St Anthony’s School School Performance Report 2016
The following Report provides details of the 2016 academic year. This Report meets the school’s responsibility in reporting information to parents on its 2016 performance (Schools Assistance Act 2008). CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION St Anthony’s School is situated in the south west region in the suburb of Edwardstown. It was opened in 1930 by the Dominican Sisters, welcoming families from the local community. St Anthony’s is committed to maintaining links with its founding sisters and their charism of welcoming all to our community. We strive to keep their motto, Veritas (Truth) at the core of our vision; Growing in Faith Building Knowledge Working for Justice . Our school community is reflective of our multicultural society and nurtures a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect. Our hope is to be a school community that recognises the uniqueness of every person, nurturing faith and wellbeing, and pursuing excellence in education. Flexible learning spaces provide excellent learning opportunities with contemporary pedagogies and digital technologies. Specialist programs including Music, Japanese, Physical Education and Performing Arts all complement our students’ education. The school has a vibrant OSHC facility (that offers Vacation Care), Chaplain and an Inclusive Education Coordinator. Whole school celebrations include St Anthony’s Feast Day, Sports Day, Book Week, Bi Annual Fete plus others as they arise. A strong focus on Outdoor learning is supported through the physical structures of our spaces, including a purpose built nature play area, Butterfly garden and Veggie Patches.
TEACHER STANDARDS AND QUALIFICATIONS AT ST. ANTHONY’S SCHOOL In our school, we are very fortunate to have teachers committed to lifelong learning. The breakdown of the qualifications of the teaching and education support staff is:
Masters Degree Bachelor Degree Master Special Education
2 10 1
The cost of Professional Learning Days for 2016 was a total of $11040.00 (comprising of $8018.00 for Relief Teachers’ cost and $3022.00 for Professional Development costs). All staff are supported in working towards their goals, including access to high quality professional learning. Our whole school staff participated in a number of professional learning opportunities which occurred on Pupil Free Days and during Staff Meetings. These included:
Effective Use of Data a Collaborative Project–University Southern Queensland a coordinated project through CESA Assessment for Learning – CESA Cluster Project. Exploring Acara Achievement standards/moderated examples of work within the Bands Kidsmatter Early Years – highlighting the importance of valuing the child in learning STEM workshops – robotics in mathematics PAT testing workshops – effective use of data ‘On Holy Ground’ Ecological Sustainability
All teaching staff have a set of documented and regularly reviewed goals and are supported in working towards their goals through access to high quality professional learning.
WORKFORCE COMPOSITION For 2016, there were 9.0 FTE teaching staff members and our total teaching staff numbers were 15 (made up of 13 females and 2 male teachers). Our staff attendance rate for 2016 was 93%. The Staff Retention rate from 2015 to 2016 was 93.34%. There were 16 non-teaching staff members (3 male and 13 females) employed which included 7.9 FTE. There included our Out of School Hours Care Program and we had 6 instrumental tutors working in our Instrumental Program every week. KEY STUDENT OUTCOMES 1. STUDENT ATTENDANCE The total number of student enrolments in 2016 was 156. The average student attendance rate for our school in 2016 was: 2016 Attendance Data YEAR LEVEL
TERM 1
TERM 2
TERM 3
TERM 4
Reception
96.63%
92.04%
89.12%
93.69%
Year 1
90.02%
93.75%
91.75%
92.99%
Year 2
93.59%
95.04%
90.97%
97.15%
Year 3
93.89%
93.93%
92.36%
93.95%
Year 4
95.65%
96.63%
92.85%
93.74%
Year 5
91.31%
92.55%
91.07%
92.51%
Average
93.52%
93.99%
91.35%
94.01%
The percentage of Indigenous enrolments was 2.56% and the percentage of students with disabilities was 8.97%. It is an expectation that parents inform the school when their child is absent from school by telephoning between 8.30am and 9:00am, and sending the class teacher a note explaining the absence on the student’s return. School attendance is monitored by classroom teachers and absences are recorded daily on our student system ceSIS, and reports are produced each term. In the event that a high level of unexplained absences is recorded, the parent/caregiver is notified and the class teacher informed accordingly. Should this continue without any explanation, then a member of the Leadership Team is contacted and the school will inform Child Abuse Report Line (CARL).
2. STUDENT OUTCOMES IN STANDARDISED NATIONAL LITERACY AND NUMERACY (NAPLAN) TESTING AT ST ANTHONY’S SCHOOL IN 2016. Our Year 5 results have improved with 100% of our students achieving the National Minimum Standard in Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar & Punctuation & Numeracy. This comparison is made from analyzing the results of the same cohort of students in 2014 and 2016. In particular, this group of students area that indicated the most improvement was writing. Year 3 students do not have a comparison for their cohort as 2016 is the first year they have sat the NAPLAN. Teachers will analyse the NAPLAN data and compare it to the PAT M and PAT R in Term 4. This will help the staff identify areas where students require support for 2017.
