Beacon Hill Public School 2015 Annual Report
2015
3971
Introduction The Annual Report for 2015 is provided to the community of Beacon Hill Public School as an account of the school’s operations and achievements throughout the year. It provides a detailed account of the progress the school has made to provide high quality educational opportunities for all students, as set out in the school plan. It outlines the findings from self‐assessment that reflect the impact of key school strategies for improved learning and the benefit to all students from the expenditure of resources, including equity funding. Peta Hanson Principal
School contact details: Beacon Hill Public School Tristram Road BEACON HILL 2100 www.beaconhill‐p.schools.nsw.edu.au beaconhill‐
[email protected] Ph. 9451 6328
Message from the Principal It is with great pleasure that I present Beacon Hill Public School’s Annual Report for 2015, the year we celebrated 60 fabulous years of public education. I am incredibly proud to be Principal of this wonderful school and have enjoyed the first six months of my principalship immensely. I have been incredibly privileged to meet and work with so many wonderful students, staff and community members and I look forward to 2016 and strengthening these partnerships. Beacon Hill is a wonderful school and a credit to the hard working staff. I would really like to thank Mrs Jane Stanley for her exceptional leadership in the acting position during semester one. She has done an outstanding job leading Beacon Hill during a period of great change and has been an amazing support to myself as I have settled in. Thank you also to Miss Kirsty Rayner and Mrs Kim Graham for the incredible work that they have done as Relieving Deputy Principal and Relieving Assistant Principal. The hard work and dedication of the entire BHPS staff is certainly noticed. This year has been another successful one. We have continued to provide a wide range of opportunities for our students to develop and demonstrate personal excellence across academic, social, sporting and cultural domains. Students and their families can be justifiably proud of the excellence demonstrated by the students throughout 2015. Our school community continues to recognise the importance of the development of the whole child, within a context of a rapidly changing world. Our highly qualified, dedicated and professional staff works collaboratively to ensure that our students strive for their personal best in a safe, challenging and nurturing environment. Our school focus areas for 2015 were personalising and transforming learning, fostering purposeful collaboration of teams and facilitating school excellence through community engagement. Particularly noteworthy has been the successful implementation of Action Learning projects K‐6 to enhance teaching practices and the refining and strengthening of our Learning and Support procedures and practices. In 2015 we have consolidated our understanding and application of the conceptual planning framework and look forward to further applying this as we implement the new History syllabus in 2016. In 2015 we celebrated our 60th birthday during Education Week. Our 60th birthday showcase was nothing short of spectacular and an event of which everyone should be so incredibly proud. Through our fantastic grade performances, we were taken on a journey through time‐ from the 1950s to the present: a celebration and opportunity to reminisce about a wonderful 60 years. Beacon Hill Public School would be considered the heart of our community‐ fostering partnerships between students, staff, parents and the wider community. It is here that we see our local heroes at work every day‐ parents volunteering their time in so many capacities, teachers and support staff working so incredibly hard for our students. These partnerships enhance the learning opportunities and educational outcomes for all students, challenging them to exceed expectations.
In 2015, our students were once again provided with an incredible variety of supplementary learning experiences and opportunities throughout the year. These included music, band, drama, chess, gymnastics, dance, debating, public speaking as well as leadership development, Maths Olympiad, camps, excursions and incursions. We also participated in the Premier’s Spelling Bee and Premier’s Reading Challenge. I continue to be incredibly proud of the pedagogical capacity of our staff and their commitment to life‐long learning in an increasingly digital world. They combine a strong sense of caring with a professional approach, high expectations and a willingness to contribute well above normal expectations. They are well supported by an equally committed team of administrative and support staff. A strong partnership exists within the school between staff and our parent community which is one of the many reasons for our successes this year. We thank our P&C, its various sub‐committees and all of our volunteers for their time and tireless efforts in supporting our school, all of which enhances our teaching and learning programs. We look forward to a successful 2016 where we, as a staff, will work towards: consolidating and enhancing our pedagogical practice; fostering personalised and transformative learning for our students; implementing the Positive Behaviour Engaged Learners (PBL) wellbeing initiative K‐6; extending the transformative use of ICT for learning; as well as further connecting our vibrant community of learners at a local, national and global scale. Our aspiration as always is to continue our focus on individuals and personalising their learning pathways, expanding our expectations of their capacities and capabilities, and in doing so, continuously improving what we do. I commend and thank the students, dedicated teaching and administrative staff, families and wider school community for their commitment, collaboration and care throughout 2015. The achievements outlined in this report would not be possible without your continued support. It is with a sense of optimism and pride that I ask you to celebrate our successes and reflect on our future goals as we look forward to 2016. At the end of 2015 we bid farewell to two exceptional, long term members of our teaching staff‐ Mrs Michelle Howland and Mrs Kim Whitehead. It is never easy to say goodbye and we do so with heavy hearts. I know everyone will join me in wishing them all the very best and know that wherever life’s journey takes them, they will treasure the time they have spent at BHPS and leave with many fond memories. I certify that the information in this report is the result of a rigorous school self‐evaluation process and is a balanced and genuine account of the school’s achievements and areas for development.
School background School vision statement At BHPS we work collaboratively with staff and students in partnership with the community to provide engaging and personalised learning experiences that promote individual achievement and success.
School context Beacon Hill Public School is a unique NSW public school that maintains high quality teaching and learning programs and high academic outcomes through utilising innovative technologies which support classroom teaching and learning and a whole school focus on literacy and numeracy. The staff at Beacon Hill Public School is committed to creating a safe, happy and academically challenging environment for children. The school offers a wide range of learning opportunities and enrichment programs to inspire each child to reach their full potential. The school has excellent traditions and aims for excellence academically, in performing arts and sport. ‘Be Proud to Achieve’ is the school’s motto and we are known as ‘The friendly school’. Our school is a member of the Northern Beaches Learning Alliance (NBLA) which is a community of schools committed to working together to support the needs of all members. The NBLA fosters positive school communities and consists of local primary schools and campuses of the Northern Beaches Secondary College. Shared professional learning opportunities enhance teaching and learning practices and improve student wellbeing.
P&C Message Another busy school year comes to a close and I am pleased to report a number of highlights for the P&C. Firstly, we welcomed our new Principal Peta Hanson to our school and to the P&C. Peta has already made a great contribution to our meetings and the school is definitely in good hands. We were again fortunate to have regular presentations from the teaching staff around key areas of the school curriculum. We are lucky to have such dedicated and caring teachers at our school it certainly fills in the many gaps in our understanding as our little ones description of their days tend to be very brief! It would be great to see more parents come along to these special meetings next year as they are really very informative and give you as the parent the opportunity to ask questions about the current syllabus and the future direction of the subject and the school in general. These talks are held at the start of the meeting and there is no obligation to stay once they are over. Over the five years I have been President of the P&C, I have been very lucky to work with so many dedicated and smart people. I am pleased to say that the financial position, structure and governance of the P&C and its sub‐ committees are now very robust and we now have the foundation that will allow us to continue to help the school and provide these important additional services. I would like to thank our Treasurer Suzette Stevenson for her contribution this year. The band continues to go from strength to strength with a great level of participation and interest, our thanks to all involved. The canteen looks great and offers a far greater range of food and healthy options than ever before. The uniform shop continues to offer a vital service with a new set of payment options to make the whole experience easier for all. Fundraising of course is a major part of the P&C function and I am proud to say over the last 5 years we have been able to pass over $140K to the school to pay for a significant amount of new technology as well as playground upgrades. This is of course due to the incredibly hard work of many volunteers who give up many hours of their personal time to support the school. There are too many people to thank here but I would like to personally thank Marianne Hardy for her dedication and organisational skills to put this all together along with her fantastic team. There are some exciting events planned for 2016, watch this space! I would like to finish by thanking and highlighting the work done by the P&C Executive. In particular, Secretary Kaz Cerneaz. Kaz does an incredible amount of work for both the P&C and the school and she has been instrumental in everything we have achieved. Also our Vice Presidents, Sally Bate and Sophie Sizeland whose tireless efforts have made my job easier. All volunteer groups need people like these and we have been lucky enough to have a fantastic team this year. The P&C is in a very good position moving into 2016 but like all volunteer organisations needs new faces to join in and be part of the action. There will be a number of vacancies to fill next year and all I can say is it a great way to be involved and learn so much more about our great school. Scott Brewster, P&C President
School Council Message School Council roles and responsibilities in 2015 reflected changes made to the Constitution in 2014. In the latter part of the year, council acted as BHPS enrolment committee as reflected in the Constitution to ensure enrolments are in line with current policy. Additionally, council was actively involved in supporting the school through the self‐ assessment process and evaluation of the 2015 milestones. Information gathered from student assessment data and surveys was presented to council. Utilising a collaborative technique, the carousel, and following the Design Thinking framework, activities and discussion enabled us the opportunity to inform future directions and amendments to our 2015‐2017 school plan. Many thanks to the 2015 outgoing council members for the wonderful contributions made to council over the last few years: Kim Whitehead, Sarah Kline and Sarah Jefferson. Council continues to maintain a full roster of members comprising of delegates from staff, parents and community and remains stable under the leadership of Lesley Hubbard.
