2017 Bondi Beach Public School Annual Report · underpinned by the experience and expertise of our...

Bondi Beach Public SchoolAnnual Report

2017

1292

Printed on: 27 May, 2018 of 18 Bondi Beach Public School 1292 (2017)

Introduction

The Annual Report for 2017 is provided to the community of Bondi Beach Public School as an account of the school'soperations 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.

Deborah Evans

Principal

School contact details

Bondi Beach Public SchoolCampbell PdeBondi Beach, 2026www.bondibeach-p.schools.nsw.edu.aubondibeach-p.School@det.nsw.edu.au9130 2116


School background

School vision statement

Bondi Beach Public School is committed to being a school of excellence. To achieve this goal, our focus is on qualitypractice in each of the domains of teaching, learning and leadership.

Within a Values framework, developed with the school community, Bondi Beach Public School aims to develop fromKindergarten to Year 6:

* a school culture and practices that respect and respond to each student’s aspirations and learning potential, within aninclusive child–centred learning environment,

* quality teaching and leadership practices implemented K–6, in order to cater for the diverse needs and abilities ofstudents in the 21st century,

* the skills of creativity, critical thinking, character development, citizenship, communication and collaboration in allstudents,

* a monitoring and tracking of all student learning and assessing in English and Mathematics using PLAN,

* improved social and emotional wellbeing and skills for life in every student.

School context

Bondi Beach Public School is located opposite Bondi Beach. Our school enrolment is 643 students, of which 327 areboys and 316 are girls. 27% of students are from an English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) background.The school enrolment has shown considerable growth over the past few years. The school augments outstandingcommunity support. Parents and carers have a strong partnership with the teaching staff and are involved in oureducational programs, cultural and sporting events. The school has an excellent reputation in the local community forhigh academic achievement, a focus on creative and performing arts, technology and excellent sporting programs,meeting students’ needs and maximizing their potential.

The school planning process is described below and informs the 2015–2017 School Plan. Each year we assess ourschool’s practices in Teaching, Learning and Leadership against the Public Schools NSW School ExcellenceFramework’s three stages of Delivery, Sustaining and Growing and Excelling.

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 theSchool Excellence Framework. The framework supports public schools throughout NSW in the pursuit of excellence byproviding a clear description of high quality practice across the three domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading.

Learning

Student learning continues to be the central focus. A collaborative approach to supporting student success isunderpinned by the experience and expertise of our classroom teachers, specialist Dance and Music teachers, Executivestaff, Learning and Support Team, Reading Recovery teacher, English as an Additional Language teacher and StudentLearning Support Officers.

Students were given opportunities to excel in many areas eg.: Dance (Ultimo Dance Festival and Schools Spectacular);Music (Festival of Instrumental Music); Art (Pauline McLeod Art Competition); Science (Young Creators Conference andSTEAMpunks Conference at MAAS); Maths (Mathematical Thinking project trial – Year 2 and Maths Olympiad – Stage3); Public Speaking and Debating (Multicultural and Ultimo Public Speaking and Debating competitions).

Teaching

in 2017, all teachers began using collaborative online tools to coordinate their planning and programming practice. The


department's Quality Teaching, Successful Students (QTSS) initiative funded a systematic approach to providingteachers with opportunities to observe each other's practice. Stage–based Action Learning teams developed a plan ofaction so that observations had a focus on: formative assessment; visible thinking routines; and rubrics to improvewriting.

At the end of the year, 7 new permanent teachers were appointed including a new Teacher Librarian and 3 TargetedGraduate Teachers for 2018.

Leading

Our School Leadership team of captains and ministers attended the Student Leadership Conference in 2017 and led arange of initiatives to support class leaders. This Student Representative Council (SRC) continued to providefund–raising for the Starlight Foundation, Westmead Children's Hospital and other charities.

Executive leadership opportunities have been provided for aspiring leaders in our teaching team. Our Deputy Principalone of the Assistant Principal positions was shared with aspiring teachers over the year to build leadership capacity inour teaching team.