Liz Commane (Literacy Coordinator)
REPORT SUMMARY Percentage of students who have achieved the minimum standard Component
2014
2016
Score
% Improvement
Difference Reading
482.4
551.6
69.2
12.5%
Writing
394.1
490.5
96.4
19.6%
Spelling
434.3
499.9
65.6
13%
Grammar & Punctuation
459
529.4
70.4
13.2%
Numeracy
439.6
503.9
64.3
12.7%
Year 3 % students who achieved the National Minimum Standard Component 2014 2015 2016 Reading 97 92 96 Writing 93 81 96 Spelling 97 88 96 Grammar and Punctuation 97 92 96 Numeracy 97 88 96 Year 5 % students who achieved the National Minimum Standard Component 2014 2015 2016 Reading 89 92 100 Writing 84 88 100 Spelling 89 88 100 Grammar and Punctuation 89 92 100 Numeracy 94 92 100
Growth in the means score for 2014, 2015 and 2016 Year 3 Component Reading Writing Spelling Grammar and Punctuation Numeracy
MEAN SCORES 2014 2015 482.4 464.5 394.1 381 434.3 417.4 459 432.5 439.6 383.2
2016 447 430.1 428.4 436.8 414.5
Year 5 Component Reading Writing Spelling Grammar and Punctuation Numeracy
MEAN SCORES 2014 2015 508.9 514.4 449.6 464.9 494.4 491.7 483.5 507.5 475.5 488.4
2016 551.6 490.5 499.9 529.4 503.9
ESTIMATED STANDARDISED STUDENT PROGRESS BETWEEN 2014-2016 LITERACY AND NUMERACY NAPLAN measures individual growth in learning for students in Year 5 and these are classified as low growth, Medium growth and Upper Growth. The Year 5 cohort predominantly fall in the MEDIUM student progress for Literacy & Numeracy. The area that showed the most progress (ie) UPPER growth was Reading.
Year 5
Reading
PROGRESS/GROWTH School Australia 4% 25% LOW 57% 50% MEDIUM 39% 25% UPPER
Numeracy School Australia 23% 25% 50% 50% 27% 25%
NOTE: Low – Student progress between tests is low when compared with students of similar ability. Medium – Student progress between tests is average when compared with student of similar ability. Upper – Student progress between tests is high when compared with students of similar ability.
VALUE ADDED PROGRAMS St Anthony’s School offers many educational experiences and celebrations throughout the year that provide special opportunities for its students, staff and wider community. These include:
Our Catholic Culture: Throughout the year, Masses, Liturgies, and Whole School Mission Efforts were hosted by class groups and communities. All were done in consultation with the APRIM (Assistant Principal – Religious Identity and Mission). Fr Phillip is our Parish Priest and is the President of our School Board. Mission Efforts: Every term, there is a whole school Mission Effort for a Social Justice initiative. These include Caritas, St Vincent De Paul, Soup Group for Hutt Street, Catholic Charities and Catholic Missions. St Anthony’s Feast Day: Our annual celebration gives us the opportunity to celebrate our Patron Saint’s day with a Whole School Mass.
St Anthony’s offered the following programs for the benefit of the students in our care: Inclusive Education Program: funded support for students with identifiable learning disabilities. Out of School Hours Care Program (OSHC): a nationally accredited service providing before and after school care for approximately 70 students. Our Program is operated by qualified staff and is opened for Vacation Care every school break. We received an Exceeding Rating. Premier’s Reading Challenge: in 2016, another very successful year for our school whereby almost 64.10% of students were involved in the program. Gardening Club: students from different year levels work with the groundsman in maintaining the different gardens around the school.
Music Program: The fundamental part of the Music Program at St Anthony’s comprised of weekly 40 minute class music lessons. Throughout the year, all students were involved in a wide range of musical activities including singing, playing instruments, moving, and listening, reading and composing music. Many students were also involved in elective music groups, which rehearsed and performed during the year. These included:
Festival Choir: The choir trained throughout the first three terms to perform at the Catholic Schools Music Festival in September at the Festival Theatre. However due to a statewide blackout, the event did not occur this year which was disappointing for the students.
St Anthony’s Ukulele Bands: The band rehearsed every Monday and performed at various school and community events.
The Private Instrumental Program: involving 6 tutors, continued with about 38 students participating each week. It involved a wide range of instruments including piano, guitar, voice, drums, and violin. The R-2 Students presented a concert in the Resource Centre and the 3-5 students Recital Night took place at Sacred Heart College on Tuesday 6th December.
