Mount Stromlo High School

Annual School Board Report

2017

This page is intentionally left blank.

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’.

Accessibility

The ACT Government is committed to making its information services, events and venues accessible to as many people as possible.

If you have difficulty reading a standard document and would like to receive this publication in an alternate format, such as large print and audio, please telephone (02) 6247 4580.

If English is not your first language and you require the translating and interpreting service, please telephone 13 14 50.

If you are deaf or hearing impaired and require the National Relay Service, please telephone 13 36 77.

© Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, 2017

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

Contents

School Board Chair Report	1

School Context	1

Student Information	2

Student enrolment	2

Student attendance	2

Staff Information	3

Teacher qualifications	3

Workforce composition	3

School Review and Development	4

School Satisfaction	4

Overall Satisfaction	4

Learning and Assessment	6

NAPLAN	6

Performance in Other Areas of the Curriculum	7

Financial Summary	9

Professional Learning	10

Voluntary Contributions	10

Reserves	10

Endorsement Page	11

Members of the School Board	11

School Board Chair Report

The Mount Stromlo School Board is an elected group of dedicated individuals who are passionate supporters of our school and its community. The Board is responsible for monitoring the school’s strategic direction and reporting on the school’s achievements to the community and Directorate.

The Board met regularly throughout the year to provide monitoring, guidance and strategic advice on the school improvement plan. The Board also made significant contributions to drive future refurbishment plans for the buildings and grounds.

The Board commends the students, staff, parents and carers of Mount Stromlo High School for their commitment to our improving the school community. The Board commends the ongoing facilities, teaching and learning improvement work of the principal, Mrs Kate Marshall, and looks forward to a continued strong and successful partnership.

School Context

2017 was the fourth year in our school improvement cycle. The school has remained focussed on our two priorities; Driving an explicit learning agenda and Building a connected school community. Mrs Marshall, Principal, developed the current school improvement plan and has been leading the implementation since its inception in 2014.

The student population has continued to increase at a sustainable rate with on overall growth of 43 students in 2017. This can be attributed to the growth of the Molonglo Valley suburbs, Coombs and Wright. Students from a Language Background Other Than English (LBOTE) have become an emerging challenge and great opportunity for the school community. A further 6.8% increase in LBOTE students has seen an increase in resource distribution to English as Second Language (ESL) classes and student wellbeing resources to ensure the diverse needs of all learners are addressed. Celebrating inclusivity has been a theme for the year with regular events to build a school culture; ANZAC assembly, Wear it Purple Day and Stromlo Day encouraged students to be proud of who they are and their cultural background.

The school’s leadership staff underwent some changes in 2017. A new deputy principal was appointed to replace Mrs Marshall who was previously in the role, the Learning Support Centre Executive role became temporarily vacant and Ms Lambert was appointed to the position in term 2. Teaching staff remained largely stable with a new English/Humanities teacher appointed to the school and 2 staff filling long term vacancies due to maternity and carers leave.

Student Information

Student enrolment

In 2017 there were a total of 639 students enrolled at this school.

Table: 2017 Student enrolment

Student type	Number of students
Male	355
Female	284
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander	22
LBOTE*	117

*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
7	90.0
8	88.0
9	86.0
10	88.0

Source: Planning and Analytics, December 2017

To support improved levels of student attendance Mount Stromlo High School uses a variety of strategies to engage students and their families. All students belong to a homeroom group called TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More) that meets at the beginning of each day and for an hour pastoral care lesson each fortnight. The TEAM teacher forms a strong bond with students and their parents/carers, often remaining with the same group of students from years 7 to 10. TEAM teachers are the first point of contact for families and students when engagement issues emerge. TEAM teachers are the initial referral point for intensive support from Year Coordinators and Student Services Executive Teachers who work with the family to re-engage the student in classroom learning. This can include modified timetables; extra-curriculum programs run by the Youth Support Worker or Chaplain; and in extreme cases, attendance requirements.

