2016 elizabeth macarthur high school annual report · the annual report for 2016€is provided to...

Elizabeth Macarthur High SchoolAnnual Report

2016

8584

Printed on: 5 April, 2017 of 16 Elizabeth Macarthur High School 8584 (2016)

Introduction

The Annual Report for 2016 is provided to the community of Elizabeth Macarthur High School as an account of theschool's operations and achievements throughout the year.

It provides a detailed account of the progress the school has made to provide high quality educational opportunities forall students, as set out in the school plan. It outlines the findings from self–assessment that reflect the impact of keyschool strategies for improved learning and the benefit to all students from the expenditure of resources, including equityfunding.

Kylie Hedger

Principal

School contact details

Elizabeth Macarthur High SchoolWaterworth DriveNarellan, 2567www.elizabeth-h.schools.nsw.edu.auelizabeth-h.School@det.nsw.edu.au4646 1899

Message from the Principal

2016 has been another outstanding year for Elizabeth Macarthur High School. The School begun the year with 1032students and finished the year with 1140 students reflecting the growth in the local area and the confidence ourcommunity has in the school. We ran some excellent programs this year with Harrington Park Primary, Narellan ValePrimary and Narellan Primary funded through the System Leadership grant. The IPOPS program (Innovative Pockets ofPractice) involved a joint Staff Development Day where we looked at data driven innovative practices. Instructionalleaders from all 4 schools lead a team of teachers from the 4 schools to use a cycle of enquiry to implement 7 innovativepractices across the four schools. This will be followed up with a further cycle of Ipops next year.

Student leaders in Year 10,11 and 12 participated in a leadership program run by X venture to support leadership skillsand resilience as well as Emotional intelligence. This was highly successful with 36 students graduating the course andthe showing improvement in resilience and Emotional intelligence. This program also led to more students taking onleadership positions in school service, Captains and prefects, sports committee and SRC. Staff also took on moreleadership rolls with various committees for Gifted and talented, merits and Selective placement.

Our staff also participated in a mentoring course lead by the University of Sydney in collaboration with our neighbouringhigh schools. This again proved highly successful with all staff completing the final requirements and leading onto amasters program. This years Training and Development was differentiated through the twilight program which sawmultiple options available for staff to lead and chose workshops to attend. These were so popular that even though staffwere only required to attend 4 sessions most staff attended all 8 and found the opportunity to lead professional learningas well participate an effective model to achieve their PDP goals.

Our students excelled in many areas of extra curricular programs especially public speaker where for the second year inrow Elizabeth Macarthur won the Quota Club Pubic speaking competition. We also excelled in cricket, basketball andswimming. Our Agricultural show team won more accolades at the Royal Easter Show and local shows.

Elizabeth Macarthur High school is a great public school, "Shaping the Future by pursuing excellence and creatingboundless opportunities", with "Respect, Responsibility and Pride"


Message from the school community

The 2016 year was a very busy one for your P & C. As has been the case in the past, we have been very active in theschool community. Some of these activities include:

• Organising Dance Parties • Participating on teacher selection panels • Participating on scholarship selection panels • Judging at Art shows • Participating on Self Select/Selective & out of area application selection panels • Making tea & coffee for the audience at 2567 Showcase & the School Musical

I am very pleased that we have been able to contribute to the school. I am also very pleased that we have been able tohelp with the funding of the Year 7 Scholarships that were awarded at the 2016 School Presentation Day.However, themost pleasing aspect of the year, from a P & C point of view, has been the growth in the size of the P & C. We have seena number of new faces during the year, and grown from a group of 3 or 4 that met in the Principal’s office to a biggergroup of 10–12 at most meetings. These meetings are a fantastic opportunity to get an update (usually an extremelydetailed one) from the School Executive of what is happening in the school. I would like to take this opportunity to thankthe School Executive & teachers for their willingness to work with the P & C during the year. I would also like to makespecial mention of the school office staff for their hard work, assistance and general “can do” attitude.In looking forwardto 2017, we would love to see more people at the P & C meetings. As I have mentioned they are a great forum forhearing & sharing information. Who knows–you could have a great idea that could make a difference to the lives of ourstaff & students. We meet twice a term–in Weeks 2 & 7 at 7pm and would love to see you there. In the meantime, hop onto the school website & see what we have been up to.