The school has continued our strong relationships with NSW Department of Education Arts Unit, Waverley Council andSydney Theatre Company while introducing new connections with leaders in science and mathematics: the Museum ofApplied Arts and Sciences (Powerhouse Museum); Studio of Applied Arts and Sciences; and Dr. Gary Stager PhD.Students and teachers are supported to work with these experts and facilitators to design and implement Science,Technology, Engineering, Arts and Science (STEAM) cross–disciplinary learning opportunities. Further opportunities willbe provided to work with these providers in the future as part of the new 2018–2020 School Plan.

The school P&C has also led a range of initiatives in the school to build greater community engagement. This includes astronger partnership with: The Hive (the school's before and after school care program); the School Canteen andcommunity garden; the City to Surf; and the school Uniform Shop. Bondi Markets also links the school with its localcommunity in a way that directly supports local businesses and services while helping to fund school initiatives especiallyin the area of learning support.

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

Excellence in Teaching, learning and leadership

Purpose

To improve student performance in all learning areas through highly effective quality educational and leadershippractices.

Overall summary of progress

During 2017, K–6 teachers participated in Action Learning teams to analyse and evaluate their teaching practice. Arange of evidence–based research was identified and lesson observations gave teachers the opportunity to gather dataand reflect on their practice in collaborative teams. Teachers identified a need for more professional learning to supportstudent–directed inquiry learning, project–based learning and formative assessment. Improvement in teaching practice isongoing.

Teachers also evaluated the Integrated units that incorporate History, Geography and Science. Teachers across stageteams analysed the units in relation to the syllabus outcomes, skills, content and assessment strategies. It was evidentthat the units needed to be refined and adjusted to prioritise the general capabilities of creative and critical thinking andICT capabilities.

A Mathematical Thinking project developed by researchers at Rutgers and Harvard Universities was successfully trialledin 2017. This project enabled Year 2 students to demonstrate their mathematical thinking strategies through challengingand authentic problem solving tasks. This project supported student–directed, rather than teacher–directed mathematicalthinking skills.

All Year 6 students participated in the VALID Science questionnaire to benchmark scientific skills and understanding.The Validation of Assessment for Learning and Individual Development (VALID) program provides online end–of–stageassessments for the science key learning area. Some year 6 students also participated in the Young CreatorsConference at the Powerhouse Museum, after engaging deeply in a 5–week scientific exploration of electricity.

In 2017, infrastructure projects to improve student access to technology was initiated. Upgraded landline and wifitechnology was installed across the whole school and new servers, laptops, interactive projectors and whiteboards werepurchased. In term 3, teachers participated in professional learning to introduce students to collaborative online tools inteaching and learning, particularly for Homework as part of the new draft Homework Policy.

Progress towards achieving improvement measures

Improvement measures(to be achieved over 3 years)

Funds Expended(Resources)

Progress achieved this year

Number of Year 5 studentsachieving greater than or equal toexpected growth to increase by5% average over three years.

$30000 2017 NAPLAN results for Year 5 Readingachieved more than 5% growth between 2016 and2017.

2017 NAPLAN for Year 5 Numeracy achieved morethan 5% growth between 2016 and 2017.

Next Steps

In 2018, teachers will develop teaching programs for a two year cycle across a stage. They will adjust lesson content toreduce repetition; modify pre–test and post–test assessments and rubrics to include more formative assessmentstrategies; develop a new K–6 Scope and Sequence for History, Geography, Science and Mathematics; update andenhance Science and Mathematics programs and maintain differentiated learning experiences.

The Mathematical Thinking project will be implemented across Stage 1 classes in 2018 to support students' ability todemonstrate their mathematical thinking strategies and enhance student outcomes for the Working Mathematicallysyllabus.

Student–directed inquiry skills and scientific inquiry will be a focus in the new 2018–2020 School Plan. Greater accessfor students to mobile technologies will be supported in 2018 as part of the new 2018–2020 School Plan. Improved


information and communication technology skills will be a focus for the Library program in 2018.

There will be a continued commitment to improving the educational outcomes and wellbeing of Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander students so that they excel and achieve in every aspect of their education. The school is committed toAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education programs to increase knowledge and understanding of the histories,cultures and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of Australia.

