mother teresa primary school, westmead · 2019-07-31 · key messages principal i am proud to...

23
Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Darcy Road, Westmead 2145 Principal: Mrs Elizabeth Devlin Phone: 02 8841 2600 Fax: 02 8841 2699 Email: [email protected] http://www.motherteresawestmead.catholic.edu.au

Upload: others

Post on 30-Jun-2020

0 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Mother Teresa Primary School,WestmeadDarcy Road, Westmead 2145Principal: Mrs Elizabeth DevlinPhone: 02 8841 2600 Fax: 02 8841 2699Email: [email protected]://www.motherteresawestmead.catholic.edu.au

Page 2: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead
Page 3: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Introduction

About the Annual School ReportMother Teresa Primary School is registered by the New South Wales Education StandardsAuthority, NESA, as a member of the Catholic system of schools in the Diocese of Parramatta.

The Annual School Report provides parents and the wider school community with fair, accurateand objective information about various aspects of school performance and development. TheReport describes achievement of school development priorities in 2018 and gives informationabout the 2019 priorities.

This Report is a legislative requirement under the Schools Assistance Act, 2008 and the EducationAmendment Act 2004.

The information in this Report is complemented by the school website where other schoolpublications and newsletters can be viewed or obtained from the school.

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 2

Page 4: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Key Messages

PrincipalI am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School,Westmead.

Mother Teresa Primary School is a co-educational Catholic school situated in Westmead thatopened as a new school at the beginning of 2012. We currently cater for students fromKindergarten to Year 6, and in 2019 will cater to a total enrolment of up to 420 students.

In a world that is constantly changing, the students of today and tomorrow will need to developcreative minds and gentle hearts. Mother Teresa Primary School, through our Catholic heritage,will develop children’s minds and hearts by providing:

learning environments enriched by Catholic faith and valueseducation tailored to individual needs, passions and creativitya safe and well-resourced learning environmentan emphasis on active student engagement utilising 21st century learning technology

As a school community we follow in the footsteps of Mother Teresa, whose generous spiritinspires us to focus our energies on bringing dignity and compassion into the lives of those whoare less fortunate than ourselves.

ParentMother Teresa Primary School continually strives to develop strong and positive relationshipswith our parents. The school has developed an inviting and welcoming culture. Parents havebeen particularly involved through our Parent Support Networks. There were opportunities forparents to be involved in the life of the school. These included in 2018:

reading programsinformation eveningsparent university opportunities with a focus on an aspect of the primary curriculum,including our 2018 school goals on numeracy, formation and literacywelcome morning tea for new parentswelcome barbecue for new familiesKindergarten gymnastics helpersassisting with excursions and sporting eventsvisits to learning spaces for Catholic Schools Week and accompanying Learning StudiovideosMothers Day and Fathers Day stalls and picnicswhole-school and grade liturgies and celebrations poetry slam presentationsbingo and disco family nightschool excursions and sporting eventsColour Challenge Fun DayCuppa With the Principal - parent forums every termbook covering of library booksnew Kindergarten 2019 families - welcome morning tea and information sessions withexisting families

The school offered unique opportunities for parents to see their children's learning through:

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 3

Page 5: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

attendance at Eucharistic and other liturgiesCelebrations of Learning held once a term - students had an opportunity to showcasetheir learningaccess to Years 4 to 6 students' digital learning journal Skoolbag notifications of significant learning and community eventsparent/teacher/student conferences - providing an opportunity for parents to collaboratewith their child in discussing goals and challenges

Mother Teresa Primary School employed a number of ways to communicate with parents. Theseincluded our fortnightly on-line newsletter, Heartlinks, our website and Facebook sites. OurSkoolbag app was a vital communication tool to keep parents informed of key school events.

StudentOver the past seven years we have worked to establish a culture of collaboration andcompassion. Students at Mother Teresa Primary School have been encouraged to offer feedbackon the practices and procedures within their learning studios and playground.

