2017 camden park environmental education centre annual report · camden park environmental...

Camden Park Environmental Education CentreAnnual Report

2017

5429

Printed on: 13 April, 2018 of 10 Camden Park Environmental Education Centre 5429 (2017)

Introduction

The Annual Report for 2017 is provided to the community of Camden Park Environmental Education Centre as anaccount of the school's operations 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.

Brian Trench

Principal

School contact details

Camden Park Environmental Education CentreFinns Rd & Remembrance DriveMenangle, 2568www.camdenpk-e.schools.nsw.edu.aucamdenpk-e.School@det.nsw.edu.au4636 6313


School background

School vision statement

CPEEC aims to provide a wide range of contextual learning opportunities that reinforce classroom learning and place anemphasis on values related to stewardship of the natural and built environment, animal ethics and sustainable food andfibre production.

Environmental and Zoo Education Centers (EZEC)Network Vision

Support NSW Public Schools to implement sustainability education through meaningful learning experiences in andabout the natural, built andcultural environment. We strive to be the leaders in providing students with the skills, valuesand opportunities to act as responsible citizens.

School context

Camden Park Environmental EducationCentre is one of 25 centres that make up the department’s Environmental andZoo Education Centre network. Each Centre has a unique emphasis and Camden Park EEC’s location on the 1,600 harural property known as the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI), allows specialisation in farm–based,heritage and environmental field work. Belgenny Farm is part of the EMAI and one of Australia’s most significant heritagesites while the EMAI itself is the state’s most important livestock research and diagnostic facility. Much emphasis isplaced on their significance in all teaching programs, as well as theimportance of food and fibre production generally.

The Centre is also well known for its marine–based, environmental programs including snorkel training of students andteachers and the conduct of overnight, marine discovery expeditions. CPEEC facilitates the local Sustainable andEnvironmental Educators network (SEED). Through this network the Centre also facilitated Australia’s first pilot of theinternational Eco–Schools program.

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.

This year the centre continued to sustain and further improve in most areas, particularly in the element of Curriculum andLearning as a result of the continued redevelopment of programs to ensure close alignment with syllabus documents,addressing teacher/student needs and maximising student learning opportunities.

We continue to investigate and construct new tools to improve assessment and reporting of learning which remains achallenging element of centre assessment.

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

Empowering learners

Purpose

To support schools in the development of responsible, resilient students with a knowledge of, and interest in the worldaround them, an appreciation for their natural and built heritage and the skills and attitudes to live sustainably

Overall summary of progress

Our ability for on–farm over–night capacity has developed with key stakeholder support and although school take–up isslower than targets; forward bookings are encouraging. New programs have been introduced steadily mainly in responseto new curricula and many of these utilise new sites, both on the EMAI and other properties. A number of newtechnologies have been implemented and the role of ICT in pedagogy trialled. Development of the centre's website hascomplimented a new presence on social media platforms and has led to an increase in website visits well in excess oftargets.

Progress towards achieving improvement measures

Improvement measures(to be achieved over 3 years)

Funds Expended(Resources)

Progress achieved this year

The centre runs a minimum of sixovernight farming–basedprograms per year

Our ability for on–farmover–night capacity hasdeveloped with keystakeholder support andalthough school take–up isslower than targets; forwardbookings are encouraging.

10% increase in school visits forsustainability programs andstudent leadership

An increase in sustainabilityand leadershipprograms significantlyabove targets was achievedthrough the introduction ofthe whole–school peersupport unit and theSustainable Schools EXPOincursion.

One new program per year thatutilizes a new area of the property

New programs have beenintroduced steadily mainlyin response to new curriculaand many of these utilisenew sites, both on the EMAIand other properties.

20% increase in web site visitseach year

A number of newtechnologies have beenimplemented and the role ofICT in pedagogy trialled.Development of the centre'swebsite has complimenteda new presence on socialmedia platforms and hasled to an increase inwebsite visits well in excessof targets.

Next Steps

New programs will continue to be developed and key infrastructure will be acquired adjacent to the centre's base to


assist in a broader range of delivery. ICT will be considered as appropriate rather than as a separate strategic item butnew opportunities will be pursued in a number of media platforms. The centre will investigate the support ofenvironmental leadership through existing, third party organisations as well as the EEC network in order to optimisestudent outcomes.



Building teacher capacity

Purpose

In order to facilitate student learning CPEEC will constantly seek to improve Centre–based Quality Teaching and providea range of professional learning opportunities with an emphasis on learning for sustainability including foodand fibreproduction.


The results gained by the centre in this space were mixed; with technical difficulties hampering the roll–out of plannedICT training opportunities although targets were met through some modest success with Eco–Schools training and alsothe successful offering of an 8–ways course utilizing local Aboriginal support officers.





20% increase in number of TPLopportunities created by thecentre

This target was exceededthrough provision of extraEco–School implementationcourses and 8–waystraining

100% per year increase innumber of teachers registered forcentre–run TPL through MyPL

This target has beenexceeded

Next Steps

The centre will investigate alternative means of supporting teachers with TPL that is appropriate for the current HR modelunder which it operates. Results in Learning for Sustainability are encouraging but it may be more effective to seekopportunities to leverage off third party initiatives for example. Offering on–site training in ICT will be discontinued untilavailable infrastructure is improved sufficiently to assure reliable connection.



