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• St Josephs Oatley - Annual Report 2003

St Josephs Oatley - Annual Report 2009

ABOUT THIS REPORT

St Joseph’s Primary School, Oatley is registered by the Board of Studies (NSW) and managed by the Catholic Education Office (CEO), Sydney, the ‘approved authority’ for the Registration System formed under Section 39 of the NSW Education Act 1990.

The Annual Report to the School Community for this year provides the school community with fair, reliable and objective information about school performance measures and policies, as determined by the Minister for Education.

The Report also outlines information about initiatives and developments of major interest and importance to the school community during the year and the achievements arising from the implementation of the school’s Annual Development Plan.

Accordingly, the Report demonstrates accountability to regulatory bodies, the school community and the CEO, Sydney. This Report has been approved by the CEO, Sydney in consultation with the Regional Consultant who monitors that the school has appropriate processes in place to ensure compliance with all NSW Board of Studies requirements for Registration and Accreditation.

This Report complements and is supplementary to school newsletters, and other regular communications. The Report will be available on the school’s website by 30 June 2010 following its submission to the Board of Studies (BOS).

The contents of this Report will be discussed at the Parents and Friends’ Meeting term 1 2010

Further information about the school or this Report may be obtained by contacting the school on 9580 6588 or by visiting the website at www.stjoatley.catholic.edu.au.


PRINCIPAL: CATHERINE COMAN
DATE: 15TH DECEMBER, 2009

ACRONYMS AND ABREVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT

BOS: Board of Studies
CEO: Catholic Education Office
KLA: Key Learning Areas
LBOTE: Languages Backgrounds other than English
NAPLAN: National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy
PandF: Parents’ and Friends Association

MESSAGE FROM KEY SCHOOL BODIES

Principal’s Message

The core values of St Joseph’s Primary School, Oatley are faith knowledge and peace. As a community we learn about and celebrate our Catholic faith. Our school was established in 1955 by the Sisters of St Joseph. Their charism has had a great impact on our culture. Our community prays together daily, reaches out to those in need and is focussed on the education of children. The students visit the elderly, attend local celebrations and are active in exploring and supporting social justice issues.
We have a strong academic focus and strive to cater for the diverse needs of our students. The children, parents and teachers work together in a respectful manner to achieve a welcoming and exciting atmosphere where all members of the community learn together.

Parish Priest’s Message

As parish priest of Saint Joseph’s Primary school, Oatley, I am grateful for the opportunity to make some comments for the parish primary school Annual Report for 2009.

This year has seen the bond between the parish and the school continue to grow. In particular, I would like to comment on the regular participation of classes at our Thursday Mass at noon. In most cases, the children come for the recitation of the Rosary before Mass and I know that the parishioners are edified by the prayerful attitude of the children during this time.

I am aware of how much preparation is required for the whole school Masses and the regular attendance of classes for confession and I will take this chance to thank all the teachers for their commitment, all coordinated by our REC.

In closing, I would like to thank our principal, Mrs Catherine Coman, the members of the executive and the support staff and, indeed, the children of our school for their active and vital contribution to the life of the parish, and I pray for God’s continued blessing on our parish and school.

Parent Representative Body Message

The Parents and Friends’ Association (PandF) at St Joseph’s Primary School Oatley recognises and values the role that parents/carers play in the education of their children. The association aims to strengthen the partnership between family, school, parish and the wider community for the benefit of their children’s development and learning.

At St Joseph’s Primary School, Oatley the PandF has a significant role within the school. We endeavour to reach out to all members of the school community and provide a welcoming, friendly and supportive environment. We have a number of social functions throughout the year aimed at building community and school spirit. We are proud of the high level of participation and sense of fun evident at these events.

The association supports the school financially by collecting a voluntary levy from each family, which is used by the school to enrich the learning environment of the children. The P and F Association is also used as a platform for the principal to obtain parental input for decision-making and for parents to gain an insight to some aspects of school life.

SCHOOL FEATURES

St Joseph’s Primary School Oatley is a Catholic systemic co-educational school. We work with the Parish of St Joseph’s to provide a contemporary education based on our Catholic faith and Board of Studies syllabus documents. Our feeder school for the boys is Marist College, Penshurst and Bethany College, Hurstville for the girls.

The current enrolment at St Joseph’s Primary School Oatley is one hundred and ninety-four students from Kindergarten to Year 6 with approximately 54% from language backgrounds other than English (LBOTE).