In 2018, there were a number of learning opportunities in which our students participated.These included:

our opening and end-of-year massesthe continued practice of daily Christian meditationthe celebration St Teresa of Kolkata's Feast Dayterm visits to our local nursing home, Mayflower, and reciprocal visits to our school byMayflower residentsthe continuation of our 1-1 iPad Learning program in Years 4, 5 and 6representing the school in extra-curricular activities including swimming, athletics, soccer,netball, gymnastics, cross country, ANZAC day ceremonies and the Captivate Creative Artsprogramleading social justice initiatives such as the 'Vinnies' Winter Appeal and the Jesuit RefugeeAppeal leading and assisting school liturgies'Mother Teresa's Got Talent' questauthor visit and workshops Kindergarten to Year 6 (K-6)'Colour Challenge Fun' day focusing on teamwork and a healthy, active lifestylestudent representative forums with the principal and assistant principal on the practicesand procedures at the schoolNational Literacy and Numeracy Week activities, including poetry slam presentationsGenius Hourbook club, coding club and gardening club

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 4

Page 6: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Who we are

History of the schoolThe school's unofficial history began in 2009 when the Diocese of Parramatta decided that therewas a need for a second primary school in the Westmead area. In 2010 an extra Kindergartenclass was established on the Sacred Heart Primary School, Westmead site. These students, whileenrolled in their host school, were actually the first class of Mother Teresa Primary School. Asconstruction of the new school took longer than expected, in 2011 two Kindergarten classes anda Year 1 class remained at the Sacred Heart Primary School site.

Mother Teresa Primary School is very grateful for the generosity shown by the Sacred HeartPrimary School community in supporting the establishment of our school.

At the beginning of 2012, the Darcy Road site was completed and Mother Teresa Primary Schoolwas officially opened, sharing the site with two established secondary schools, CatherineMcAuley and Parramatta Marist High, Westmead. When we opened our doors, the school hadtwo Kindergarten classes, two Year 1 classes, one Year 2 class and a Year 3/4 composite class.

The final stage of the school building project was completed in 2014 allowing for enrolmentsfrom Kindergarten to Year 6.

Location/drawing areaIn 2018, Mother Teresa Primary School catered for students from Kindergarten to Year 6. In2018, there were two streams of Kindergarten to Year 6.

Located in the Westmead Catholic Education Precinct, the school serves the Sacred Heart Parishand draws on students from the local Westmead district and beyond.

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 5

Page 7: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Workforce Composition

Category Numberof Staff

Number of teachers who hold teaching qualification from a higher educationinstitution within Australia or as recognised within the National Office of OverseasSkills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) guidelines

25

Number of teachers who have a bachelor degree from a higher education institutionwithin Australia or within AEI-NOOSR guidelines but lacking formal teacherqualifications

0

Number of teachers accreditated to teach Religious Education 20

Number of teachers currently undertaking accreditation to teach Religious Education 2

Number of non-teaching staff (includes teachers' aides) 8

Percentage of teachers who are indigenous 0

The average teacher attendance for 2018 95

Percentage of 2018 teaching staff who were retained from 2017 85

Catholic Identity and Religious Education

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 6

Page 8: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Catholic Identity and Religious Education

Prayer, Liturgical Life and Faith ExperiencesIn 2018 Mother Teresa Primary School community prayed traditional Catholic prayers, includingthe Angelus, daily. Christian meditation occurred at 12 o’clock. This incorporated Scripturepassages across the school community. Christian meditation aimed to teach children to find Godin stillness, silence, and simplicity.

Staff prayed and meditated on the Scriptures weekly, as did the Leadership Team. A staff gospeldiscussion group was established to examine Mark's Gospel.

The school’s major celebration was the Feast Day of St Mother Teresa of Kolkata. This liturgicalcelebration was presided over by the parish priest, and shared with families. The celebrationtook place at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta. Kindergarten children took part in aninformative, guided tour of the Cathedral prior to the liturgy.

The Eucharist was celebrated:to begin the school year with the combined staff of Parramatta Marist High, CatherineMcAuley and Sacred Heart Primary, Westmeadat our Staff Formation and Professional Learning Dayon the Feast of the Assumption by Year 3 to Year 6 in the Mercy Chapel at Catherine McAuleyat the beginning and end of the school year in the Morley Centreat our Year 6 Graduation

Reconciliation was offered for students in Years 4 to 6. Weekly prayer with a gospel basis was runby students. Our school Faith in Action Team (FIAT), comprising Stage 3 students, was establishedand these students led significant events.

Liturgies of the Word were held for important events and feast days such as Ash Wednesday,Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, ANZAC Day, Remembrance Day, Mothers Day and Fathers Day.Primary students took part in liturgies once a term at the local nursing home.