Self‐assessment using the School Excellence Framework This section of the Annual Report outlines the findings from self‐assessment using the School Excellence Framework, our school achievements and the next steps to be pursued. The Framework supports public schools throughout NSW in the pursuit of excellence by providing a clear description of high quality practice across the three domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading. This year, our school undertook self‐assessment using the elements of the School Excellence Framework. The School Leadership Team worked closely with our Principal, School Leadership to map and chart the progress of our milestones against the School Excellence Framework and ultimately review directions for 2016. As a staff, we used the School Excellence Framework to reflect on our progress across the domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading and inform future directions for our school. Learning There is demonstrated commitment within the school community to strengthen and deliver on school learning priorities and fostering sustainable growth, supported by positive, respectful relationships among students and staff. School priorities are strongly supported by our P&C and wider community. As a school we have identified strong aspects of, and factors contributing to, wellbeing in the delivery of our teaching and learning programs to improve student outcomes. This has included embedding mindfulness into our daily programs, a strong accrual based rewards system, identified formal and informal opportunities to celebrate student success and effective leadership programs. In 2016 we share a commitment to implementing Positive Behaviour for Learning to facilitate a whole‐school approach to wellbeing that has clearly defined behavioural expectations and creates a positive teaching and learning environment. Regular and ongoing collegial meetings enable staff the opportunity to engineer and review curriculum, teaching and learning experiences and assessment and reporting. Our learning community, the Northern Beaches Learning Alliance (NBLA) provides enhanced collaborative opportunities for staff such as combined school development days, professional learning and collegial networks as well as camps, project based learning and networking opportunities for students with students from local primary and high schools. Analysis of internal and external student assessment and performance data enables effective identification of trends in student achievement. All staff members are involved in the analysis of data through regular collegial meetings. This analysis drives decision making and future directions for school planning and student learning. Parents and students receive feedback on progress through semester based reports and parent teacher interviews. Student results both internal and external are pleasing. There is good value adding results and students achieve pleasing levels of performance in external performance measures. For 2015 99% of students were at/above national minimum standard in Year 5 NAPLAN Reading and Numeracy. At the same time 62% of tracked students were in the top two NAPLAN bands at Year 7 for Reading and 82% for Numeracy. Teaching Teachers regularly use student performance data to evaluate the effectiveness of and inform their own teaching practice. Regular collegial meetings and the implementation of programs such as L3 and our action learning approach to professional learning support our teachers to be critically reflective practitioners. Collegial meetings incorporate regular and ongoing analysis of data to drive future directions for student learning. A range of formal and informal assessment measures are regularly utilised to track and monitor student progress and identify areas for development. Strong learning and support processes effectively complement classroom processes. Regular ongoing collegial meetings enable our teachers the opportunity to effectively collaborate and reflect on their practice to improve student outcomes. Processes are in place at both a school and NBLA level to provide formal mentoring or coaching support to improve teaching and leadership practice through established collegial networks such as school and NBLA based accreditation networks, Assistant Principal, Deputy Principal and Principal networks as well as numerous curriculum networks. Professional learning is carefully aligned with the strategic directions outlined in the school plan. All staff members are actively engaged in formulating their own Performance and Development Plans to strengthen their practice. A school‐based collegial network has been established to support early career teachers with mentoring support. Stage based action learning projects for 2015 have focused on improving teaching methods in literacy, with stage based professional learning activities focused on building teachers’ understandings of effective teaching strategies in these areas. Beacon Hill Public School teachers are actively committed to their ongoing development as members of the teaching profession. As part of our school performance and development processes, staff members are supported to align the professional standards to their identified personal goals. Staff members work beyond their classrooms and actively
contribute to extra‐curricular school programs, such as dance, drama, choir, sport and community activities. Leading Beacon Hill Public School community is very positive about educational provision. The school has productive relationships with external agencies such as local businesses, industry and community organisations to improve educational opportunities for students. The school solicits and addresses feedback on school performance. A shared understanding of the school strategic directions as outlined in the school plan is evident across our school community. Monitoring, evaluation and review processes are embedded and undertaken routinely. Clear processes, with accompanying timelines and milestones, direct school activity towards effective implementation of the school plan. School resources are strategically used to achieve improved student outcomes. The school has a multi‐purpose centre (MPC) which is optimally utilised within the local community, to best meet the needs of students and the local community. Ongoing school improvement is underpinned by regular opportunities for students and the community to provide constructive feedback on school practices and procedures. Students have regular student input through forums such as the Student Representative Council and parents through P&C, School Council representation and regular community events. Our self‐assessment process will further assist the school to refine the strategic priorities in our School plan leading to further improvements in the delivery of education to our students.
Strategic Direction 1 Personalised and Transformative learning
Purpose Meaningful learning outcomes and processes ensure every student is an engaged, confident life‐long learner who successfully contributes productively to the community and society.
Overall summary of progress In 2015, three key project areas supported the implementation of Strategic Direction 1: Personalised and Transformative Learning. *Personalising learning through understanding and application of effective tracking and assessment processes. Beacon Hill Public School’s Learning and Support procedures were reviewed in 2015 to ensure alignment with DoE reforms (Every Student, Every School, Wellbeing Framework) and Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) processes. Guidelines were developed to support NCCD processes and a clear referral and tracking process was established for Learning and Support. In consultation with parents/ carers and teachers, Personalised Learning Plans were created where appropriate for students on the LaST caseload and reviewed regularly throughout the year. Policy, procedures and processes were shared with staff and feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Knowledge and application of the Literacy and Numeracy continuum documents continues to be varied. In 2015, Kindergarten and Year 1 teachers utilised the Literacy continuum documents to engage in reflective practice and plotted their findings on PLAN to foster a more streamlined tracking and handover process for 2016. *Transforming learning through implementation of deep, authentic and visible learning practices. In 2015, our staff was actively involved in authentic professional learning opportunities with two global educators. Through team teaching and lesson observations, staff members were engaged in activities to embed computational thinking into the classroom as well as innovative teaching strategies such as Mystery Skype to connect globally with schools and students around the globe. All staff participated in an afternoon professional learning session on globally connecting our students and student engagement using ICT. In 2015 we also commenced the process of transforming a learning space for our students to support a more flexible approach to learning and embedding contemporary pedagogy. *Utilising the Action Learning framework to support effective differentiation of literacy learning sequences to enhance students’ learning outcomes. All stages were involved in Action Learning projects in 2015 supported by team leaders. The focus for AL in 2015 was exploring ways we could more effectively differentiate literacy teaching and learning to enhance our student learning outcomes with particular emphasis on developing skills in inferential comprehension. Embedding the Super Six model into practice was adopted by a number of stages to best support the development of comprehension.
Progress towards achieving improvement measures Improvement measure Progress achieved this year (to be achieved over 3 years) Increase in the percentage of students achieving greater than expected growth in literacy and numeracy areas of NAPLAN
Resources (annual)
In 2015, 98% of Year 3 students and 99% of Year 5 $3 200 to support students achieved above the National Minimum authentic professional Standard in NAPLAN reading and numeracy. learning Our school focus for measuring improvement is analysis opportunities at of individual student growth from year 3 to 5. In 2015, school 66% of year 5 students achieved greater than expected growth in both reading and numeracy. A further 7% of students were very close to achieving greater than expected growth in reading while 11% were very close in numeracy. This is an increase from 2014 where 57% of year 5 students achieved greater than expected growth in reading and 47% in numeracy.
Increase in the percentage of students achieving at or above cluster level benchmarks in Literacy and Numeracy using the literacy and numeracy continuum documents
In 2015, Kindergarten and Year 1 teachers actively $23 600 to support Learning plotted students on PLAN using their knowledge of the Action projects Literacy continuum document. 67% of kindergarten students achieved at or above cluster level benchmarks in reading texts and 64% in comprehension. $ 31 265 RAM 81% of year 1 students achieved at or above cluster level funding to employ benchmarks in reading texts and 63% in comprehension. SLSOs to support literacy differentiation in all classes.
