I am proud to present to you the 2010 Annual School Report for Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary, Greystanes. 

We value, celebrate and promote:

• our Catholic tradition

• the pursuit of truth

• respect of self and others

• a spirit of cooperation

• personal fulfilment

• school spirit

• lifelong education.

We enjoy a strong and positive partnership with the parent community in our school. The school has an active Parents and Friends Association (P&F) that runs a number of community events and fundraising activities which enable us to upgrade our resources on a yearly basis.

At Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary, our focus is always on good pedagogy: that is, effective teaching and learning. Teachers strive to provide learning experiences that engage our students and extend and deepen their knowledge and understanding. In order to make learning more meaningful and relevant to our students, we are constantly looking at ways to better integrate quality digital resources into our teaching and learning. We believe that the use of technology can transform how learning takes place in the classroom. The curriculum is differentiated to place learning in the hands of our students.

In 2010, work was completed on new and refurbished classrooms for Years 1, 2 and 3. The classrooms are organised as flexible, dynamic spaces that enhance learning. This initiative allows all children the opportunity to work with a number of teachers across the grade and to benefit from the expertise of all teachers involved. The children's learning is also supported through the provision of specialist teachers and support staff.

Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary promotes a strong and positive partnership with the parent community in our school. The school has an active Parents and Friends (P&F) Association that runs a number of community events and fundraising activities. These enable the school to upgrade resources on a yearly basis. In 2010, the P&F raised $50,000 for the students across the school. All money raised through the P&F went towards purchasing resources that will be used by all students across the school.

Parents are also invited to work in partnership with teachers across the school in supporting the learning for all students. A supportive group of parent helpers are involved in a variety of classroom activities such as reading, writing, gross motor and play. Parents are active participants in all extra-curricular activities such as carnivals and excursions. The support of the parents at Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary makes it possible for the school to offer many different opportunities to our students.

To be a student at Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary (OLQP) is a privilege because we work with teachers who are always ready to help us and guide us to become more like Jesus.

The new and refurbished learning spaces are giving us wonderful places to learn and work with other students from across many classes. Our school has, and is bringing in, great technology that gives us opportunities in our learning and prepares us for the future.

We have great teachers who give up their time to provide us with opportunities such as sport, carnivals, chess, creative arts, gala days, drama and music. Friendship is important at our school as everyone is supportive of each other and we look after one another through a buddy system and by following our school rules. We also feel safe and when things go wrong, there is always someone to talk to and help solve our problems.

Our school also has lots of lovely Masses, prayer and liturgies. This helps us learn more about God and try to follow in Jesus’ example. We try to live out our school motto of Truth in all that we do.

Finally, our school gives us the chance to lead and support other students. We take this responsibility seriously and are glad to give back and make our school a better place.

All facilities were refurbished in 2000. In 2009, under the government National Schools Pride (NSP) program, the Kindergarten building was refurbished and extra playground shade and covered areas were introduced. Also this program allowed the school to build a new retaining wall and garden near the entry to the school office.

At the end of 2010,  work was completed on two new centres of learning for Years 1 and 2 and the refurbishment of Year 3 classrooms.

Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary, Greystanes follows the Parramatta Diocesan document Enrolment Procedures in Parramatta Catholic Systemic Schools, January 2002. This document can be obtained from the school office or is available on our website or the Catholic Education Office website.

Current and previous years' student enrolments

Characteristics of the student body for 2010

The table below shows the number of students in each of the categories listed.

(LBOTE - Language Backgrounds Other Than English; SWD - Students With Disabilities) 

Each year, priorities are identified through staff and parent feedback, review of current practice, external results such as National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) and review of school assessment data and feedback. All priorities were addressed through the use of a variety of strategies and continue to be part of the learning and teaching cycle at Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary. The priorities were as follows:

• developing teacher expertise in numeracy
  • Teachers were given opportunities to develop expertise in numeracy – OLQP took part in the Extending Mathematical Understanding (EMU) course. Priority was given to this at staff meetings and staff development days. All staff were inserviced using growth points in Mathematics to determine student learning needs.

