ANNUAL REPORT - Our Lady of the Nativity PS – Aberfeldie Lady of the Nativity School, Aberfeldie...

ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

Our Lady of the Nativity School Aberfeldie 2015

REGISTERED SCHOOL NUMBER: 1585

his box.

Our Lady of the Nativity School, Aberfeldie

2015 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY 1

Contents Contact Details ........................................................................................................................................... 2

Minimum Standards Attestation ............................................................................................................... 2

Our School Vision ...................................................................................................................................... 3

School Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 4

Principal’s Report ....................................................................................................................................... 5

Parish Priest’s Report ................................................................................................................................ 8

School Education Board Report ............................................................................................................... 9

Education in Faith .................................................................................................................................... 10

Learning & Teaching ................................................................................................................................ 13

Student Wellbeing .................................................................................................................................... 16

Leadership & Management ...................................................................................................................... 20

School Community ................................................................................................................................... 23

Financial Performance ............................................................................................................................. 26

Future Directions ...................................................................................................................................... 27

VRQA Compliance Data ........................................................................................................................... 28



Contact Details

ADDRESS 29 Fawkner St Aberfeldie Victoria

PRINCIPAL Ms Anne Doherty

PARISH PRIEST Fr Andrew McCarter – Parish Administrator

SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR [Insert School Board Chair’s name – optional]

TELEPHONE (03) 93374204

EMAIL [email protected]

WEBSITE www.olnaberfeldie.catholic.edu.au

Minimum Standards Attestation

I, Anne Doherty, attest that Our Lady of the Nativity School is compliant with:

• All of the requirements for the minimum standards and other requirements for the registration of schools as specified in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) and the Education and Training Reform Regulations 2007 (Vic), except where the school has been granted an exemption from any of these requirements by the VRQA

• Australian Government accountability requirements related to the 2015 school year under the Australian Education Act 2013 (Cth) and the Australian Education Regulations 2013 (Cth)

20 May 2016



Our School Vision

Our Lady of the Nativity School is a faith-filled community that gives witness to, and proclaims, the gospel teachings of Jesus.

Within a nurturing community, inclusive of all its members, we uphold the dignity of the human person.

Through an holistic approach to education we aspire to develop life-long learning.

With a commitment to social justice, a sense of purpose and hope, we encourage our members to be active participants in the global community.



School Overview

Our Lady of the Nativity School, Aberfeldie, is a co-educational school, from Foundation to Year

Six. Established in 1958 the school has, for almost 60 years, met the educational and faith

needs of students in the Aberfeldie area. The vast majority of our students live within the

boundaries of Our Lady of the Nativity Parish, which is one factor that contributes to the

strength of our community, which is evidenced by high levels of parental involvement.

The motto of Our Lady of the Nativity School is Ad Caritatem per Veritatem ~ to love through truth.

This motto was taken from the words of Helen de Chappotin, founder of the Franciscan

Missionaries of Mary, the religious order which began Our Lady of the Nativity School. This motto

echoes the following words from St John’s Gospel: Little children, let us love, not in words or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will

know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts

condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1Jn3 14-20.

At Our Lady of the Nativity School, the truth of our God remains central to all that we do and we

constantly strive to know God, experience his love and share that love with others. In the words

of St Francis of Assisi we strive to ‘Preach the Gospel always and where necessary use words.’

As a Catholic School which lives out its Franciscan charism, we endeavour to develop within

our students a Catholic view of the world, not only through our Religious Education program, but

also through our general curriculum. Our Catholic Vision is the basis for all that is undertaken

within the educational, social emotional, physical and Religious Education programs offered to

our children. Who we are as people of faith, peace and hope permeates all that we do,

especially our everyday interactions within our community.

Our Lady of the Nativity received accreditation as an International Baccalaureate School

offering the Primary Years Program in 2015. Whilst our curriculum is embedded in the

Australian curriculum, our framework is one of transdisciplinary learning within an inquiry based

pedagogical approach to learning. Careful planning goes into the learning opportunities that our

students are engaged in to ensure the sequential development of concepts, knowledge, skills

and attitudes. Our curriculum is conceptually based and follows a constructivist approach,

helping students to make meaning as they learn about their world. We offer an international

curriculum that aims to ensure that our students are ‘active participants in the global community’

(OLN vision statement) who ‘understand that people with their differences can also be right’. (IB

philosophical statement)



Our Lady of the Nativity School provides a well-equipped learning and physical environment for

our children. The property is safe and secure and supports both the academic, social-emotional

and physical needs of our children.