Next steps Future directions for 2016 to ensure the 3‐year plan remains on track to provide high quality educational outcomes include using the SENTRAL system to complete PLPs and ILPs and tracking of adjustments to ensure a more streamlined tracking and handover process. All staff will engage in personalised professional learning opportunities to engage with the Literacy and Numeracy continuum documents and the English Textual Concepts document. Plotting of student progress on PLAN will be extended to Years 2 to 6 in reading and comprehension. The Action Learning cycle will be further developed in 2016 with emphasis on embedding meaningful opportunities for classroom observation and reflection. The focus for 2016 will continue to strengthen the implementation of differentiated learning in literacy to meet the needs of all students. Principles of visible learning and formative assessment based on the research of John Hattie and Dylan Wiliam (establishing clear learning intentions and success criteria, quality feedback and effective questioning) will be embedded into our practice through our action learning projects following whole staff professional learning in Term 1, 2016. In 2016 we will continue to work on engaging our students and fostering creativity through authentic use of ICT and completing the redesign of our flexible learning space.
Strategic Direction 2 Purposeful collaboration of teams
Purpose Through a whole school approach towards the implementation of quality teaching and learning there is consistency in expectation, professional dialogue, and reflective practice. Commitment to ongoing professional learning fosters positive relationships and builds the capacity of all team members.
Overall summary of progress In 2015, three key project areas supported the implementation of Strategic Direction 2: Purposeful collaboration of teams. *Purposeful collaboration of teams through Action Learning. Meaningful collaborative practice was facilitated through grade/ stage based action learning projects that explored ways we (in our grades/ stages) could more effectively differentiate literacy teaching and learning to enhance our student learning outcomes with particular emphasis on developing skills in inferential comprehension. Data was collected at the commencement of the projects and throughout and staff members were engaged in reflective discussions to drive future project directions. Lesson observations and classroom walkthroughs were incorporated into projects supporting the Performance Development cycle and facilitated reflective practice with the ultimate aim of building teacher capacity. * Develop and implement a meaningful professional learning plan. A school professional learning plan was developed and implemented that clearly differentiated the professional learning opportunities on offer for staff at Beacon Hill Public School. The plan was clearly colour coded to reflect PL at whole school level, in stage/ grade based teams, accreditation, opportunities at NBLA network level and beyond and BOSTES courses. This comprehensive plan ensured that BHPS professional learning plans and processes were working towards ensuring PL reflected the needs of staff and was meaningful and relevant to their needs. * Implementing the Performance Development Cycle. All staff members developed, reviewed and evaluated their own Performance Development Plan in 2015 as part of their first Performance Development Cycle. Performance Development Plans were explicitly targeted at developing teacher capacity to cater for learner diversity and improved leadership capability.
Progress towards achieving improvement measures Improvement measure Progress achieved this year (to be achieved over 3 years) 100% attendance and participation in scheduled professional learning
Staff members effectively informed of Professional Learning opportunities through the development and implementation of a school professional learning plan that clearly differentiated the professional learning opportunities on offer for staff at Beacon Hill Public School. The plan was clearly colour coded to reflect PL at whole school level, in stage/ grade based teams, accreditation, opportunities at NBLA network level and beyond and BOSTES courses. Professional Learning registers maintained throughout the year reflect high levels of staff attendance at professional learning sessions throughout 2015.
Resources (annual) $23 600 to support Action Learning projects
100% of teachers In 2015, 3 staff members attained accreditation at committed to attaining professional competence. 4 staff members were active in and maintaining AITSL the maintenance cycle at professional competence. certification. Regular accreditation Professional Learning sessions facilitated by our Deputy Principal supported all staff members working towards attaining or maintaining accreditation at professional competence.
Next steps Future directions for 2016 to ensure the 3‐year plan remains on track to provide high quality educational outcomes include closely aligning our Performance Development Plans to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. This will allow for staff to further develop their knowledge and application of the standards to support their maintenance of accreditation as well as facilitate reflective discussion of teacher capacity using the standards as a guide. In 2016, staff will participate in professional learning to support them to write their goals in a SMART goal format in line with the GROWTH coaching model. The School Leadership Team will review PDPs to facilitate formal and informal opportunities for observation and Professional Learning within and beyond our school setting. In 2016, accreditation sessions will again be offered to ALL staff members. ALL staff commencing the accreditation cycle or maintaining the accreditation cycle are invited to attend regular accreditation sessions with our Deputy Principal who offers collegial support and guidance throughout this process. An instructional rounds team will be established in 2016 to support our commitment to fostering reflective practice and purposeful collaboration of teams with the overarching aim to move learning forward. Staff will participate in introductory professional learning in instructional rounds in Term 2 with the IR team engaging in more intense facilitative training and implementation. Staff will be invited to “opt in” to participate in classroom walkthroughs in 2016. Personalising professional pathways will also be a high priority in 2016 to ensure PL is more personalised and meaningful for staff members and tailored to their needs “at this point in time”.
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Strategic Direction 3 Excellence through community engagement
Purpose To establish a culture of engagement, fostering collaborative learning processes and facilitating meaningful partnerships and connections with the wider community. Striving for excellence through valuing family and community, to enhance and develop the skills, talents and interests of individual students.
Overall summary of progress Very good progress has been made towards achieving the milestones for 2015. Particular areas of achievement include; fostering processes to build positive partnerships with parents as part of consultation processes for parent/ teacher interviews and consultation with parents on learning adjustments and goal setting as part of the development of Personalised Learning Plans and NCCD processes. The school’s 60th birthday provided a unique opportunity to further foster a connected community and meaningful partnerships through performances, open classrooms and community picnic. Extra‐curricular groups were further expanded during 2015 to meet student interests and talents as well as parents with expertise assisting as coaches with PSSA training. The school’s participation in White Ribbon‐Breaking the Silence program fostered positive respectful relationships within the community and made connections with the wider community as part of the new student wellbeing framework.
Progress towards achieving improvement measures Improvement measure Progress achieved this year (to be achieved over 3 years) Increased participation with 85% of parent involvement at P & C, school programs and voluntary support in classrooms.
Resources (annual)
Parent/ teacher interviews successfully transitioned to end of Term 1 to foster and build positive partnerships with parents to meet students’ needs. Suggested guidelines developed for parents and teachers to facilitate goal‐setting processes.
School interview subscription $ 295
Professional learning for staff in Disability Standards and learning adjustments. Learning Support policy and processes reviewed. NCCD implementation, tracking and monitoring through school database system development.
NCCD implementation funding $2485
Development and consultation of PLPs (personalized Release of teachers learning programs) as well as adjustments as part of for PLP devt. NCCD processes. $ 2 180 (TPL funds) Sentral system for centralising student information Sentral server introduced. Staff professional learning and modules for installation $ 6000 tracking student progress, attendance and reporting Sentral training utilized. $413. P & C special topics scheduled throughout the year on Sentral annual extra‐curricular, Learning Support processes and subscription $7150 differentiation, Learning Continuums and School Planning. 60th Birthday showcase event contributed to fostering Website $810 positive community connections and showcasing
student talent through open classrooms and P and C funds to performances. Successfully involved 95% of parents support: Dance th through establishment of 60 Birthday committee $3360 consisting of parents and staff. Music/Choir/ Drama Parents with expertise engaged as assistant coaches for $6540 PSSA teams. $ 1200 for teacher release for PL Expansion of extra‐curricular programs: including two workshops. boys dance groups, two drama groups to perform at NIDA, and mentoring staff to build capacity to lead extra‐curricular groups. Review school website ‐ promoting extra‐curricular opportunities and fostering talent. White Ribbon Treasure Project with NBLA led by the student leaders promoted positive respectful relationships amongst the community. Whole community engagement was achieved through engaging displays, newsletter articles, class activities on respect and collecting donations for women’s shelters. Through our involvement BHPS is now a White Ribbon school. Increased participation in a variety of feedback mediums and consultation, with over 60% community involvement.
50% increase in number of parents participating in Skoolbag feedback mediums including Tell Them From Me Survey subscription with 26% participation. $640 Use of Skoolbag app, email and newsletter reminders with updates on participation as well as encouraging participation in feedback mediums. Working parties to analyse results and share back through meetings and written communication methods.
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Survey Monkey subscription $228
School interview Term 1 interviews facilitated consultation and feedback subscription on PLPs. Facilitated regular and ongoing feedback and $ 295 consultation with parents to meet student needs and establish shared goals. **% of parent body attended P/T interviews in Term 1 with positive feedback received through verbal and written mediums.
