditation in 2018.

Targeted student support forrefugees and new arrivals

Salaries, technology,literacy resources, subsidyfor courses to buildemployability skills :$83,046

All refugee and students with refugee–likeexperiences suitably supported.


Student information

Student enrolment profile

Enrolments

Students 2014 2015 2016 2017

Boys 226 262 210 254

Girls 169 198 199 240

Student attendance profile

School

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017

10 93.2 88.4 89.4 89.9

11 92.1 89.6 92.7 91.7

12 94.7 88.5 90.5 87.9

All Years 93.2 88.8 90.6 90

State DoE

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017

10 88.1 87.7 87.6 87.3

11 88.8 88.2 88.2 88.2

12 90.3 89.9 90.1 90.1

All Years 88.9 88.5 88.5 88.4

Management of non-attendance

Student attendance at the College and in class isessential to improve learning outcomes. Staff play akey role in ensuring that students attend as much aspossible.

Classroom teachers are required to follow up studentabsences and reinforce the importance of class time tomeet course outcomes. If the absences (includingtruancy) continue and they are causing concern inachieving outcomes in the subject, they are referred tothe Head Teacher, the Year Adviser and the HeadTeacher Administration. Welfare entries are also madein the College Sentral tracking system. Attendancemonitoring during Mentor classes assists in themanagement of student attendance. Teachers regularlyissue a record of attendance to each student andcounsel them for any concerns in the number ofabsences recorded. Students also use this opportunityto check these absences for discrepancies. It is thestudents' responsibility to follow up and amend thesediscrepancies.

Office staff send home fortnightly attendance letters tostudents who have unexplained absences. Studentsand/or caregivers need to contact the College andexplain any unjustified leave.

The Head Teacher Administration monitors

continuous or unexplained absenteeism with theassistance of Classroom Teachers, Head Teachers,Year Advisers, Head Teacher Wellbeing or the SeniorExecutive. Attendance Review Meetings are held twicea term and appropriate action is decided upon by allappropriate stakeholders.

As is seen above, this consistent approach to proactivemonitoring of student absenteeism and prompt actionwhen problems arise, has led to an attendance ratewhich consistently remains above state average.

Post-school destinations

Proportion ofstudents movinginto post-schooleducation, trainingor employment

Year10%

Year11%

Year12%

SeekingEmployment

0 5 4

Employment 1 9 16

TAFE entry 6 20 13

University Entry 0 0 33

Other 13 10 1

Unknown 8 6 10

Surveys are undertaken each year to determine thedestination of students once they have left the College.

In 2017, 67 students received their Higher SchoolCertificate at our College, equivalent to 94% of thecohort. 34% of our Year 12 students were offered aposition at a university, with a focus on degrees suchas Engineering, Medical Science and Building Design.Some students gained entry into more competitivedegrees such as Advanced Medical Science atWestern Sydney University and Data Science atUNSW. Most students received offers from WesternSydney University whilst others took up offers atMacquarie University, University of Technology Sydneyand Australian Catholic University among others.

In comparison to 2016, there has been a increase inthe percentage of Year 12 students entering TAFE(11% increase from 2016) and a decrease in thoseseeking employment (decrease by 7% from 2016).

Year 12 students undertaking vocational or tradetraining

Vocational Education and Training (VET) subjectsoffered in 2017 included BSB20115 Certificate II inBusiness, CPC20211 Certificate II in ConstructionPathways, SIT20416 Certificate II in KitchenOperations, Statement of Attainment towards ICA30115Certificate III In Information, Digital Media andTechnology, SIR30216 Certificate III in Retail Servicesand HTLT33115 Certificate III in Health ServicesAssistance. Year 10 students were provided the


opportunity to select VET courses as electives. VETcourses offered were BSB10115 Certificate I inBusiness, Statement of Attainment towards CPC10111Certificate I in Construction and SIT10216 Certificate Iin Hospitality. There were 32 Year 12 VET students, ofwhom 81% achieved the full certificate or highestqualifications for their course. Student VET numbers inYear 11 were 38 and in Year 10 there were 51 studentsenrolled in VET courses. In each year there were somestudents who studied multiple VET courses. TheCollege worked collaboratively with MWLP (MacarthurWorkplace Learning Program), our work placementbroker, to provide successful placement opportunitiesfor our VET students. Some of our students sourcedtheir own work placements which were appropriatelydocumented and approved by VET teachers. WhiteCard training was conducted by Mr Yad Ram, aqualified trainer and teacher at Bankstown SeniorCollege and delivered to the Construction students inYear 10 and 11 as part of their course. Year 10Hospitality students gained a Statement of Attainmentin SITHFAB005 Prepare and Serve Espresso Coffeefrom CHP School of Hospitality atCanterbury–Hurlstone Park RSL Club, as a part of theirCertificate I studies. Other extra curricula VET coursessuch as Responsible Service of Alcohol, ResponsibleConduct of Gaming, Barista Coffee and White CardSafety training were also offered to students throughthe Refugee Student Support Project to enhance theiremployability skills. In March 2017, the RTP conducteda successful internal audit of Bankstown SeniorCollege's processes and procedures with only a fewrecommendations for continuous improvement. Allstudents studying a VET course obtained a USI(Unique Student Identifier) to ensure their qualificationsare stored for future access.

Year 12 students attaining HSC or equivalentvocational education qualification

In 2017, 67 students received their Higher SchoolCertificate at our College, equivalent to 94% of thecohort.

Workforce information

Workforce composition

Position FTE*

Principal 1

Deputy Principal(s) 1

Assistant Principal(s) 0

Head Teacher(s) 7

Classroom Teacher(s) 19.1

Teacher of Reading Recovery 0

Learning & Support Teacher(s) 1.3

Teacher Librarian 1

Teacher of ESL 5.4

School Counsellor 1.6

School Administration & SupportStaff

14.78

Other Positions 19.2

*Full Time Equivalent

There were no indigenous members of staff atBankstown Senior College in 2017.

Teacher qualifications

All teaching staff meet the professional requirementsfor teaching in NSW public schools.

