St Brigid's Catholic Primary School, Marrickville Annual School Report to the Community 2016
School Contact Details 392A Marrickville Road, Marrickville 2204
[email protected] http://stbmarrickville.catholic.edu.au/ 9558 6926 9558 4200
Principal Ms Lynette Sandford
ABOUT THIS REPORT St Brigid's Catholic Primary School is registered by the Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES), and managed by Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS), the ‘approved authority’ for the Registration System formed under Section 39 of the Education Act 1990 (NSW). The Annual School Report to the Community provides parents and the wider School community with fair, reliable and objective information about School performance measures and policies, as determined by the Minister for Education. The Report also outlines information about initiatives and developments of major interest and importance during the year and the achievements arising from the implementation of the School’s Annual Improvement Plan. The Report demonstrates accountability to regulatory bodies, the School community and Sydney Catholic Schools. This Report has been approved by Sydney Catholic Schools in consultation with the Regional Consultant who monitors that the School has appropriate processes in place to ensure compliance with all Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards requirements for Registration and Accreditation. This Report complements and is supplementary to School newsletters and other regular communications. Further information about the School may be obtained by contacting the School or by visiting the School’s website.
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S ECTION O NE : M ESSAGE FROM K EY G ROUPS IN OUR COMMUNITY Principal's Message
This year, that began with a very destructive fire in the library, has challenged our commitment to being "Alive in Christ". We have been called upon more than ever to demonstrate our values of respect, love, peace, justice, compassion, hospitality and stewardship. There have been many experiences and events in the life of the school that have provided opportunities for the school community to reflect on and practise these values. However, the most significant in 2016 has been the outstanding generosity, kindness and support we have received from individual people, systemic and non-systemic schools, our local government and outside organisations, who volunteered their time and resources, to ensure our students were still able to experience a wide variety of literature during the year. We are especially thankful to them for their generosity of spirit. The following report details many other significant experiences that were part of the life of the school community in 2016. Parish Priest's Message
This is my last report after 8 years as parish priest as I am moving to rural life in New Zealand. These years have gone faster than expected. I have seen children of Year 6 in 2009 now studying and working. I have seen the Kindergarten of 2009 now in Year 9. Families have accompanied them along the road of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual growth. They are lucky children for the foundational education that St Brigid’s has provided. This year has been particularly rewarding due to the dedication of the Principal, staff and work of the Family Educator. They have opened many opportunities for connecting school and parish. I thank them for the generosity they bring to their ministry. As we finish this year and lead into another I suggest that we not be demoralised with all the hatred in the world, but be encouraged by all the good that surrounds us; the kindness of one another; the love and joy we bring to life. The living sense of the presence of God in so much of creation, our families and the Church community of St Brigid's that gathers in prayer and service. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of your life and may the years ahead be a blessing. John Pearce CP
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Parent Body Message
The year 2016 has seen the Parents and Friends' (P & F) committee continue to encourage parents and carers to participate in the many opportunities on offer and to continue to build the sense of community at the school. These opportunities have been created, keeping in mind both working and non-working parents and carers, to ensure that as many of our community as possible can share in their children’s school experiences. The introduction of the SkoolBag app has helped the P & F to communicate with parents and carers and ensure that they are aware of upcoming events, how they could participate, class activities taking place and general information on what support the P & F can offer. This communication has been further supported by the parent class coordinators and the P & F page in the newsletter. I am delighted to report that 2016 has been successful not only financially but in bringing many of our school community together to share in the life of the school. P & F President Student Body Message
The student leadership team included school captains, sport captains and the Student Representative Council (SRC). members from Year 1 to Year 6. This year two Year 6 students, known as "big brother" and "big sister" were chosen to represent the Kindergarten classes. As members of the leadership team, we worked with the Assistant Principal and the Religious Education coordinator to raise social awareness, lead prayer and liturgies and assist with school initiatives. A highlight for all the senior SRC students and Year 6 was our “Mini Olympics Day”, which we ran to coincide with the games in Brazil. We helped the infant classes with the creative play program during lunch time. Other significant events was being involved in the Indigenous Veterans Memorial Ceremony, Remembrance Day and the Peer Support Program.