Next steps The future directions for 2016 will ensure the 3‐year plan remains on track to provide high quality educational outcomes. The next steps for further development of school wide processes and ongoing consultation and review of PLPs, includes adjustments being uploaded onto Sentral under student profiles and reviewed in Week 5 of every term. PLPs for individual students will be uploaded onto Sentral and learning goals evaluated and reviewed in consultation with parents once a semester. Ongoing feedback processes with the community will continue to be a focus and will include the ongoing implementation and analysis of Tell Them From Me surveys for parents, students and staff. The school website will include links to any survey mediums and there will be opportunities for parents to provide feedback via short, sharp online polls on various topics as well as focus groups. The SRC leaders will further seek parent feedback using iPad technologies on the playground and as part of whole school events. Reflecting on our milestones for 2015 we will also focus on parents as volunteers in 2016, including surveying our parent community to identify areas of skill and expertise as well as ongoing communication of ways in which parents can volunteer will be incorporated as part of our consultation and feedback mediums. A major key focus area for 2016 is the implementation of PBL (Positive Behaviour Engaging
Learners). Key staff members will formulate a PBL committee and will undergo training in preparation for the implementation of PBL from the start of 2016. This will engage the whole community in using a common language focused on high expectations of students at BHPS in the core value areas of respect, responsibility and excellence. This initiative supports the implementation of the new student wellbeing framework and will include a review of current award systems to align with the PBL core values. Professional learning for staff and the implementation of PBL lessons based on explicitly teaching and modelling the values will be a key focus. Ongoing monitoring and data analysis will formulate the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of this initiative.
Key initiatives and other school focus areas Key initiatives (annual)
Impact achieved this year
Aboriginal background funding
During 2015, Aboriginal background funding $ 902 was utilised for the development of Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs) for students of Aboriginal background. These learning plans developed and sustained a positive and inclusive school culture as well as improved students’ literacy and numeracy achievements through provision of enrichment for these students. Aboriginal background funding also supported Teacher Professional Learning participation in 8Ways of Aboriginal pedagogy.
English language proficiency funding
Socio‐economic funding
Resources (annual)
During 2015, English language proficiency $ 20 100 (flexible) funding was used to employ specialist staff to develop individual language programs for students who needed more intense tuition, thereby meeting the English language needs of our EAL/D students. Students have progressed and gained confidence in reading and writing activities, increasing their English language proficiency and positively impacting on their participation and engagement in learning. During 2015, socio‐economic funding $ 15 744 strengthened partnerships between our school, families and community organisations. Funds were utilised for the provision of financial assistance to enhance students’ access to a wider range of curriculum learning experiences including excursions, camps and extra curricular activities. Funding was also utilised to supplement existing learning support programs and employment of SLSOs (School Learning Support Officers) for the provision of additional learning support in the classroom for these students. This resulted in increased level of students’ participation and engagement in learning and supported continuous improvement in student achievement through the development, implementation and evaluation of Individual Learning Plans. Socio‐economic funding also supported professional learning for staff in implementation of Positive Behaviour for Learning to support us in developing and sustaining a positive school culture as well as professional learning to enhance student engagement through ICT (e.g. computational thinking) and foster global connections through use of Mystery Skype. Use of this funding enhanced students’ access to a wider range of curriculum learning experiences, specialist
teachers and sources of knowledge, improved the quality of teaching and learning and increased the level of students’ participation and engagement in learning.
Low level adjustment for disability During 2015, low level adjustment for $ 31 265 funding disability funding was utilised to supplement learning and support programs and the employment of School Learning Support Officers (SLSOs) for the provision of additional learning and support in the classrooms for these students. This resulted in increased levels of student participation and engagement in learning and supported consultative and collaborative processes to personalise learning and support reflecting students’ needs through engaging students and their parents/ carers in the development, implementation and evaluation of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs).
Next
Steps
Position
Student information
Number
Classroom Teacher(s)
It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all students be consistent with privacy and personal information policies.
20
Part Time Teacher
1.1
Primary Teacher RFF
1.134
Teacher of Reading Recovery
0.42
Learning and Support Teacher(s)
0.7
Student enrolment profile
Teacher Librarian
1.2
Teacher of ESL
0.4
School Counsellor
0.3
Gender Male Female
2009 278 228
2010 280 264
2011 297 264
2012 326 274
2013 352 291
2014 343 306
2015 326 306
School Administrative & Support Staff
4.062
Total
The Australian Education Regulation, 2014 requires schools to report on Aboriginal composition of their workforce.
Enrolments 800 600
Students
36.316
There was one indigenous member in 2015.
400
200
Teacher qualifications All teaching staff meet the professional requirements for teaching in NSW public schools.
0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Year Male Female
% of staff
Undergraduate degree or diploma
100%
Student attendance profile
Postgraduate degree
10%
State DoE
School
Qualifications
Year K 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total K 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total
2010 96.1 94.4 96.1 95.4 96.0 95.2 96.0 95.6 94.7 94.2 94.4 94.5 94.5 94.4 94 94.4
2011 96.0 95.0 94.8 95.4 93.7 95.8 94.7 95.1 94.7 94.2 94.2 94.4 94.3 94.2 93.8 94.3
2012 96.4 96.0 96.6 96.6 95.4 96.0 96.9 96.3 94.3 93.9 94.2 94.4 94.3 94.2 93.8 94.2
2013 96.8 95.8 96.0 96.1 95.9 96.0 95.6 96.1 95.0 94.5 94.7 94.8 94.7 94.5 94.1 94.7
2014 96.4 95.7 95.9 96.0 96.7 95.5 96.1 96.1 95.2 94.7 94.9 95.0 94.9 94.8 94.2 94.8
2015 96.7 95.1 95.4 95.7 95.1 95.2 94.0 95.4 94.4 93.8 94.0 94.1 94.0 94.0 93.5 94.0
Professional learning and teacher accreditation
Workforce information Reporting of information for all staff must be consistent with privacy and personal information policies. Beacon Hill Public School continues to attract high calibre and dedicated staff who demonstrate professionalism, dedication and an ongoing commitment to professional learning, professional achievement and supporting students.
Workforce composition Position
Number
Principal
1
Deputy Principal(s)
1
Primary Teacher Executive Release
1
Assistant Principal(s)
4
In 2015, BHPS’ Professional Learning Model continued to enhance our collaborative culture and focus on continuous improvement in teaching and learning. This year all staff engaged in an Action Learning project. Throughout the year, all staff participated in an Action Learning project centred around effective differentiation in literacy teaching with a focus on enhancing inferential comprehension. This project was designed to support the school target areas of Strategic Direction 1: Personalised and Transformative Learning. Throughout the duration of the Action Learning cycle, staff met on a weekly basis and engaged in professional learning opportunities, professional reading and in depth discussions focused on current research and innovative teaching pedagogy. Through this, staff also had opportunity to plan lessons collaboratively, share their teaching experiences, set future goals, as well as allocate time to discuss and evaluate students’ work. During the year, staff also had other opportunities to engage in professional development. These included: • PLAN (Planning Literacy & Numeracy) ‐ using the learning continuum K‐6; differentiation in literacy and numeracy; • CPR, anaphylaxis, child protection and Disability Discrimination training;
• Analysing NAPLAN data; and
Date of financial summary
• iPad engagement for differentiation. * Student engagement and globally connecting our students through Mystery Skype and computational thinking *Conceptual planning and unpacking the new History K‐10 syllabus document *Combined NBLA School Development Day with Tony Ryan exploring the Thinkers’ Keys. The model for professional development is continually reviewed and adjusted to meet the needs of staff to ensure improved outcomes for students. In 2016, staff will participate in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the new K‐6 English syllabus units of work and have the opportunity to engage in Flexible Professional Learning (PL) sessions where staff guide the type of PL offered, lead the learning and choose whether it is beneficial to their learning programs at the time offered.
Income Balance brought forward Global funds Tied funds School & community sources Interest Trust receipts Canteen Total income Expenditure
The action learning model will continue to be used by teams with a focus on the development of quality differentiated literacy, in particular reading, and numeracy programs. The total expenditure for professional learning was $37 501.54. This included funds from: Teacher Professional Learning budget and School Professional Learning budget. Four new scheme teachers were working towards accreditation at Professional Competence, three new scheme teachers gained accredited status and four new scheme teachers were maintaining accreditation at Professional Competence.
Financial information Financial summary This summary covers funds for operating costs and does not involve expenditure areas such as permanent salaries, building and major maintenance. A full copy of the school’s 2015 financial statement is tabled at the annual general meetings of the parent and/or community groups. Further details concerning the statement can be obtained by contacting the school.