Teacher qualifications

Qualifications % of staff

Undergraduate degree or diploma 100

Postgraduate degree 7

Professional learning and teacher accreditation

All staff at Bankstown Senior College participated in arange of professional learning opportunities in 2017.These activities included both school based and thoseaccessed and delivered by non– school basedagencies. All non–school based professional learningactivities were carefully considered by the DeputyPrincipal prior to staff enrolment and screened foralignment to College Strategic Directions and theAustralian Professional Standards for Teachers.Courses undertaken by staff included DevelopingLiteracy in Diverse Settings, KLA content up–skillingand new syllabus workshops, Digital Technology, VetNetwork workshops, Refugee Student Support,Working with Disengaged Youth, Evaluation Essentials,


Differentiation, Teaching English Language Learners,Aligning Assessment and Programming, Leadershipand School Planning and Teacher Accreditation.

School based professional learning was delivered atSchool Development Days, Tuesday ProfessionalLearning workshops, professional learning staffmeetings twice a term, faculty meetings, committeemeetings and Cross Curricula team meetings.Professional learning generally centred around studentwellbeing and the new Stronger HSC Standards andthe Minimum Literacy and Numeracy Standards.. SDD1and 3 concentrated heavily on MindMatters principlesto develop a systematic and comprehensive approachto supporting student mental health and wellbeingthrough the implementation of mental health promotion,prevention and early intervention strategies. All CollegeSAS staff completed Mental Health First Aid training.

Throughout 2017 there were 15 lesson study teams allfocusing on strategies to raise the standard of literacyor numeracy across the College and the IEC. All staffwere required to be actively engaged in the LessonStudy project which involved the analysis of studentdata followed by the collaborative team approach ofplanning, teaching, evaluating, revising and reteachinga series of lessons which incorporate corecompetencies and skills such as reciprocal literacy andnumeracy. These lessons were designed with theexplicit intent to assess student learning outcomes preand post lesson delivery using personalised studentdata. Lesson Study provided a platform for staff toengage in collegial dialogue and improved practice andwas the driver for targeted and personalisedprofessional learning of staff. This initiative was alsobeneficial in helping staff set SMART professionalteaching goals in their performance and developmentplans. Concurrently all Year 10 Preparation courseteachers were involved in implementing and teaching aConnected Outcome Group (COG) module whichfocused on authentic learning, assessment andfeedback. An emphasis was placed on 21st Centurylearning strategies and relevance to the AustralianCurriculum. Teachers were up–skilled in these areas bythe COG Co–ordinator. Teachers were required tointerpret and use appropriate student data to informtheir teaching practice in the preparation and delivery ofCOG lessons.

The Building Strong Leaders Project continued in 2016.Our academic partner worked with the Senior Executiveto deliver an individualised mentoring program for allExecutive and aspiring leaders. This program focusedon mentoring and critical friend strategies based aroundprofessional learning goals. Additionally the CollegePlanning Day in Term 4 and the annual 2 day ExecutiveConference allowed staff and college communitymembers the opportunity to reflect on the SchoolExcellence Framework. This evaluation led to therevision of College strategic directions for 2018 and thedevelopment of the new 2018–2020 College Plan .

As part of the College's preparation for the accreditation of all pre–2004 staff in 2018, a position ofTeacher Mentor was created (funded throughBeginning Teacher Funding) for 2017. In 2017 two NewScheme teachers were accredited by

NESA at proficient and four New Scheme teacherscompleted maintenance requirements at Proficient.One staff member continued to work towards NESAaccreditation at the Lead standard and two staffmembers successfully applied to the LeadershipDevelopment Initiative with the intention of completingaccreditation at the Highly Accomplished standard.

Financial information (for schoolsusing both OASIS and SAP/SALM)

Financial information

The three financial summary tables cover 13 months(from 1 December 2016 to 31 December 2017).

The financial summary consists of school incomebroken down by funding source and is derived from theschool Annual Financial Statement.

Receipts $

Balance brought forward 887,082

Global funds 266,778

Tied funds 711,132

School & community sources 76,658

Interest 9,814

Trust receipts 64,278

Canteen 0

Total Receipts 1,128,660

Payments

Teaching & learning

Key Learning Areas 40,134

Excursions 1,493

Extracurricular dissections 5,170

Library 10,052

Training & Development 0

Tied Funds Payments 813,441

Short Term Relief 65,194

Administration & Office 106,106

Canteen Payments 0

Utilities 55,883

Maintenance 46,894

Trust Payments 71,920

Capital Programs 0

Total Payments 1,216,288

Balance carried forward 799,455


Figures presented in this report may be subject torounding so may not reconcile exactly with the bottomline totals, which are calculated without any rounding.

The information provided in the financial summaryincludes reporting from 1 January 2017 to 31December 2017.

2017 Actual ($)

Opening Balance 0

Revenue 1,637,781

Appropriation 1,584,686

Sale of Goods and Services 11,980

Grants and Contributions 40,387

Gain and Loss 0

Other Revenue 0

Investment Income 729

Expenses -910,295

Recurrent Expenses -910,295

Employee Related -403,005

Operating Expenses -507,290

Capital Expenses 0

Employee Related 0

Operating Expenses 0

SURPLUS / DEFICIT FOR THEYEAR

727,486

Balance Carried Forward 727,486

The Opening balance for the 2017 school financial yearis displayed in the OASIS table as Balance broughtforward. The financial summary table for the yearended 31 December 2017 shows the Opening balanceas $0.00 because the Opening balance for the 2017school financial year is reported in the OASIS table (asBalance brought forward).

The amount displayed in the Appropriation category ofthe financial summary table is drawn from the Balancecarried forward shown in the OASIS table and includesany financial transactions in SAP the school hasundertaken since migration from OASIS to SAP/SALM.For this reason the amount shown for Appropriation willnot equal the OASIS Balance carried forward amount.

The Principal has the responsibility of achievement ofthe school's educational goals and to ensure the budgetand cashflow remain on target during the year. TheFinance Committee comprises the Principal, DeputyPrincipals, School Administrative Manager, a HeadTeacher (appointed annually through a rotation system)and three elected staff representatives. Meetings areheld each term and minutes of meetings

are published and accessible to all staff. All financialprocesses comply with the accounting policies of theDepartment of Education. The school canteen is leasedby a private operator for a three year period. There isan Intensive English Centre on site, which is a supportunit of the College and whose operational costs arefunded through the Multicultural Unit. Equity funding isprovided for the various programs run through the IEC.