A new Environmental Representative Council (ERC) will be formed in 2018, where students will be selected to representtheir class to enhance the school's current environmental practices.



Developing caring, confident, creative students

Purpose

To improve students’ emotional and social well– being and develop their abilities to think critically, creatively and ethicallyand to ensure they are socially, environmentally and culturally aware.


In 2017, the school reviewed the department's Wellbeing Framework and determined that the school's core valuesframework needed to be refined to suit the changing needs of all stakeholders. Through the revised Student WelfarePolicy, three core values of Respect, Responsibility and Achievement were determined to be the broad overarchingvalues that underpin the school ethos.

The new Student Welfare policy describes the process in which all student wellbeing issues are managed, including howthe Responsibility Ladder is used to guide students towards a more independent, self–directed approach to behaviourchoices. A new Awards system was trialled where Blue, Silver and Gold Awards were introduced.

Year 5 students participated in the Dancesport Challenge to improve the health, coordination, self–esteem andconfidence of our older primary aged students. This has had a direct impact on student engagement in learning.

K–6 students participated in a rich, unique and well–structured learning experience provided by Wandana. TheAboriginal Cultural Program engaged, educated and inspired our school community. Students were exposed to manyareas of Aboriginal culture through song, dance, art, history and storytelling.

Student voice: ‘I liked making the Journey Stones because you could make your own Indigenous patterns’; ‘I liked theAboriginal dance because I liked moving my body’; ‘I enjoyed the Smoking Ceremony’; ‘I enjoyed listening to thedidgeridoo because I liked the sound that it makes.'





Happy, confident students asevidenced in the ChildWell–being audit and TTFMsurveys.

$18,500 New Student Wellbeing tools were introduced toprovide teachers with data on behaviour incidents.

Professional learning funds were used to supportteachers to participate in Bounce Back and SydneyTheatre Company Drama workshops.

TTFM surveys indicated that the percentage ofstudents socially and intellectually engaged atBondi Beach Public School is well above the stateaverage.

Next Steps

In 2018, the school will be focusing on the refined core values framework of Respect, Responsibility and Achievement inall areas of school life. Improved signage around the school will reinforce these values. Students' achievements throughthe award system will ensure that all students receive recognition for their contributions to these core values, not justacademically but also socially and emotionally.

A review of the Bounce Back program in 2017 determined that new resources would be purchased and furtherprofessional learning provided to embed this resilience program into the core learning areas of the next 2018–2020School Plan.


The continued development of confidence and self–esteem for all K–6 students will be sustained through the SydneyTheatre Company's School Drama program in 2018. Teachers who have completed professional learning in the STCprogram will share their expertise with new staff members through lesson demonstration and observations.

Teachers will continue to provide learning opportunities that engage all students, including through the rich heritage ofour ATSI culture where possible. Reconciliation continues to have a strong emphasis and is embedded into manystudent learning programs. The school will consider working with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communitymembers on a number of projects including the development of its own Acknowledgement of Country and the design ofnew play spaces that reflect our diverse community.



Effective communication to enhance community engagement

Purpose

To further enhance community engagement and participation so that the whole school community can contributemeaningfully to the education of each child and to their schooling for the 21st century.


Tea and Tissues Morning Tea was introduced to support new Kindergarten parents on their child's first day of school. The Welcome BBQ held in Term 1 embraced all new families to join the school community. A revised KindergartenTransition program was offered to streamline the process for parents. An open air film night, Halloween party and schooldisco were some of the new P&C fundraising events offered in 2017.

Continued collaboration with the P&C, The Hive Before and after–school care, the School Canteen and Bondi Marketsand the City to Surf Race, has reaped enormous benefits for the school and its engagement with the wider community.

Principals and teachers have worked closely within the Community of Schools in the Eastern Suburbs (CoSIES)participating in staff development days and other professional learning opportunities. Partnerships between schools andthe development of networks for Executive staff and Beginning Teachers is growing.