30/11/2015
$ 173153.95 367616.91 160338.35 435295.58 7330.89 50948.05 0.00 1194683.73
Teaching & learning Key learning areas Excursions Extracurricular dissections Library Training & development Tied funds Casual relief teachers Administration & office School‐operated canteen Utilities Maintenance Trust accounts Capital programs Total expenditure
95257.19 93867.39 150842.94 15308.93 9165.00 153491.63 114594.35 87059.13 0.00 71018.27 51413.83 50138.05 17376.66 909533.37
Balance carried forward
285150.36
School performance ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools) ICAS provides an opportunity for students in Years 3 – 6 to sit external assessments in six learning areas: Computer Skills, English, Mathematics, Science, Spelling and Writing. The ICAS tests are designed to be challenging and are usually undertaken by students achieving at a high level. Students are awarded University of NSW (UNSW) certificates for each year level as follows:
High Distinction to the top 1% of participants
Distinction to the next 10% of participants
Credit to the next 25% of participants
Merit to the next 10% of participants
Participation to all other participants
Our 2015 results for those students who chose to participate in the competition were as follows: Science: 42 students participated with 1 High Distinction, 7 Distinctions, 10 Credits, 3 Merits and 21 Participations awarded.
17% above state level, 77% of students achieving in the top two bands of writing which is 23% above state level. 53% of students achieving in the top two bands of spelling which is 6% above state level, 63% in the top two bands of grammar and punctuation which is 11% above state level and 52% in the top two bands of numeracy which is 14% above state level. Year 5 performed satisfactorily in the 2015 NAPLAN achieving above state level in the top two bands of all areas of literacy and n u m e r a c y . 4 8 % of students achieving in the top two bands in reading which is 10% above state level, 23% of students achieving in the top two bands of writing which is 2% above state level, 53% achieving in the top two bands of spelling which is 13% above state level, 51% achieving in the top two bands of grammar and punctuation which is 12% above state level, and 41% in the top two bands of numeracy which is 10% above state level.
NAPLAN Year 3
English: 52 students participated with 2 High Distinctions, 8 Distinction, 16 Credits, 7 Merits and 19 Participations awarded. Mathematics: 80 students participated with 3 High Distinctions, 8 Distinctions, 31 Credits, 3 Merits and 35 Participations awarded. Digital Technologies: 43 students participated with 1 High Distinction, 4 Distinctions, 12 Credits, 2 Merits and 24 Participations awarded. Writing: 39 students participated with 3 High Distinctions, 7 Distinctions, 7 Credits, 8 Merits and 14 Participations awarded. Spelling: 61 students participated with 9 Distinctions, 19 Credits, 5 Merits and 28 Participations awarded.
NAPLAN In the National Assessment Program, the results across the Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy and numeracy assessments are reported on a scale from Band 1 to Band 10. The achievement scale represents increasing levels of skills and understandings demonstrated in these assessments. Year 3 performed very well in the 2015 NAPLAN achieving above state level in the top two bands of all areas of literacy and numeracy. 67% of students achieving in the top two bands in reading which is
Percentage in bands: Year 3 Spelling
Percentage of students
40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1
2
3 Bands
4
5
Percentage in Bands School Average 2011‐2015 SSG % in Bands 2015 State DoE % in Bands 2015
6
NAPLAN Year 5
NAPLAN ‐ Numeracy
Year 3
In 2015, students from Years 4 to 6, staff and parents participated in the Tell Them From Me surveys. In most cases, scores were converted to a 10 point scale, then averaged and reported by question. A score of 0 indicates strong disagreement, 10 indicates strong agreement and 5 shows a neutral position.
Year 5
Student Perspectives: Overall, 96% of BHPS students acknowledged that they tried hard to succeed. *Students also felt strongly that important concepts are taught well, class time is used efficiently and homework and evaluations support class objectives (8.3). Staff Perspectives:
In summary, the school trend data for 2014‐2015 shows the school performed above state level in all areas. Particular areas where the school performed well and showed a significant upward trend were identified in Year 3 reading, grammar and punctuation and writing and Year 5 writing and spelling. Year 3 and Year 5 Numeracy also showed a slight upward trend. However, the school trend data for 2014‐2015 shows the school performance in comparison to similar school groups was above in Year 3 reading and writing, and on par in all other areas except for reading, writing and numeracy in Year 5 and Spelling in Year 3. Therefore, the trend data and 2015 NAPLAN data are consistent and confirm our focus areas for 2015‐2017 in reading, numeracy and spelling with a particular emphasis on finding the main idea in a text and making inferences in reading and measurement in Numeracy. The My School website provides detailed information and data for national literacy and numeracy testing (NAPLAN). Click on the link http://www.myschool.edu.au and enter the school name in the Find a school and select GO to access the school data.
Parent/caregiver, satisfaction
student,
teacher
Each year schools are required to seek the opinions of parents, students and teachers about the school. Their responses are presented below.
*Staff acknowledged the importance of a collaborative school culture and that they valued working with other teachers in developing cross‐ curricular or common learning opportunities (8.8). *Staff strongly valued the opportunity to talk with other teachers about strategies that increase student engagement (8). *Staff felt they worked with parents to help solve problems interfering with their child’s progress (8.3). *Staff felt they were in regular contact with parents of students with special learning needs (8.4). Parent Perspectives: 116 parents (representing 26% of families) responded to the Tell Them From Me survey in 2015 which was an increase of 50% from 2014. Parents felt that: *they were made to feel welcome at Beacon Hill Public School (7.5) *Beacon Hill Public School supports learning and positive behaviour (7.9) Future Directions: Results of parent Tell Them From Me surveys were explored further using a collaborative carousel activity answering questions based on the Design Thinking model at the November School Council meeting. Considerations for 2016 include: #1 How might I (as Principal) be more accessible to speak more easily with parents? *publish available times of the day that may be more suitable for appointments with parents *more community events=better access to Principal *Q&A sessions with the Principal (twice a year)
*take morning duty in the playground *”A cuppa and a chat” mornings with the Principal *attendance and visibility at school events #2 How might we better take account of our children’s needs, abilities and interests? *be involved and active in school life *ask questions at school interviews – likes and dislikes, with parents and children *ask parents at information session‐ twice a year *meaningful surveys *feedback from children *collaborate with support staff and feedback to students and parents *teachers need flexible thinking (factor interests into programming where appropriate) *2min chat with kids each day‐ value them! #3 How might we be able to better schedule parent activities so more parents can attend *Flexibility of days/ times *Schedule events with children #4 How might we be better able to inform parents about their children’s social and emotional development? *Blog run by children or apps such as Seesaw *photo journal *communication book *photographs of students in class or playground (load onto blog) *ease of accessibility of teachers *phone calls and emails *more parent information sessions‐ twice a year *provide parents with a social and emotional summary card to coincide with PBL. Gets sent home mid/ start of year and end of year *high regard for the Beacon #5 How might we be considered a more inclusive school? *better access to the library (parents, students, staff, community) = HUB * more regular parent information sessions – mid year, various time slots * more “open nights”, band performances, BBQs and picnics *class nights *website *informal sessions to support areas of interest #6 How might we be able to better assist our parents to support their children’s learning at home? *electronic homework diary with a link to parents
*utilise online educational platforms e.g.Edmodo *provide links on homework sheet to educational sites *provide training for parents on Mathletics and Reading Eggs *hands on activities on parent/ teacher night *develop a You Tube channel *If parents aren’t working, attend maths groups/ literacy groups *homework instructions explicit for students (and families)
Policy requirements Aboriginal Education This year has seen a continuation of the implementation of our Aboriginal Education Policy. An Aboriginal perspective was integrated into a wide range of topics studied in class as well as into our new English curriculum units. Some students have also learnt some local Aboriginal words. Students have learnt the importance Aboriginal people place in caring for the environment. The students also start important assemblies with an acknowledgement of country to pay respect to the Aboriginal people as being custodians of the land. We continue to provide support and encouragement for Aboriginal students in our school. We look forward to strengthening our understanding of Aboriginal culture in future years. During 2015 RAM equity funding for Aboriginal background was utilised for the development of Individualised Learning Plans (ILP’s) for students of Aboriginal background. These individual learning plans developed and sustained a positive and inclusive school culture as well as improved students’ literacy and numeracy achievements through provision of enrichment and extension provisions for these students.