In addition to the pastoral supports for families, front office staff make contact with parents and carers when a student is absent for three consecutive days. Regular newsletter articles and, where required, letters to individual families are sent home to reinforce attendance requirements. Parents of year 9 and 10 students also receive regular correspondence from the principal if there is a concerning pattern of poor behaviour, academic achievement or attendance that may jeopardise a student successfully achieving their Year 10 Certificate. Students experiencing mental health concerns, such as anxiety and school refusal, are referred to the Student Services team who work closely with the School Psychologist and/or outside clinicians with parental permission.

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	68

Source: Teacher Quality Institute, 16 December 2017

Workforce composition

The 2017 workforce composition of Mount Stromlo High 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	56
Teaching Staff: Full Time Equivalent Permanent	46.20
Teaching Staff: Full Time Equivalent Temporary	7.60
Non Teaching Staff: Head Count	14
Non Teaching Staff: Full Time Equivalent	10.82

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.

Mount Stromlo High School will be reviewed in 2018. A copy of the most recent validation 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, 85% of parents and carers, 94% of staff, and 68% 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 52 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.	94
Teachers at this school provide students with useful feedback about their school work.	94
Teachers at this school treat students fairly.	94
This school is well maintained.	77
Students feel safe at this school.	86
Students at this school can talk to their teachers about their concerns.	94
Parents at this school can talk to teachers about their concerns.	94
Student behaviour is well managed at this school.	71
Students like being at this school.	92
This school looks for ways to improve.	92
This school takes staff opinions seriously.	82
Teachers at this school motivate students to learn.	96
Students’ learning needs are being met at this school.	90
This school works with parents to support students' learning.	92
I receive useful feedback about my work at this school.	79
Staff are well supported at this school.	90

Source: 2017 School Satisfaction Surveys, August/September 2017

A total of 165 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.	89
Teachers at this school provide my child with useful feedback about his/her school work.	83
Teachers at this school treat students fairly.	84
This school is well maintained.	82
My child feels safe at this school.	88
I can talk to my child’s teachers about my concerns.	88
Student behaviour is well managed at this school.	73
My child likes being at this school.	90
This school looks for ways to improve.	86
This school takes parents’ opinions seriously.	81
Teachers at this school motivate my child to learn.	77
My child is making good progress at this school.	79
My child's learning needs are being met at this school.	78
This school works with me to support my child's learning.	70

Source: 2017 School Satisfaction Surveys, August/September 2017

A total of 433 students responded to the survey. Please note that not all responders answered every question.

Table: Proportion of students in years 7 to 10 in agreement with each national opinion item

National opinion item	Proportion of students
My teachers expect me to do my best.	78
My teachers provide me with useful feedback about my school work.	53
Teachers at my school treat students fairly.	45
My school is well maintained.	39
I feel safe at my school.	52
I can talk to my teachers about my concerns.	38
Student behaviour is well managed at my school.	24
I like being at my school.	48
My school looks for ways to improve.	64
My school takes students’ opinions seriously.	37
My teachers motivate me to learn.	55
My school gives me opportunities to do interesting things.	68

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).

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

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, 2.00 % of year 7 students and 4.00 % of year 9 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: Stromlo High School 2017 NAPLAN Mean Scores

Test Domain	Year 7 School	Year 7 ACT	Year 9 School	Year 9 ACT
Reading	559	554	578	590
Writing	500	512	564	550
Spelling	536	541	580	582
Grammar & Punctuation	547	545	563	580
Numeracy	554	552	585	591

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

2017 was another busy year for staff and students. The school established a unique MakerSpace program to engage and encourage students to connect with a wide range of STEM activities. MakerSpace was offered as an elective in Yrs 9 and 10 and facilitated cross curriculum connections in STEM. A group of Yr7/8 girls competed in the Young ICT Explorers Challenge in Sydney and a Career “Bytes” immersion afternoon was held with a range of STEM professionals. Two female students were also awarded scholarships to attend the 10 week STEMSells program at CSIRO.

It’s Your Move continued to encourage students to walk and ride to school. Students scanned QR Codes on their way to school; each code gave students a ticket to a raffle at the end of the term and school merit awards. Various sporting goods including 4 mountain bikes were awarded to students throughout the year, encouraging our students to use active travel to and from school.