2016 Sports and Physical Activity Opportunities: Physical activity opportunities for students at St Anthony’s School are a significant part of encouraging fun, positive experiences to promote lifelong physical activity for our students. In addition to their Physical Education lessons, the students have opportunities to participate in a number of in-school time sporting events and carnivals. St Anthony’s School is a member and supporter of the South Australian Primary Schools Amateur Sports Association (SAPSASA), the South Australian Catholic Primary School Sports Association (SACSPSA) and the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER SA). 2016 events included; Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival (Boys & Girls Year 3-5) Catholic Athletics Carnival (Boys & Girls Year 3-5) Catholic Netball Carnival (Boys and Girls Year 3-5 teams) Catholic Schools Cross Country (Boys & Girls Year 3-5) Catholic Touch Football Carnival (Boys & Girls Year 3-5 teams) In-school sporting promotional events included: Sports Presentation Night Jump Rope for Heart Program West Adelaide Football Club (Year 2 and Year 5 classes) SA Cricket ‘In2Cricket’ clinics (Reception-1 and Year 3-4) PE Week – Various Activities – skipping, Zumba, Staff vs Student Basketball Game, student led activities Walkathon At St Anthony’s School, we offer a wide range of After School Sports to suit varying skill levels. Players rely on the generosity of our parents who become registered volunteers in order to coach these teams. Students in Years Two to Year Five can be involved in the following: Basketball (Year 2-5) Netball (Years 2-5) Cricket (Years 4-5) Kanga Cricket (Years 2 and 3) AFL (Years 2-5) Soccer (Years 2-5) Students in Reception to Year 2 can be involved in the following at local centres Auskick
Japanese Program: Semester 1 The first Term of 2016 was devoted to getting to know students, staff and the school. This linked in well with the Semester 1 Japanese program, as students in all year levels practiced greetings and self-introductions, ranging from simply saying ‘hello’ and ‘good bye’ in reception to being able to answer simple questions about themselves in Year 5. Students explored Japanese culture through making Daruma dolls and koinobori (carp kites) and other craft activities centered around ‘Kodomo no hi’ (Children’s Day). They also practiced counting and following classroom instructions in Japanese. All students had a chance to demonstrate what they had learnt in Japanese in one to one interviews in term 2. Years 4 and 5 students were given the extra challenge of having a short conversation in Japanese, answering the questions “How are you? What is your name?” and “How old are you?”. Semester 2 Term 3 marked the beginning of a new Semester and new topics for all year level groups. In Reception/ Year 1, we welcomed the new students, revised some basic greetings from Semester 1 and began learning about animals and colours. Students in 2/3 classes worked hard to learn the names and colours of the animals from the story “Brown Bear”. Students in some classes were also introduced to Japanese Summer Festivals and made paper lanterns. Year 4/5 students began a topic on “what’s in my school bag?”, naming stationary items we use at school and asking each other politely for objects in the classroom. To tie in with the Year of Mercy, students in Years 4/5 also examined the kanji (Japanese characters) for the words ‘mercy’ and ‘peace’ and created lanterns with these words written in Japanese. Term 4 is the time when we assessed our learning from the second semester. Reception/ year 1 students practiced their song to share at the Japanese Cultural afternoon. Students in Years 2/3 finished their animal and colour flip books and demonstrating their knowledge through individual aural assessments. Year 4/5 students completed their mini “What’s in my bag” story books, writing all the target vocabulary in Japanese. Their final task being to read their books to me individually. It was positive to see that students understood the language for classroom objects in Japanese, so more target language can now be used in class. The year ended with a wonderful celebration, our first Japanese Cultural afternoon. All classes enjoyed playing some Japanese games and activities and some classes demonstrated what they had learned throughout the year at the Japanese/Drama assembly. It was wonderful to see how the community embraced this event, with many families making the effort to bring Japanese themed ‘bentos’ or lunch boxes and dress in Japanese colours and clothing. The hope is that this will become a regular event on the St Anthony’s school calendar. I would like to extend a heartfelt ‘arigatou’ (thank you) to the St Anthony’s community for embracing and supporting the Japanese programme in 2016.
