Forrest Primary School

Annual School Board Report

2017

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This report supports the work being done in the ACT Education Directorate, as outlined in the ‘Education Capital: Leading the Nation Strategic Plan 2014-17’.

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© Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, 2017

Material in this publication may be reproduced provided due acknowledgement is made.

Contents

School Context	1

Student Information	1

Student enrolment	1

Student attendance	1

Staff Information	2

Teacher qualifications	2

Workforce composition	2

School Review and Development	3

School Satisfaction	3

Overall Satisfaction	3

Learning and Assessment	6

Performance in Literacy and Numeracy	6

Early years assessment	6

NAPLAN	6

Performance in Other Areas of the Curriculum	6

Financial Summary	9

Professional Learning	10

Voluntary Contributions	10

Reserves	10

Endorsement Page	11

Members of the School Board	11

School Context

Forrest Primary School has a transient clientele. This is for various reasons such as travel, diplomatic postings, global mobility and transition to private schools in preparation for high school. We have found that this is important to keep in mind when attempting to interpret the data sets of the school as a lower than normal retention rate has a significant impact on perceptions of the data.

Student Information

Student enrolment

In 2017 there were a total of 479 students enrolled at this school.

Table: 2017 Student enrolment

Student type	Number of students
Male	240
Female	239
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander	18
LBOTE*	182

*Language Background Other Than English

Source: Planning and Analytics, December 2017

Student attendance

The following table identifies the attendance rate of students by year level during 2017. Student attendance rate is the percentage of school days attended by students in each year level at the school. Student attendance is measured over two school terms; that is from the first day of the school year for students in term 1 to the last day of term 2.

Table: 2017 Attendance rates in percentages

Year level	Attendance rate
K	95.0
1	94.0
2	94.0
3	94.0
4	94.0
5	94.0
6	94.0

Source: Planning and Analytics, December 2017

Rolls are marked in the morning and in the afternoon using an online database, Sentral. Forrest School parents advise the class teacher or front office about non-attendance via email, a note, a phone call or the mobile phone application. If a student is absent for an extended period without notification the class teacher contacts the parents to assess the situation. If the child is still not attending the Principal contacts the parent in writing for an explanation. If there is still no response the School Network Leader is advised.

Staff Information

Teacher qualifications

All teachers meet the professional requirements for teaching in an ACT public school. The ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) has provided the following data based on teachers registered as at 16 December 2017.

The proportion of teaching staff with certificates/degrees/diplomas and a postgraduate qualification is shown below.

Table: 2017 Qualification of teaching staff in percentages

Qualifications	Proportion of staff
Certificate/ Diploma/ Degree	100
Postgraduate	24

Source: Teacher Quality Institute, 16 December 2017

The Forrest teaching staff are always looking for ways to improve their own knowledge and skill set. The types of study that staff undertake, some of which is post graduate level, varies. Some teachers have studied teaching as a second career path which results in staff having diverse qualifications from a broad range of areas.

Workforce composition

The 2017 workforce composition of Forrest Primary School is highlighted in the following table. The data is taken from the school’s term 4 staff report. For reporting purposes it incorporates all school-based staff.

Table: 2017 Workforce composition numbers

Staff employment category	TOTAL
Teaching Staff: Head Count	34
Teaching Staff: Full Time Equivalent Permanent	29.40
Teaching Staff: Full Time Equivalent Temporary	1.00
Non Teaching Staff: Head Count	6
Non Teaching Staff: Full Time Equivalent	5.55

Source: This data is from the school’s term 4 2017 staff report. Data provided in previous years was sourced from the August census date and was calculated using the parameters provided by the ABS. As such, pre-2017 staffing figures may differ significantly from the above.

There are no Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members at this school.

School Review and Development

In 2017, the ACT Education Directorate’s Strategic Plan 2014-2017 provided the framework and strategic direction for the school’s Strategic Plan. This is supported by the school performance and accountability framework, ‘People, Practice and Performance: School Improvement in Canberra Public Schools, A Framework for Performance and Accountability’. This framework has school improvement at its centre, with the National School Improvement Tool (NSIT) as its core feature, providing support to achieve high standards in student learning, innovation and best practice in ACT public schools.

Prior to 2016 all ACT public schools participated in a four-year cycle of school review and development. In the fourth year schools underwent an external validation process. In 2016 this changed to a five-year cycle with an External School Review at the end.

Forrest Primary School was reviewed in 2015. A copy of the Review Report can be found on the school website.