Principal’s Report Our Lady of the Nativity School enjoyed a successful 2015 school year.

The highlight of the year was receiving authorisation from the International Baccalaureate to

teach the Primary Years Program. Our School had been a candidate school for two years prior

and the staff had shown great commitment to working towards authorisation.



Prior to our authorisation visit from the IB in October and our authorisation in December,

implementation of the key elements of PYP remained the key focus for professional learning of

all staff throughout the year. Consistency of practice in accordance of the PYP standards and

practices was a key focus during collaborative meeting times and staff ensured that the

language of PYP became consistent throughout the school community. The staff was involved

in ongoing professional learning with school leadership ensuring that all staff had the

opportunity to attend appropriate PYP workshops. Whilst all staff were Category 1 trained, other

teachers availed themselves of the opportunity to attend specific workshops in Pedagogical

Leadership, Student Well-Being, Health and Physical Education, and the Exhibition Staff, and

student learning is directly linked to our Philosophical Statement that ‘We believe that powerful

learning is engaging, collaborative and student driven. Feedback and reflection will promote

challenging, purposeful, relevant learning that is transferable and life-long.’

Our decision to venture into the IB world was based on many years researching best practice in

contemporary learning in order to create the best possible learning opportunities and

environment for our students. The staff embarked on this investigative and learning journey

together dedicating many hours to professional reading, collaborative team work, school visits

within a dynamic process of shared professional learning.

A highlight of the learning that took place at Our Lady of the Nativity School during 2015 was

the Year Six Exhibition based on the transdisciplinary theme, ‘Sharing the Planet’. This was an

opportunity for the students to conduct an investigation into an issue that they were passionate

about and use the skills, concepts and attitudes that they had developed throughout their time

as an IB student. What our community witness through the students’ presentations were active,

engaged learners who had developed international mindedness and who demonstated and

awareness and desire to take action to improve their world and the lives of the people and

species they share it with.

Our children are encouraged to take action and this action often opened doors to them, leading

to new experiences and further learning.



Throughout the process of authorization, the school also maintained its focus on sustaining improvement via best practice in numeracy and literacy.



Parish Priest’s Report • This section is optional. • Recommended word length is approximately 200 words. • Schools may include a report or message from the Parish Priest that provides a summary of the key

decisions, events and achievements of the school.



School Education Board Report • This section is optional. • Recommended word length is approximately 200 words. • Schools may include a report or message from the School Education Board that provides a summary

of the key decisions, events and achievements of the school.



Education in Faith

Goals & Intended Outcomes Goal: To ensure that our strong Catholic Identity continues to grow and that all members of our community are encouraged to give witness to the Gospel within a contemporary context with an emphasis of Our Lady of the Nativity and St Francis of Assisi.

Intended Outcomes:

• That there is an improvement in Catholic Knowledge, faith and traditions within the

school community.

• To consolidate Franciscan values and action as per the Gospels.

• That staff will continue to deepen their knowledge of the beliefs and understanding of the

beliefs and traditions of the Church and Catholic Education.

Achievements Our Lady of the Nativity is blessed by having two strong models of

discipleship in Our Lady of the nativity and St Francis of Assisi as our

patrons. Both patrons, and the ethos of our founding order, the Franciscan

Missionaries of Mary, provide us with a guiding compass that references our

interactions, relationships, policies and practices. As a Catholic School, the

Gospel values, with a Franciscan interpretation, are lived out in and by our

community. Education in Faith is far more than a curriculum area at Our

Lady of the Nativity School. Children’s Education in Faith is a partnership between families, the

school and the parish. Our Catholicity underpins the nature of the relationships we build and foster

between all members of the community.