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S ECTION TWO : S CHOOL F EATURES St Brigid's Catholic Primary School is a Catholic systemic Co-educational School located in Marrickville. St Brigid’s was first established in 1897 by the Good Samaritan sisters and supported by the Passionist community. The charisms of the Good Samaritan order and the Passionists combined with the values of St Brigid, our patron saint, as the basis for the school’s mission and vision statements. The school enjoys a very close and positive relationship with St Brigid's parish, which celebrated a milestone 130 years as a parish in December this year. The Family and Faith program, through the work of the Family Educator, continues to successfully foster the connection between school and parish and promote parents' participation in the life of the parish. A distinguishing feature of the school is our multicultural community. We draw students from Vietnamese, Greek, Portuguese, Tongan, Samoan and many other communities in Marrickville and wider surrounds. There is also an increasing number of Aboriginal students enrolling at St Brigid's. Our P & F continues to grow in strength with improved communication between home and school via SkoolBag app. Parent engagement continues to grow as well, with over sixty parents attending parent engagement sessions and then volunteering to more fully engage in the life of the school. Engaging with the local Marrickville community is always a feature of St Brigid's. This year was no exception with our teachers and students attending weekly sessions at Marrickville Library and borrowing on a regular basis in the absence of our own school Library. At the Year 6 Graduation Mass our local member for Summer Hill, presented our school leaders with certificates to acknowledge their leadership in 2016. Performing arts was celebrated with our Stages 2 and 3 students performing "Disney, the Little Mermaid Jnr" in Casimir College's school hall. It was an outstanding success with over 100 students displaying their talents in drama, dance, singing and staging. The Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) curriculum was expanded with students in Years 5 and Year 6 participating in surf life saving lessons at Manly beach. These were very successful and seen as important for our multicultural students, some of whom had never been into the surf before. Annual School Report to the Community 2016
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We have continued to focus on improving school resources and facilities with the purchase of new furniture that provides opportunities for flexible learning spaces in Year 3 and Year 4. Moreover, as a consequence of the fire in the beginning of the year, an opportunity was taken to not only rebuild a very contemporary library but also make it more accessible by bringing it down to the ground level. This allowed for Year 6 classrooms upstairs to be built in a thoroughly modern learning space. Building began in July and concluded in January the following year.
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S ECTION THREE : S TUDENT PROFILE Student Enrolment
The School caters for students in Kindergarten to Year 6. Students attending this School come from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. The following information describes the student profile for 2016: Girls
Boys
LBOTE*
Total Students
198
187
304
385
* Language Background Other than English Enrolment Policy
The Archdiocese of Sydney has established an Enrolment Policy for Systemic Catholic Schools. Sydney Catholic Schools monitor the implementation of this policy. The policy has been developed in the context of government and system requirements. Children from families who are prepared to support the ethos and values of the Catholic Church may be considered eligible for enrolment. Total fees are made up of the Archdiocesan tuition fee, the parish school levy and local fees and charges. A pastoral approach is adopted for parents experiencing genuine difficulty with the payment of fees. Information about enrolling in a systemic school in the Archdiocese of Sydney may be accessed at the Sydney Catholic Schools website. Student Attendance Rates
The average student attendance rate for 2016 was 93.53%. Attendance rates disaggregated by Year group are shown in the following table. Attendance rates by Year group Kindergarten
94.93%
Year 1
93.02%
Year 2
94.04%
Year 3
93.89%
Year 4
93.75%
Year 5
92.55%
Year 6
92.55%
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Managing Student Non-attendance
Regular attendance at school is essential if students are to maximise their potential. The School, in partnership with parents, is responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. While parents are legally responsible for the regular attendance of their children, School staff, as part of their duty of care, monitor part or whole day absences. School staff, under the Principal’s leadership, support the regular attendance of students by: providing a caring teaching and learning environment which fosters students’ sense of wellbeing and belonging to the School community maintaining accurate records of student attendance recognising and rewarding excellent and improved student attendance implementing programs and practices to address attendance issues when they arise. The Principal is responsible for supporting the regular attendance of students by ensuring that: parents and students are regularly informed of attendance requirements and the consequences of unsatisfactory attendance all cases of unsatisfactory attendance and part or full day absences from school are investigated promptly and that appropriate intervention strategies are implemented documented plans are developed to address the needs of students whose attendance is identified as being of concern the Executive Director of Sydney Catholic Schools or designated Sydney Catholic Schools officer is provided with regular information about students for whom chronic nonattendance is an issue and for whom School strategies have failed to restore regular attendance.