The College receives a high level of Equity funding dueto the high level of disadvantage of our students.Because of the large number of Phase 1 and 2 EAL/Dlearners, a large proportion of Equity funding is forEnglish proficiency. The College plan includes theprovision of a large number of funded support teachingand non–teaching staff, funded through the lowsocio–economic section of the Equity funding. TheCollege, as part of its educational management plan, issaving to acquire resources which cannot be funded ina single financial year. Proposed longer–term assetacquisitions include a boomgate, an electronic schoolsign and an electricity upgrade.

Financial summary equity funding

The equity funding data is the main component of the'Appropriation' section of the financial summary above.

2017 Actual ($)

Base Total 3,874,239

Base Per Capita 80,402

Base Location 0

Other Base 3,793,837

Equity Total 1,728,967

Equity Aboriginal 823

Equity Socio economic 931,628

Equity Language 609,444

Equity Disability 187,072

Targeted Total 317,128

Other Total 2,758,064

Grand Total 8,678,397

Figures presented in this report may be subject torounding so may not reconcile exactly with the bottomline totals, which are calculated without any rounding.

A full copy of the school’s financial statement is tabledat the annual general meetings of the parent and/orcommunity groups. Further details concerning thestatement can be obtained by contacting the school.


School performance

School-based assessment

As the College does not have access to NAPLANtesting, data on the needs of students is collectedthrough the College's own testing processes. Pre andpost testing is used across the whole College tomanage and track students' progress in literacy andnumeracy. Two examples of this are: The BANPLANtest, styled on NAPLAN, which was administered to allYear 10 and 11 students as part of the orientationprogram at the commencement of 2017 and thenre–administered at the end of the year. Through theuse of internal data, the Learning and Support teamwas able to monitor, track and report to all staff onstrengths and areas of need to extensively informplanning for particular student groups and individuals.This was achieved through professional learningincluding the BANPLAN data analysis during a staffdevelopment day that later supported the focus of theLesson Study project. Data collected from BANPLANand use of the Hattie formula by staff clearly indicatedthe higher than expected growth of students within thekey areas of literacy and numeracy and theeffectiveness of evidence–based practice. Based onthis data in 2017, 58.6% of Year 10 students gainedmore than 0.4 growth (Hattie formula) in reading, 57.7%in writing and 55.2% in numeracy. In Year 11, 55.6%gained more than 0.4 growth in reading, 36.9% inwriting and 63.5% in numeracy. Students achievedhigher than the expected growth in five out of the sixtest areas.

The Literacy Committee’s recommendation of triallingthe online literacy program ‘WordFlyers’ in the Year 10CSWE III elective was commenced in Semester 2. Theprogram was evaluated and proved to have made adifference to student results in the aquisition of basicliteracy skills in reading and writing. The programallowed for additional continuous literacy support aswell as differentiation to occur as students wereworking at the level most suited their ability. Analysis ofdata generated by this program showed that moststudents repeated certain lessons to improve theirresults. This included some students completing it athome in their own time. Due to the positive feedback‘Wordflyers’ will be made available to all Year 10students in 2018 in readiness for the mandatory onlineliteracy tests.

During 2017, all students at the IEC participated in anIntensive Reading Program for their entire enrolmentperiod. The program is timetabled so that each studentparticipates in four 45 minute periods per week,concentrating on decoding, pronunciation and fluencyskills, targeting English reading accuracy. The smallgroup structure of the reading program necessitatesinvolvement of all IEC teachers and SLSOs.

In 2017 the program was enhanced through thedevelopment of a data collection and analysis systemto monitor individual students' progression and providemore accurate feedback on program efficacy.

From the statistical analysis of the 2017 program data,over the period of one year, 12.65% of students have

advanced two levels, 34.4% of students have advancedthree levels, 19.28% of students have advanced fourlevels and 3.61% of students have advanced fivelevels. (1 level is equated to 1 school year grade).

Students' improved reading levels have made transitionto further study at BSC, local high schools or tertiarystudies more likely to be successful. 2018 will see thecontinuation of the new focus on comprehension skillsthrough the SRA program and accompanyingresources with the Level 3 classes in the Readingprogram. Staff development is continually beingimplemented to support this dimension.Comprehension focus reflects the BSC literacy focus inthe 2018–2020 College Plan and the revised IECCurriculum Framework.

The Basic and Key Skills Builder (BKSB)program, an interactive, student–centred andcomputer–based program continued as part of the IECTutorial Support course in 2017. The program providesfundamental English literacy, numeracy and ICT skillsnecessary to function in the 21st century. Both in termsof the online platform, and the literacy, it allowsstudents to learn independently, as targeted andtracked through individual diagnostic assessments, withthe support of the learning resources and their tutors. Ithas also led to students’ increased confidence as digitallearners. Based on its success, it was extended toinclude Level 2 (mid–range Englishproficiency)students as well as Level 3 students so asto allow them greater opportunity to access the skillsand maximise their learning. In 2017, both thequalitative and quantitative data have demonstratedthat on average, over 2 terms, over 60%of studentsprogressed by 2 levels across a continuum of 6 levels,from Preliminary to Advanced English (Level 5). Thegraded exercises include a wide range of literacysub–skills. Overall, the skills for everyday life, as wellas employment and academic English are rich andauthentic, in keeping with the Quality TeachingFramework. The assessments, resources and data arecurrently being considered to inform and enhance thequality teaching and learning across the curriculum for2018. Overall, it is a valuable program that can helpprepare our students to meet the Minimum Standardsin both Literacy and Numeracy.

NAPLAN

In the National Assessment Program, the results acrossthe Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy andnumeracy assessments are reported on a scale fromBand 1 to Band 10. The achievement scalerepresents increasing levels of skillsand understandings demonstrated in theseassessments.

As the College does not have access to NAPLANtesting, data on the learning needs of students iscollected through the College's own testing processes.


Higher School Certificate (HSC)

The performance of students in the HSC is reported inbands ranging from Band 1 (lowest) to Band 6(highest). From comparative analysis of 2013–2017HSC data, 65% of students were Band 3 or above in2013, 72% of students were Band 3 or above in 2014,73% of students were Band 3 or above in 2015, 78% ofstudents were Band 3 or above in 2016 and in 2017,74.5% of students achieved results of Band 3 or above.*8 Band 6s were achieved in 2017, mainly in Extension1 and 2 Maths and in Extension Arabic. Over 80% ofstudents achieved the necessary results to access theirchosen career path.