School Satisfaction

Schools use a range of data collection tools to gain an understanding of the satisfaction levels of their parents and carers, staff and students. In August/ September 2017 the school undertook a survey to gain an understanding of school satisfaction at that time. Staff, parents and students from year 5 and above (with the exception of students in special schools) took part in an online survey.

Overall Satisfaction

In 2017, 86% of parents and carers, 98% of staff, and 94% of students at this school indicated they were satisfied with the education provided by the school.

Included in the survey were 14 national parent survey items and 12 national student survey items. These items were approved by the then Standing Council on School Education and Early Childhood (SCSEEC) for use from 2015. The following tables show the percentage of parents and carers and students who agreed with each of the national items at this school.

A total of 40 staff responded to the survey. Please note that not all responders answered every question.

Table: Proportion of staff in agreement with each national opinion item

National opinion item	Proportion of staff
Teachers at this school expect students to do their best.	100
Teachers at this school provide students with useful feedback about their school work.	98
Teachers at this school treat students fairly.	100
This school is well maintained.	80
Students feel safe at this school.	100
Students at this school can talk to their teachers about their concerns.	98
Parents at this school can talk to teachers about their concerns.	100
Student behaviour is well managed at this school.	95
Students like being at this school.	100
This school looks for ways to improve.	100
This school takes staff opinions seriously.	90
Teachers at this school motivate students to learn.	98
Students’ learning needs are being met at this school.	95
This school works with parents to support students' learning.	98
I receive useful feedback about my work at this school.	95
Staff are well supported at this school.	95

Source: 2017 School Satisfaction Surveys, August/September 2017

A total of 159 parents responded to the survey. Please note that not all responders answered every question.

Table: Proportion of parents and carers in agreement with each national opinion item

National opinion item	Proportion of parents and carers
Teachers at this school expect my child to do his or her best.	90
Teachers at this school provide my child with useful feedback about his/her school work.	85
Teachers at this school treat students fairly.	89
This school is well maintained.	87
My child feels safe at this school.	91
I can talk to my child’s teachers about my concerns.	94
Student behaviour is well managed at this school.	85
My child likes being at this school.	98
This school looks for ways to improve.	89
This school takes parents’ opinions seriously.	83
Teachers at this school motivate my child to learn.	86
My child is making good progress at this school.	87
My child's learning needs are being met at this school.	85
This school works with me to support my child's learning.	83

Source: 2017 School Satisfaction Surveys, August/September 2017

A total of 129 students responded to the survey. Please note that not all responders answered every question.

Table: Proportion of students in years 5 to 6 in agreement with each national opinion item

National opinion item	Proportion of students
My teachers expect me to do my best.	98
My teachers provide me with useful feedback about my school work.	94
Teachers at my school treat students fairly.	85
My school is well maintained.	82
I feel safe at my school.	89
I can talk to my teachers about my concerns.	88
Student behaviour is well managed at my school.	73
I like being at my school.	91
My school looks for ways to improve.	94
My school takes students’ opinions seriously.	86
My teachers motivate me to learn.	93
My school gives me opportunities to do interesting things.	94

Source: 2017 School Satisfaction Surveys, August/September 2017

This information can be considered alongside information available on the My School website (http://www.myschool.edu.au).

Independent Parent and Staff Survey

In 2017 an independent educator, Cheryl O'Connor phoned a random sample of families and staff to hear firsthand their opinions about the education experiences offered to students at Forrest Primary School. The responses that were generated showed a high level of appreciation of the education delivered by the school.

In 2017 families rated the school at 8.2 (out of 10) and staff at 8.6. Answers given by respondents clearly demonstrated once again high levels of satisfaction with the quality of education being offered to students.

Staff and families saw the school's greatest assets were the quality and professionalism of the staff and the consistently high quality of the education programs being offered. By far, the majority of families were very impressed with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and all staff believed it was having highly beneficial effects on the ways children learn.

Staff were strongly supportive of the educational leadership and the high value of their professional support and supervision. In 2017, staff found that professional learning was a consistently high standard, whether for the staff as a unit or to meet the professional learning needs of individuals.

Both staff and some Forrest families still asked questions about ways that students with special learning needs could be better supported although quite a lot of parents praised the ways staff worked with them to address particular needs.

These results, as well as the continual review of school performance, contributed to the evaluation of our Strategic Plan and the development of Annual Action Plans. The Strategic Plan is available on the school website.