Emphasis on the seasons of the church through liturgical colour, banners and focus points couldbe found around the school. Inspirational quotes by Mother Teresa were displayed as well as artworks depicting stories of Jesus, which were linked to the school’s '5 Learner Qualities'.

Social JusticeThrough the example of Mother Teresa, and our school motto of Gentle Hearts and CreativeMinds, we strive to develop a deep sense of social justice that forms our expression of love forothers within and beyond our local community. Examples of outreach at Mother Teresa Primaryincluded the following:

The students had a close relationship with the residents in a local nursing home, makingregular visits and inviting residents to a concert at the end of the year.Easter eggs were collected for Mayflower nursing home, Ronald McDonald House and theWestmead Children’s Hospital.The school participated in the Project Compassion Lenten appeal raising funds forAustralian Catholic Mission; and supporting St Vincent de Paul (SVDP) through theirWinter Appeal with money, clothing, food and blankets for those in need, and theChristmas Appeal by supplying goods for hampers.funds for the SVDP Drought appealgoods for the Jesuit Refugee ServiceThere was an active Mini Vinnies group of senior students who participated in organising

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 7

Page 9: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

funds and raise awareness in order to support St Vincent de Paul and the missionaries byorganising a winter sleep-out; and various mufti days throughout the year.Students sent personal Christmas cards to nursing home residents, and for distribution tothe lonely and homeless through the St Vincent de Paul society.There was support for World Youth Day (WYD) pilgrims through our contributions to theSacred Heart Parish, World Youth Day (WYD) raffle.Families who had been relocated owing to medical emergencies were supported.

Learning programs actively promoted a sense of social justice and a call to mission through ourfaith.

School home and parish partnershipsThe school supported the parish Sacramental program by linking, where possible, our ReligiousEducation units. Children were recognised with personal letters, a memento and werecongratulated at school following the celebration of the Sacraments.

We issued reflections by the principal and Religious Education coordinator (REC) regularlythrough the on-line newsletter, Heartlinks, our Facebook page and Skoolbag app. Parish eventswere noted through a link to the parish newsletter.

Parents were welcome to be part of the community with liturgical celebrations throughout theyear; including Mothers Day and Fathers Day. Parents were invited to Thursday morning prayerand to celebrations such as our end of year Christmas concert.

Religious EducationThe school Religious Education program is based on the Parramatta Diocesan curriculumdocument, Sharing Our Story. Each year, every grade studies units of work relating to missionwith a direct correlation with the story and work of Mother Teresa, the Easter season, Adventand Christmas. The units are supported through Exploring Scripture, the To Know Worship andLove series and Understanding Faith website. Where appropriate, units of work complement theSacred Heart Parish–based Sacramental program.

In 2018 knowledge of the Sunday cycle was promoted through weekly images and references forlearning studio discussion, noting the liturgical year and the gospel for that week.

Students prepared grade liturgies linked to their units of study and Scripture from the units ofwork was incorporated into daily prayer. The Faith in Action Team (FIAT) planned liturgies for thewhole school.

Professional Learning of staff in Religious EducationEach year staff undertake a number of Religious Education professional learning opportunities.

In 2018, these have included the following:Formation Staff Development Day - culminating in a Eucharistic celebrationgospel study group for staff on Mark's Gospel following professional learning staff briefings and staff meetings focusing on Religious Education teaching and learningregular 1:1 sessions with the RECprofessional learning opportunities with our teaching educator in Religious Educationstaff professional learning led by our parish priest on liturgy preparation

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 8

Page 10: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Learning and Teaching

National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)Students in Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9 across Australia participated in National AssessmentProgram – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in May 2018. The purpose of this test is to provideinformation to parents and teachers about the achievements of students in aspects of Literacyand Numeracy. The test provides a measure of the student’s performance against establishedstandards and against other students in Australia. Each year the results are analysed by theschool to inform teaching and learning with a view to improving student performance.

The Commonwealth Government sets minimum acceptable standards for literacy, numeracy,reading, writing, grammar, punctuation and spelling at particular ages. These are referred to asnational minimum standards. Student performance in NAPLAN in our school is compared tothese standards. The percentages of students achieving at or above these national minimumstandards, and the percentages of students in the top three bands are reported in the tablebelow.