School background

School vision statement

At Elizabeth Macarthur High School we are focussed shaping the future by pursuing excellence to create boundlessopportunities. Our school aims to develop students to achieve their personal goals while becoming resilient,compassionate, informed and ethical members of the wider community

School context

Elizabeth Macarthur High School is a community and selective High School that serves the Narellan area. The school ispart of the Macarthur network of schools and offers every student the opportunity a place to learn, feel safe and achievetheir personal best. The school has a current enrolment of 1023 students. The school body is made up of 20% LBOTEand has 37 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Elizabeth Macarthur High School is a member of the COS4 (Community of Schools) which includes Bonnyrigg,Moorebank and Prairiewood High Schools, as well as the Community of Schools with its feeder primary schools(Narellan Vale, Harrington Park, Narellan).

The school dictum of Respect, Responsibility and Pride are key values that are reflected in the classroom to enhancelearning for all students and at the same time place a strong emphasis on recognition of the range of talents that ourstudents procure as a result of being part of a dynamic learning school.

The school and individual students have received numerous awards at regional and state level; these include awards forexemplary leadership, sport, agriculture and welfare which have been acknowledged with Director Public SchoolsPrincipal and Executive awards for excellence and outstanding contribution to Public Education.

Students who attend EMHS (Elizabeth Macarthur High School) have the opportunity of experiencing High School lifethrough our community networks and numerous extra–curricular programs that aim to foster positive relationships,creating resilient and worthy citizens.

Self-assessment and school achievement

Self-assessment using the School Excellence Framework

For all schools (except those participating in external validation processes):

This section of the Annual Report outlines the findings from self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework,school achievements and the next steps to be pursued.

This year, our school undertook self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework. The framework supportspublic schools throughout NSW in the pursuit of excellence by providing a clear description of high quality practiceacross the three domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading.

[Insert a narrative of the progress achieved across the domains of Learning, Teaching, and Leading]

Our self–assessment process will assist the school to refine the strategic priorities in our School Plan, leading to furtherimprovements in the delivery of education to our students.

For more information about the School Excellence Framework:

http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about–the–department/our–reforms/school–excellence–framework

For schools participating in external validation processes:

This section of the Annual Report outlines the findings from self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework,


school achievements and the next steps to be pursued.

This year, our school undertook self–assessment using the School Excellence Framework and participated in an externalvalidation. The framework supports public schools throughout NSW in the pursuit of excellence by providing a cleardescription of high quality practice across the three domains of Learning, Teaching and Leading. During the externalvalidation process, an independent panel of peer principals considered our evidence and assessment of the school’sprogress, aligned with the standards articulated in the School Excellence Framework.

The results of this process indicated [insert a narrative of the progress achieved by the school across the domains ofLearning, Teaching, and Leading. Schools may choose to use the information from their executive summary and thepanel report to inform their narrative.]

Our self–assessment and the external validation process will assist the school to refine the strategic priorities in ourSchool Plan, leading to further improvements in the delivery of education to our students.

For more information about the School Excellence Framework:

http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about–the–department/our–reforms/school–excellence–framework


Strategic Direction 1

Building sustainable Leadership for collective efficacy

Purpose

Building a shared belief which centres on empowering staff and students to connect with others to make a substantiveand sustainable impact on teaching and learning to create and develop self and collective efficacy. When a school hascreated collective efficacy you will see effective collaboration where staff exchange ideas, practices and are all inspiringpractitioners that empower others.

Overall summary of progress

The progress on building sustainable leadership has been excellent. The highly successful IPOPs program fundedthrough the Systems leadership grant, linked instructional leaders in all four schools, Elizabeth Macarthur, NarellanPrimary, Narellan Vale primary and Harrington park primary. We held a joint staff development day to launch theprogram and joint modelled, guided and independent coaching was employed to implement 7 future focuses learningstrategies. Subsequently networks have been formed to build on the collective efficacy of the four schools.

We have also been building strong leadership training with students through Xventure leadership training. The outcomesof this has meant that the senior student leadership team have been stronger and all 7 of the captains and seniorprefects had undergone the course before being chosen as leaders.

The school sent representatives to Jim Knights instructional coaching and held an exec conference on instructionalcoaching. From this we created an EOI for 2 instructional coaches and this has been highly successful with staffengaging in support of the instructional coaches to improve their practice.