Multicultural Education and Anti‐racism Proficiency in English is an essential requirement for success at school and beyond. Our English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) program provided explicit language support to students from language backgrounds other than English so that they are able to fully participate in schooling and achieve equitable educational outcomes. Within the K‐6 EAL/D program, all individuals have the greatest possible opportunity to learn and reinforce these educational skills, such as, brain storming, categorising, predicting, developing a visual text outline and introducing key words. By interacting with texts, the students read for a
purpose using key words and comparing visual and written texts. Many activities responding to texts include, cloze, note making, comprehension, ordering information, retelling and recognising writers’ viewpoints. In all activities the aim is to make them friendly, fun and informative whilst showing students that they can speak, read and write well if they use grammatical and punctuation skills. The 2015 RAM equity funding for EAL/D was used to develop individual language programs for students who needed more intense tuition. Students have progressed and gained confidence in reading and writing activities. Our school implemented policies and practices which counter racism and intolerance. As part of our commitment to ensuring that sanctions are applied against racist and discriminatory behaviours, the school’s anti‐racism contact officers are fully trained in dealing with complaints and incidents. In 2016 Beacon Hill Public School will continue to embrace multicultural education which aims to equip all students with the knowledge, skills and values needed to participate successfully in Australia's culturally diverse society.
Learning and Support The Learning and Support Team (LST) meets on a fortnightly basis to review and manage the individual cases that are referred by class teachers. In 2015, BHPS Learning and Support policy and processes were reviewed and consequently enhanced to reflect current school directions and student needs. Enhanced, streamlined systems and processes were presented to and implemented by all staff. LaST referrals are tracked so that student progress can be carefully monitored from year to year. During 2015, funding was utilised to employ SLSO (Student Learning Support Officers) for the provision of additional learning support in the classroom for identified students. All grades were allocated SLSO support sessions weekly. Standardised test results, tracking sheets, school based assessment, NAPLAN, Best Start data and teacher recommendation were used to determine the students who were to receive intervention. Additionally, our LaST in partnership with our Deputy Principal support consultative and collaborative processes to personalise learning and support reflecting students’ needs through engaging identified students and their parents/ carers in the development, implementation and ongoing
evaluation of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs). Students in Years 3‐6 continue to participate in the Rainbow Reading home program. This program helps to improve the enjoyment, confidence and competence in reading. The Year 2 students have had access to the Multilit Program, which is an intensive, one‐to‐one program that incorporates phonics, word attack skills, sight word recognition and supported book reading. Our Learning and Support Teacher and our volunteer helpers have worked together to provide assistance and support to our students. The Learning and Support Teacher (LaST) works through the Learning Support Team to provide direct specialist assistance to students with additional learning and support needs and their teachers. Identifying specific learning needs, staff professional learning, assessment for learning, planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programs and support are provided by the LaST. During 2015, our LaST led a series of professional learning sessions to assist staff to support students with speech and language communication.
Gifted and Talented Programs Chess Students met once a week to play a friendly game of chess with a partner which they enjoyed. They also had the opportunity to play chess on the interactive whiteboard which was educational and fun.
Debating Debating forms an integral part of our speaking and listening program in Year 5 to 6 and inspires a dedicated group of Years 5 and 6 students to compete as teams in a local debating competition. Each week the two teams strengthened their debating skills during weekly lunchtime meetings. Participation in the Premier’s Debating Competition provided the students with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a variety of new environments and audiences. Both teams were successful, with the Year 6 team winning 3 out of their 4 debates.
Multicultural Speaking Competition As part of their curriculum work, students from Years 3 to 6 develop their public speaking skills and confidence through preparing and presenting the results of their thinking on the wide variety of topics which formed part of the state‐wide Multicultural
Perspectives Public Speaking competition. Students wrote their speeches and each class selected their two most motivating speakers who then presented their speeches to the Years 3 to 6 student cohort. Two student finalists were selected from Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) and Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6) to represent Beacon Hill Public School at the local finals. Congratulations to those students who capably presented in a very demanding context.
Extension Studies Program In 2015 we had 13 of our high performing students attend the Extension Studies Program at Northern Beaches Secondary College – Balgowlah Boys’ Campus. The program focuses on enrichment rather than acceleration. The aim is to introduce the students to content they may not normally be exposed to within their primary school environments, thereby broadening the learning experience for these students. The program aims to provide a challenging learning environment which encourages students to think, discuss and make evaluations. Students attend the program one day a week for a whole semester, studying topics such as Forensic Science, Archaeology, Medieval History, Genetics and the Science of Flight. The benefits of this program for our students are; gains in academic skills and knowledge, greater motivation to learn, greater interest in diverse subject areas and increased academic confidence. On a social level, students are able to make new friends and gain social confidence. The program also assists in the transition to high school for these students by exposing them to a high school setting. All students involved thoroughly enjoyed the experience and received extremely pleasing reports.
Maths Olympiad Students in Stage 3 were once again involved in the Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiad (APSMO) allowing for our gifted mathematicians to develop their problem solving skills using a range of strategies. This year saw a change to the structure of this program by creating a specialised weekly learning session. The aim of these sessions was to focus on the different strategies used in problem solving and enabling students to discuss the various approaches to each style of problem prior to sitting the APSMO papers. The new approach to the program enabled students to grow in confidence and apply new knowledge to the five APSMO papers. Our results this year were fantastic with our class of 30 students achieving an outstanding result of being placed in the top 10% of schools participating across Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia. Individually we had Alex Yuen (24), Martin Le (23), Ashlyn Johnson and Charli Whitehead (22) place in the top 2% of students as well as a further five students place in the top 10% and another ten students place in the top 25%. This was an unbelievable result and testament to the students who applied themselves so well during our weekly lessons.
Other Significant Programs and Initiatives Respect and Responsibility‐ The White Ribbon Treasure Box Project In 2015, at one of our assemblies, our school leaders launched our White Ribbon‐Treasure Box Project. The Treasure Box Project is a student led community focused initiative with the Northern Beaches Learning Alliance (NBLA) of schools that aims to provide practical assistance to women and children in local Domestic Violence Shelters through partnership with Lifesource Community Care. Throughout terms 3 and 4, we collected donations of essential items to make 14 Treasure Packs, including vouchers worth $650 that were delivered to those families in need, providing them with essential items for home and school. We held a White Ribbon Day of respect where the students, staff and wider community wore white and made donations for the vouchers. All students K‐6 participated in lessons on the value of respect and made a white dove with what respect means to them for a fabulous whole school display.
A continued focus throughout 2015 was on the effective implementation of the Bounce Back social skills program through a circle time format as a classroom strategy to ensure a positive emphasis on building resilience and fostering, maintaining and restoring positive relationships. Our year 4 to 6 students also participated in a cyber awareness program which included a visit from our police youth liaison officer who discussed cyber bullying and safe use of the internet. The Aussie of the Month program continued to support the teaching of strategies and skills that underpin the values of respect, responsibility, acceptance and cooperation in a positive, supportive environment. Acknowledgement of the values and Aussie of the Month recipients takes place during K‐6 assemblies. Acknowledgement of students’ efforts and academic achievement continue to be promoted and encouraged through the presentation of encouragement awards, certificates of distinction and principal’s awards. Students in Kindergarten enjoyed the opportunity to liaise with their buddy class and participate in a variety of activities. These include peer reading, writing, craft, computers and dance. This promoted positive relationships and opportunities for leadership and mentoring between the younger and older students of the school.
Information and Communication Technology Technology for learning at Beacon Hill Public School continued to develop and strengthen during 2015. Throughout the school, there was a strong focus on developing 21st century learner skills that cater for the new National Curriculum, creating professional learning opportunities for staff and updating the infrastructure and resources within the school.
We are in the early stages of developing a 21st Century learning space that will enable classes to interact on a local and global level. We have used the Department’s Technology for Learning (T4L) rollout allocation to purchase 26 desktop computers and monitors for each classroom. The current teacher laptops will be reassigned for student use, with the older laptops being retired. Initial plans are being made to purchase more fixed and portable devices to fit‐out the 21st Century learning space to create an inspiring, creative and productive learning environment in our school. The Technology Committee have focused on identifying and sharing, through professional learning, how to use the devices to support the ‘representing’ aspect of the new curriculum for English and how to best support the embedded aspect of ‘working mathematically’ in the new curriculum for mathematics. Ensuring that the school networking infrastructure can cater for the increased access to portable devices has been an important part of our portable devices rollout. We have purchased two wireless access points that will provide Wi‐Fi to the demountable buildings and will be installed in early 2016. The Technology Committee has also updated every iPad across the school to insure they are functioning on the latest Apple operating system. With our growing access to technology devices and all of the advantages of connectivity that it has, the Technology Committee has undertaken a review of staff iPad usage to ensure we are distributing resources and facilitating training that best addresses student learning needs. . This review will be finalised in Term 4 and ready for implementation in 2016. Communication with our school community has been a focus for the committee this year. To facilitate communication links with our school community we have continued to use a school app through design company Skoolbag. This app enables smartphone access to calendar events, newsletters, push alerts, emergency notifications and online‐ forms. As part of improving communication with the wider community, the school website has undergone a large review and many improvements have been made, thanks to Miss Jefferson and Mrs Connell, our website master. There is now increased content covering many of our key learning areas and extra‐ curricular activities and achievements. We would like to thank our Parents and Citizens Association for
their wonderful support in funding new technology for our students’ learning this year.
tasks. In 2016, we are very excited that L3 will be extended to our Year 1 teachers and students.