As a Catholic school our ethos and charism guide our decision making and the learning and

teaching programs offered to our students so that the spiritual, moral and ethical dimension of

their learning enables them to integrate faith and life. Through our Education in Faith we aim to

provided our students with examples, through actions and words, through positive relationships

and an explicit acknowledgement of the role of God in our lives that will provide them with a moral

compass and a positive faith filled view of the world.

The school prayer, adapted from the Peace Prayer of St Francis, sets the standard for all

interactions and is reflective of Catholic Social Teaching. Emphasis is placed on embedding the

principles of Catholic Social Justice, extending beyond Religious Education lessons, into explicit

foci within Integrated Inquiry units and within the school’s vision. Through Religious Education



and Social Justice Teachings students are provided with the foundation by which they make

sense of, and evaluate, the world around them and encouraged to take positive action.

Professional learning for staff in the area of Religious Education was a priority. Following a

successful Franciscan Schools Australia Conference, the staff of our Lady of the Nativity School

joined with the staff of Ave Maria College for a day of learning and reflection on the life of St Clare

of Assisi and how we can live her ‘mirror theology’ within our schools and lives. Presentations

were made by members of staff of both schools and the keynote given by Sr Joanne Schatzlein

from Franciscan Pilgrimage Programs. This was also an opportunity for the staff of both schools

to spend time with members of our founding order, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.

During 2015 we continued to build a strong relationship with the Franciscan Friars of St Peter and

Paul Parish, South Melbourne which gave us an opportunity to ‘live our faith’. Our entire

community became involved in the Emerald Hill Mission outreach program conducted by the

Friars in a number of ways:

• A celebration for the feast day of St Francis

• A collection of non-perishable food to stock the cupboards for the food van

• Staff continued their regular involvement in helping out on the Food Van on a regular basis.

VALUE ADDED

Lived and strengthened the Church’s Social Justice Teachings through action

Focus on Social Justice principles throughout the curriculum

Participation in Archdiocesan initiatives eg. Catholic Education Week and Mission Week.

Using St Clare’s mirror Theology to encourage positive action and relationships and to see

God in all things.

St Francis of Assisi Day Celebrations

Student leaders attended Social Justice workshops facilitated by Bahay Tuluyan and Caritas

Australia.

Visits from representatives of Bahay Tuluyan to inform and engage students about the realities

of life in the Philippines for poor children.

Visit from Moira Kelly who shared her life and stories of the children she has helped.

Allocation of time for Christian Meditation throughout the school three days per week



Regular contact with the wider parish and building stronger links e.g. Mass of Anointing, Winter

luncheon, Christmas Party for elderly parishioners which we prepared by the children and

parents.



Learning & Teaching

Goals & Intended Outcomes Goals:

• To improve student achievement is Literacy and Numeracy • To develop a culture of inquiry learning across the school using the framework of the

PYP.

Intended Outcomes

• That teacher competency and confidence in the teaching of Mathematics is enhanced • That teacher competency and confidence in the teaching of Literacy is enhanced • That the standards and practices of PYP are enhanced and embedded within a pedagogy of

inquiry learning. • That comprehensive assessment practices drive the learning and teaching cycle • That students’ take increased ownership of their learning via a constructivist approach to learning. • That staff competency in the use of ICT in the classroom is enhanced • That Visual Arts education is enhanced.

Achievements We believe that Learning and Teaching within a uniquely Catholic framework is the fundamental

purpose of Our Lady of the Nativity School. We aim to prepare student for active participation in

the future, to develop lifelong learning skills and to develop their ability to know themselves, others

and the world. We have a holistic approach to learning and teaching and endeavour to offer a

range of programs and learning experiences that enable all children to develop their talents and

to achieve. Learning is inquiry based and transdisciplinary in nature.