Progress towards achieving improvement measures

Improvement measures(to be achieved over 3 years)

Progress achieved this year Funds Expended(Resources)

• Products 20% ofnon–executive staff with a leadrole in school teams or schoolbased initiatives.

• Product: 20% of students instudent leadership roles

Numbers of staff that participating in instructionalcoaching. and taking on leadership roles in theschool. 40% of staff are involved in instructionalcoaching and 37% of non executive staff involved inleading a whole school project, far exceeding ourimprovement measure target.

Jim Knight –InstructionalCoaching Days releaseconference venue • Socio–economicbackground ($26000.00)

Next Steps

The ipops program will continue into 2017 with a new round of future focused strategies that will see the participants inthe 2016 program become the instructional coaches in the 2017 program. Students trained in the xventure studentleadership program will mentor students in the 2017 program and the training has increased the number of leadershipopportunities available for students.



Creating a dynamic learning school.

Purpose

Developing a culture of collaboration, evidence based practice and educational innovation that is driven by QualityTeaching and pedagogical enquiry. Regular dialogue and professional learning, is informed by research and data tocreate sustainable high performance for all students, in every class, every day.


Implementation of a mentoring program in partnership with he University of Sydney, through the mentoring module 1program. teachers were able to demonstrate high accomplished leadership and have successfully mentored Ects andpre service teachers. This has also led to the creation. 26 staff completed the module from 5 different high schools int hearea. 19 participants aligned their practice the highly accomplished level used in seeking accreditation at the higher level.9 participants completed a further 10 hours that can be used as credit for a masters in education. In addition participantswere able to engage in rigorous professional learning an engage in collegiality across educational settings. There were38 teachers engaged in mentoring process or partnership and the reciprocal nature of this learning meant that theseteachers were engaged in a research based cycle of enquiry that forced the participants to engage in a data collection.




• Product: HSC results are stateaverage•

HSC results have been approaching state averageand we are now 3% away from state average.

NAPLAN data is at or abovestate average growth in readingand writing Year 9.

Naplan data shows we are approaching stateaverage growth. In reading and numeracy we are ator better than state average growth but we continueto be below sate average in writing.

Increasing each year thenumbers of students plotted onthe literacy continuum achievingat or above their year cluster.

Students plotted on the literacy continuum, havebeen growing at the expected growth.

Next Steps

This has led to the creation of a Head teacher mentor position being funded out of beginning teacher funds to createcollective self development mentoring platform. All staff will be trained in mentoring to support pre–service and ECTteachers and building a literacy team with SSLO support and purchasing literacy programs to support all students.



Growing a culture of care and support that generates productive relationships.

Purpose

Developing community trust and strategic support to ensure our students become successful learners, confident andcreative individuals, active and informed citizens and future leaders. Providing opportunities for students to developstrengths to support their areas of development to build resilience and form strong relationships.


A series of lessons termed "welfare matters" were developed and implemented for all school students. It providedstudents with the knowledge and strategies to deal with a range of contemporary youth issues such as bullying andacquiring the strategies to build resilience. The fortnightly lessons were further developed by teachers who shaped andadjusted the lessons to the context of their roll classes.. The wellbeing policy was reviewed to embed Glasser. Thewellbeing policy was reviewed by the Head Teacher Welfare and the senior executive to incorporate choice theory andreality therapy. The use of a valued questioning technique that extracts the issues and tests options has impacted on thereduction of suspensions in 2016 by 10% when compared with the previous year. A boys elective program wasdeveloped for male students in Year 9 that had careers and positive behaviour as its focus.




• Merit system modified and being used to the point where80% of students are engaged ona level on the merit system.

80% of students have been engaged in the meritsystem and over 100 students earned Gold awardsat student of semester.

Merit awards andceremonies $2000 fromglobal funds.

• Antibullying, Boys program andgirls program attendees withreduced issues and enhancedlearning potential;

Boys and girls programs and antibully program hasbeen highly successful with the tell them from mesurvey stating that bullying incidents at ElizabethMacarthur high school are 2% under state average.

Staff supervision of theprogram, boys camp andexternal agencies • Socio–economicbackground ($5000.00)

Next Steps

Continue the Gold award morning tea teas and student of the semester. The new position for 2017 will be the HeadTeacher welfare position that will be able to co–ordinate the antibullying programs.