The school employs sixteen staff members comprising of twelve teachers and four non-teaching staff, the latter being employed in a variety of capacities including secretarial staff and teachers’ aides. Our staff celebrates and maintains links with the Josephite Order who established our school in 1955. We have a strong focus on Mary MacKillop and her devotion to God as a role model for the staff and students. As a community we continue to strive towards living and working within these values.

We are currently undertaking a building program involving the extension of our school library, construction of a school hall, toilet block, special needs rooms and the refurbishment of our Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms. This building project has been funded by the Federal Government as a part of the Building the Education Revolution initiative.

The parent community is extremely active and works in partnership with the staff to enhance the culture of the school and learning experiences for the students. St Joseph’s Primary School Oatley has an enthusiastic Parents and Friends’ Association who provide feedback on a variety of issues, organise parent education sessions, social events throughout the year and a support group for parents new to the community.

CATHOLIC LIFE AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

St Joseph’s Primary School Oatley follows the Archdiocesan Religious Education Curriculum and uses the student textbooks, To Know, Worship and Love, as authorised by the Archbishop of Sydney, George Cardinal Pell. Our Religious Education Program for students from Kindergarten to Year 6 has a strong focus on the word of God as shared in the Bible. The students engage with the sacred texts and have the opportunity to use higher order thinking skills, their life experiences and the history of the Church to bring meaning to the text. The students regularly attend Mass and Reconciliation, pray daily as a community and lead social justice initiatives.

In 2009 we restructured our student leadership selection process to provide a focus on Jesus as a role model for leadership. The students reflected on the qualities of servant leaders in our world and nominations and selections were based on this information.

Students in Year 6 sat the Archdiocesan Religious Education Test in June this year. The test consisted of fifty multiple choice questions. Results of this test are analysed by staff and are used to inform teaching and learning from Kindergarten to Year 6. The 2009 Archdiocesan average for the test was 85%, with the school average being 90.4%.

The results achieved in the 2009 Religious Education test were our highest to date and we exceeded our target for an average score of 89%. The students performed well in all areas of the test. In 2009 we showed improvement in our focus areas of Prayer and Liturgical Year. This is a result of the explicit teaching of these areas in class programs. In 2010 we will continue to focus on the area of Traditional Church Prayer.

SCHOOL CURRICULUM

The school provides an educational program based on, and taught in accordance with the Board of Studies syllabuses for Primary Education. The Key Learning Areas (KLAs) are English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Human Society and its Environment, Creative Arts and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education. In addition, the school implements the curriculum requirements of the Catholic Education Office, Sydney. The curriculum, teaching and learning are informed by the priorities, goals and indicators outlined in the Sydney Catholic Schools ‘Towards 2010’ Strategic Leadership and Management Plan, in particular: Key Area 2 (Students and their Learning) and Key Area 3 (Pedagogy). Staff members at the school are committed to continuous improvement of teaching and learning in all facets of the school curriculum.

Throughout 2009 we have focussed on developing integrated units of work to assist the students to be involved in meaningful learning experiences. This created links from the various KLAs and allowed students to depth learning in various subjects.
Our focus on differentiation of the curriculum assisted the staff to work towards meeting the various needs of students in each class. It included extension, core and remediation activities across the KLAs. We conducted meetings each term to discuss the individual needs of students and developed action plans to support their learning.

The staff of St Joseph’s Primary School Oatley is constantly exploring ways of integrating technology into the students’ learning with a focus on exploration, problem solving and expression. Our purchase of laptops has enabled greater flexibility in learning and the use of digital cameras and ipods has encouraged increased creativity amongst the students in the presentation of their work. The use of robotics and interactive whiteboards has allowed the students to work collaboratively to solve problems. The students manipulated learning objects and constructed texts to deepen their learning and create solutions in a variety of KLAs.

In literacy we have focussed on reading assessments and inferential comprehension to assist the students to access the hidden meaning within texts, or the author’s intent. We developed a scope and sequence for literature texts for the students in Years 3 to 6, thereby providing a wide range of quality literature for students appropriate to their conceptual development. All students who are independent, fluent readers from Year 1 to Year 6 are trialling Lexile Levelled texts, whereby tests are levelled according to text complexity and depth. This allows the teacher to electronically track and monitor reading progress of the students and provide appropriate intervention strategies to assist the student’s reading growth.

In the area of numeracy we have focussed on developing positive student attitudes by concentrating on making mathematics challenging, fun and a collaborative experience. This has involved engaging students in problem solving activities, providing family mathematics challenges and exploring the space and geometry strand via depth studies.