NAPLAN RESULTS 2018

% of students at or abovenational minimum

standard

% of students in top threebands

School Australia School Australia

Year3

Grammar and Punctuation 100 94 92 73

Literacy 99 95 85 73

Reading 98 96 85 76

Writing 100 94 79 72

Spelling 100 94 90 70

Numeracy 100 96 75 67

NAPLAN RESULTS 2018

% of students at or abovenational minimum

standard

% of students in top threebands

School Australia School Australia

Year5

Grammar and Punctuation 100 94 74 64

Literacy 99 93 70 58

Reading 98 95 76 66

Writing 100 90 56 44

Spelling 100 94 80 64

Numeracy 98 96 54 58

At Mother Teresa Primary School there were no students in Years 3 and Year 5 below theNational Minimum Standard for writing, spelling and grammar and punctuation. In Year 3 therewere no students below National Minimum Standard for Numeracy.

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 9

Page 11: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

A significant number of students in Year 3 scored in the top three bands in multiple areas in theNAPLAN assessments.

Areas for development include students performing in the top bands for Numeracy in Year 5. Inall other areas students performed higher than the national average.

The analysis of these results is highlighted in the projected priorities for 2019.

School curriculumAs all children are on a unique learning journey, with diverse needs and interests, it is imperativeto personalise the learning to meet their needs with sound pedagogy, exemplary practice and acurriculum that is responsive to students of the 21st century.

At Mother Teresa Primary School, the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) requirementswere met within a contemporary curriculum, focused on the future needs of all students. Inaddition to the Key Learning Areas (KLAs) prescribed by NESA the students were provided withcourses of study in Religious Education in accordance with the Parramatta Diocesancurriculum, Sharing Our Story.

The student support team assisted with the inclusion and integration of students with specialneeds in a range of activities and programs across the school. This included assisting in planningand implementing a range of adjustments and curriculum differentiation, and providingindividual, small group and in-class support across all Key Learning Areas. Lead teachers,provided by the diocese, assisted students with particular needs.

Mother Teresa Primary School was also fortunate to have received funds under theCommonwealth Government School Language program to employ a language teacher one dayper week for 2018. This teacher was employed to develop the children's understanding of theJapanese culture and language, supporting the Australian cross-curriculum priority focus on Asiaand Australia’s engagement with Asia.

There were opportunities for the children to try out for representative sporting events such asswimming, cross country, athletics and gymnastics.

Initiatives to promote respect and responsibilityMother Teresa Primary School is a place of diversity, respect, belonging, celebration and qualitylearning and teaching. Our school is based on the dignity of the whole person and provideswitness to gospel values as a means of living our daily life.

The principle initiative designed to promote respect and responsibility was the Pro-activeLearner policy. It was based on the use of restorative practices that helped our students build thecapacity to self-regulate behaviour and heal relationships, show and receive forgiveness. This waswhere students made choices about behaviour through the lens of respect and responsibility, aswell as focus on what they could do, ‘to make things right’. Our three school rules wereformulated around the notion of care for self, others and the environment. This policy reflectedour endeavour to create an environment that fostered dignity, justice and respect.

We are committed to providing a safe and caring environment where any form of bullying isneither accepted nor tolerated. This is predicated upon the notion that at Mother Teresa PrimarySchool we all have the right to be happy, safe and to learn. As a community, we work together tobuild this environment.

Professional LearningAreas of professional development in 2018 included:

Workplace Health and Safety modulesMultiplicative Thinking Modules through Catholic Education, Dioceseof Parramatta (CEDP) and Monash UniversityMathematical Assessment Interview (MAI) - whole-school and individual analysisThe Writing Traits and use of mentor texts in writingChild Protection modules

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 10

Page 12: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training courseeffective use of running recordsdata analysis of Progressive Achievement Test in Reading (PAT-R) and NAPLAN datainvolvement in FOCUS 160 workshops on literacy and numeracyinstructional walks of learning studioscoding and computational thinkingMathematics - The Bar Modeldata wall construction for writing (sample students) using the literacy progressionsAustralian Literacy Education Association (ALEA) workshops - host school analysis of Tell Them From Me (TTFM) survey data

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 11

Page 13: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

School Improvement

Annual school prioritiesPriority 1 That by the end of 2018, all students would interpret and apply sacred

Scripture to their lives, through the process of critical thinking

Reason for priority 1 Students' literal understanding of Scripture had developed to the pointwhere they could build their capacity to apply the message in thecontext of their lives. It was felt that deeper understanding of the threelevels of Scripture would enhance religious literacy.