Curriculum reform continued in 2017 with the Humanities faculty implementing and reporting on the Civics & Citizenship and Economics & Business in the year 9 and 10 curriculum. The Technology and Arts Faculty continued to align their full suite of curriculum documents, assessment items and academic reporting to the Australian Curriculum.

Through school based competitions students are able to demonstrate their talent in particular areas and apply their skills. We had over 200 students participate in the Mathematics, English, Geography, Writing and History competitions, with many students receiving credit, distinction and high distinction certificates. Students also participated in both the Chief Minister’s reading challenge (year 7 and 8) and the Mount Stromlo High School Senior Reading challenge (years 9 and 10).

Over a third of the student population participated in classroom and extra-curricular creative and performing arts activities including a phenomenal stage production of the play Cosi in the Canberra College Performing Arts Space, Dance Festival followed by Stromfest. A small group of students participated in the Floriade gnome painting. Students also contributed to Step into the Limelight Exhibition; this is an annual event, which included Mount Stromlo students featuring a range of Photography and Textile Art creations. Our Concert Band won Gold and the Masling Encouragement Award at the National Eisteddfod. The bands also performed at Floriade and in local community carols, the All Souls Community Carols and the Molonglo Carols by Candlelight, and performed regularly at local school events and assemblies.

68% of year 10 students, 11% of year 9 students and 7.5% of year 8 students participated in a 5-day work experience placement. 98% of year 9 students had an individual meeting with the Careers Coordinator to discuss their future career aspirations and work experience options for 2018. In addition, White Card and Asbestos certification was completed by 21 students and another 15 students participated in various short industry run courses in the fields of personal fitness, building and construction, makeup and hospitality, to gain valuable experience and understanding of the career pathways available to them.

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	421646.65	415738.16	837384.81
Voluntary contributions	22740.00	9430.00	32170.00
Contributions & donations	9255.00	5647.99	14902.99
Subject contributions	68723.59	45971.07	114694.66
External income (including community use)	24203.54	47646.36	71849.90
Proceeds from sale of assets	133.50	0.00	133.50
Bank Interest	9339.49	10138.12	19477.61
TOTAL INCOME	556041.77	534571.70	1090613.47
EXPENDITURE
Utilities and general overheads	58108.36	103336.54	161444.90
Cleaning	86258.62	139627.22	225885.84
Security	0.00	0.00	0.00
Maintenance	135021.93	154598.12	289620.05
Administration	8499.94	14726.00	23225.94
Staffing	0.00	0.00	0.00
Communication	14254.11	2411.64	16665.75
Assets	24116.57	72669.67	96786.24
Leases	0.00	0.00	0.00
General office expenditure	10545.88	28569.14	39115.02
Educational	44059.35	45578.07	89637.42
Subject consumables	58710.63	50651.23	109361.86
TOTAL EXPENDITURE	439575.39	612167.63	1051743.02
OPERATING RESULT	116466.38	-77595.93	38870.45
Actual Accumulated Funds	461481.92	242071.24	260283.46
Outstanding commitments (minus)	-42221.15	0.00	-42221.15
BALANCE	535727.15	164475.31	256932.76

Professional Learning

The average professional learning expenditure at the school level per full time equivalent teacher was $1276.

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
Special Project Grant 2018 for teachers to undertake innovative education projects to enhance student learning Library refurbishment project 2018 upgrade of library facilities to provide flexible learning options Maths Textbook 2017 replenishment of student resources funded by levies Science Textbooks replenishment of student resources funded by levies Large equipment replacement and maintenance of machinery etc School Beautification 2018 replacement of stage curtains, landscaping noticeboards etc Special Projects 2018 for teachers to undertake innovative education projects to enhance student learning	$50000 $100000 $12968 $5180 $3660.89 $50000 $48470.24	2019 2018 2018 Ongoing Ongoing 2018 2018

Endorsement Page

Members of the School Board

Parent Representative(s):	Louise Newey	Adam Miller
Community Representative(s):	Alan Wu
Teacher Representative(s):	Ranjan Parikh	Rebecca Cusick
Student Representative(s):	Isaac Witzrens	Mya Mason
Board Chair:	Craig Lilley
Principal:	Kate Marshall

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:	_____ / _____ / _____