Building and maintaining strong partnerships

Purpose

By building stronger partnerships CPEEC hopes to promote a culture of collaboration among community stakeholders inorder to provide the greatest possible volume and diversity of student learning opportunities.


The centre's critical partnership with the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute remains strong. A new level ofcooperation with the University of Sydney and Country Valley has served to broaden program offerings and improveservice reliability. Ties have been formed with a new, local AECG and also the regional AECG which has created a solidplatform for improvement in development and provision of Aboriginal Education opportunities.





One or more new, on–goingpartnership developed with atertiary institution

The partnership with theUniversity of Sydney hasbeen expanded to providemore and variedopportunities for Stage 5and 6 students.

One or more new AboriginalEducation program each yearwith local Aboriginal Educationalconsultative Group and otherAboriginal educators

New Aboriginal educationprograms have beendeveloped both as acomponent of largerprograms and asstand–alone offerings.Centre personnel are nowmembers of the NarellanAECG and have consultedwith this group and also theregional AECG.

Next Steps

A new strategic emphasis in Aboriginal Education will be a priority and this may lead to new partnerships in the tertiarysector. Preparations for a potential change in human resource availability must guide other considerations and this mightinvolve infrastructure development that improves human movement efficiency and/or cooperative ventures with othercentres.


Student information

CPEEC student visitation figures are based on afive–hour face–to–face teaching equivalent. Thismeans each student day equates to an individualstudent that is subject to five hours of teaching byCPEEC teaching staff.

In 2017, 5034 students visited CPEEC for bothsingle day and overnight learning programs. All learningstages were represented in visitation data from EarlyLearning to Stage 6 and as in previous years, Stage 3students represented the largest category of studentnumbers (63%) and teaching days. As isalso consistent with previous years, Stage 6 made upthe second highest category of teaching days.

Workforce information

Workforce composition

Position FTE*

Principal 1

Deputy Principal(s) 0

Assistant Principal(s) 0

Head Teacher(s) 0

Classroom Teacher(s) 0

Teacher of Reading Recovery 0

Learning & Support Teacher(s) 0

Teacher Librarian 0

Teacher of ESL 0

School Counsellor 0

School Administration & SupportStaff

1.03

Other Positions 0

*Full Time Equivalent

The current staffing allocation for the centre include 1.0teaching principal and 1.032 administrative support fora total of 2.032.

There are currently no indigenous staff working at thecentre

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 0

Professional learning and teacher accreditation

A total of $1541.69 was spent on professional learningin 2017. Professional learning included attendance atthe 2017 EZEC Conference, 2017 EZEC PrincipalsConference and completion of training in CPR, ChildProtection, Anaphylaxis, Collaborative practice,e–emergency care and snorkelling instruction.

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 54,983

Global funds 22,737

Tied funds 2,467

School & community sources 59,855

Interest 490

Trust receipts 0

Canteen 0

Total Receipts 85,549

Payments

Teaching & learning

Key Learning Areas 76,779

Excursions 0

Extracurricular dissections 0

Library 8

Training & Development 0

Tied Funds Payments 5,128

Short Term Relief 0

Administration & Office 3,422

Canteen Payments 0

Utilities 971

Maintenance 1,529

Trust Payments 886

Capital Programs 0

Total Payments 88,722

Balance carried forward 51,810

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 107,498

Appropriation 69,132

Sale of Goods and Services -850

Grants and Contributions 39,072

Gain and Loss 0

Other Revenue 0

Investment Income 144

Expenses -55,747

Recurrent Expenses -55,747

Employee Related -28,024

Operating Expenses -27,722

Capital Expenses 0

Employee Related 0

Operating Expenses 0

SURPLUS / DEFICIT FOR THEYEAR

51,751

Balance Carried Forward 51,751

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.

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 233,366

Base Per Capita 4,585

Base Location 0

Other Base 228,781

Equity Total 0

Equity Aboriginal 0

Equity Socio economic 0

Equity Language 0

Equity Disability 0

Targeted Total 0

Other Total 0

Grand Total 233,366

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.

Parent/caregiver, student, teachersatisfaction

Teacher satisfaction is assessed through writtenevaluation tools as well as personal correspondence;student satisfaction through analysis of written,follow–up material and comments on the day of theexcursion, while parent reflection is undertaken throughpersonal communication.

Policy requirements

Aboriginal education

All centre programs contain an Aboriginal perspectiveand a relationship has been maintained for many yearswith local Elders. Regular contact has been established

with the Narellan Aboriginal Education ConsultativeGroup this year and the centre is currently workingtowards providing a greater contribution to AboriginalEducation locally.

Multicultural and anti-racism education

All programs are developed to be suitable for studentsfrom various cultural and religious backgrounds. TheCPEEC promotes a racism free learning and workingenvironment.


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