Key Initiatives Impact achieved this year Resources (annual)

Aboriginal background loading 15 Stage 6 student engaged in tutoring afterschool which represents over 90% of theAboriginal population of the school. Thenumbers of Aboriginal students engaged inthe Deadly homework centre is alsoincreasing with the numbers of staff requiredto run the centre doubling. The engagementin Naidoc day and belonging day has beenincreasing with all stage 4 students involvedin cultural activities all day and stage 5 and 6student involved in half day activities.

Staffing SSLO and teachers • Aboriginal backgroundloading ($60 000.00)

English language proficiency 100% of parents surveyed valued the Literacyand learning support of EALD teacher. Keystudents with phase 1 and 2 EALD and duallearning need were successful in attaining aROSA and HSC.

Employment of teacher • English languageproficiency ($37 000.00)

Low level adjustment for disability Employment of SSLO have allowed studentswith significant learning needs to successfullyaccess the mainstream curriculum. 120students identified qualify for NDIS. All thesestudents are supplementary and accessSSLO support. 40 students who havetransitioned from IM and autism supportclasses in primary school into mainstreamHigh school require adjusted programs andSSLO support in class.

employment of SSLO,multilit • Low level adjustment fordisability ($85 000.00)

Socio–economic background 30 staff engaged in instructional coaching in2016 which represents 40% of staff. 50% ofstaff engaged in Gateways training for GATstudents and the Year 7 programs of 4 of the5 core faculties were rewritten. The other corefaculty will be addressed in 2017.

staff release, conferencevenue and outsideprofessional bodies • Socio–economicbackground ($95 000.00)

Support for beginning teachers The induction and support of beginningteachers has been so successful that all ofour 2016 ECT teachers have taken onleadership roles in 2017.

Staff release • Support for beginningteachers ($61 000.00)


Student information

Student enrolment profile

Enrolments

Students 2013 2014 2015 2016

Boys 481 475 494 541

Girls 483 476 512 517

The enrolment of the school continues to increase,indicating not only the position in the Sydney growthcorridor but also the trust in which our local communityhas in the school. By the end of 2016 we had grown to1140 students.

Student attendance profile

School

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016

7 93.6 94.2 91.9 91.4

8 92.1 91.2 90.5 90.3

9 90.4 91.3 88.2 86.9

10 88.6 88.8 87.4 86.2

11 88 90.4 87 85.2

12 88.8 91.1 89.4 88.8

All Years 90.3 91.2 89.2 88.2

State DoE

Year 2013 2014 2015 2016

7 93.2 93.3 92.7 92.8

8 90.9 91.1 90.6 90.5

9 89.4 89.7 89.3 89.1

10 87.7 88.1 87.7 87.6

11 88.3 88.8 88.2 88.2

12 90.1 90.3 89.9 90.1

All Years 89.9 90.2 89.7 89.7

The School attendance has been slightly declining withthe changes to exemptions. This is also a state trendwhich has been reflected in the schools data.. Rolls aremarked every morning and parents notified by text if astudent is away or late. Rolls are marked every lessonas well and there is an attendance policy that isenacted to ensure students are attending classes andschool. The Head Teacher admin and DeputyPrincipals meet every week with the Home SchoolLiaison Officer to discuss students whose attendancefallen below 85%. rewards are also given to studentswhose attendance is near 100%.

Post-school destinations

Proportion ofstudents movinginto post-schooleducation, trainingor employment

Year10%

Year11%

Year12%

SeekingEmployment

0 1 3

Employment 2 11 32

TAFE entry 1 2 18

University Entry 0 0 45

Other 2 0 1

Unknown 0 1 1

Over 60% of the Year 12 cohort last year left school tomove into tertiary education, with University placementbeing the most popular post school destination. It isalso gratifying to see that 95% of students successfullytransition into work or further education, showing thatElizabeth Macarthur High school is preparing studentsfor the world outside of school.

Year 12 students undertaking vocational or tradetraining

In 2016 we had 32 students in Stage 6, and 3 studentsin Stage 5 BEC and ICF courses at South West SydneyInstitute TAFE. In addition to these students, we had 6students participate in School–BasedTraineeships/Apprenticeships to support their transitioninto the work place. TAFE studies has supported ourstudents in securing on–going employment throughbeing able to access work place learning experiencesand keeping them engaged in their schooling.

The school has continued to support Vocationaleducation courses with the Trade training centre thatwe share with Elderslie and Camden High schools. Wehave been able to offer Construction, PrimaryIndustries, Hospitality Food and Beverage andHospitality Commercial cookery to our studentsthoughout the Trade Training centre.