Our targeted intervention program has concentrated on extending our talented students in literacy and numeracy. This involved students working in a small focus group on specific challenges and interest topics within these KLAs. Parent education workshops in the area of literacy and numeracy have further developed the home, school partnerships which exist at St Joseph’s Primary School, Oatley.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN TESTS

National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)
Students in Years 3 and 5 sat the National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in May this year. NAPLAN assessment results provide valuable information about student achievements in literacy and numeracy. An analysis of these results assists school planning and is used to support teaching and learning programs.

The tables provided show the percentages of students who achieved particular skill bands and who achieved at or above minimum standards. The school results shown are compared to students nationally. Student results are reported in six skill bands as noted in the table. Literacy is reported in four content strands (components): Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation. Numeracy is reported as a single content strand.

Further information regarding school performance in NAPLAN against State and National trends has been provided in the school newsletter dated 1 October, 2009 and is available on the school website at http://www.stjoatley.catholic.edu.au/mydesktop and from the school administration office.

These results show that the students have performed extremely well in Literacy and Numeracy in the top three bands as compared to the National figures. A number of initiatives have impacted on these results including our focused intervention strategies and differentiation of the curriculum to meet student needs. The teachers feel that the increased use of technology has motivated the students and they are more engaged in lessons.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND TEACHER STANDARDS

Professional learning

All teachers have been involved in professional development activities during the year. These activities are designed to develop the skills and understandings of staff to improve student outcomes. Professional development can take many forms including whole school staff days, subject specific inservices, meetings and conferences.

The school held five whole staff days in 2009. The content of these days was as follows: Child Protection (Term 1), An Introduction to Interactive Whiteboards (Term 1), Literacy (Term 3), Curriculum Differentiation (Term 4), and Integration of Technology (Term 4). Staff Meetings are regularly held throughout the year. Each week there is a Briefing Meeting for organisation purposes and a Stage or Staff Meeting which addresses topics from our Annual Development Plan.

In a system of schools, costs incurred for professional development activities can be expended from a variety of sources. These sources include the Federal Government and the CEO, Sydney. The school’s average expenditure per teacher in 2009 on these activities was $1,733.49. This figure has been calculated by CEO, Sydney and reflects expenditure on casual release days and professional development activities in particular categories.

Teacher Standards

The following table sets out the number of teachers on the school staff who fall into each of the three categories determined by the Board of Studies:

TEACHER ATTENDANCE AND RETENTION

The average teacher attendance rate during 2009 was 97%. This figure does not include teachers on planned leave. The teacher retention rate from 2008 to 2009 was 90%.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE

The average student attendance rate for the school during 2009 was 96.3%. School attendance rates disaggregated by year group are shown in the following table.

SCHOOL POLICIES

Enrolment Policy

The school follows the Archdiocesan Enrolment Policy. The policy has been developed in the context of government and system requirements. Children from all families who are prepared to support Catholic ideals and principles may be considered eligible for enrolment. Priority for enrolment is given in a specified order as outlined in the full policy document, however special consideration may be given to individual cases. All parents are provided with an enrolment package that includes CEO and school policy statements. Enrolment fees are made up of the Archdiocesan tuition fee, the parish school levy and local fees and charges. A pastoral approach is adopted for parents experiencing genuine difficulty with the payment of fees.

The full text of the Archdiocesan Enrolment Policy may be accessed via the:
• CEO public website
• the school website http://www.stjoatley.catholic.edu.au
• school administration office.

Student Welfare Policy

The Student Welfare Policy is based on the Archdiocesan Pastoral Care document Pastoral Care Guidelines for Catholic Schools (2003) which can be accessed from the CEO public website. In this document, the dimensions and features of Pastoral Care are described, as well as approaches to policy formulation, review and implementation. This document is the key reference point for the school’s Pastoral Care Policy. Related documents include: Countering Harassment of Different Kinds, Dealing with Illegal Substances in Schools, Dealing with Prohibited Weapons in Schools, Strategies for Dealing with Cyberbullying, Disability Standards 2005, Management of Students with Challenging Behaviours: Guidelines for Primary/Secondary Schools (2007).

At St Joseph’s Primary School, Oatley we recognise and celebrate the uniqueness of each child. We work as a Christ centred community to assist students to be people of hope, justice and tolerance. We encourage those in our community to reflect on their actions so as to learn to make more appropriate choices in the future.