Steps taken to achievepriority 1

Teachers:made Religious Education thinking visible in learning studiosread and reflected on the theological and educationalbackground and the ‘in brief for students’engaged in sustained opportunities for ReligiousEducation inquiry created learning intentions and success criteria which clearlyoutlined the three levels of comprehensionutilised pre-testing and post-testing to analyse student growthand provide feedback to students

Status of priority 1 Achieved

Priority 2 That by the end of 2018, all students would improve the quality oftheir writing of texts for a wide range of purposes and audiences

Reason for priority 2 Following on from our previous goal of reading comprehension, thiswas a natural progression which would lead us to look more deeply atthe reciprocity between reading and writing.

Steps taken to achievepriority 2

Teachers:made writing strategies and thinking visible in learning studiosmodelled the writing process dailyprovided students with opportunities to compose texts forvaried purposes and authentic audiencescreated anchor charts with annotations that aligned withsuccess criteriaengaged in professional reading with a mentor textengaged in sustained opportunities for literacy inquiry

Status of priority 2 Achieved

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 12

Page 14: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Priority 3 That by the end of 2018, all students would use multiplicative thinkingto move at least one growth point in multiplication and division

Reason for priority 3 Our data highlighted an emerging vulnerability across the grades inmultiplication and division. Furthermore, formative assessment dataindicated a need for all students to develop reasoning structures forthinking multiplicatively, rather than additively. In recognisingreasoning strategies within multiplication and division, students wouldalso develop their ability to display the other working mathematicallyprocesses.

Steps taken to achievepriority 3

Teachers:made multiplication and division strategies and thinking visiblein learning studiosengaged in professional reading with a mentor textadministered, collected and analysed Mathematical AssessmentInterview (MAI) dataengaged in sustained opportunities for mathematical inquiry

Status of priority 3 Achieved

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 13

Page 15: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Projected school prioritiesPriority 1 For all students to demonstrate enhanced engagement through an

inquiry framework for Religious Education, Stage 3 students to do thisthrough the new draft Religious Education curriculum

Reason for Priority 1 In keeping with the system priority in Religious Education, MotherTeresa Primary School will be implementing the new ReligiousEducation curriculum. Hence there will be a focus on quality learningand formation in Religious Education.

Steps to be taken toachieve Priority 1

Teachers will:develop learning cycles using an inquiry based pedagogy,facilitating deep learning in accord with the statements ofinquiryrespond to student wonderings with clarity and in reference toaccurate theological understanding as named in the learningfocusidentify and plan embedded opportunities for students to makemeaning of appropriate Scripture passages using thesenses: literal, spiritual, application

Priority 2 By the end of 2019 all students will critique a variety of mentor texts,and incorporate the traits of quality writing in their own compositions.

Reason for Priority 2 NAPLAN and Early Years Assessment (EYA) data and teacher formativeassessment indicate quality writing remains a priority for our students.Whilst reading data from teacher observations, EYA and PAT-Rindicate that student growth is improving in reading, the growth inwriting is not at the expected rates, especially for writing vocabulary ofour Kindergarten, Years 1 and 2 students. The growth between Year 5and Year 7 in composing texts, also requires attention.

Steps to be taken toachieve Priority 2

Teachers will:model the writing process dailyprovide students with opportunities to compose texts for variedpurposes and authentic audiencesuse mentor texts to model author's craft and strong/weak worksamples in relation to success criteria (visible thinking)use regular formative assessment of writing K-6 to inform nextsteps in writing instructionprovide descriptive feedback to students - using the writingtraits and creating text learning progression to provide nextsteps in writing

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 14

Page 16: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Priority 3 By the end of 2019 all students will develop conceptual knowledgethrough improved reasoning within the context of challenging and richtasks.

Reason for Priority 3 NAPLAN data, the whole-school Mathematical Assessment Interview(MAI) conducted with every student in February and teacher formativeassessment indicate that our students are seeking challenging andengaging Mathematical tasks. Our students are developing theirproblem solving skills and strategic thinking, but they have difficultyarticulating their reasoning when applying strategies to problemsolving tasks.