Trends in university placements indicate significantgrowth over the last five years: in 2013 33%, in 201453.3%, in 2015, 29%, in 2016 49% and in 2017 34% ofstudents were offered university places for 2018.

Parent/caregiver, student, teachersatisfaction

In 2017, the school sought the opinions of parents,students and teachers about the College. Thisinformation is presented below. This information wascollected in various ways, including focus groups andthe use (for the first time) of the Tell Them From Mesurveys.

Parents were surveyed at various School andcommunity meetings and expressed very highsatisfaction with the College. Of the 37 parents whocompleted the surveys, 100% felt welcomed when theyvisited the school, 100% felt that teachers and seniorexecutive listened to their concerns, 76% had read theCollege newsletter while 49% had visited the Collegewebsite. 89% felt that reports were written in terms theyunderstood, while 43% expressed a wish to be part ofthe College planning process in 2018. The mostsatisfying results were that 100% of parents felt thatBankstown Senior College provides a safe and happylearning environment for students and that 100% feltthat teachers work hard to ensure their children do theirbest work.

Students from the College and the exiting class of theIEC completed the Tell Them From Me Survey for thefirst time in 2017. Students expressed a high level ofsatisfaction with the College, for example 79%expressed a positive sense of belonging, against astate norm of 63%; 90% valued schooling outcomesagainst a norm of 64%; 85% found learning interesting,enjoyable and relevant against a norm of 43%; 68% areinterested and motiovated and 87% try hard to succeedin their learning.


31 staff also completed the Tell Them From Me survey.Results showed that, in their opinion, the Collegeperformed higher than state mean in Leadership,Collaboration, Learning Culture, Data InformingPractice, Teaching Strategies, Technology,Inclusivity but lower in Parental Involvement,understandable in light of the College's adult studentcohort.

Policy requirements

Aboriginal education

Bankstown Senior College is a member of the Dare ToLead coalition aiming to enhance the outcomes of allAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.Aboriginal Education is incorporated in all subjectsoffered at the College. Scientific, social and culturalaspects of Aboriginal life, both contemporary andtraditional, are areas of study at the College particularlyin the English, HSIE, Science, Visual Arts and MusicKLAs.

There were two Aboriginal students at the College in2017. Both students had specialised support throughthe Tutorial program at the College. Personal LearningPlans were developed to provide each student withopportunities to grow academically and participate in allaspects of College life, including extra–curricularactivities.

Both students were supported by allocated funds in theRAM equity budget which were allocated to assistAboriginal students. One student was provided withextra SLSO support and was to be admitted into aQantas Apprenticeship program arranged by thecareers Adviser. The other student in Year 12 wasgifted in Visual Arts and received a laptop to supporther learning. The student was selected for the Nura GillProgram at the University of NSW and has enrolled in an Art and Design Degree in 2018.

Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country addressesare part of College protocol and part of all assemblies,graduations and special occasions.

Multicultural and anti-racism education

Bankstown Senior College (BSC) sustains its strongmulticultural profile as students of CALD backgroundscomprised 90% of the student population in 2017. Fromthis group of CALD students, more than 83% of themare of refugee and asylum seeker background, with themajority of them living in Australia for less than fiveyears. In 2017, a maximum of 310 students at BSCrepresented 33 countries with over 50 differentlanguages spoken, predominantly including Arabic,Persian, Dari, Vietnamese, Mandarin and Cantonese.These students received EAL/D support mainly througha team–teaching arrangement across Key LearningAreas (KLAs) as well as some withdrawal practice.Therefore EAL/D Support had been a targeted outcomein the Processes of Strategic direction 1: Developingsuccessful, confident, independent learners in the BSC

2015–2017 School Plan. Further to this, Collegeprojects linked to a multicultural focus aimed to fulfilStrategic Direction 2 in the School Plan which aimed tofoster an inclusive, future focused College learningenvironment supported by positive relationships. Therehas been a staff capacity increase with regards tomeeting the needs of a significantly culturally diverseand constantly changing school community. Anotherongoing priority in the Plan has been to continue tostrengthen collaboration between IEC and BSC toenhance student learning outcomes. There have beenprograms, committees, key staff and facilities in placeto meet and fulfil the high multicultural needs of ourstudents including the Community Partnership program,the Mind Matters program, the Transitions Team, theRefugee Student Support Program, the LOTEprograms, the Community Liaison Officer (CLO), theInternational Student Program, the Mentoring programand the Student Representative Council as well as theARCO officers.

During 2017, traditional practices continued as theCollege approach for providing EAL/D supportcontinued to embed EAL/D strategies across all KLAprograms and provide EAL/D pedagogy in 65% ofclassrooms. Team teaching had been the preferredapproach in this area. Over 90% of the staff are TELLtrained and displayed these strategies in their programsand classroom practices. With this in place, staff feltsupported and confident to use EAL/D strategies intheir teaching and programming. Students wereidentified and were accessing EAL/D support acrossthe College.

The Mentoring Program co–ordinated by the HeadTeacher Welfare continued to operate in the format of adaily fifteen–minute session. Mentor class groupsvertically integrated students of various academic/stageand cultural backgrounds. It provided an opportunity forthe staff to monitor attendance, with a program in placeto discuss social welfare issues, health matters, studyskills, to address cultural diversity and to give personalattention to individuals who would have felt morecomfortable to discuss any matters of concern in asmall group context.

The LOTE programs offered to students for their studyin Years 11 and 12 included NESA courses inlanguages including Chinese, Vietnamese and Arabic.There were also other languages of study availablethrough the NSW School of Languages available atBSC, with one student studying the JapaneseBeginners course.

The Refugee Student Support program (RSS), in itssixth year at BSC, had enabled the Year 10 refugeestudents to become a targeted group for EAL/D supportin the classroom. In 2017,out of 310 students at BSC,well over 80% were of refugee and asylum seekerbackground. The two coordinators of the program haveenabled students to consult them for any issues orareas of concern regarding their learning, welfare andfuture study and career pathways.The coordinatorstracked the development of 16 targeted students inYear 10 through Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) in thehope of accelerating their progress in all areas.


A new and successful series of sessions provided bySTARTTS (Service for the Treatment AndRehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors)targeted female students offering a Hair & Make–up (Iambeautiful) course in Term 4. These coursesstrengthened the connection between STARTTS andindividual students encouraging them to easily accesstheir diverse services. Further to that, through the RSSinitiative, presentations from STARTTS offeredprofessional development to the whole College staff toaddress and raise awareness of refugee related issues.