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S ECTION F OUR : S TAFFING PROFILE The following information describes the staffing profile for 2016: Total Teaching Staff*
Total Non-Teaching Staff
Combined Total
24
15
39
* This number includes 16 full-time teachers and 8 part-time teachers. Percentage of staff who are Indigenous
0%
Professional Learning
The ongoing professional development of each staff member is highly valued. Professional learning can take many forms including whole school staff days, subject specific in services, meetings and conferences and a range of professional learning programs provided by Sydney Catholic Schools. The School takes responsibility for planning, implementing, evaluating and tracking of its staff professional learning and individual staff members take responsibility for their ongoing professional development. All teachers have been involved in professional learning opportunities during the year related to improving student outcomes. The School held the equivalent of five staff developments days this year with areas of focus as follows: Term 1
School Administration and Professional Standards
Term 2
Staff and Student Wellbeing
Term 3
Staff Spirituality
Term 4
History and Geography curriculum
The Leadership Team focuses on evidenced-based practice and facilitates professional development and learning. Staff meetings led by the Literacy/Numeracy coach develop shared beliefs and understandings and a common language for alignment of all aspects of the school’s work with essential practices in assessment and instruction. At stage and grade meetings, teachers used diagnostic data, determined their professional learning needs and are able to lead differentiated professional learning opportunities. Teacher Standards
The following table sets out the number of teachers who fall into each of the two categories determined by the Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards: Annual School Report to the Community 2016
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Teacher Qualifications
Number of Teachers
1 Those having formal qualifications from a recognised higher education institution or equivalent.
25
2 Those having graduate qualifications but not a formal teaching qualification from a recognised higher education institution or equivalent.
0
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S ECTION F IVE : CATHOLIC L IFE AND R ELIGIOUS EDUCATION Catholic Schools have a unique role in the evangelising and educating mission of the Church. The Archbishop's Charter for Catholic Schools sets out the purpose and mission of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney. In responding to the Charter, the School engages in processes to reflect on and revitalise its mission and strengthen the religious life of members of the School community. The School follows the Archdiocesan Religious Education (RE) Curriculum and uses the student textbooks To Know, Worship and Love, as authorised by the Archbishop of Sydney. In 2016, Religious Education across K-6 has been supported with a focus on Authentic Learning, in order to nurture and deepen students' knowledge and understanding of the Catholic tradition. All teaching staff received professional development on how to incorporate learning intentions and success criteria within their Religious Education teaching and learning sequences. A new auditing tool for teaching and learning programs has been established. Staff worked to strengthen their understanding of and commitment to the role of the Catholic school within the Church community. By making connections to the charisms of St Brigid's School, staff were able to explore the ministries of the Passionist community, the Good Samaritan Sisters, St Brigid and the school motto "Alive in Christ". This helped to develop an awareness of how the charisms influence the vision and mission of St Brigid's School. The spiritual growth of students has been developed by engaging them in the life and mission of the Catholic faith community. The school has continued to support the parish Sacramental program, attending and assisting presentation Masses, reflection days and Sacrament celebrations. The gathering of the school community at events included; St Brigid's Feast day, Feast of the Sacred Heart, Mother's Day, Father's Day and Easter Liturgies. We gathered during Advent to reflect on the genealogy of Jesus with stories of the Jesse tree and centred our hearts on the extraordinary Year of Mercy throughout the liturgical year. The school community continued to work collaboratively, putting faith into action through many fundraising initiatives. This year's initiatives have involved a continued commitment to Caritas, the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal, the Gethsemane nursing home in Marrickville, Charitable Works Fund and Gunawirra House toy drive. Students in the choir also made a difference in the lives of the nursing home residents by sharing their talents in a visit to the home at the end of the year. Opportunities for staff faith formation included volunteering for a number of organisations including Cana De Porres house, Newtown Asylum Seeker Centre, Gunawirra House, Gift of Bread, Cana Farm and St Merkorious. Our strong connection with the parish has also helped to continue our commitment and support of the Cana Community and the Newtown Annual School Report to the Community 2016