The school continued its commitment to Literacy and Numeracy by providing support to teachers and students in the following ways:

• Specialist Curriculum leaders • PLTs and facilitated planning • Professional learning opportunities • In-class modelling and coaching including team teaching • Moderation of student assessments • Intervention programs: morning maths and reading conducted by trained parents, LLI

conducted by learning support officers • Extension Maths programs • Reading Recovery



The schools main general curriculum focus was the continued implementation of the Standards and Practices of the PYP. Transdisciplinary Inquiry learning was the primary focus and we had the privilege of seeing children engaging in enhanced learning opportunities within a concept based curriculum. Due to thorough curriculum mapping, the six transdisciplinary themes of the PYP were unpacked and developed in all class levels providing children with opportunities to deepen their factual and conceptual knowledge, develop the attributes of the learner profile and the skills and attitudes integral to the PYP. One of our intended outcomes was for students to have a greater voice in the learning process and the Year Six Exhibition demonstrated how powerful learning can occur when children are enabled to make decisions pertaining to their learning and where the role of the teacher is that of a facilitator of learning. The Exhibition was showcased to our school community in September with students sharing their learning under the transdisciplinary theme ‘Sharing the Planet’. Students explored such topics as : Refugees, Gender discrimination, Palm Oil, US Naval Bases, Equality in Sport, The Role of Democracy, Deforestation, Fracking to name but a few. Throughout students demonstrated the skills of inquirers, self-directed learners and international mindedness. With the assistance of an eLearning Leader, the use of ICT was enhanced throughout the school resulting in the introduction of a 1-1 Chrome Book program to begin in 2016. Children used ICT as a powerful tool for learning and the portability of many of the devices they had access to ensured that their learning, especially off-site, was recorded and built upon. Our Visual Arts program expanded with students from Year 1-6 receiving a weekly specialist art lesson. Class teachers attended the lessons also as a form of professional development. Our Foundation students received specialist lessons during Term 4. The learning program delivered to students at Our Lady of the Nativity School throughout 2015 was engaging, powerful, concept driven and student centred. We believe that all members of our community are learners and as such provided relevant learning opportunities for all.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES



As can be seen in the preceding tables and graph Our Lady of the Nativity School maintained is standard of students achieving minimum standards. In Year Three 100% of students continued to achieve minimum standards in the areas of Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation. There was a 3.7% decrease in the percentage of students reaching minimum standards in mathematics. Our Year Five results showed consistency in both Reading, Writing and Spelling (+ 1.8%) with 100% of students achieving minimum standards however student results in Grammar and Punctuation indicated a 1-7% decline. Year Five Numeracy standards maintain a 100% achievement rate.



Student Wellbeing

Goals & Intended Outcomes Goal: To establish a learning environment that is challenging and stimulating and which encourages students to have a strong sense of connection to their peers and the school.

Outcomes:

• To enhance student well-being programs and practices • That students become active resilient members of the community • That peer connectedness be enhanced • That social Emotional learning is embedded in the curriculum.

.

Achievements Our Lady of the Nativity School is committed to addressing the Social and Emotional Well-Being

of our students. The nature of our Catholic community ensures that our environment is welcoming

and inclusive. Our students feel extremely connected to the school and enjoy positive

relationships with many members of the community – peers, teachers and family members. As a

school we have very effective support structures in place, not only for children with special needs,

but for all children.

During 2015 we continued to adopt approaches to student well-being that were specific to the

needs of our school context, rather than follow the recommendations of a particular published

program. Part of our approach was to develop and embed values that were uniquely Franciscan

and at the same time met our accountability requirements in terms of the National Safe Schools

Framework. In order to achieve this we developed a whole school well-being strategy which linked

our values with social and emotional learning. Our strategy included elements of Bounce Back,

You Can Do It, Quest 4 Values, Positive Psychology, guidelines from the Alannah and Madeline

Foundation and Circle Time. Input into our school-based program was sought from staff, students

and parents.

Our Lady of the Nativity School has allocated 0.8 (4 days) per week to the role of Student Well-

Being / Student needs Co-ordinator. Having a dedicated professional in this role has ensured that

children’s social and emotional learning remains a focus within the school and that effective

support is offered to the children, their teachers and their families. The school has effective

identification, referral and intervention programs and ensures ongoing, open communication with

families and outside agencies. Assistance is provided to staff in regard to effective planning in

order to meet the needs of children at risk. The Leader meets regularly with class teachers,



Learning Support Officers and the school leadership team in regard to student well-being both

generally and in relation to the needs of specific students.

The school continued to provide a counselling service through the school in partnership with

Centrecare.