The MercyConnect tutoring services offered to refugeestudents of the College address the individuallanguage, literacy and numeracy needs of the studentsto ensure their smooth progression of learning in theclassroom. The program was implemented by fivetutors throughout the year.

The RSS program has provided various learningopportunities outside the classroom. Through theinitiative of the Canterbury–Hurlstone Park RSL Club,students from the College and the IEC were providedwith a five–day course package, acquiringcompetencies towards a Certificate III standard withbasic skills linked to the hospitality industry in order toincrease their work opportunities. This packageincluded: RCG (Responsible Conduct of Gaming), RSA(Responsible service of Alcohol), Prepare and ServeCoffee (Barista), Hygiene and Serve Food andBeverage.

Through the RSS program, there were six refugeestudents who benefited from The Friends of Zainab andthe Settlement Services International (SSI)scholarships for their secondary and tertiary studies.Further to this, 12 BSC students were recipients ofvarious categories of the Western Sydney RefugeeYouth awards through the Auburn Diversity ServicesInc. (ADSi), and one student was awarded for hiscontribution to the wider community through the JasonClare Canterbury Bankstown City Council CommunityAward. The RSS initiatives also recognised andrewarded three students for their communityinvolvement and leadership by offering Humanitarianawards at the College Presentation ceremony.

The RSS program organised further learning throughincursions and excursions which provided a strong linkto the native Australian cultural heritage. This wasachieved through the visit of guest speaker, NadiaWheatley, whose children’s books, My Place and theFlight promoted written and visual literacy andAustralian cultural awareness. Further to this,Aboriginal guest speaker, Ms Pauline Ferkula spokeabout the Aboriginal cultural values of her community.Other key excursions served to build multicultural,health, study and workplace networks which providedstrong pathways for students to access WSUBankstown, NSW Bankstown Women’s Health,SettlementServices International (SSI) Youth@Workand Auburn Diversity Services Inc.

RSS organised celebrations for Refugee Week (June)with a focus on the theme With courage, let us allcombine in an assembly presentation, a Cultural Expoand mentor sessions which focused on the essence of

life as refugees and their great contributions toAustralia. A series of events and celebrationscommenced with an inspiring oral presentation by HaniAbdile, a Year 11 student/poet who spoke to her Year11 fellow students about her past life of challengingrefugee experiences and recited inspirational poemsfrom her recently launched anthology, I Will Rise. Laterin the year, to the wider community, Hani Abdile hostedThe New Beginnings: Refugee Arts & Culture Festival.The main highlight of Refugee Week was the CulturalExpo which showcased 22 countries through stalldisplays organised by the students. Contributions andcollections of personal artefacts from staff and studentswere displayed with cultural awareness and learningexercised through a passport booklet andcomprehensive book on the history and geography ofAustralia. This Expo made the students aware thatsome of their country’s customs and traditions areshared with other countries, enhancing even furtherthat combined, more can be achieved.

The educational backbone of Refugee Week was theseries of lessons through the Mentor program focusingon the Australian National Anthem, notable Australianrefugees and interactive world map activitiesconcluding with a Positive Pebble collaborativeexercise.

There had been a series of events and activities whichhad been initiated and facilitated by the BSC CLO inorder to provide CALD students with a strong access tovarious internal and external agencies and serviceswhich can help to develop them in all areas of their life.There have been regular activities throughout the yearincluding MMRC Learn to Swim, university visits tovarious campuses for Information days and parentmeetings. Further to this, the CLO injected a culturalfocus at times where appropriate at Wellness Day,College assemblies and strengthened the social andcultural connections between all females of the College,both staff and students, through the Women’s grouplunch meetings and their organised interactiveactivities.

Multicultural gatherings initiated by the CLO hadincluded various annual events such as theParent/Community forum, the Afghan and Persian NewYear celebrations and others organised in collaborationwith the Student Representative Council which includedValentine’s Day and Crazy Hair Day celebrations andfinally the main highlight for the year was HarmonyDaywith its distinctive cultural performances. With thearrival of Harmony day, an RSS fundraising initiativetook place to collect funds for RACS. Through thisfundraiser, students were reminded of the free legalservices available to refugee and asylum seekers,especially for students facing visa expiration dates.With a focus on wellness, dark chocolate dipped fruitand vegetable based items sold also raised healthyeating awareness among staff and students.

The International Students Program included fourstudents from China and Vietnam. Students regularlyconsulted their coordinator to gain support in all areasof their learning, timetabling, independence fromguardian’s care and other issues of welfare. Weeklyinformal exchanges and meetings each term between


staff and fellow students, enabled targeted students tosocialise and discuss any issues of concern. Theexcursion to Bankstown was an opportunity forstudents to explore the local area near where they liveand/or study, alerting them to various services that theycould access. This program enabled students tointegrate well in the College community.

At BSC, the multicultural community is comprehensiveand complex but fortunately the dynamics andco–existence among students is positive and smooth.The Anti Racism Contact Officer (ARCO) and ARCOExecutive representative promote positive culturalconnections among students to ensure minimaldiscriminatory behaviour throughout the College.Activities organised by ARCO were presented throughMentor classes during Anti–Racism week and variousinitiatives throughout the year.

The vast array of initiatives presented, through bothformal and informal education, in a multiculturalcontext, enabled a healthy integration betweenstudents of a vast range of national and culturalbackgrounds. At the same time, these opportunitieshave also highlighted key cultures in the College so thatindividual cultural identities have remained strong andrespected at Bankstown Senior College in 2017.

Other school programs

Bankstown Intensive English Centre

Learning is the key focus of all the programs atBankstown Intensive English Centre (IEC). With over85% of the students coming to Australia under theUnited Nations Humanitarian Refugee Program,learning is a strategic priority underpinning both theCollege and the IEC initiatives. In 2017 fromapproximately Term 3 onwards, the IEC witnessed asignificant, even unprecedented, growth in studentnumbers which was a result of the markedly increasedhumanitarian intake through the aforementionedgovernment program and therefore an increase instaffing entitlement occurred, resulting in having nearly30 teaching staff and 20 Office and Teacher SupportStaff. The student numbers peaked to approximately185 in Terms 3 and 4.