• using student performance data to guide professional learning, ensuring teachers have opportunities to work on and improve data analysis together
  • Staff were trained to use Mathematics Assessment Interview (MAI) and student performance data to guide professional learning and had opportunities to work on and improve data analysis in order to set learning goals as a team. Priority was given to collaborative scoring of assessment tasks to improve teacher understanding. 

• building capacity of the leadership team to support learning 
  • The leadership team worked with teachers across the school on developing numeracy blocks and in guiding professional learning teams to share expertise in providing quality learning experiences for all students.

• exploring ways to make learning more authentic 
  • Staff investigated different ways to make learning more authentic. This included teachers working on developing the quality teaching and learning framework and discovery-based learning, and exploring ways to use these to improve student outcomes. This focus included a staff development day, in-class training and visits to other schools.

Three priorities for 2011 form the basis of the strategic plan for our school.

1. Catholic Formation - This priority is part of the Strategic Plan of the diocese for the formation of leaders, teachers and students. We will work closely with our parish priest and personnel from the Catholic Education and Diocesan offices to deepen our understanding of what it means to be Catholic and develop our own journeys in faith.

2. Mathematics - This priority was established in 2010 with our work in the EMU program. It will form a significant part of our professional development on staff development days and in staff meetings. Teachers will develop detailed assessment strategies that will inform their teaching practise and new teaching strategies to improve learning in this area.

3. Quality Teaching - New open-plan learning centres have been established and we are continuing to refurbish various parts of the school. This priority focuses on changing the way teaching and learning occurs in a 21st century context. All teachers will be working in teams to deliver programs that are engaging and purposeful. This will be supported with professional development in technology that allows students to learn and express themselves in a variety of ways.

The Commonwealth Government sets minimum acceptable standards for literacy, numeracy, reading, writing, grammar, punctuation and spelling at particular ages. These are referred to as national minimum standards. Student performance in NAPLAN in our school is compared to these standards. The percentages of students achieving at or above these national minimum standards, and the percentages of students in the top three bands are reported in the table below.

In all areas of Literacy and Numeracy, the percentage of students at OLQP exceeds the national minimum standard. There is a significant difference in the percentage of students in the top three bands. Our most significant need is in the area of Numeracy development. In 2010, we began the Extending Mathematical Understanding (EMU) program. The program focuses on gaining assessment data that teachers can use to specifically identify the needs of their students in this area. It also provides significant strategies in developing mathematical concepts and skills.

Within the school curriculum, we aim to provide experiences that will cater for all students' learning and social needs.

• All students from Kindergarten to Year 6 participate in a Social Skills program during term 1.

• Two literacy support teachers work with teachers from Kindergarten to Year 3 to support students' literacy needs. At times, these teachers work with the teacher on the class program. They are also available to provide more intensive support when needed. If necessary, students work in small groups to develop specific literacy skills. Students are identified for inclusion in this program by the class teacher. The students in these groups are regularly assessed to monitor progress. Groups are fluid and students move in and out of the groups throughout the year. These groups run within the class setting. They are based on the curriculum and regularly change to meet the individual needs of the students.

• Two special education teachers and one teachers aide are employed to work with our children who have literacy, numeracy and special learning needs.

• Various challenge groups for gifted and talented students were offered in 2010 eg Maths Olympiad/Japanese extension groups, chess club.

• Students in Years 5 and 6 receive one hour a week Japanese language instruction and a Japanese enrichment class is also offered.

• Choir, band and recorder groups are offered to students before school and at lunch.

• Each year, we organise a Kindergarten Orientation program designed to assist preschool students entering Kindergarten. In the year prior to starting school, students have two orientation sessions where they take part in a mixture of whole and small group activities.

• Kindergarten students begin their school year with a Transition program where they are placed in fluid groups for approximately two weeks. The aim of the Transition program is to allow the teachers to become familiar with the needs of the students and to adapt teaching programs to meet their varying needs. During this time, the teachers will endeavour to gain information about each student, which will aid in programming for the needs of all students. The program also allows students to adapt and adjust to their new surroundings in an enjoyable way. The teachers aim to make the transition from preschool to school as smooth as possible.

• Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary supports all high school open days. Teachers from Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary meet with secondary schools to discuss students' individual needs and representatives from our local Catholic feeder schools visit to talk with our Year 6 students about what they can expect when they start high school.

Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary offers a wide range of co-curricular activities to students including:

• Sporting

  • diocesan touch football, netball, soccer

  • Mark Taylor Shield cricket

  • basketball - including school holiday basketball camp

  • Zone and diocesan athletics, swimming and cross country

  • netball, rugby league and soccer clubs

  • Australian Rules football and cricket clinics.

Throughout the year, we have several sporting clubs visit to offer students skills training in various sports.

• Other

  • school band and recorder group

  • Maths Olympiad

  • NSW University - Mathematics, English and Science competitions

  • Young Leaders Day

  • diocesan Voice of Youth competition

  • Book Fair and Education Week activities
  • Catholic School Week celebrations
  • Talent Expo across the school.
    

Other co-curricular activities include the variety of excursions that students attend as part of their learning each year. In 2010, these included: an overnight excursion to Canberra; a field trip to Bathurst; the Zoo; City and Botanical Gardens; Museum; the Blue Mountains; Riverside Theatre; the Maritime Museum; and Oceanworld at Manly.

 The school promotes respect and responsibility through the following initiatives:

• At weekly assembly, the National Anthem is sung to develop a respect for our Australian identity. A pledge is recited and the flag is raised reverently by the school captains.
• The focus at assembly is always on qualities that help students to develop respect for themselves and respect for others. Each week, there is a word of the week as a focus.
• Students are responsible for different areas of our school community, such as keeping the playground clean, setting up a prayer focus, morning prayer.
• The student leaders and all Year 6 students work with teachers and students on the playground and in the library to support school values.
• The six major school expectations are on display in classrooms and on the playground for reference by teachers and students.
• The school incorporates the restorative justice practice into all incidents on the playground and in the classroom. Questions to help students work through and resolve issues are on display in the playgrounds.
• Students are involved in community service through visits to local nursing homes and through the collection of gifts and food for the St Vincent de Paul Society.
• Students are involved in buddy class activities where primary students interact with infants students in supporting their learning and social needs.
• Awards are presented by the principal at each assembly for academic achievement, personal best performances, displaying gospel values and good citizenship.
• In 2010, the student leaders introduced environmental awards presented to classes/grades each week for looking after the school and keeping different areas of the school clean.
• In 2010, the school invited residents from local nursing homes to the school to attend a Christmas concert. This was a great example of community outreach and was well attended by many members of the wider community.

In this area, a random sample of parents, students and teachers were surveyed for their level of satisfaction in the changes to our teaching/learning approaches.

Parent Satisfaction

Parents indicated that they believed that open-plan learning would be good for the children as it would encourage them to work with other children and other teachers. They also indicated that they would like more information on how it would work. They were very satisfied with the technology available to the children and they were very happy with how their children were being taught.

Student Satisfaction

Students indicated that they were very satisfied with the activities and groups that they worked with in open-plan classes. They very much liked working with technology and preferred discussion groups to listening to teacher instruction. They were very satisfied with the learning activities, particularly in Mathematics.

Teacher Satisfaction

Teachers were very satisfied with the idea of working more closely together in teams. They were concerned about how to manage activities in an open-plan space but looked forward to the challenge. They were very happy working with technology and requested more resources in this area.

Teacher standards

 *Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition

Religious Education Accreditation

Workforce composition

Professional Learning

Professional learning undertaken by staff in 2010 included:

• Kath Walker play-based learning curriculum in the early years of school
• assessment of religious literacy
• explicit teaching of reading
• digital storytelling
• Understanding NAPLAN Using Evidence
• Creating Exciting Maths and Science Classrooms
• Extending Mathematical Understanding
• asthma education
• The 21st Century Teacher
• Inspiring Educational Leaders Towards Exemplary Performance in Student Learning
• Courageous Conversations
• Boys' Education
• Making Learning Relevant to Generation Z
• Royal Life Saving Resuscitation
• Educational Leadership and Coaching.