During 2015 the school participated in various programs and initiatives such as National Buddy

Day, Anti- Bullying initiatives, initiatives from the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation, cyber

Safety Learning programs and regular House activity days and activities.

During 2015 the school revised, and implemented, a new approach to transition, particularly from

kindergarten to Foundation. In addition to the formal enrolment interview, parent meeting and

orientation sessions we continued a series of play based sessions. During these sessions, small

groups of kindergarten children attending Our Lady of the Nativity in 2016 were given the

opportunity to meet their buddy in an informal play session also attended by the Student Well-

Being leader and any available staff in order to provide support for the older students.

During orientation sessions the buddies met the incoming preps and took them to the classrooms

on all three occasions. During the summer holidays all the new students received letters of

welcome from their buddies. Starting dates for the preps were also altered to ensure that they

were greeted by their buddies on their first day. Previously the Year Sixes had departed for camp

on the first day.

Feedback we received from parents and from our own observations found that this opportunity to

get to know a familiar face in the form of their buddy had a very positive impact on the pre-school

students who enjoyed a very positive transition to school.

Outdoor education is an important aspect of our well-being programs as it enables the children to

interact with their peers and teachings in a less formal way. We have found that although the

camps may be tied to the curriculum, the experiences encourage the students to develop

resilience, self-reliance, the courage to take risks in an unfamiliar, though safe and supportive,

environments and to form new friendships. We notice a great change in the children following

their participation in outdoor education.



Student attendance.

Whilst non-attendance is not an issue at Our Lady of the Nativity School the following

measures are in place:

• At the beginning of each year all parents are reminded of their responsibility to ensure

that the children attend school as required by law.

• Any parents intending to take the children out of school for an extended period are

required to request a period of absence from the principal in writing in advance of the

period of absence. All parents are made aware of their responsibilities. All

correspondence is filed.

• In the case of unexplained absences, all staff are instructed to inform the principal

who will then follow-up the absence with parents.

• Parents are encouraged to inform the school in the case of extended absence due to

illness or family circumstances.

• Parents are required to notify the school in writing providing a reason for an absence.

• Reasons for absence are noted and recorded by the class teacher and all notes filed

for future reference.

The school requires all parents to sign in or out students arriving to school late or leaving

early and provide a reason in writing.

VALUE ADDED

• Gospel values guide all interactions, policies and practices • Spiritual environment • Strong faith models for children • Celebrations of our faith • Vertical House system • Regular House Activity Days • Student Leadership • Strong relationships between children, staff and families • Parents evening on the subject of Anxiety in Children. • Staff training in ASD best practice. • The introduction of Passion Projects which involved the community teaching the

children new skills. • Circle time in classrooms • Student leadership program • Performing Arts performance • Visual Arts • Outdoor Education • Interschool Sport • Vegetable Garden



House Activity Days continued to be very successful and enjoyable for children and staff and

relationships across the school were developed throughout the course of the year. Staff got to

know the children in their houses and children got to know and interact with a larger number of

staff.

That our children are happy, well-adjusted and confident is a tribute to the strong partnership

that exists between children’s families and the school. We believe that a strong feeling of

connectedness is essential for the children to experience success in all aspects of their

development.

Other achievements and strengths in the area of Student Well-Being are:

• The development of the whole child as a primary focus • A curriculum that addresses the needs and talents of all children. • Effective communication practices between home and school. • Regular program support meetings for children with needs • Effective liaising with outside agencies to support children, families and staff • Individual learning plans • Inclusive policies, practices and activities. • Effective processes for identifying and assisting children with needs.

STUDENT SATISFACTION

As part of our annual survey process our Year Three to Six students were surveyed to ascertain their opinion of many aspects of the school that impact on their lives. The Student Engagement Index score for 2015 for the period was recorded as 77.6% almost exactly the figure as the previous year. Whilst the data indicates the progress was not evident, we are in a significantly stronger position than over the past five years. Achieving a score near 80% is considered a strong position to be in.

One only has to stand in the playground and observe the children to see the high levels of connectedness that children of all ages feel towards the school. The children enjoy positive relationships with each other and with the adults within our community and are highly supportive of each other. Our children are happy, engaged and proud of their school and all they achieve here.