Steps to be taken toachieve Priority 3

Teachers will:explicitly model effective reasoning strategies through:

teacher 'think alouds'anchor charts in classroomanalysed models of student work and thinking displayedfeedback focused on reasoning and problem solving

co-create learning intentions and success criteria that focuseson working mathematically language with the expectation ofthese skills developing in complexity during the yearprovide enabling and extending prompts, challenging studentthinking

Community Satisfaction

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 15

Page 17: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Community Satisfaction

Parent satisfactionDuring 2018 the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta engaged in the Tell Them From Me(TTFM) survey to provide feedback from parents, students and staff about our school. This surveywill be conducted annually.

The TTFM data collected and analysed demonstrated that parents:believed that the Catholic culture of the school was enhanced by the participation inliturgies and celebrations with our parish prieststrongly believed our teachers were passionate and cared deeply for each childhad opportunities to visit the school throughout the year and speak with staffbelieved that their children were motivated to learn

The parents who were surveyed identified the parking and traffic flow issues around the schooland the range of extra-curricular activities provided by the school as areas for development.

Student satisfactionThe TTFM data collected and analysed showed that students generally:

felt they had frequent opportunities to participate in sport and physical educationbelieved that they had developed trusting relationships with their friendswere interested and motivated to learnidentified as feeling anxious in increasing numbers between Years 4 and Year 6felt that classroom instruction was well organised with frequent feedback provided tostudentsfelt strongly that they had at least one advocate at school who guided them and providedadvicefelt that there were high expectations about learning and academic achievementfelt that consistent implementation of school rules was, at times, lackingfelt they had significant opportunities to participate in the liturgical life of the schoolwere appreciative of the multiple opportunities to participate in the social outreachprograms like Mini Vinnies and Faith in Action Team.

Teacher satisfactionThe TTFM data collected and analysed showed that staff:

rated very highly their own effectiveness and contribution to positive learning at school felt that the school had clear learning goalsfelt they had set very high expectations for learning and behaviourfelt they used student assessment data to establish learning goalsfelt very strongly they had worked hard to identify students with significant learning andbehaviour issues and developed effective strategies to deal with these student needshighly valued the opportunities they had to learn and develop

The teachers surveyed questioned the challenges associated with the work demands of teaching,especially those students with significant learning and behaviour needs. Teachers would also like

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 16

Page 18: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

especially those students with significant learning and behaviour needs. Teachers would also likemore regular feedback on their own teaching practice.

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 17

Page 19: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Student Profile

Enrolment PolicyMother Teresa Primary School follows the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta (CEDP)Enrolment Policy and Procedures. The full text or a link to the full text of the school’s enrolmentpolicies, including all prerequisites for continuing enrolment can be obtained from the schooloffice or can be accessed on the CEDP website showing the CEDP Enrolment Policy, Procedures and Guidelines.

Current and previous years' student enrolmentYear Boys Girls Total

2016 146 211 357

2017 166 214 380

2018 196 186 382

Student attendance ratesThe table below shows the percentage of student attendance by Year level and school average.

Kindergarten 94

Year 1 94

Year 2 95

Year 3 94

Year 4 96

Year 5 94

Year 6 94

School Average 87

Characteristics of the student bodyThe table below shows the number of students in each of the categories listed.

Language background other than English (LBOTE) 278

Students with disablities (SWD) 5

Indigenous 1

Managing Student Non-attendanceRegular attendance at school is essential if students are to maximise their potential. Schools inpartnership with parents and guardians, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance ofstudents. The compulsory schooling age is 6-17. Parents and guardians are legally responsible forthe regular attendance of their children, explaining the absences of their children in writingwithin several days to the school, and taking measures to resolve attendance issues involvingtheir children. School staff as part of their duty of care, monitor part or whole day absences.

They maintain accurate records of students' attendance, follow up unexplained absences

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 18

Page 20: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

They maintain accurate records of students' attendance, follow up unexplained absencesthrough written and verbal communication, implement programs and practices to addressattendance issues when they arise, and provide clear information to students and parentsregarding attendance requirements and the consequences of unsatisfactory attendance. Theprincipal or their delegate, may grant permission for late arrival or early departure from school,leave or exemption from attendance only in individual cases, on written request from parentsand guardians.

The principal/delegate will undertake all reasonable measures to contact parents promptly if anunexplained absence occurs. If truancy is suspected, the principal will contact theparents/guardians to ascertain the reason for the absence. If a satisfactory response is notreceived, the matter will be referred to the relevant staff at the Catholic Education Office,Diocese of Parramatta who will follow up unexplained absences as per legislative requirements.