Learning and Assessment

Performance in Literacy and Numeracy

Early years assessment

Students in kindergarten undertake an on-entry assessment of their early reading and numeracy skills using the Performance Indicators in Primary Schools (PIPS) program. Student results are reported against five performance bands at the end of semester 1 and 2.

Table: Forrest Primary School PIPS 2017 mean raw scores

Agency	Reading start	Reading end	Mathematics start	Mathematics end
School	47	126	39	54
ACT	51	124	39	55

Source: Planning and Analytics

NAPLAN

Students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in all ACT schools participate in the National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). This program assesses skills in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.

In 2017, 0.00 % of year 3 students and 3.00 % of year 5 students were exempt from testing based on nationally agreed criteria.

Results are not reported when there are fewer than five students with results. This rule is applied for reasons of statistical reliability, as well as to protect the privacy of students in small schools.

The following table shows the 2017 mean scores achieved by our students compared to the ACT.

Table: Forrest Primary School 2017 NAPLAN Mean Scores

Test Domain	Year 3 School	Year 3 ACT	Year 5 School	Year 5 ACT
Reading	452	442	521	517
Writing	451	412	502	475
Spelling	436	411	507	494
Grammar & Punctuation	446	441	515	503
Numeracy	416	417	505	496

Source: Planning and Analytics

An analysis of our NAPLAN results can be found when reporting against our priorities.

Performance in Other Areas of the Curriculum

Band and Music

The year 5 and 6 brass band programme provided students with the opportunity to learn an instrument, to read sheet music and be a part of a band that plays to audiences regularly. The bands performed at school assemblies, special events such as Commemorative Assemblies, the Biggest Morning Tea, Graduation and Floriade. The Year 6 band performed in the BANDSTRAVAGANZA. Three students were selected for the ACT Junior Concert Band which was an impressive achievement. Students participating in this programme made significant improvements and were congratulated for their efforts within the community.

The musical Soiree and Musica Viva also provided opportunities for students to enrich their musical knowledge. The Soiree showcased students’ musical skills and talents. Students performed exceptionally well and the audience was moved and inspired. This year we had a record number of participants who showcased their amazing talents, including for the first time an Irish dance performance. The Musica Viva programme exposed students to a variety of instruments through their engaging performance. Teachers also benefited from quality Professional Learning which aligned with the Australian Curriculum in order to prepare students for the workshop.

Exhibition

In 2017 the Exhibition transdisciplinary theme was ‘How We Express Ourselves’. As a group, students developed a Central Idea and their own Line of Inquiry over an 8 week period. During this time, the students demonstrated all of the essential elements of the PYP to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of real world issues and the world around them. Students presented their knowledge in a range of ways including: written pieces, poems, dances and artworks. Groups of children inquired into a range of diverse topics, including the psychology behind different colours, politics through street art, art in nature, creative expression through cooking as art, etc. The Exhibition process extended to teachers throughout the school as they became mentors for a group. Students met with their mentors regularly to share their progress, ask questions and seek feedback.

Sports and Physical Education

Throughout the year students were involved in a multitude of sporting opportunities. The annual sports carnivals were a stand out with students showing determination and resilience during the Swimming carnival, Athletics carnival and Cross Country. The enhanced profile of the team houses across the school enriched the carnival atmosphere and group pride. Throughout the year a variety of sports clinics were also offered. These included netball, cricket, AFL, rugby union and tennis. The wide variety of skills learnt strengthened the Physical Education Programme at school. The community partnerships were also strengthened through the interaction with the various volunteer groups. Students in years 1-3 were provided with an opportunity to participate in ‘Swim and Survive’ and ‘Aqua Safe’ programmes. These intensive 2 week programmes were well attended by students and vital safety skills were learnt. Students participated in the Matt Giteau Cup at the beginning of the year. The Matt Giteau cup is a 10 a side Rugby Union gala day held for primary schools in the Brumbies region. Students trained at lunchtimes with teachers to prepare and for the day and had a very enjoyable experience. They learnt how to work as a team, developed skills and improved their general fitness. In 2017 the Footsteps Dance programme continued to be an integral part of the curriculum at Forrest. Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 participated in weekly dance lessons. Preschool students were involved in the Dance Kids programme which linked the their Units of Inquiry. These fun and engaging lessons supported student development in The Arts, Physical Education and the Units of Inquiry.

Support student development in The Arts, Physical Education and the Units of Inquiry was achieved through these fun and engaging lesson.