Leadership & Management

Goals & Intended Outcomes • That Our Lady of the Nativity School receives authorisation as an International

Baccalaureate School offering the Primary Years Program.

Achievements The development of a professional learning culture has been supported by the provision of

professional development for staff. Whole school professional development is aligned to school

goals as identified by our Annual Action Plan but individual teachers are encouraged to request

the opportunity to attend professional development activities that will assist them to meet the

needs of the children in their care and broaden their own professional knowledge. The school has

endorsed the participation of staff in extended professional development modules and formal

post-graduate study. Several members of staff have embraced this opportunity to undertake

formal study which has enhanced their skills and knowledge and has had a direct, positive effect

on their leadership capacity and ability to disseminate information and key learning to staff.

As Our Lady of the Nativity School was preparing for IB Authorisation throughout 2015,

professional development in the area of the Primary Years Program remained a priority. Many

staff members gave up a weekend to attend a variety of PYP workshops ranging from

Pedagogical Leadership to subject and role specific Professional Learning. School visits were

facilitated for staff, particularly in relation to the Exhibition and we continued our involvement in

the Victorian PYP network, hosting a meeting at our school that was very well attended.

Literacy and Mathematics professional learning was also a priority and took the form of spaced

professional learning, modelled lessons, staff meetings and professional learning team meetings.

In order to facilitate this process and provide high quality learning 0.4 in the staffing allocation

was used to employ a specialist mathematics educator who worked with students, staff and

parents. A staffing allocation of 0.7 was allocated to a Literacy Leader who works closely with

staff during planning, with professional learning teams and through needs based classroom

modelling. This approach provided the staff with opportunities for ongoing, scaffolded learning,

opportunity for reflection and examples of best practice that they could immediately apply in their

classrooms.

The staff is committed to ongoing learning in order to improve their professional knowledge and

practice and improve the learning outcomes for students. Ongoing support is provided in the form

of time release for co-ordinators to work with staff on a regular basis assisting with the analysis



of date, classroom planning, individual learning plans and the provision of resources. Members

of the leadership team with designated curriculum roles regularly model best practice for teachers,

team teach and provide regular feedback.

The school increased its specialist program to include a 0.6 Visual Arts Specialist. This was in

addition to 0.8 Library, 0.6 Physical Education, 0.4 Performing Arts and 0.4 LOTE (Italian).

Responding to the needs of students and in order to provide extra support for teachers, the school

employed six Learning Support officers to work in classrooms, to run specialised support

programs (LLI) and specific ASD support.

EXPENDITURE AND TEACHER PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

DESCRIPTION OF PL UNDERTAKEN IN 2015

• Making the PYP happen in the Classroom

• Pedagogical Leadership in the PYP • Health and Physical Education in the PYP • Student Well-Being in the PYP • The Exhibition in the PYP • Mathematics Education • Franciscan Spirituality • Prayer and scripture • Study Tour to Bahay Tuluyan, Philippines • JPIC Conference • Literacy • Beginning Teacher • Mentor Training • Network meetings: Principal, Deputy Principal, Teaching and Learning, Religious

Education, Well-Being. • Anaphylaxis • School Visits • ASD • Colourful Semantics



NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN PL 34

AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER TEACHER FOR PL $1592.00

TEACHER SATISFACTION The teaching staff at Our Lady of the Nativity School are a committed, hard-working team of professionals who work to ensure the best possible outcomes for our students.

Dedicated to their own professional learning, our teacher use innovative teaching methods to deliver an engaging curriculum to their students that is relevant to 21st Century learners. Our teaching staff have enthusiastically embraced the school’s move into the International Baccalaureate and celebrated their joint achievement when the school received authorization.

Teachers appreciate the collegial support they receive and the support of the parent community enabling them to do their jobs to the best of their ability in a supportive environment.



School Community Goal: To sustain and enhance a school community in which all members work together in a positive

partnership.

Intended Outcomes:

• That the relationship between home, school, Parish and the wider community is strengthened.

• That school involvement/commitment to Parish initiatives is increased.