WOW! Web of Writers
Reading Recovery
This year saw the students from 4A, 4H & 4N engage in a joint learning project with Year 9 students from The Forest High called WOW! – Web of Writers. The project was a connected learning initiative, with elements of learner diversity and peer support.
Reading recovery (RR) is an early literacy intervention program for Year 1 students who are having temporary difficulties with literacy learning. This program allows the RR teacher to work with the student on an individual basis. The aims of RR lessons are; To start at whatever the individual student can do; To design an individual series of lessons for each student; To build up individual areas of strengths and competencies; and To have the student reading and writing at the same level as his/her average peers at the end of 16 to 20 weeks on the program. This year, 11 students successfully completed the program.
Best Start The Best Start Kindergarten Assessment assists teachers to identify the early literacy and numeracy knowledge and skills that each student brings to school on entry to Kindergarten. This assessment and findings inform, guide and assist in the planning and development of quality teaching and learning programs. This process takes place throughout the first few weeks of school as the students settle into class routines. Parents/carers receive feedback at the conclusion of this process. Teachers have continued to use the online tracking tools, rubrics and assessment throughout the year to guide teaching and learning programs. The information about student growth and development is passed on to the Year 1 teachers at the end of the year.
Language, Learning and Literacy (L3) Language, Learning and Literacy (L3) encompasses effective research‐based literacy pedagogy, enabling participating teachers the opportunity to critically reflect on their current practice. L3 focuses on providing rich literacy experiences to assist all students to become successful readers and writers. During the daily literacy session, the students receive explicit instruction in reading and writing strategies in small groups of three students. Students then participate in independent or group
Year 4 students from Beacon Hill engaged in discussions and structured lessons around descriptive writing and the publishing process. All of the participating students were given four stimulus pictures of air, water, space and land environments to describe. At the beginning of the task students were asked to imagine that they were in the picture and to describe what they could see as they moved around in the world. In planning their writing the students were asked to consider: What is life like in your world? What do you look like? What is your environment like? How do you communicate? Are there fellow creatures in your world? What do you do to survive? They also had to consider how they were going to describe their amazing world? To do this, students were provided with a senses scaffold. Students from The Forest High were involved in mentoring (story ideas, editing, etc.) students from BHPS throughout the writing process. Mentoring was conducted via two face‐to‐face visits and the use of Edmodo (an online social media learning tool), in order to produce a polished piece of work for publishing and sharing at our event showcase held at The Forest High School. Congratulations to all participating students on their fine efforts throughout the WOW—Web of Writers learning project.
Maths Works The Maths Works program took place again this year between The Forest High School and Beacon Hill Public School. Students in Stage 3 participated in an enquiry‐based mathematics learning project with a focus on problem solving and the various strategies involved. Students participated in weekly problem solving groups, in conjunction with the Maths Olympiad program, to work through mathematical problems created by the Year 8 extension mathematics class from The Forest High School. The program was implemented by using the online learning program Edmodo. This is where the Year 8 students posted their questions on a forum where the Year 5 students could access and answer them during school time or for homework.
The program culminated with Year 5 students participating in a hands‐on mathematics challenge day that was organised and run by the Year 8 mentors. Primary students worked in teams to try and complete a range of challenging mathematics problems with concrete materials in a set timeframe. Year 8 students were there to assist and answer questions where necessary. They day ran smoothly with great excitement and students not only developed their mathematical knowledge, but also their teamwork skills.
Student Leadership Student leadership is highly valued at Beacon Hill Public School. In 2015, Student Leadership which includes the Student Representative Council and the Student Executive, was led by Mrs Stanley. Two representatives from Year 2 to Year 5 were chosen to represent their class in the SRC meetings, which were run by the Student Executive team. This year, the Student Executive team had the opportunity to attend the NBLA (Northern Beaches Learning Alliance) Student Leadership Development Camp in order to prepare them for the roles and responsibilities of a student leader. Through this course and further training, the Student Executive team learnt roles and skills of leading younger years during SRC meetings. Our school leaders had roles and responsibilities throughout the course of the year that included fundraising, leading primary assemblies and speaking at Kindergarten Orientation days. Our SRC leaders were actively involved in a wide range of fundraising activities and supported the following charities: Stewart House Starlight Foundation Plan‐Birtukan Unicef Bear Cottage Tour De Cure Chris O’Brien Lifehouse Foundation In addition to promoting and running fundraising events, the SRC met to discuss relevant school issues. These opportunities allowed the students to demonstrate an interest in their school and community life, and to develop and foster leadership skills.
Achievements in the arts and sport Visual Arts Visual Arts lessons were based round the topics being studied in each stage, class or a current event.
Activities included drawing, painting, fibre, sculpture and 3D forms. Lessons involved art appreciation and practical activities. Different subject matter is used for each project. Stage 3 used the subject matter Other Living Things to create a ceramic penguin. Stage 2 used the subject matter Objects to create a wooden notice board related to the topic Australia You’re Standing in it. Class 2W sewed a monogramed felt bag using the subject matter of Objects. Early Stage 1 made a collage of themselves in their uniforms for the subject People. Our goals this year included teaching Visual Arts so that the students learn new skills and techniques. They were also developing an understanding of art appreciation by studying works by artists such as Alfred Memlink, Sally Morgan, Ken Done, Grace Cossington Smith and Pro Hart.
Music This year students from Kindergarten to Year 6 participated in specialised music lessons as part of the RFF teaching program. All of the students have enjoyed visiting performances by The New Zealand Playhouse Theatre with their production of Jack and the Beanstalk. We were also entertained by a Musica Viva visiting performance by percussion ensemble B’Tutta, who not only taught the students about percussion instruments and music, but also about the basics of creating their own music. All students have participated in class singing activities, playing percussion instruments and reading music, listening to different styles of music, moving and acting to music and composing music. Stage 3 students have extended their composition and Music technology skills using the iPad app Garage Band.
Choir and Drama This year the students had the opportunity to be a member of one of four different school choirs. These choirs were part of some wonderful performances and opportunities during the year. Our Year 4/5/6 choir was selected to be part of the massed choir at the prestigious Arts Alive Primary Music Festival at the Sydney Opera House. The Year 3/4 choir successfully auditioned for, and was part of the massed choir at the Primary Proms Music Festival at the Sydney Town Hall in September. This year we also had a Kindergarten Choir and a Year 1 and 2 choir. The Kindy Choir performed for our local pre‐ schools giving our pre‐schoolers a taste of “big school”. The Year 1/2 choir students performed at
school assemblies, the C.A.P.A. performance evening and our Christmas Carols evening. The Year 3‐6 choirs have also been part of school performances including ANZAC Day service, Warringah Mall, assembly items, Kindergarten information morning and pre‐school visits, the C.A.P.A. performance evening and the Carols evening.
The elite dance teams auditioned to participate in the Sydney North Dance Festival held at Glen Street Theatre in Belrose. The girls learnt a contemporary dance entitled 99 Luft Balloons and the boys learnt a
This year we started two drama clubs for students in Year 3/4 and Year 5/6. Students auditioned for these clubs and wrote and rehearsed plays which they successfully auditioned and performed at the Arts Alive Drama Festival. The Year 3/4 group performed their play Revolting Children and the Year 5/6 group performed their play Come On Duncan – The Day The Crayons Quit at the Parade Theatre NIDA. Two students have successfully auditioned and performed as members of the Arts Alive Combined Schools Choir. The students represented our school at many different performances including NIDA and the Darling Harbour Australia Day fireworks.
street jazz dance called Bounce. Both groups were successful and performed four times each on the Glen Street Theatre stage to wonderful reviews.
Year 6 student Elizabeth Player was chosen from outstanding vocal soloists across the state to perform as a solo Featured Artist in Schools Spectacular.
All 3 groups performed in Term 3 as a part of a Beacon Hill Public School Performing Arts night.