Teacher attendance

The average teacher attendance for 2010 was 93.5%.

Teacher retention

Student attendance rates

The average student attendance for 2010 for the whole school was 95.8% The average attendance for each Year level appears in the table below expressed as a percentage:

Student attendance rates

 

K	1	2	3	4	5	6
96.9%	95%	95.6%	95.5%	95.6%	97%	95.5%

The figures indicate that overall the attendance rate at Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary is within normal ranges. Student absences are generally owing to sick leave or families taking leave for holidays outside of school holidays.

Managing non-attendance

Regular attendance at school is essential if students are to maximise their potential. Schools, in partnership with parents and guardians, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. The compulsory schooling age is between 6 and 17 years old. Parents and guardians are legally responsible for the regular attendance of their children, explaining the absences of their children from school promptly and within seven days to the school, and taking measures to resolve attendance issues involving their children. School staff, as part of their duty of care, monitor part or whole day absences. They maintain accurate records of student attendance, follow-up unexplained absences through written and verbal communication, implement programs and practices to address attendance issues when they arise, and provide clear information to students and parents regarding attendance requirements and the consequences of unsatisfactory attendance. The principal may grant permission for late arrival at school or early departure from school, only in individual cases, on written request from parents and guardians. The principal or delegate will undertake all reasonable measures to contact parents promptly if an unexplained absence occurs. If truancy is suspected, the principal will contact the parents/guardians to ascertain the reason for the absence. If a satisfactory response is not received, the matter will be referred to Catholic Education Office staff for follow-up.

Activities and programs related to pastoral care include:

• student Leadership program

• student life savers

• opportunities for parent education and reflection

• teacher support policy

• Living and Working Together (LAW) policy

• Social Skills program

• school buddies

• child protection for parents

• Induction Policy for new staff.

In 2010, the school community continued to implement the Restorative Justice program. Teachers use this program in combination with the LAW policy to manage student behaviour. The main focus is to develop positive relationships and fair practice in dealing with conflict issues.

New teachers to the school are provided with a mentor to help support them in their development as a teacher and in building up relationships between staff.

This policy is available to all parents from the school office and is given to all families at the time of their child's enrolment. In 2009, the Living and Working Together policy was reviewed by the staff in order to improve effectiveness and implementation. There were no changes made in 2010.

The policy aims to:

• create a safe and happy environment

• ensure consistency when dealing with discipline

• provide guidelines and expectations for staff, students and parents

• encourage self-discipline and mutual respect

• promote pastoral care

• model Christian living.

The policy is based on a series of belief statements and rights and responsibilities which ensure that all members of the community are treated with respect and work towards maintaining a well-disciplined and nurturing environment. It contains a series of positive behaviour expectations and a sequence of clearly set out consequences.

The six behaviour expectations are on display in all learning spaces and all playgrounds. All students spend the first weeks of term 1 taking part in a whole-school Social Skills program which aims to promote positive relationships within the school and to teach students how to handle different situations in a calm and positive way.

When handing behaviour issues, the staff use the principles of restorative justice. Students and staff were trained in using effective questioning in conflict situations. These questions aim to restore the situation by focusing on what happened, who had been affected and what could be done to make things right. The school continues to use and review these principles on a yearly basis. Questions are displayed throughout the school and children are encouraged to try to solve any problems they may be experiencing through reflecting on, or using these questioning strategies with their peers.

All serious behaviour incidents are recorded by staff members on duty. Each incident is dealt with in the most appropriate way. This includes time out, community service, or parent notification.

The full text of student management, welfare and discipline policies can be obtained through the school office or from the school's website: www.olqpgreystanes.catholic.edu.au

School Recurrent and Capital Income

School Recurrent and Capital Expenditure