Achievements Much has been achieved in the School Community sphere. Throughout 2015 Our Lady of the

Nativity School continued to receive active support from our parents and parish and endeavoured

to engage more in the local community via learning initiatives. The school has a strong focus on

Catholic Social Justice and our children were proactive in supporting organisations such as St

Vincent de Paul Society, Bahay Tuluyan in the Philippines and the Children First Foundation. We

developed a relationship with the Franciscan Friars who work with the poor in the South

Melbourne/St Kilda region through which the children and staff became more aware of the needs

of others in the wider community. We are committed to being inclusive and outward looking.

We are committed to enhancing our children’s learning opportunities through engaging with our

community and a strong partnership exists. Our Parent community is highly involved in the

learning process and willingly share their skills and expertise on a regular basis. Our children’s

learning has been enhanced by, for example:

As a school we are committed to forming strong links with the parish and our parishioners. The

children interact with the parish regularly at Friday mass and the parishioners often make a point

of providing feedback to teachers and the school administration. Suggestions from members of

the wider school community are also given due consideration and often incorporated into future

planning. Children also assisted at Parish functions such as the Winter Luncheon and Christmas

Celebrations where they engaged with, prepared food and served our elderly parishioners. These

interactions are highly beneficial for both the children and the parishioners. Many parents are also

involved in these functions which are true examples of ‘parish’ – multigenerational and

interdependent.

The school community enjoys the support of a very active Parents and Friends Association which,

though committed to raising funds for the school, also organises social activities for parents and

families. During 2013 some of these activities included: Prep family BBQ, Dad’s bowls night, Trivia



Night, Year Level dinners, Mothers’ Spring Racing Luncheon. Activities provided by the P & F for

the children included Footy Fever Day, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day stalls, Walkathon, Sacramental

Lunches, Graduation Supper. Through the fundraising efforts of the P & F many resources were

provided for the students and school.

A new initiative of the school, the Family Support Group, was established to provide extra support

for families in times of need. This parent run group held its inaugural fund raising day on St

Patrick’s Day, which served the dual purpose of raising the community’s awareness of their work

and making the group financial. The school is extremely supportive of such an initiative within a

community of caring.

Some of the opportunities that have been provided by the school in order to enhance community

are:

• Classroom helper training

• Maths and Literacy Programs

• Excursions and Incursions

• High community involvement in Passion Projects

• Active involvement in children’s inquiry learning and celebrations of learning.

• Mothers’ / Fathers’ Day stalls

• Organisation and facilitation of special events days

• Provision of lunch and special events for elderly parishioners

• An active Parents and Friends and sub committees such as Uniform shop, canteen,

maintenance committee

• Working bees

• Social evenings for parents

• School – Parish events

• Grandparents Day

• House Activities Days , sports days, special events

• Building relationships with local Catholic secondary schools: Attending secondary school

productions; assisting with work experience and community service placements for

secondary students.

• Sacramental Celebrations

• Carols night



PARENT SATISFACTION

Parents are highly supportive of the school, the direction it is taking, the teaching staff and the leadership of the school. At Our Lady of the nativity, parents have many opportunities to be actively involved in the life of the school. This varies from committees, to classroom support, to fundraising and specialised programs.

Parents have often commented on the receptiveness and openness that staff have to their concerns. This is a characteristic that has continued to help define our school. Parents have a genuine audience to hear their concerns, advice and ideas.

Wellbeing of all members of our community is paramount and we make every effort to ensure that parents feel genuinely involved and valued as members of our community. Parents know that they can come to the staff and find a receptive ear to sound their issues to. Concerns are treated with dignity, respect and confidentiality.