The choirs and drama groups appreciate the ongoing support of the parents and extended families who continue to support our programs.
The social dance group learnt a jazz dance to Ballroom Blitz.
All 3 groups performed in the MPC for the rest of the school during a whole school assembly. All of the dance groups enjoy performing and are appreciative of a supportive school environment. They also welcome enthusiastic parent and community support.
Band Our band program enjoyed another successful year as we consolidated our structure with our third year providing three bands for our students – Junior, Intermediate and Concert Bands. All our bands are led by our Director, Matthew Hurditch who has now been with our program for 3 years.
Dance
During 2015 we provided our students with two challenging weekend workshops – Junior Band in March, and all bands in May. The students’ demonstrated admirable behaviour, worked very hard and took a great step forward in their musicianship as well as forming great bonds within their bands.
In Term 1, 2015, auditions were held for students interested in participating in elite dance groups. Two elite dance teams and one social dance group were run in 2015. One elite dance team comprised 24 girls from Years 4‐6 and the second elite team comprised 24 boys from Years 2‐6. The social dance group comprised 28 girls from Years 2‐3.
All our bands gave strong performances in the annual North Shore Primary School Music Festival mid‐year. Our Intermediate and Concert Bands combined to form the Beacon Hill Performance Band which impressed audiences at our 60th birthday celebrations and at the Warringah Mall Schools Spectacular in October.
We currently have 73 students in band, compared with 64 in 2014. Several students are members of regional bands and many have performed well in AMEB exams this year. Thanks are due to the principal, staff and parents who give their time and commitment to support our band.
Sport Student participation in sport and the development of skills, fitness and teamwork has continued to grow in 2015. As part of the whole school PDHPE review, staff members have been able to develop and improve the programs offered to our students, both in class and in extra‐curricular activities. This will continue into 2016 with a greater focus on developing fundamental movement skills and applying them to games and modified sports. In‐school programs have been an integral part of the improvement and development of sport this year. Students in Kindergarten to Year 3 have been involved in a specific fundamental movement skills program as part of our RFF programs. This program has seen a dramatic development in students’ understanding and application of key sporting skills. Students in Year 4‐6 have been exposed to game sense programs aimed at enhancing fundamental movement skills in a modified game. These programs have been a great addition to the weekly timetable, with students always eager to participate. All students across the school have also participated in Crunch n’ Sip, improving the understanding of nutrition and the importance of eating correctly to support a healthy lifestyle. To support our in class programs, 2015 also saw the continuation of specialist programs to ensure our students receive the best knowledge and skills available. Kindergarten continued our annual gymnastics program, which covers a range of skills required in the early years of child development. Year 1‐6 all participated in a dance program that catered for all grade levels with fun and inclusive dances that developed student fitness in a fun and entertaining environment. Year 1 students participated in the Tennis Hot Shots program where they developed their hand‐eye coordination skills, ball skills and knowledge of the game. Year 2 completed the annual Swim School Scheme at the Terrey Hills Swim Centre. This program teaches water confidence, begins to teach stroke development and for the more advanced swimmers, stroke correction. Finally, students in Year 3 to 6 participated in Zumba to expose students to a wide variety of activities that can develop your fitness. All
programs were received very well by the school community and students participated very enthusiastically. The home sport program for Year 3‐6 continued with the implementation of offering sporting clinics for those students not involved in PSSA competitions. The external providers and teacher‐led programs aimed to develop the fundamental movement skills of our students in a fun and inclusive environment. This year we offered a wide range of sports such as golf, AFL, soccer, cricket, netball, basketball, volleyball and Eagle‐tag. The program certainly increased student engagement and has played an important role in the development of our students sporting skills. Beacon Hill Public School was again actively involved in the Manly PSSA competitions on Friday afternoons. There were record numbers of students trying out for these teams in both summer and winter sports. This year we offered cricket, tee‐ball, softball, Eagle‐Tag and volleyball/Newcombe ball in the summer and rugby league, soccer and netball in the winter. This year also saw BHPS participate in the Year 3 non‐competitive soccer program, entering two teams. This was a fantastic addition and a great way to introduce Year 3 to PSSA sport. We had some outstanding results this year with numerous teams reaching the semi‐finals in their respective competitions. The summer competitions saw BHPS successfully defend the Tee‐ball title from 2015 as well as claim joint‐premiers in the Junior Girls Eagle‐Tag. In the winter competitions our Senior Rugby League Boys won the second division title. Other grand finalist included; Junior Boys Cricket, Junior & Senior Boys Soccer and the Junior Girls Soccer teams. This great success was due to the commitment and dedication of our players and coaches over the entire year. Students from Beacon Hill Public School were again heavily involved in the Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics carnivals at both a school level and at the Warringah Zone PSSA carnivals. Our school carnivals were fantastic, with a large percentage of students participating in many events and numerous school records broken. This success at a school level also carried over into the Zone carnivals. In Swimming we had close to 40 students representing BHPS at the Zone carnival and three of our students reached the Sydney North Area Carnival; Jamie Hayman, Laura Macdonald and Nathan McManus. In Cross Country, approximately 60 students represented our school at the Zone carnival with another three students successfully making it to the Sydney North Carnival; Sienna Villacorta‐Bateman, Brooke Bosland and
Ashling Carroll. Sienna Villacorta‐Bateman achieved the amazing result of finishing 3rd at the NSWPSSA Cross Country Championships. Finally, in athletics we had 45 students compete at the Zone carnival with 9 students successfully qualifying for the Sydney North Carnival; Indi Clements, Sienna Villacorta‐Bateman, Brooke Bosland, Jasmyn Vera, Tahlia Bowcott, Matthew Adam, Wanita Leatherby, Lily Harrop and Saxon Wood. Sienna Villacorta‐Bateman and Brooke Bosland successfully qualified for the NSWPSSA Athletics Championship and finished 7th and 8th respectively in the final. This is an outstanding result for Beacon Hill Public School to have so many students represent Sydney North at a State Championship. Finally, this year saw 26 students from Stage 3 participate in a range of individual trials for sports such as netball, rugby league, rugby union, touch football, soccer and cricket. These trials are held through the Warringah PSSA and are aimed at our talented athletes with a goal of representing Sydney North and eventually NSWPSSA in their specific area of strength. Our successful students who represented at Sydney North trials this year were; Noah Kasmar (Cricket), Wanita Leatherby, Lily Harrop and Maddison Williams (Netball), Saxon Wood and Zach Vera (Rugby Union), Mia Phelps (Softball) as well as Georgia Walker and Saxon Wood (Touch Football). Special mention must be made of Saxon Wood who was successfully chosen for the Sydney North team to represent at the NSWPSSA championships in Rugby Union and Touch Football. Saxon was also successful in being chosen for the NSWPSSA Touch Football team to compete at the national championships in Adelaide. This is an amazing result for our school this year to see so many students recognised for their talents in a wide variety of sports.
Physical Literacy Continuum‐ Pilot Study The Department of Education has developed and published the K‐10 ‘Physical Literacy Continuum’ for use in NSW Government schools from 2016. Beacon Hill Public School was selected as a pilot school to trial the document and assist with building resources ready for state wide implementation in 2016. The continuum identifies the knowledge, understandings, skills and attitudes regarded as critical to life‐long participation in and enjoyment of physical activity. It maps how critical aspects develop through the years of schooling by describing key markers of expected student achievement. In term 3 and 4 Beacon Hill Public School formed a committee of teachers to work closely with the State PDHPE Primary Curriculum Adviser and various NSW Public
Schools to formulate resources and up skill teachers in the area of Physical Education. The continuum will assist teachers to deliver quality teaching and learning programs through PDHPE and School Sport. Throughout the semester BHPS collected data on the ‘Movement Competencies’ and ‘Tactical Movement Skills’ of all K‐3 students. This quantitative data was collated, entered and processes by Wollongong University. The aim of the data collection was to map the learning pathway, growth and development of students over a period of time and to determine whether the typical age descriptors outlined by the Department were truly representative of the students at BHPS. The pilot study of the ‘Physical Literacy Continuum’ resulted in the up skilling of teacher’s knowledge, ways to differentiate teaching and learning as well as opportunities to develop and refine valuable resources for future teaching and learning programs in PDHPE. As part of the pilot study, Beacon Hill Public School received some additional funding. The money has been utilised by the committee to review and refine the PDHPE scope and sequence and develop quality PDHPE units of work. The amended scope and sequence has included the increase minutes in physical activity mandated by the department as of April this year, up from 120 minutes to 150 minutes per week. As a result, the new scope and sequence and units of work are ready for implementation across all grades K‐6 in 2016.