For 2018, the priority areas of Literacy and Numeracyand Student Engagement and Attainment of Outcomesremained our key focus areas and these were reviewedat various meeting opportunities. Programs weresubmitted, reviewed and evaluated, providingopportunities for reflection on teaching practices in theclassroom. Aspects of literacy and numeracy weretaught throughout all the Key Learning Areas(KLAs).There was a consolidation of various KLAcommittee meetings taking place in 2017 allowing staffto engage in professional discussions for topic areas tobe taught, the emphasis being on the development ofthe English language in preparation for the next stageof the students’ educational journey.

During 2017, all students enrolled at the IECparticipated in an Intensive Reading program for theirentire enrolment period. This has been reported on inschool performance section, as has been theBankstown Key Skills Builder program.

As part of the Transition Program for graduatingstudents, 49 students in Term 1 and 88 students inTerm 3 participated in TAFE Taster programs in

• Hair and Makeup • Automotive, Barista • Office Skills • First Aid for 2 days.

This gave the students valuable insights into theeducational system in New South Wales and providedaccess to appropriate educational experiences andpersonalised learning to maximise future opportunities(a goal of the College). This TAFE Taster experience isthe culmination of a term of Transition classes whicheducate students about educational pathway optionsfor them after they graduate from the IEC. Qualitativeevaluations were conducted with the students, andresults showed students valued this experience andlearned practical skills and knowledge.

Other priority areas in 2017 at the IEC were that ofLeadership and Management and CommunityPartnerships, which highlighted the successful diversityof our IEC program.

In the area of Leadership and Management, 2017 sawthe continuation of the 2iC (Second–in–Charge)position through an EOI (Expression of Interest)process as well as the creation of the S2iC (ShadowSecond–in–Charge) position. This has been carriedthrough to 2018 in order to support the Head Teacherin many facets of the administration and organisation ofthe IEC with the student numbers and therefore tosupport the needs, abilities and diversity of thestudents. Also, two staff participated in curriculumleadership development across the Intensive EnglishProgram coordinating the trial outcomes of theCurriculum Framework and providing feedback to theEquity and Multicultural Education leader. Additionally,three staff led Bankstown Senior College (BSC)Cross–Curricular faculty teams and this will continue in2018 and five staff participated in the “BuildingStronger Leaders Program” initiative of the College.Volunteers from the wider community formed part of thedynamic team at the IEC as they offered their servicesin assisting students in classes and/or offeringafter–school activities.

A further initiative was the alignment of the ProfessionalDevelopment Plans (PDP) process to the School Planand Professional Teaching standards, providing avaluable professional learning opportunity andreflection opportunities for all teaching staff. Withimproved leadership capacity, new learningopportunities arose for staff and students.

An Electives program, reflecting a High School patternof elective choices, continued in 2017 as at the IEC toaddress further the academic, social, psychological and


wellbeing needs for our students. The program ran forone period (55 minutes) a week. Some courses thatteachers offered included Healing through Drumming,Yoga, Mathletics, Board Games, MOSAIC (a mentoringprogram in cooperation with the University of NSW’sARC program), Italian and Greek, Debating, Singing ina Choir, Walking and the “Welcome to Australia”elective co–organised with the Multicultural YouthNetwork. The Electives were very popular and havenow become part of the IEC’s curriculum delivery.

The Sentral online system was gradually phased out bythe end of 2017 so that the IEC’s Sentral data could bemerged with BSC’s Sentral necessitated by the LMBRrollout to all schools in mid 2017.

In Wellbeing, Bankstown IEC and Family PlanningNSW have been working closely in a successfulpartnership since 2009, which continued in 2017. InTerms 1 and 3 2017, all Level 3 graduating students,some Level 2 and a few Level 1 students, attended a2–hour session on sexual and reproductive healthcalled Health Talks which was presented by trainedFamily Planning NSW staff. Cultural sensitivity is high,so students were split into male and female groups withmale and female professional interpreters bookedaccordingly. The Healthy Relationships Health programand Health Talks are focused on supporting students toform inclusive, respectful and positive relationships inmulticultural Australia; to gain knowledge on how tostay safe and keep others in the Australian communitysafe; to be informed about sexual and reproductivehealth service providers as well as about DomesticViolence services in NSW.

In the area of Sports, Bankstown IEC students enjoyedparticipating in recreational sporting activities such assoccer, badminton, walking, yoga/relaxation andvolleyball. Students had the opportunity to mix and playwith students from other classes, improve their fitnessor relax in the yoga/relaxation activities.

Overall, in 2017 the IEC saw an introduction of anumber of new initiatives, consolidating others with thefocus being always on improving student outcomes inthe learning and in the wellbeing spheres.

English Language Proficiency Report

The College received EAL/D support to meet theconsiderable needs of the students. A very largenumber of students were at the Beginning or EmergingPhases of language acquisition, and may only havebeen living in Australia for a few months.

Support was made available in the form of EAL/D staffteam teaching in English and across KLAs, as well asoffering professional learning opportunities for otherstaff. The College focus on differentiation andReciprocal Reading was further explored through theLesson study Project. EAL/D staff were available toassist other staff in recommending strategies whichcould be used in all KLAs.

EAL/D staff also taught CSWE I and II (Certificate inSpoken and Written English) to the EFS (English For

Study) classes whose language proficiency wasinadequate for Stage 5 or 6. Data from the College’sentrance test was used to place students in the mostsuitable level. The College’s Banplan test was used todetermine area of need for all students. As well, theFundamentals of English course, also taught andsupported by EAL/D teachers,was made compulsoryfor students completing the Preliminary ESL Course tomaximise their success in acquiring languageproficiency in preparation for the HSC and furtherstudy.

The Literacy Committee’s recommendation of triallingthe online literacy program ‘WordFlyers’ in the Year 10CSWE III elective wascommenced in Semester 2. Theprogram was evaluated and proved to have made adifference to student results. The program allowed foradditional continuous literacy support as well asdifferentiation to occur as students were working at thelevel most suited their ability. Analysis showed thatmost students repeated certain lessons to improve theirresult. This included some students completing it athome in their own time. Due to the positivefeedback‘Wordflyers’ will be made available to all Year10 students in 2018 in readiness for the mandatoryonline literacy tests.