Community and Wellbeing Groups

In 2017 Forrest trialled Community and Wellbeing Groups. Every fortnight students met with their pastoral care group and participated in a community building or wellbeing activity linked to Positive Education. Teachers designed learning experiences which were authentic and contributed to students ‘feeling good and doing good’. Some of the activities included meditation, gardening, mindfulness and cooking. As a result of the Community and Wellbeing Groups, students were able to make authentic connections with each other across year levels and form pastoral care relationships with a variety of teachers. Students also made a positive impact on the school environment, in the community and on his/her own wellbeing.

Japanese

This year the Japanese teacher taught all classes in the school within the structure of the release roster. The Japanese cleaning programme continued to be an integral component of the whole school dedication to valuing Japanese culture. Immersing students and teachers for 15 minutes a week in a Japanese cleaning practice has continued to enhance the understanding of Japanese values. Throughout the year many opportunities were presented to classes and students to further delve into different aspects of Japanese life. A whole school performance by Jarrod Hoare, a Rakugo expert allowed students to experience the ancient art of storytelling and the performance. Jarrod’s interactive workshops showed his Japanese language skills merging this with Australian culture.

Forrest School was also fortunate to have a visit from Ms Yuko Obuchi MP. As a Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives (HOR) and Chair of LDP Policy Study Group for Hydrogen Energy Society, Ms Obuchi was particularly interested in women in the workforce, equality and childcare for working families. Ms Obuchi met with Forrest students as well as members of the Executive team and some Japanese mothers from the school.

Volunteers

Volunteers who contribute to the education of our students are parents, community members or may come through the ACT Volunteers Association. Volunteers help in many ways such as banking; traffic pick-up; listening to reading and they help at sports events. We value our volunteers and acknowledge that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. In 2017 a group of ACT volunteers also created a Meccano programme. Once a week students worked with a mentor to build an object out of Meccano.

Financial Summary

The school has provided the Directorate with an end of year financial statement that was approved by the school board. Further details concerning the statement can be obtained by contacting the school. The following summary covers use of funds for operating costs and does not include expenditure in areas such as permanent salaries, buildings and major maintenance.

Table: Financial Summary

INCOME	January-June	July-December	January-December
Self-management funds	221825.44	137791.44	359616.88
Voluntary contributions	21430.00	2920.00	24350.00
Contributions & donations	32857.61	21830.39	54688.00
Subject contributions	9700.00	2150.00	11850.00
External income (including community use)	24518.86	22849.01	47367.87
Bank Interest	4820.84	4099.37	8920.21
TOTAL INCOME	315152.75	191640.21	506792.96
EXPENDITURE
Utilities and general overheads	42940.49	79057.96	121998.45
Cleaning	62272.32	60776.58	123048.90
Security	1386.34	841.00	2227.34
Maintenance	103936.59	76216.87	180153.46
Administration	20453.36	30761.26	51214.62
Staffing	918.18	21318.33	22236.51
Communication	11837.78	4519.11	16356.89
Assets	0.00	693.25	693.25
General office expenditure	8963.05	20975.82	29938.87
Educational	50326.92	15948.58	66275.50
Subject consumables	6125.00	586.28	6711.28
TOTAL EXPENDITURE	309160.03	311695.04	620855.07
OPERATING RESULT	5992.72	-120054.83	-114062.11
Actual Accumulated Funds	272066.65	283362.65	267714.65
Outstanding commitments (minus)	-7575.69	0.00	-7575.69
BALANCE	270483.68	163307.82	146076.85

Professional Learning

The average professional learning expenditure at the school level per full time equivalent teacher was $1810.52

Voluntary Contributions

The funds listed were used to support the general operations of the school. The spending of voluntary contributions is in line with the approved budget for 2017.

Reserves

Name and Purpose	Amount	Expected Completion
9914-RES-00 Floorcoverings – replace existing carpet squares and recarpet around the school	$30,000	December 2019
9916-000-00 Painting – repainting the school where necessary	$20,000	December 2019

Endorsement Page

Members of the School Board

Parent Representative(s):	Robyn Calder	Alexandra Spark	Simone Alabaster
Teacher Representative(s):	Sam Bird	Nicole Tegg
Board Chair:	Robyn Calder
Principal:	Christine Pilgrim

I approve the report, prepared in accordance with the provision of the ACT Education Act 2004, section 52.

Board Chair Signature:	___________________________	Date:	_____ / _____ / _____

I certify that to the best of my knowledge and belief the data and information reported in this Annual School Board Report represents an accurate record of the school’s operations in 2017.

Principal Signature:	___________________________	Date:	_____ / _____ / _____