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 19

Page 21: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Student wellbeing

Student welfare, discipline and anti-bullying policies and pastoral careThe Proactive Learner policy has been reviewed yearly. Its focus is on facilitating positivebehaviours with students. It includes Positive Relationships programs developed to assistteachers in unpacking the Proactive Learner policy with students.

The following outlines some of the key principles of this policy:

Facilitating Positive Behaviours focuses on teachers distributing merit postcards regularly as a wayto reinforce positive expectations. Staff members look for moments when they observe studentsdisplaying positive behaviours. This is also reinforced with verbal positive reinforcement tohighlight the specific skill or action displayed by students. Our school focus is on 'intrinsic'motivators and we avoid the use of awards to engage the students.

Procedural fairness and natural justice are keys to how we manage behaviour within the school.We believe that procedural fairness is a right of all children when dealing with school authorities.We apply the ‘hearing rule’ and the ‘right to an unbiased decision'. Children have the right toknow the nature of an allegation made against them and understand the process by which thematter will be considered. Members of staff make every effort to demonstrate objectivity in theirdecision making when working with students.

Preventing problem behaviour and responding to unacceptable behaviours is at the heart of ourpolicy. We unpack the specific steps used when there is a need to respond to unacceptablebehaviour in the learning studio and in the playground. Time is taken to assist students indeveloping an understanding of these steps, and may include reflection sheets to assist withunderstanding and reflecting on their behaviour, depending on the age of the student. We arecommitted to restorative practices and assisting students in moving forward so they can makebetter choices. As a restorative practice school, we also believe that every student has the rightto forgiveness and reconciliation, following an appropriate consequence for their behaviour.Corporal punishment is expressly forbidden at the school.

The school's Anti-bullying policy clearly states that the school does not tolerate bullying in anyform. The policy guidelines state that all allegations of bullying are thoroughly investigated andaddressed.

The full text of all the policies highlighted focusing on student welfare, discipline and anti-bullying can be accessed at the school's website. There has been no change in these policies in2018.

Complaints and grievances policyThe school has formal written protocols in place to address formal complaints and grievances.These protocols are in line with the Catholic Education, Diocese of Parramatta (CEDP), ComplaintHandling policy and procedures. All enquiries or concerns can be addressed through the schooloffice and will be responded to as soon as possible. A copy of the school policy is available fromthe school office or is available on the CEDP website http://www.parra.catholic.edu.au/policy-central.

There were no changes to the policy during 2018.

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 20

Page 22: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Section Eleven: Financial Statement

Income Expenditure

Commonwealth (61.8%)Capital (0%)State (19%)Fees (17.2%)Other (1.9%)

Capital (1.5%)Salary (74.1%)Non-Salary (24.4%)

RECURRENT and CAPITAL INCOME

Commonwealth Recurrent Grants1 $2,771,242

Government Capital Grants 2 $0

State Recurrent Grants 3 $853,440

Fees and Private Income 4 $772,343

Other Capital Income 5 $86,127

Total Income $4,483,152

RECURRENT and CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

Capital Expenditure 6 $63,737

Salaries and Related Expenses 7 $3,169,361

Non-Salary Expenses 8 $1,045,743

Total Expenditure $4,278,841

1. Commonwealth relates to Commonwealth Recurrent Grants including per capita fundingand special purpose grants.

2. Capital relates to Government Capital Grants.3. State relates to State Recurrent Grants including per capita funding, interest subsidy and

special purpose grants.4. Fees relates to diocesan and school based fees, excursions and other private income from

parents.5. Other refers to Other Capital Income including drawdowns from the Diocesan School

Building Fund to fund Capital Expenditure.6. Capital refers to Capital Expenditure including School Buildings, Furniture and Equipment.7. Salaries refers to the total of all Salaries, allowances and related expenses such as

superannuation, workers compensation and leave.8. Non-Salary refers to all other Non-Salary Recurrent Expenses.

17.2%

19%61.8%

■■■■■

24.4%

74.1%

■■■

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 21

Page 23: Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead · 2019-07-31 · Key Messages Principal I am proud to present to you the 2018 Annual School Report for Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead

Mother Teresa Primary School, Westmead Page 22