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Asylum Seeker Project. The theme of generosity has been echoed by Mini Vinnies students, who have given their time to assist the local chapter of St Vincent de Paul in preparing food boxes for those in need in the local community. These students were also engaged in a faith formation day. The children worked with parent helpers to create small items that were sold to raise money for Catholic missions. Students in Years 6 and 8 in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney undertake the Archdiocesan Religious Education (RE) Test annually. The test consists of fifty multiple-choice questions. Results of the test are analysed by teachers and are used to inform teaching and learning in Religious Education. Our School's average result (as a mark out of 50) Year 6
32.04
Further information about the Archdiocesan Religious Education Curriculum and the RE Tests may be accessed at the Religious Education and Evangelisation site on the Sydney Catholic Schools website.
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S ECTION S IX : CURRICULUM The school provides an educational program based on, and taught in accordance with the Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards syllabuses for Primary Education. The Key Learning Areas (KLAs) are English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Human Society and its Environment, Creative Arts and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education. In addition, the school implements the curriculum requirements of Sydney Catholic Schools. The teaching and learning processes are informed by the Statement on Authentic Learning in Sydney Archdiocesan Schools. Staff members are committed to continuous improvement of teaching and learning in all facets of the school curriculum. The educational potential of students was enhanced by structures and processes put in place in 2016. Over the past year teachers have worked collaboratively to establish a common understanding and a shared approach to maximise student achievement. Teachers are incorporating success criteria, marking rubrics and meaningful feedback to assess students and identify areas for future growth. The Literacy/Numeracy Coach consolidated frameworks for whole school practice. This included targeted professional development, the use of instructional rounds, learning walks and collaborative planning opportunities. Teachers engaged in collecting, analysing and utilising data to inform their planning and programming. Across the school students' growth in reading was tracked using a data wall and evidence based intervention programs were implemented to improve student outcomes. At risk readers were supported by two programs, Reading Recovery and Making Up Lost Time in Literacy (MultiLit). The QuickSmart program was implemented with students from Year 4 and Year 5 and was delivered by Learning Support Officers (LSOs). The program aims to develop children's mental recall of mathematical facts in order to improve skills in Mathematics. Personalised Learning Programs (PLPs) for Indigenous students were developed by class and specialist teachers in collaboration with parents. An LSO worked with the students offering them in-class support and the QuickSmart Program to develop numeracy skills. A whole school profile of English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) was completed using data gathered from oral and written assessment tasks. This was used by teachers to better inform their teaching programs. Special Needs teachers developed Personalised Plans (PPs) through the Catholic Education Annual School Report to the Community 2016
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Commission to identify, support and plan for differentiated learning for students with additional needs. Teachers and students were able to use a range of technologies to enhance learning across key learning areas. Students effectively use Google applications and are increasingly exploring new digital platforms. Well resourced classrooms supported by the continuation of the Bring Your Own Designated Device (BYODD) program in Stage 2 and Year 5 have enriched, stimulated and challenged students. Students are able to make choices and take greater responsibility for using a variety of media to demonstrate understanding. The skills and talents of the students were showcased through a variety of experiences including, public speaking competitions, school and liturgical choir performances, activities including chess, art, drama, choir, cartooning, dance and creative play, intensive swimming program and surf education, St Brigid’s Mini Olympics, a school musical and end of year dance and drama performance.