Financial Performance

REPORTING FRAMEWORK MODIFIED CASH $

Recurrent income Tuition

School fees 440,463

Other fee income 206,145

Private income 65,591

State government recurrent grants 682,721

Australian government recurrent grants 2,440,935

Total recurrent income $3,835,855

Recurrent Expenditure Tuition

Salaries; allowances and related expenses 2,576,128

Non salary expenses 558,410

Total recurrent expenditure $3,134,538

Capital income and expenditure Tuition

Government capital grants

Capital fees and levies 91,755

Other capital income 46,268

Total capital income $138,023

Total capital expenditure $64,115

Loans (includes refundable enrolment deposits and recurrent, capital and bridging loans)

Total opening balance $589,897

Total closing balance $543,629

The information provided above does not include system levies charged to individual schools, intra-systemic transfers and, for primary schools, the diocesan supplementary capital fund supporting primary schools’ capital borrowings. The information provided in this VRQA template is not comparable with other educational sectors or to ACARA school-level income reports displayed on the MySchool website. ACARA school level reporting requires system level income from Government grants and some private income to be allocated to each school resulting in a small adjustment to the total level of school resources. Currently, recurrent income from Government sources, school generated income and capital expenditure are reported by schools. When assessing the private income of the school, both recurrent and capital school fees are included.



Future Directions

Our Lady of the Nativity School remains committed to the education and well-being of

our students. In order to achieve the most positive outcomes for all our students we will

continue to strengthen the positive partnerships that exist between the school and the

children’s families and at the same time work to foster relationships beyond our school

to the benefit of all.

During 2016 we aim to consolidate learning within the framework of the Primary Years

Program. We hold firm to the belief that all members of our community are learners and

as such we will be focussing on learning on many levels. We will continue to provide

quality learning for our staff, particularly in the area of PYP and will ensure that all new

members of staff have access to this learning prior to beginning teaching at our school.

Collaboration will be a feature of learning at Our Lady of the Nativity School.

The embedding of the pedagogy of inquiry, the use of consistent language across the

school and the development of conceptual understandings and positive attitudes will

remain a focus. Children’s learning will be collaborative and constructivist and we will

aim to increase the emphasis and importance of student voice within the learning and

teaching cycle. We will encourage our students to take action to help build a better

world by becoming individuals and ‘learners who understand that other people with their

differences, can also be right.’ (IB Mission Statement).

Underpinning our learning will be a lived ethos that will continue to provide students with

a supportive and nurturing Catholic environment that will help them to come to know

their God.



VRQA Compliance Data • Copy your School Performance data via the link on the Annual Report to the School Community 2015

page and past here.

E1211 Our Lady of the Nativity School, Aberfeldie

PROPORTION OF STUDENTS MEETING THE MININUM STANDARDS

NAPLAN TESTS 2013

%

2014

%

2013–2014 Changes

%

2015

%

2014–2015 Changes

%

YR 03 Reading 100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 0.0

YR 03 Writing 100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 0.0

YR 03 Spelling 100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 0.0

YR 03 Grammar & Punctuation 100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 0.0

YR 03 Numeracy 100.0 100.0 0.0 96.3 -3.7

YR 05 Reading 100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 0.0

YR 05 Writing 100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 0.0

YR 05 Spelling 98.2 98.2 0.0 100.0 1.8

YR 05 Grammar & Punctuation 98.2 100.0 1.8 98.1 -1.9

YR 05 Numeracy 98.2 100.0 1.8 100.0 0.0



AVERAGE STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATE BY YEAR LEVEL %

Y01 94.19

Y02 95.12

Y03 92.82

Y04 94.01

Y05 94.62

Y06 93.84

Overall average attendance 94.10

TEACHING STAFF ATTENDANCE RATE

Teaching Staff Attendance Rate 86.49%



STAFF RETENTION RATE

Staff Retention Rate 86.67%

TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS

Doctorate 0.00%

Masters 28.57%

Graduate 14.29%

Certificate Graduate 0.00%

Degree Bachelor 80.95%

Diploma Advanced 42.86%

No Qualifications Listed 4.76%

STAFF COMPOSITION

Principal Class 2

Teaching Staff (Head Count)

38

FTE Teaching Staff

28.982

Non-Teaching Staff (Head Count)

11

FTE Non-Teaching Staff

7.101

Indigenous Teaching Staff

0

ANNUAL REPORT - Our Lady of the Nativity PS – Aberfeldie Lady of the Nativity School, Aberfeldie...

Documents

Transcript of ANNUAL REPORT - Our Lady of the Nativity PS – Aberfeldie Lady of the Nativity School, Aberfeldie...