PARENT, STUDENT AND TEACHER SATISFACTION WITH THE SCHOOL
Parents, staff and students were involved in a 2016 Satisfaction Survey which gives us information about how we perform as a Catholic School (Catholic Ethos), the teaching and learning programs we currently offer, opportunities for students to grow and develop, communication strategies used to relay information to you, and facilities utilised to deliver a quality education. Every parent, student and staff member had the opportunity to engage in this process towards the end of the school year. Summary of staff strengths were 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
They can see that the school gives witness to Catholic Social Teaching They have opportunities to grow in their faith development They are kept informed about decisions that affect their roles They have clear understanding of St Anthony’s vision and values They feel that their professional development as a teacher is supported
Summary of the parents’ strengths were: They can see that St Anthony’s is a Catholic School They believe that at St Anthony’s there is a strong sense of belonging They are kept informed about their child’s progress St Anthony’s works with them to support their child’s learning They feel comfortable about approaching staff about their child Student behaviour is managed well St Anthony’s works collaboratively with them to foster a learning and vibrant community There is a range of extra-curricular activities at St Anthony’s Summary of Year 5 students’ strengths were: They can see that St Anthony’s is a Catholic School They feel their learning is improving They feel safe and happy at St Anthony’s The School listens to their ideas They are given opportunities to be leaders They are given the opportunity to participate in things that they enjoy doing
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT Our goals for 2016 focused on the following areas: 1. Catholic Identity 2. Focused Vision and Values 3. High Quality Teaching & Learning & Effective Use of Data
General Overview Our focus in 2016 explored the possibilities and learnings within Ecological Sustainability, to develop a learning document around whole school pedagogy, to continue to foster and develop student voice and leadership, and to continue to work on reflecting on the effective use of data.
Goal No 1 : Catholic Identity To make a commitment to ecological conversion and sustainability and to continue to be inspired and directed by Laudata Si’. Under Robyn Mercer’s leadership with staff the document ‘On Holy Ground’ was unpacked challenging us all to play a more active part in conserving the world’s precious natural resources of air, water, fauna, flora, and rainforests. Each individual has a responsibility towards teaching and learning more about how to make our world more sustainable into the future. This is a whole school commitment that we will continue to learn about and investigate opportunities for children to be involved. All teaching staff made a commitment in Term 3 to ‘Earth Hour’ each Friday involving children in art, gardening, science, water ecology and recycling. We will continue to pursue this goal into the future, growing knowledge and experience in this vital area and growing the student voice. To ‘make meaning’ of Scripture and Theology The social justice group continued to meet, discuss and action many events throughout the year. This leadership group continues to grow under Mrs. Mercer’s mentoring. Goal No 2: Focused Vision and Values Our vision, mission and values remained unchanged. Vision:
Growing in Faith Building Knowledge Working for Justice
Mission:
St Anthony’s Catholic School is a community of learners who through inquiring minds and reflective hearts celebrate and nurture a love of God, each other and creation to become the good news for the world”
Our Values:
We Learn, We Love, We Listen, We Laugh, We Lead
School postcards and letterheads were developed
Below is our Educational Vision and the 4 Essential Learnings that drive this. St Anthony’s is a community of learners engaging in authentic, creative, reflective practices within a collaborative environment.
Goal No 3:
To develop a whole school pedagogy This is a whole school system that allows children to easily access and understand the learning process. It ensures a seamless transition of learning from one class to the next, empowering and building the capabilities of the learner. To assist in this process all classes have focused on ‘Growth Mindset’ by Carol Dweck a leading educational psychologist who focuses on a positive mindset that as learners we are capable and will learn. ‘In a growth mindset, challenges are exciting rather than threatening. So rather than thinking, oh, I'm going to reveal my weaknesses, you say, wow, here's a chance to grow.’ Carol S. Dweck ‘If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. That way, their children don’t have to be slaves of praise. They will have a lifelong way to build and repair their own confidence.’ Carol S. Dweck Accompanied with this thinking we have developed a learning line across the school. The essence of the Learning Line is depicted below and based on our Learner qualities of Brave, Wonder, Connect, Explore, Reflect and Collaborate:
A Year 4/5 graphic picture of the Learning Line.
This Learning line was based on the research readings of Mark Treadwell, John Nottingham, Dylan Williams and Carol Dweck. In order to be successful we want children to be open to wondering and exploring the options. If they are able to understand, connect and reflect on their learning they will be successful. However we all at times get stuck ‘in the pit’. Instead of shutting down we teach the children to use a ‘growth mindset’ to be ‘brave’ and maybe ask a friend to explain, the teacher, and/or to identify which part of the learning they do or don’t get! This helps them to get out of the pit and continue their learning.
To assist the children in developing language around the learning we have further developed graphics around the learner qualities as demonstrated below :
POST SCHOOL DESTINATIONS 2016 Year five students went on to the following schools; Cabra College - 19 Sacred Heart Middle School – 4
Edwardstown Primary School - 1 Marymount College – 2 Westminster College –1
SCHOOL INCOME The school’s income is broken down by the following funding source: RECURRENT INCOME Government Grants Fees (Discounts) Other Income TOTAL CAPITAL INCOME Capital Fees Diocesan Levy Donations TOTAL
$1,707,274 $ 343,355 ($ 69,500) $ 90,583 $2,072,062
$29,378 NIL NIL $ 29,378