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S ECTION S EVEN : S TUDENT PERFORMANCE IN N ATIONAL AND S TATE -W IDE TESTS The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. NAPLAN assessment results provide valuable information about student achievements in literacy and numeracy. An analysis of these results assists School planning and is used to support teaching and learning programs. The tables below show the percentages of students who achieved particular skill bands in numeracy and the aspects of literacy. The School results shown are compared to students nationally. Literacy is reported in four content strands (aspects): Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation. Numeracy is reported as a single content strand. % of students in the top 2 bands
% of students in the bottom 2 bands
School
Australia
School
Australia
Grammar & Punctuation
50.00%
52.80%
4.84%
9.70%
Reading
58.06%
49.40%
4.84%
11.40%
Year Writing 3 Spelling
46.77%
48.60%
3.23%
6.20%
50.00%
46.50%
14.52%
12.30%
41.94%
35.70%
14.52%
13.40%
NAPLAN RESULTS 2016
Numeracy
% of students in the top 2 bands
% of students in the bottom 2 bands
School
Australia
School
Australia
Grammar & Punctuation
51.35%
36.30%
10.81%
14.70%
Reading
48.65%
35.20%
16.22%
15.50%
Year Writing 5 Spelling
32.43%
17.40%
8.11%
18.30%
59.46%
29.60%
13.51%
17.00%
35.14%
28.20%
10.81%
16.30%
NAPLAN RESULTS 2016
Numeracy
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S ECTION EIGHT : PASTORAL CARE AND W ELLBEING Student Welfare Policy
Pastoral Care at St Brigid’s is based on relationships of love, respect, justice, compassion, peace, hospitality and stewardship between school personnel and families. “Pastoral care cannot be thought of in separate terms from the teaching and learning within the school; it is a key determinant of successful learning. Good pastoral care is exemplified by: quality teaching and learning good discipline high expectations of student performance teachers caring for students at the human level.” (Pastoral Care Document, CEO 2003). No changes were made to this policy this year. The full text of the School's Pastoral Care Policy may be accessed on the School's website or at the administration office. Discipline Policy
Corporal punishment is expressly prohibited in this School. The School does not sanction administration of corporal punishment by School persons and non-School persons, including parents, to enforce discipline in the School. Our school rules form our code of conduct which emphasises students’ rights and responsibilities, rewards for good behaviour and consequences for misbehaviour. They are: I respect myself I respect others I respect the property of others I respect the environment. No changes were made to this policy this year. The full text of the School's Student Discipline Policy may be accessed on the School's website or at the administration office. Anti-Bullying Policy
The Archdiocese of Sydney has established an Anti-Bullying Policy which is implemented by our school and all systemic schools in the Archdiocese. It provides a framework for school communities to work together to prevent and address issues of student bullying, in order to Annual School Report to the Community 2016
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build respectful relationships that respond effectively and sensitively to the needs of each person. Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) monitors the implementation of this policy. The policy was reviewed in August 2016 and no changes were made to the policy this year. The full text of the Anti-Bullying Policy may be accessed on the School’s website, the administration office or at the SCS website at this link. Complaints and Grievances Resolution Policy
The Archdiocese of Sydney has established a Resolution of Complaints Policy which is implemented by our school and all systemic schools in the Archdiocese. The rationale for the policy is that within the reality of the schooling experience, it is recognised that, from time to time, misunderstandings and differences of opinion will occur, and that these need to be resolved satisfactorily. Addressing such matters within a framework of dignity, respect and truth can provide powerful opportunities to model the love of Christ in the reality of our contemporary world. Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) monitors the implementation of this policy. The policy was reviewed in December 2015 and no changes were made to the policy this year. The full text of the Resolution of Complaints Policy may be accessed on the School’s website, the administration office or at the SCS website at this link. Initiatives Promoting Respect and Responsibility