A new online school newsletter and staff bulletin was introduced to improve community engagement. The Mailchimpnewsletter is published each week and includes images of the week's events and links to the school website. It complieswith international accessibility guidelines and provides comprehensive data about user engagement. The school websitewas updated to include a broader range of information ensuring that it is the single source of authority for the school'score business. A community Google calendar was also created and embedded into the school's website.

A link to an online database was included in this newsletter to enable self–registration by parents and carers.

A whole school security and sound system was installed to improve the safety and wellbeing of all students.





Further engagement of the localand wider community via schoolcommunity events.

Most of these events wereP&C funded.

Almost 150 Kindergarten parents participated in theTea and Tissues event at very short notice. TheCanteen provided the morning tea.

The Welcome BBQ was well supported. The HiveAfter School Care program provided therefreshments and entertainment.

Feedback from surveys indicatesthat the school communicateseffectively through the variouschannels.

$2000 In 2017, there was an average 60% readership ofthe school newsletter. This amounted to xxx viewsof the newsletter.

The school website attracted more than 25000page views in 2017.

A database of parents and carersskills and expertise is in use andthere is a record of theirinvolvement.

$0 There are now over 140 parents and carers whohave registered their information on the database toprovide expertise to support classroom teachers.

Next Steps

In 2018, the school newsletter will promote regular community education programs to support home–schoolengagement. These include: Triple P Parenting workshops; Safe on Social cybersafety workshops; MiniLit training sothat parents can help students experiencing difficulty with Reading.


Parents will be trained in MiniLit scheme to regularly support Year 1 & Year 2 students who are not meeting expectedgrade levels of reading.

The school website will undergo considerable enhancements to better reflect the unique and innovative profile of BondiBeach Public School as an iconic world–class place to learn.


Key Initiatives Resources (annual) Impact achieved this year

Low level adjustment for disability $125,000 In 2017, six School Learning Support Officerswere employed on either full or part–timebases to support students with additionalneeds who do not have targeted funding.

Quality Teaching, SuccessfulStudents (QTSS)

$104 000 (1 FTE teacherposition)

In 2017, QTSS funds were used to provide allteachers with the opportunity to observecolleagues in classrooms through focusedAction Learning projects.

Community Garden $34,800 During 2017, all classes from K–4 participatedin our gardening lessons and sustainabilityprogram linked to the relevant sciencecurriculum and designed to provide support toteachers. Students are led by our expertgardener, Jessica Brewster now employedthree days per week.. Ten classes weretimetabled to work with Jess each week.

Students learn where their food comes fromand how to grow food in the veggie patch. The canteen then uses the produce instudents' canteen lunches.

The new outdoor classroom was constructedby P&C and was used to provide outdoorlessons as part of the gardening program.

Our composting program was featured in theWentworth Courier last November. Parents who are unable to compost theirscraps at home also make use of the school'sprogram.

In 2017, students donated excess strawberryplants to Randwick Children’s Hospital, wherethe plants have been used to set up their ownstrawberry patch.

Our program received a small grant fromWaverley Council at the end of the year tobuild a habitat stepping stone for our nativebees, small birds, frogs and lizards.

Bunnings have made generous donations ashas parent Andy Broadley who verygenerously donated his time to construct theraised garden bed. This project will becompleted in Term 2 of 2018, so that the newhabitats are established in time for spring.

Reading Recovery $45,000

Reading Recovery at Bondi Beach has beenoperating for 15 years.

The 2017 student funding allocation was 4students per day. At the beginning of the yearthere were 101 students in Year One. 10% ofYear One students accessed the program (10students).

Outcomes: In 2017, eight studentscompleted the Reading Recovery program.Two students did not complete the program


Reading Recovery $45,000 as they required long term support.

Initial reading levels in the first intake rangedfrom Level 1–3. In the second intake the initialreading levels ranged from Level 4–11. By theend of the school year, all students whocompleted the program had reached theaverage classroom levels (17/18), with twochildren reaching above average of level 19and 22 respectively.

In the first intake, students were on theprogram for an average of 17 weeks. In thesecond intake, students were on the programfor an average of 13 weeks.

Ongoing Monitoring: All Year 2 and 3students were reading at average orextension levels (20–30) apart from onestudent in Year 2. Most had relatively highBURT scores and solid S.A spelling scores.

It appears from these results that ReadingRecovery students continue to make gains inthe year following completion of the program.They are supported by the LAST program ona needs basis.

Recommendations:

Children who have been on the ReadingRecovery program will continue to bemonitored throughout the year. There will beongoing discussions with the classroom


Student information

Student enrolment profile

Enrolments

Students 2014 2015 2016 2017

Boys 266 282 308 320

Girls 262 261 296 310

The table clearly shows the increase in studentenrolments since 2014. Due to a changes in localschool boundaries, no out of area enrolments will beavailable for the next few years. There is an exceptionto this policy for Kindergarten enrolments for the nexttwo years.

Student attendance profile

School

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017

K 97.1 96 96.2 95.3

1 95.5 95.5 98 93.6

2 95.4 95.5 96.2 96.9

3 95.8 95.5 96.9 95.1

4 94.6 95.3 97.1 95.9

5 97.2 93 95.9 96.4

6 94.1 94.4 97.1 95.7

All Years 95.7 95.3 96.8 95.5

State DoE

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017

K 95.2 94.4 94.4 94.4

1 94.7 93.8 93.9 93.8

2 94.9 94 94.1 94

3 95 94.1 94.2 94.1

4 94.9 94 93.9 93.9

5 94.8 94 93.9 93.8

6 94.2 93.5 93.4 93.3

All Years 94.8 94 94 93.9

Management of non-attendance

Student attendance is critically important to learning.The Department's system for collecting this informationprovides comprehensive data on non–attendance. • Non–attendance is handled by following

Department Policy. Teachers record attendanceby 9:30am every day. After 2 days unexplained

absence, teachers contact parents or carers. toinquire about non–attendance.

• This regular and close communication withparents has assisted in improving studentattendance.

• Teachers are provided with regular attendancereports to ensure that student attendance iscontinually tracked. This data includes whole andpart–days absence in days, hours and minutes.

• School Reports provide parents and carers withaccurate data about attendance.

• The school newsletter provides a link to theSchool Attendance Policy located on schoolwebsite.

The data shows that the school's attendance rate ishigher than that of the state and has been consistentlyso since 2012.

Class sizes

Class Total

KH 19

KE 20

KX 20

K/1R 20

KW 19

KS 20

1D 21

1W 24

1K 22

1G 23

2D 25

2S 25

2M 25

2J 24

3H 30

3/4D 29

3V 29

3L 29

4G 28

4C 28

4S 26

5RJ 26

5F 27

5C 28

6P 30

6S 31


Workforce information

Workforce composition

Position FTE*

Principal 1

Deputy Principal(s) 1

Assistant Principal(s) 4

Head Teacher(s) 0

Classroom Teacher(s) 24.72

Teacher of Reading Recovery 0.42

Learning & Support Teacher(s) 0.6

Teacher Librarian 1.2

Teacher of ESL 0

School Counsellor 1

School Administration & SupportStaff

4.06

Other Positions 0

*Full Time Equivalent

Two staff members identify as Aboriginal.

Teacher qualifications

All teaching staff meet the professional requirementsfor teaching in NSW public schools.

Teacher qualifications

Qualifications % of staff

Undergraduate degree or diploma 80

Postgraduate degree 20

Professional learning and teacher accreditation

Professional learning is achieved in a variety of waysincluding Staff Development Days, in–schoolconsultancy support, professional learning via theCoSIES learning alliance network, weekly professionallearning meetings and stage and executive meetings.Our professional learning focuses on the achievementof the Strategic Directions. In addition, individual staffmembers attended professional learning according totheir needs.

Beginning teachers received the support of supervisors,mentor colleagues and professional learning asrequired. Each year, mandatory training is completed inthe areas of Child Protection, Anaphylaxis, First Aidand CPR. Emergency Care is completed every three

years. Professional learning is detailed more fully undereach of the three Strategic Direction headings onearlier pages of the Annual Report and in the SchoolPlan, which can be viewed on the school website.

Financial information (for schoolsfully deployed to SAP/SALM)

Financial summary

The information provided in the financial summaryincludes reporting from 1 January 2017 to 31December 2017.

2017 Actual ($)

Opening Balance 254,487

Revenue 5,737,260

Appropriation 4,772,311

Sale of Goods and Services 21,757

Grants and Contributions 938,934

Gain and Loss 0

Other Revenue 0

Investment Income 4,257

Expenses -5,553,392

Recurrent Expenses -5,522,027

Employee Related -4,669,781

Operating Expenses -852,246

Capital Expenses -31,365

Employee Related 0

Operating Expenses -31,365

SURPLUS / DEFICIT FOR THEYEAR

183,868

Balance Carried Forward 438,355

The opening balance for the school for this reportingperiod is recorded as the Balance Brought Forward

recorded in the SAP finance table.This summary covers funds for operating costs andemployee related costs but does not involveexpenditure on areas such as building or majormaintenance.

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 4,175,768

Base Per Capita 92,307

Base Location 0

Other Base 4,083,461

Equity Total 134,375

Equity Aboriginal 2,578

Equity Socio economic 6,633

Equity Language 28,217

Equity Disability 96,947

Targeted Total 78,466

Other Total 261,600

Grand Total 4,650,208

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.

School performance

NAPLAN

In the National Assessment Program, the results acrossthe Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy andnumeracy assessments are reported on a scale fromBand 1 to Band 10. The achievement scalerepresents increasing levels of skillsand understandings demonstrated in theseassessments.

Students at Bondi Beach Public School continue toexcel in the literacy components of the NationalAssessment program against their statewidecounterparts.

A sustained focus on improving outcomes in reading,spelling, grammar and punctuation has seensignificantly improved results in Year 3. Readingresults are strong with 74% of students compared to51% of the state in the top two bands.

In 2017, Year 5 student performance in the top twobands for Reading are also well above average with63% of students compared to 40% of the state in thetop two bands.

Significantly, in 2017 literacy results for Year 3 andYear 5 students at Bondi Beach Public School arehigher compared to schools in our high–achieving localgeographical area.

Students at Bondi Beach Public School continue toexcel in the Numeracy components of the NationalAssessment program against their statewidecounterparts.

A sustained focus on improving outcomes in numeracyhas seen significantly improved results in Year


3. Numeracy results are strong with 66% of studentscompared to 43% of the state in the top two bands.

In 2017, Year 5 student performance in the top twobands for Numeracy are also somewhat above averagewith 46% of students compared to 33% of the state inthe top two bands.

In 2017 Numeracy results for Year 3 and Year 5students at Bondi Beach Public School improvedsignificantly compared to previous years againstschools in our high–achieving local geographical area.

In the new 2018–2020 School Plan, a sustained focuson working mathematically and problem solving willcontinue.

The My School website provides detailedinformation and data for national literacy and numeracytesting. Go to http://www.myschool.edu.au to accessthe school data.

Parent/caregiver, student, teachersatisfaction

Each year, schools seek the opinions of students,teachers and parents about the school. The responsesare presented below. Students, teachers and parentswere invited to participate in the Tell Them From Me(TTFM) surveys during 2017.

Students at Bondi Beach Public School feel a strongsense of belonging where high levels of participation inclubs and sporting activities is evident. Students feelthey have friends at school they can trust and whoencourage them to make positive choices. There is ahigher than state average level of motivation, interestand effort in academic pursuits. Homework was seenas less of a priority than in other NSW schools. Thiscorrelates with the Partners in Learning survey forparents. However, 76% of students agree or strongly


agree that when they finish high school, they expect togo to University. 21% of students say that they getvaluable feedback from their teacher/s that moves theirlearning forward every day. This will be used as abenchmark for future strategic directions in the new2018–2020 School Plan.

The Parent survey is based on a comprehensivequestionnaire covering several aspects of parents'perceptions of their children's experiences at home andschool. In 2017, parents felt welcome when they visitedthe school and could easily speak with their child'steachers. They felt well informed about school activitiesand generally believed that teachers listened to theirconcerns. Parents believed that teachers helpedstudents develop positive friendships. They felt that theschool supported learning and parents supportedlearning at home however there was a disparity in thearea of support for homework. This was evident in thestudent surveys as well.

The Focus on Learning survey is a self–evaluation toolto reflect on school practice. Teachers agree thatschool leaders have helped them to create a safe andorderly school environment for students and helpedteachers create new learning opportunities forstudents. They have had many opportunities to talkto other teachers about strategies that increase studentengagement. They felt that school leaders are leadingimprovement and change. Teachers discuss learningproblems of particular students with other teachers,including the Learning Support team. They set highexpectations for student learning. Giving regularfeedback to students and more opportunities for schoolleaders to take time to observe their teaching will be afocus for 2018.

Policy requirements

Aboriginal education

The DoE Aboriginal Education and Training Policy isbeing fully implemented. Our professional learningcontinues to focus on quality teaching and the inclusionof Aboriginal perspectives in units of work whereverrelevant. In respectfully opening all assemblies andschool events with an Acknowledgement of Country,the Bondi Beach Public School community values andgives recognition to Aboriginal people and theirancestors.

Our school continues to acknowledge andcommemorate two important weeks in the Aboriginalcalendar with assemblies presented by Stage 2 andStage 3 students: Reconciliation Week, incorporatingSorry Day, and NAIDOC Week. The theme of NationalReconciliation Week in 2017, “Let’s take the nextsteps”, encouraged everyone to be involved and to takethe next steps together in our national reconciliationstory. The NAIDOC Week theme, 'Our LanguagesMatter' emphasised and celebrated the unique andessential role that Indigenous languages play in bothcultural identity, linking people to their land and water,and in the transmission of Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander history, spirituality and rites, through story andsong.

Bondi Beach Public School has developed valuedtraditions for these assemblies, where students areinvited to wear the colours of the Aboriginal and TorresStrait Island flags. These traditions include invitingAboriginal Community Liaison Officers like Aunty Fay tooffer an Acknowledgement of Country.

Throughout the year, our students were provided with arange of learning opportunities to deepen theirknowledge and understanding of the culture and historyof Indigenous Australians and developed theirunderstanding of the impact of colonial settlement uponthe First peoples. Students from Years K–6 participated in the Pauline McLeod Art Competition andselected artworks were showcased at Bondi Pavilionduring Reconciliation Week, with students receivingawards for their artworks.

The school invited Wandana, a curriculum–basedAboriginal community education program to providerich, unique and well structured learning experiencesthat engage, educate and inspired our students andallowed every student the opportunity to leave alegacy. Through their varied learning experiences,students developed an appreciation and an empathy aswell as critical understanding of the past and its impacton the lives of present day Aboriginal peoples.

Multicultural and anti-racism education

Our school has maintained its focus on multiculturaleducation, providing programs that develop theknowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes requiredto live in a culturally diverse society. Students studiedHistory and Geography programs which developed


their cultural understandings, fostering appreciation andrespect for diversity. Our students represent 80language backgrounds. Students who speak little or noEnglish are supported through the English as anAdditional Language/Dialect program and the NewArrivals Program.In 2017, our EAL/D teacher, Ms Gill,worked with all teachers to provide support for ourLanguage Background Other Than English students.NAPLAN data indicates that these students areperforming at higher than the DoE State average in allareas.

We continued our before and after school Languagesprogram. Students competed in the Multicultural PublicSpeaking Competition. Winning speakers representedBondi Beach PS at the District competition.Anti–Racism education is integrated across allcurriculum areas and is an integral part of the school’sValues and Restorative Practices Program. The schoolcelebrates Harmony Day, coinciding with the UNInternational Day for the Elimination of RacialDiscrimination. Our Anti–Racism Contact Officer


2017 Bondi Beach Public School Annual Report · underpinned by the experience and expertise of our...

Documents

Transcript of 2017 Bondi Beach Public School Annual Report · underpinned by the experience and expertise of our...