Wellbeing

In 2017 all teaching staff completed the MindMattersonline training modules across two staff developmentdays and multiple after school Professional Learningsessions. An improved understanding of strategies toimprove student resiliency allowed teachers to furtherdevelop a supportive learning environment wherestudents were able to connect, succeed and thrive intheir learning. Additionally, all non–teaching staffcompleted and attained their Mental Health First Aidaccreditation (ensuring all College staff are nowtrained).

An extensive evaluation of the Student Mentor programwas undertaken throughout Semester 2. Consultationwith staff, students and community focus groups willsee a more collaborative approach to Mentor in 2018.The Wellbeing and Learning Support Teamscollaboratively designed a cross–curricula scope andsequence that will enable the content to be taught in amore streamlined approach. 2018 classes will behorizontal, rather than vertical, and will be held within astandard period once per week. To maintain the levelsof connectedness that were achieved in the currentprogram, students will remain with the same group ofstudents for both programs.

To improve student connectedness to the College andpromote the social and emotional wellbeing of students,various initiatives and programs were run throughoutthe year. All new cohorts were involved in orientationand team building programs. Smaller projects andinitiatives, such as the “Monty Challenge” and sportschallenges, were conducted within the Mentor programto build cohesion and emotional wellbeing within asmall group setting.

The Wellbeing Team (HT Wellbeing, Counsellor, Year


Advisers and BTP representative) met on a weeklybasis to discuss students causing concern and toimplement actions for individual students and yearcohorts. The team worked closely with the LearningSupport Team and the Transition Team, College andIEC, to support the wellbeing of all students andimprove the transition of students to the next phase oftheir learning journey.

In 2018 the Wellbeing Team is aiming to create a morecohesive approach to Wellbeing across the entireCollege (IEC, EFS, Prep, Year 10, Year 11, Year 12).The IEC exiting classes will be integrated into the Year10 Mentor classes to provide a support network for thiscohort of students once they complete their IECstudies. The “Garden Project” will involve members ofeach year/cohort planning, creating and maintaining thecollege vegetable garden.

The Head Teacher Wellbeing has workedsystematically with the Year Advisers to build theircapacity, not only within the Wellbeing area, but acrossthe College. Year Advisers have been more confidentwhen working with their year cohorts and have assistedin the delivery of wellbeing professional learning.During the Wellbeing Planning Day the team workedcollaboratively to create a more streamlined Mentorscope and sequence that incorporates transition pointsfor IEC exiting students.

We have continued to develop and maintainconnections with community agencies that can supportour students in a wide range of areas. The Collegehosted a Wellness Expo in Term 4. Students were ableto access over 25 external agencies about mentalhealth, specific cultural support groups, domesticviolence, financial literacy, and legal assistance. Wehave also worked closely with Bankstown Corner Youthto deliver compulsory Crossroads modules andprovided opportunities for students to developconnections with this agency to access healthinformation outside College hours.

Learning and Support Team

In 2017 Bankstown Senior College’s Learning andSupport team has demonstrated and promoted a strongcommitment to strengthening and delivering systematicprocesses and practices that support the collegeslearning priority areas of literacy and numeracy throughthe identification, analysis and ongoing monitoring ofstudent progress. This has been achieved through theuse of physical resources, human resources and thedelivery of professional Learning to build staff capacity.

Physical resources included: the College’s LearningCentre located in the Library run bythe Learning CentreCoordinator/HT Learning and Support. The LearningCentre is resourced with 10 laptops, 16 iPads and aSmart board. This technology has also been madeavailable for general use both in the Library andthroughout the school including the IEC thus supportingand enabling the integration of technology into theschool curriculum.

Throughout 2017, the Learning and Support Team has,in collaboration with BSC staff, developed processes tospecifically identify and address student needs. Theseprocesses have led to the strategic management of theLearning Centre's iPads and the development andinclusion of specialised applications that havemaximised their effective use in the classroom and ledto an increase in overall student engagement andoutcomes as outlined in the College plan.

Human resources for 2017 included 3.5 LaST and 2SLSOs. This has enabled the LaS team to provideextensive intervention through targeted differentiatedstrategies that support the individual needs of students.

Students identified as having additional learning andsupport needs were supported through thedevelopment of Personal Learning and Support Plans(PLASP) that outlined explicit strategies specificallytargeted at addressing individual needs. LaS staff weresupported in the creation and development of PLaSPsthrough professional learning sessions run externally bythe department and at the school by the Head Teacher.PLASPs were created in consultation with students,parents, carers and classroom teachers in order toincrease student participation and engagement and ledto improvements in overall student outcomes. Much ofthis support included team teaching across variousKLAs and 1:1 support both in the classroom and theLearning Centre during allocated periods. The keyareas targeted apart from decoding werecomprehension, sentence structure, (TEEER)paragraph writing, numerical processes and wordproblems.

In 2017 the Learning and Support Team attended anddelivered a number of professional learning coursesdesigned to promote and model effective teachingpractice. Professional learning included: local LaSnetwork meetings, Assessment for Learning,Supporting our Future Teachers and the delivery,analysis and use of the 2017 Pre and Post BANPLANtest results using Hattie’s effect size formula across theareas of reading, writing and numeracy to informteaching practice.

Student Representative Council

2017 was a busy and eventful year for the SRC. TheSRC worked on many initiatives and events thatbenefited not only the students but also the widercommunity. The SRC effectively raised awareness ofmany causes and promoted the work they were doingto the rest of the student body. White Ribbon Day thisyear involved the SRC in making and selling cupcakesto raise money for the victims of domestic violence.Other events such as Valentine’s Day, Crazy Hair Dayand the Talent Showcase raised money for our WorldVision sponsor child from Burundi, and the LeukaemiaFoundation.

International Women’s Day was another project inwhich the SRC were heavily involved. They helped topackage and distribute apples to every member of thecollege, both staff and students, as an


acknowledgement of this important day. Themulticultural nature of the College was celebrated onHarmony Day with the SRC assisting by selling tokensand making food. The success of the day wasdemonstrated by the high level or involvement andsatisfaction felt by both students and staff, as shown bythe survey results, and by the large number of studentsand staff wearing orange or their national dress. TheSRC also assisted in putting together a large postermade up of contributions from every member of theCollege to read ‘Everyone Belongs.’

One of thebiggest successes of the SRC was theplanning of a new student kitchenette which was built inthe college cafeteria, where students now have accessto a food preparation area which has boiling water,microwaves and a refrigerator.