All Year 6 students led the weekly Peer Support sessions for K-5 students in Term 1. This year's focus was respecting self and exploring the concept of optimism to assist students to "Live Positively". Students focused on identifying personal strengths and developing other strengths such as curiosity, kindness and teamwork. They were also encouraged to practice positive selftalk necessary to support perseverance needed in challenging situations. Students also explored the concept of gratitude and taking time to say thank you, showing appreciation to others in their lives. Our school community continues to demonstrate our responsibility to support the marginalised through our relationships with the Cana community and the Gift of Bread. Our focus expanded this year to include the following organisations: Newtown Asylum Seeker Centre- Our students engaged in letter writing to children of asylum seekers residing in Sydney. This culminated in the families coming together to share a meal at the school. Staff continued demonstration of our commitment of support by cooking and delivering meals to the centre. Gunawirra House - Families donated toys for their Christmas appeal. Staff also contributed by visiting the house and packing much needed personal items for Aboriginal Annual School Report to the Community 2016
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pre-schoolers in various parts of NSW. St Merkorious - Staff spent the day packing food parcels for those less fortunate in outlying Sydney suburbs.
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S ECTION N INE : S CHOOL R EVIEW AND IMPROVEMENT The School implements the Sydney Catholic Schools' School Review and Improvement (SRI) Framework which outlines the processes and benchmarks for creating the culture and practice of continuous improvement with students as the focus. Each year, the School develops an Annual Improvement Plan indicating the intended key improvements for student learning outcomes. The plan is drawn from the School’s Strategic Improvement Plan and informed by the document New Horizons: Inspiring Spirits and Minds. The School engages in an annual evidence-based evaluation of its effectiveness against these external standards in collaboration with the Regional Consultant. A copy of the Strategic Improvement Plan and the Annual Improvement Plan may be obtained from the school administrative office. Key Improvements Achieved in 2016 Key improvements achieved in 2016 were drawn from a variety of areas. These included: strategic and well planned professional development building teacher capacity, impacting on teacher practices and resulting in improvement in student learning and was evidenced by improved results in standardised and national testing consistency of practice K-6 in the collection, analysis and use of data to inform teaching and learning students able to articulate their learning, demonstrating a greater understanding about the purpose and focus of their lessons and how to succeed in their learning through the implementation of learning intentions, co-constructed success criteria and descriptive feedback extended implementation of a BYODD program from Year 3 to Year 5, improving collaboration and communication skills and allowing for innovative approaches to contemporary pedagogy through the use of a range of digital platforms establishment of a creative play area for K-2 students to develop their imagination, cooperation, problem solving and collaboration skills. Priority Key Improvements for 2017 Key improvements for 2017 will include: developing new and varied ways to engage families in the faith life of the school and church implementing a new School Wide Pedagogy (SWP) that will enhance student learning and support the achievement of the new school vision for learning providing learning experiences that will engage, challenge, extend and empower students Annual School Report to the Community 2016
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through alignment with principles of Authentic Learning further enhancing the provision and support for students with diverse needs such as special learning needs and gifted and talented promoting student and staff wellbeing through the development of supportive and challenging learning environments, whole school focus on physical activity and the implementation of the KidsMatter program increasing opportunities for staff to understand and improve their teaching practice through observation and feedback.
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S ECTION TEN : PARENT , S TUDENT AND TEACHER S ATISFACTION The opinions and ideas of parents, students and teachers are valued and sought. Their suggestions are incorporated into planning for and achieving improved outcomes for students. This year, the School has used a variety of processes to gain information about the level of satisfaction with the School from parents, students and teachers. Parent Satisfaction
During the school's Cyclic Review in Term 3, a representative group of parents met with the Cyclic Review Team and were able to express their great satisfaction with: the faith development of their children the commitment of staff to tailor lessons to the ability of the children the effectiveness of the BYODD program helping children to learn across the curriculum the process of goal setting and three way conferences with parents, students and children. All parents were emailed a survey in Term 4 about the K-4 Swimming Program, the Stage 3 Surf Education Program, the St Brigid's Swimming Carnival and the school musical. There were 17% of families who responded. A majority of parents strongly agreed with the 8 day intensive swimming program and the choice of venue, the importance of surf education and the use of Casimir Catholic College for the school musical. A majority of parents agreed with the location and facilities for the surf education and the organisation, student participation, location and facilities for the swimming carnival. A majority of parents attended the school musical.
Student Satisfaction
During the Cyclic Review of the school's learning improvement journey undertaken, students in all classes offered feedback to the Review Team. They were able to clearly articulate learning intentions and success criteria for the lessons observed. The Review Team commented that the students spoke enthusiastically about their life at school, naming the school motto "Alive in Christ" as the lived reality of their experience. Students also spoke about the welcoming community to those who were new to the school. In Term 4 students in Years 3, 4 and 5 were surveyed to evaluate the effectiveness of the BYODD program. Most students strongly agreed that: they enjoy using their own tablet for learning they are more interested in learning using their tablet they feel confident using their tablet Annual School Report to the Community 2016
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they regularly share their work with their parents. Most students agreed that the tablet helped to improve their learning. Teacher Satisfaction
Following our Spirituality Day in Term 3 staff evaluated the effectiveness of the day. They expressed satisfaction with the day since they were provided with a lived example for the practice of their faith and were inspired to reach out and do more for others. At the end of Term 4, teaching staff engage in the School Review and Improvement process over two staff meetings. The following are examples of the impact and effectiveness of the school: Teachers are able to learn from each other and share good practice. There are constructive conversations amongst teachers around student growth using the data wall. Teachers have developed a better understanding of curriculum requirements. There is evidence across the school that many students have developed a strong sense of respect for themselves and each other. Teachers are more aware of student needs. The new furniture enhances the BYODD program by creating more collaborative learning environments. The BYODD program promotes creativity and problem solving.
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S ECTION ELEVEN : F INANCIAL S TATEMENT This School Financial Information is based on the detailed information provided to the Commonwealth Government in the Commonwealth Financial Questionnaire. School Financial Information for the 2016 year is detailed below: RECURRENT and CAPITAL INCOME
RECURRENT and CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
Commonwealth Recurrent Grants $2,743,670
Capital Expenditure 6
$534,099
1
Government Capital Grants State Recurrent Grants
Other Capital Income 5 Total Income
$869,164
3
Fees and Private Income
$0
2
4
Salaries and Related Expenses 7
$3,293,227
Non-Salary Expenses 8
$1,397,062
Total Expenditure
$5,224,388
$1,408,429 $103,833 $5,125,096
For the 2016 year the St Brigid's Catholic Primary School received $51,854 as Interest Subsidy. Our school community is appreciative of the support it received from the NSW State Government under the Interest Subsidy Scheme Notes 1. Commonwealth Recurrent Grants includes recurrent per capita grants and special purpose grants. 2. Government Capital Grants includes all capital grants received from the Commonwealth and State Governments. 3. State Recurrent Grants includes recurrent grants per capita, special purpose grants and interest subsidy grants. 4. Fees and Private Income include Archdiocesan and school based fees, excursions and other private income. 5. Other Capital Income includes building levy fees and capital donations used to fund Capital Expenditure. 6. Capital Expenditure includes expenditure on School Buildings, and Furniture and Equipment. 7. Salaries and Related Expenditure includes all salaries, allowances and related expenses such as superannuation and workers compensation insurance. 8. Non-Salary Expenses include all other Non-Salary Recurrent Expenditure covering resources, administration, operational expenses, utilities, repairs and maintenance.
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