The full text of the school’s Pastoral Care Policy may be accessed via the:
• school website http://www.stjoatley.catholic.edu.au
• school administration office
• Parent Handbook

There were no changes to the school policy during 2009.

Pastoral Care Policy

Members of our community come to our school to learn in a safe and supportive environment, guided by the Gospel values and school motto of “faith, knowledge and peace”. The school has established five Codes of Conduct to guide students in their behaviour and interactions with others.
Corporal punishment is expressly prohibited in this school. The school does not sanction administration of corporal punishment by school persons and non-school persons, including parents, to enforce discipline in the school.

The full text of the Pastoral Care Policy may be accessed via the:
• school website http://www.stjoatley.catholic.edu.au
• school administration office
• Parent Handbook

Complaints and Grievances Resolution Policy

The school adopts the Archdiocesan Guidelines for Resolving Concerns and Complaints at Sydney Systemic Catholic Schools (May 2007), available on the CEO public website in the development of its school policy. The scope of the guidelines encompass children’s learning, behaviour and welfare, school organisation and management, and student health and safety issues.

The school policy is based on procedural fairness and recognises that parents and caregivers must have access to processes that allow them to resolve concerns in a supportive and conciliatory environment. Any concerns raised are responded to promptly and fairly and confidentiality is always maintained. Pathways for raising concerns are set out in the information brochure available from the school administration office.

The full text of the school policy is available from the:
• school administration office
• Parent Handbook

SCHOOL DETERMINED IMPROVEMENT TARGETS

Each year, the school develops an Annual Development Plan indicating the intended key improvements for student learning outcomes. The plan is drawn from the school’s Strategic Management Plan and informed by the indicators of effectiveness for Sydney Catholic Schools as specified in the key CEO document How Effective is Our Catholic School?. The school engages in an annual evidence-based evaluation of its effectiveness against these external standards in collaboration with the school’s Regional Consultant.

During 2009 the staff has focussed on the review of our Mission Statement and exploring the concept of an ethical workplace culture. This involved developing an understanding of our similarities and our preferred styles in working together as a collaborative community. We have focussed on the Key Learning Areas of literacy, numeracy and the integration of technology into these KLAs. Throughout the year we have been involved in the Building the Education Revolution and our building program will continue in 2010.

In the year ahead we will be involved in a program known as the Language Features of Text Types. This initiative will assist all students further develop their text writing skills. It will look at ways students from language backgrounds other than English acquire and use technical language in their writing. We will continue our focus on differentiation of numeracy and literacy tasks to meet student needs and the development of a collaborative, ethical workplace.

Throughout 2010 we will engage in a program of School Review and Improvement. This will assist the community to identify our future areas for development.

INITIATIVES PROMOTING RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY

During 2009 Year 5 students were involved in a leadership program focussed on the example of leadership of Jesus. Students receive Principal’s awards for demonstrating the Code of Conduct to the rest of the community. We have focussed on the dignity of the person and have therefore had a strong Social Justice theme throughout the year.

Our Year 6 students trained as Peer Support Leaders and educated the students from Kindergarten to Year 5 on demonstrating respect towards others. We are running a Peer Tutoring Program and a
Kindergarten Year 6 Buddy system to assist students to develop respect and responsibility within the school and the wider community.

PARENT, TEACHER AND STUDENT SATISFACTION

During 2009 the parents, teachers and students were surveyed to identify the areas that are most valued at St Joseph’s Primary School, Oatley. The results of this survey identified the following aspects; religious education, community, learning, the caring nature of the staff and parents, the quality of staff and the partnership between the parents and the school.

2009 FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Catholic schools are accountable for all monies received. Each year, the CEO, Sydney submits to the Australian Government a financial statement on behalf of the one hundred and forty-seven parish primary and regional secondary schools. This statement details the income and expenditure of each school and for the Archdiocesan system of schools. In addition, the financial report of the CEO, Sydney is audited annually by Moore Stephens.

A summary of the income and expenditure reported for 2009 is as follows:

Notes
1. Parents' contributions include Archdiocesan tuition fees of $54.4 million, school charges, building levy and Parents & Friends contributions of $62.0 million.
2. Income from Australian and State recurrent government grants (including specific purpose grants) is received by the CEO, Sydney on behalf of the schools. Staff salaries are paid from this income.
3. There are significant capital work commitments of at least $9 million.

Parents' contributions to this school as reported in the school's Annual Financial Questionnaire for 2009 submitted to the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) were: