Kurrajong East Public SchoolAnnual Report

2017

2343

Printed on: 12 April, 2018Page 1 of 9 Kurrajong East Public School 2343 (2017)

Introduction

The Annual Report for 2017 is provided to the community of Kurrajong East 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.

Michele Miller

Principal

School contact details

Kurrajong East Public School891 East Kurrajong RoadEast Kurrajong, 2758www.kurrajonge-p.schools.nsw.edu.aukurrajonge-p.School@det.nsw.edu.au4576 3321

Printed on: 12 April, 2018Page 2 of 9 Kurrajong East Public School 2343 (2017)

School background

School vision statement

Kurrajong East Public School engages students, parents and the community in a shared learning journey. We empowerstudents to be responsible, respectful, learners who display empathy, resilience and a desire to achieve their best. Ourexceptional school offers a warm and friendly learning environment which prides itself on the social, emotional, physicaland intellectual wellbeing of every child.

KEPS is an innovative school in terms of the programs that are offered from K–6 and constantly reflects upon theeffectiveness of learning programs to refine pedagogy.

School context

Kurrajong East Public School is a small semi–rural school located in the Hawkesbury region. The school has anenrolment of 66 students in 3 classes. The school has experienced and dedicated staff and excellent facilities topromote 21st Century Learning. At Kurrajong East we value strong partnerships between our school, our parents and ourcommunity. The enduring partnership between our school and the wider community works collaboratively to deliveroutstanding educational opportunities for all students.

Self-assessment and school achievement

Self-assessment using the School Excellence Framework

This section of the Annual Report outlines the findings from self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework,school achievements and the next steps to be pursued.

This year, our school undertook self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework. The framework supportspublic schools throughout NSW in the pursuit of excellence by providing a clear description of high quality practiceacross the three domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading.

In the domain of Learning, the school's focus has been on the practices related to welfare and to revisit our wellbeingprogram and the tracking of student progress in a number of settings. To this end the school has had some success inthe introduction of the Positive Behaviour for Learning and will continue to upskill staff through professional developmentand to continue modifying our current school wellbeing system. As a result a majority of students have adopted theexpectations, attitudes and behaviours outlined in Positive Behaviour for Learning lessons. In curriculum, the staff havecontinued to work collaboratively to review current scope and sequences and to ensure that all content and outcomesassociated with national curriculum are covered across multi–stage classes and provide a continuum of learning, forstudents, across all key learning areas. The process of assessing and supporting students requiring assistance from ourLearning and Support Teacher continues to be refined. The use of school assessment data has improved theidentification of students needing support and providing all students with specific targeted interventions.

In the domain of Teaching, the staff regularly review and revise lesson plans to ensure that the content is based on thecurriculum. The experienced staff at Kurrajong East continue to work collaboratively to discuss new pedagogiesnecessary to deliver relevant and current teaching and learning experiences for their students. Teachers maintain orderlyclassrooms and manage challenging behaviours to create a positive environment for learning and provide lessons thatare engaging and challenging to their students. Teachers have gathered student assessment data and are using thisinformation to inform the next steps in lesson preparation.

As a focus in the domain of Leading, the staff continue to review effective practice in curriculum and to support eachother in creating a culture of high expectations. As a team operating in a small school setting, an onus is on all staff totake leadership on equitably distributing duties and areas of responsibility.

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 

Printed on: 12 April, 2018Page 3 of 9 Kurrajong East Public School 2343 (2017)

Strategic Direction 1

Wellbeing

Purpose

KEPS endeavours to provide a comprehensive and inclusive framework which supports the cognitive, social, emotional,physical and spiritual wellbeing of every student. KEPS provides a variety of strategies, programs and communitypartnerships to best utilise school resources and community expertise to support individual learning and provide studentswith opportunities to connect and succeed.

Overall summary of progress

The staff at Kurrajong East continue to use shared language of behaviour expectations in classroom and playgroundsettings. Students are able to identify the school motto to be a "Respectful, Responsible and Best Learner". The majorityof students feel safe and valued in the classroom and in the playground and practise respectful and responsiblebehaviours on a daily basis. This has contributed to a positive school culture which leads to the building of cognitive,social, emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing of all students and staff.

Progress towards achieving improvement measures

Improvement measures(to be achieved over 3 years)

Funds Expended(Resources)

Progress achieved this year

Students, staff and the broadercommunity have a sharedlanguage regarding expectationsof behaviours, attitudes andexpectations that enhancewell–being and lead to improved,consistent student behaviour.This process allows students tofeel safe and valued.

Resources bought andcertificates and awardsprinted.

 $400

Explicit lessons were taught in classrooms buildingupon the shared language previously developedbetween staff and students. An increasing numberof students reported feeling safe and valued.

Positive Behaviour for Learning coaches came tothe end of year staff development day to provideprofessional learning to staff in up to date PBLpractices.

An  overall decrease in thenumber of incidents reportedthrough the school's welfare anddiscipline system from <10% to<2%

In 2017 there were further decreases in negativeincidences reported through the schools welfareand discipline system.

More than 90% of students had no incidencesreported.

Next Steps

The school will continue its focus to develop whole school wellbeing processes to support all students to connect,succeed, thrive and learn in the 2018 to 2020 school plan.

The school will increase signage supporting the Positive Behaviour for Learning targets around the school. Staff willcontinue to review and modify lessons and award systems.

Printed on: 12 April, 2018Page 4 of 9 Kurrajong East Public School 2343 (2017)

Strategic Direction 2

Quality Learning and Teaching

Purpose

Through quality teaching practices, KEPS staff develop the knowledge, understanding and skills of all students resultingin confident, creative, active and informed citizens. Students are connected and collaboratively learn beyond theimmediate walls of the school ensuring students acquire the knowledge and skills to participate effectively in a globalsociety and pave the way for their future success.

KEPS is constantly reviewing and refining best practice in terms of leadership, which in turn promotes a framework forplanning for educational change, succession and distributive leadership and organisational best practice.

Overall summary of progress

Kurrajong East Public School continues to implement a school wide system that has a focus on improving qualitylearning and teaching practice.

Staff have continued to improve teaching practice and curriculum knowledge and this has led to staff reviewing thestudent achievement levels in literacy and numeracy.

Progress towards achieving improvement measures

Improvement measures(to be achieved over 3 years)

Funds Expended(Resources)

Progress achieved this year

Achievement levels for studentsin years K, I and 2 to bemaintained at =90% or > at levels8, 18 and26 respectively. Expansion of useof plan data for tracking literacyand numeracy levels K to 6.

75% of K to 2 students achieved expected ReadingRecovery levels.

All staff were actively engaged in professionallearning to increase their ability in tracking ofstudents' progression in literacy and numeracy.

Students produce moreindependent work and developtheir own learning goals basedupon enquiry learningmodels. Student results improveas a result of the development ofskills set that promoteindividualised learning.

Furniture and refurbishment$7000

Students stated increased levels of confidence inability to work independently.

The school library was refurbished by staff andparents to provide a shared future focused learningenvironment.

Next Steps

School staff will participate in a Visible Learning project (three year commitment) with other Hawkesbury network schoolsto embed evidence based teaching and quality assessment practices.

Printed on: 12 April, 2018Page 5 of 9 Kurrajong East Public School 2343 (2017)

Key Initiatives Resources (annual) Impact achieved this year

Quality Teaching, SuccessfulStudents (QTSS)

Staff observed each otherand reflected on these PDPobservations.

Staff to attend professionallearning courses.

$5180

Staff set goals in their Performance andDevelopment Plans and spent time reflectingon these goals and their achievements. Afocus was on continued improvement inquality teaching and an emphasis on studentassessment tasks and the use of obtaineddata to inform the next step in programming.

Socio–economic background Purchase of new homereaders for Early Stage1/Stage 1 and Stage 2.

Purchase of Mathematicsresources for use in classlessons.

Purchase of boom wackersfor use in music lessons.

Salary for School LearningSupport Office SLSO.

$21 974

Review of budget allocations across keylearning areas.

Improved classroom resources for teaching ofKLA's.

Support for targeted students.

Aboriginal background loading Salary for School LearningSupport Office SLSO.

$6 717

Individual Learning Plans devised to supportall Aboriginal students.

Support and monitoring from relevant classteacher, SLSO and LaST given to Aboriginalstudents

Low level adjustment for disability Salaries for LaST andSLSO.

$26 442

Wages for the LaST and SLSO's supportingtargeted interventions and timetablesdeveloped for SLSO's to work with identifiedstudents.

Printed on: 12 April, 2018Page 6 of 9 Kurrajong East Public School 2343 (2017)

Student information

Student enrolment profile

Enrolments

Students 2014 2015 2016 2017

Boys 37 33 30 24

Girls 33 34 35 29

Student attendance profile

School

Year 2014 2015 2016 2017

K 100 93.4 97.3 95.2

1 95.3 96.8 94.9 98.1

2 94.1 92.4 92.7 93.7

3 95.5 93.1 93.8 95.9

4 95.5 96 92.3 94.8

5 96.7 93.4 97.6 95.7

6 96.5 95.5 93.8 96.8

All Years 95.8 94.3 94.8 95.7

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

Students identified as being at risk of poor attendanceare managed in accordance with school and DoEattendance policy.

Regular liaison with the Home School Liaison Officerinforms school planning for student attendance.

Workforce information

Workforce composition

Position FTE*

Principal 1

Deputy Principal(s) 0

Assistant Principal(s) 0

Head Teacher(s) 0

Classroom Teacher(s) 2.35

Teacher of Reading Recovery 0

Learning & Support Teacher(s) 0.2

Teacher Librarian 0.17

Teacher of ESL 0

School Counsellor 0

School Administration & SupportStaff

1.41

Other Positions 0

*Full Time Equivalent

There are currently no staff who identify as being ofAboriginal background.

Teacher qualifications

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

Teacher qualifications

Qualifications % of staff

Undergraduate degree or diploma 100

Postgraduate degree 0

Professional learning and teacher accreditation

In 2017 there are no teachers seeking accreditation ateither highly accomplished or lead.

Printed on: 12 April, 2018Page 7 of 9 Kurrajong East Public School 2343 (2017)

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 59,655

Revenue 672,333

Appropriation 647,682

Sale of Goods and Services 2,540

Grants and Contributions 21,205

Gain and Loss 0

Other Revenue 0

Investment Income 906

Expenses -627,326

Recurrent Expenses -627,326

Employee Related -570,860

Operating Expenses -56,466

Capital Expenses 0

Employee Related 0

Operating Expenses 0

SURPLUS / DEFICIT FOR THEYEAR

45,007

Balance Carried Forward 104,663

The school's finances are managed according to DoErequirements. The principal in partnership with theSchool Administrative Manager sets and monitors theschool budget.

The school maintains a balance of funds to replaceassets and to maintain a reserve.

In 2018 the school will be allocating reserved funds foradditional professional learning in the area of VisibleLearning.

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 579,223

Base Per Capita 9,934

Base Location 1,512

Other Base 567,778

Equity Total 55,133

Equity Aboriginal 6,717

Equity Socio economic 21,974

Equity Language 0

Equity Disability 26,442

Targeted Total 0

Other Total 6,299

Grand Total 640,656

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.

In cohorts of less than 10 students privacy concernsrestrict the reporting of data.

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

Printed on: 12 April, 2018Page 8 of 9 Kurrajong East Public School 2343 (2017)

Parent/caregiver, student, teachersatisfaction

Parents, students and teachers completed the SWOTanalysis assessing the school strengths, weaknesses,opportunities and threats. Overwhelmingly parentsbelieve that the small  school learning environmentprovided at Kurrajong East Public School is a strengthas each child is known and understood by all staffmembers. The appointment of the substantive principalin 2017 and anticipated growth in school numbers in2018 will provide stability as the school moves into thefuture.

Students stated that they were happy with the amountof choice and variety in extra curricula opportunitiesoffered at Kurrajong East Public School.

 

Policy requirements

Aboriginal education

Kurrajong East Public School has a commitment to theprinciples and implementation of Aboriginal educationperspectives through the provision of a culturallyrelevant curriculum and engaging learningopportunities. Emphasis continues to be placed onchallenging student focus through Aboriginalperspective across all key learning areas.

Aboriginal students are supported through thedevelopment of Personalised Learning Plans.

Multicultural and anti-racism education

Kurrajong East Public School is strongly committed topromoting cultural diversity and harmony through theteaching of integrated units which promote awarenessand inclusivity. Studies across all key learning areasincorporate Multicultural perspectives.

Printed on: 12 April, 2018Page 9 of 9 Kurrajong East Public School 2343 (2017)