The SRC were also involved in hosting assemblies,graduations and presentation evening, and wrotearticles for the college newsletter. They demonstratedeffective communication and public speaking skills,leadership skills, improved confidence, and the capacityto interact and collaborate with others. Their skills inwriting speeches and evaluating school events alsodemonstrated improvement. Some members of theSRC attended the Secondary Schools LeadershipProgram at Parliament House, gaining even moreknowledge.

The profile of the SRC was raised even further whenone of our Year 11 SRC members, Hani, was invited tohost the ‘New Beginnings Festival’ at Darling Harbour,and was chosen as the face of ‘Refugee Week’,appearing on all promotional material nationwide. Shewas also selected to be the ‘Poet in Residence’ at alocal school. She also gave a lecture about her poetryand book to an audience of Year 11 students atBankstown Senior College during Refugee Week.

Bankstown Tutorial Program

The Bankstown Tutorial Program (BTP) is a regionalprogram which operates at Bankstown Senior Collegefor currently enrolled students. The BTP assistsstudents who have internalising behaviour and mentalhealth issues and who find it difficult to pursue regularclassroom based education without support.

Students of the BTP are closely monitored on a dailybasis and their progress is documented regularly.Students are supported on a case by case basis, withthe student being fully involved in planning, decisionmaking, goal setting, implementation and follow up ofsupport strategies.

Student review meetings, attended by the collegecounsellorand executive staff, BTP and regional staff,medical professionals, students and other relevantstakeholders were conducted for BTP students in 2017.The purpose of the meetings was to assess the studentneeds and to evaluate their progress.

Other ways in which staff were able to support studentsin 2017, included: • Home visits to students, who were in crisis,

resulting in successful negotiation of their returnto the college and resumption of studies.

• Attending The Young Women’s leadershipSeminar with students

• Communicating with caseworkers • Organising and attending university open days

and a post school/ careers expo • Purchasing equipment to help with studies • Making workplace visits and providing intensive

support for those students who required it, tomeet the work placement requirements of variousVET courses

• Negotiating with local employers to accommodatethe needs of one of our students for aworkplacement component of their VETcourse

• Consulting with external agencies and relevantprofessionals to ensure the students receive themost relevant and beneficial support

Five BTP students completed the HSC in 2017. Threeof the students were offered university placement.

The Transitions Team

The Transitions Team has worked flexibly to developpositive outcomes for targeted students. The team hasworked closely with the Careers Adviser, College andIEC counsellor and Welfare Team to support studentsthrough reengagement programs. While workingclosely with the disengaged students, the team alsoassisted in creating a smooth transition for the exitingclasses of the IEC to the College. The team approachhas allowed many more students to be givenassistance and to thus improve retention rates.

All students exiting the IEC at the end of Terms 1, 2and 3 were mentored by a member of the TransitionsTeam so as to improve their chances of successfulintegration into College life.

In Term 4, the team was proactive in organising greaterlinks with the IEC, such as showcasing the College tothe exiting classes in order to encourage more studentsto transition to the College and to provide a clearerunderstanding of what IEC students can expect bystudying at the College. The Transition team made anumber of recommendations in support of establishingcloser links between the IEC and main College, such asthe idea of providing a combined Year 10/IEC Mentorprogram in 2018, organising College assemblies thatwere run by IEC students and included performancesby IEC students and extending the SRC to includestudent members from the IEC to foster greaterinclusivity and ease of transition.

University Tutor Program

Through equity funding, the University Tutor Programcontinued in 2017. A total of three university tutors wereavailable throughout the week to provide support tostudents with course work during their study periods.

Through analysis and evaluation of the 2016 UniversityTutor Program, the Learning Centre Coordinatordeveloped tutor specific timetables whereby tutors


attended class supporting individual students on anongoing basis. This strategic management of resourcesnot only resulted in a system which promoted equity forstudents who were previously unable to access TutorSupport, but also provided authentic and personalisedlearning experiences that resulted in increased studentconfidence in accessing the curriculum and an overallincrease in student engagement. The University TutorProgram will continue in 2018 with a continued focus onsupporting literacy and numeracy across all KLAs andthe developmentof new resources to further support ourYear 12 students.

Leadership Development Initiative

In 2016 Deputy Principal Jenni Gardiner was acceptedinto the Leadership Development Initiative whichinvolved intensive professional learning with a focus oninstructional leadership practices. Participants receiveda $5000 grant to assist them in completingaccreditation at the lead career stage. The initiativeinvolved leading the implementation and evaluation of asection of the school plan and working with anexperienced mentor who has extensive schoolleadership experience. In 2017 Jenni led the SchoolProfessional Learning and Teaching Team throughwhich the Lesson Study project is implemented. TheLesson Study Project involves teams of teachersmeeting regularly to plan, design, implement, evaluateand refine lessons for a unit of work targeting aparticular strategic direction with an agreed focus area.Specifically, each Lesson Study team uses data toidentify a learning need, defines a pedagogical problemor teaching challenge linked to the learning need,engages in professional learning, designs a lesson indetail, teaches the lesson, observes the lesson basedon pre–determined and agreed observation criteria,evaluates the lesson by jointly reflecting on its effect onstudent learning, revises the lesson incorporating thegroup feedback, teaches and observes the revisedlesson to another group of students, evaluates therevised lesson and collectively documents the resultsand shares with colleagues across the school. TheLesson Study Project is a key strategy in achievingStrategic Direction 3 of the College Plan which is tostrengthen the leadership capacity of individuals todrive school improvement. It provides teachers with acollaborative way of observing each other’s lessonsand reflecting on their own teaching practice in order tomeet the Australian Professional Standards forTeachers. Through this project, teachers are also ableto work towards achieving their performance anddevelopment goals and meet some of the requirementsof the NESA teacher accreditation process. In 2017there were 15 lesson study teams all focusing onstrategies to raise the standard of literacy or numeracyacross the College and the IEC. Each team provided areflection on their lesson study which outlined data theyused and evaluated the impact of the changes theymade to their teaching. All teams reported positivegrowth in student learning and provided evidence ofimprovements, particularly in the area of literacy,through work samples or pre and post testing. 100% ofteaching staff were involved in the Lesson StudyProject.


2017 Bankstown Senior College Annual Report€¦ · Introduction The Annual Report for€2017 is...

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