Year 12 students attaining HSC or equivalentvocational education qualification

In 2016, we offered 2 industry curriculum frameworksfor school delivered Vocational Education and Training(VET). In Stage 6 it was the Certificate II in Hospitalityand for the first time we offered the Stage 5 Certificate Iin Agrifood Operations. As part of the VET courses,students learnt valuable employ–ability skills such asteam work, using initiative,problem solving andcommunication. Year 11 and 12 Hospitality studentscatered numerous events throughout the year includinga staff Soup Kitchen and morning teas for dignitaries.The year 10 Agrifoods class worked towards gainingskills and knowledge in agricultural practices such as


managing livestock and land at the school’s farm. Wealso had a number of students choose to access theMacarthur Trade Training Centre and the VET subjectsat our partner schools,thus broadening our capacity tooffer a greater variety of industry courses to students.

Workforce information

Workforce composition

Position FTE*

Principal 1

Deputy Principal(s) 2

Head Teacher(s) 10

Classroom Teacher(s) 53

Learning and Support Teacher(s) 1.9

Teacher Librarian 1

School Counsellor 1

School Administration & SupportStaff

13.17

Other Positions 2

*Full Time Equivalent

With the growth in school numbers to 1032 at the startof 2016, we have increased in staff in all faculties. Bythe end of 2016 we had grown to 1130 students andwill start 2017 with 1150. This will mean anotheraddition in staffing. 2017 will see the addition of a HeadTeacher wellbeing and additional SASS staff. Ourschool workforce has 6 Aboriginal teachers that is 8%of the teaching staff and one Aboriginal executivemember.

Teacher qualifications

All teaching staff meet the professional requirementsfor teaching in NSW public schools.

Teacher qualifications

Qualifications % of staff

Undergraduate degree or diploma 100

Postgraduate degree 25

Professional learning and teacher accreditation

In 2016 the professional learning focus wasthreefold,namely innovative pedagogies, differentiatingfor gifted and talented students and instructionalcoaching for quality teaching. Funds were used from avariety of sources to undertake the above endeavours.

The instructional coaching program is a major initiativedesigned to support professional learning and theteacher accreditation process at Elizabeth MacarthurHigh School. It consists of two instructional leadersworking with referred staff utilising negotiatedobservations and teacher goals,modelled teaching andlearning, resource development, collaboration andreflective practice.

Staff are supported through staff development days aswell as twilight professional learning evenings and theexecutive conference weekend. The twilightprofessional learning encouraged leadership of manyteachers that led sessions. The training wasdifferentiated for all staff that elected differentworkshops within the nights. The main strength of thesystem was that many staff elected to attend allsessions, no just the mandated 4 and actually engagedin over 20 hours of professional learning.

Financial information (for schoolsusing OASIS for the whole year)

Financial information

This summary financial information covers funds foroperating costs to 1st December 2016 and does notinvolve expenditure areas such as permanent salaries,building and major maintenance.


Income $

Balance brought forward 799 560.69

Global funds 625 143.98

Tied funds 663 901.70

School & community sources 475 928.27

Interest 20 145.18

Trust receipts 51 406.00

Canteen 0.00

Total income 2 636 085.82

Expenditure

Teaching & learning

Key learning areas 193 741.68

Excursions 140 171.04

Extracurricular dissections 86 059.36

Library 3 946.55

Training & development 102.62

Tied funds 526 651.50

Short term relief 178 000.47

Administration & office 144 864.11

School-operated canteen 0.00

Utilities 110 540.77

Maintenance 70 065.25

Trust accounts 42 647.63

Capital programs 53 117.13

Total expenditure 1 549 908.11

Balance carried forward 1 086 177.71

A full copy of the school’s financial statement is tabledat the annual general meetings of the parent and/orcommunity groups. Further details concerning thestatement can be obtained by contacting the school.

School performance

School-based assessment

Student submission of assessment task rates haveimproved on the basis of faculty planning thatincorporate effective student feedback and clarity ofinstruction through explicit rubrics and student choice.Various strategies were employed to raise the quality ofstudent responses. Use of ALARM as a writing scaffold,peer feedback and only giving written feedback withouta mark moved the focus from task compliance to theprocess of metacognitive learning. The average ofassessment task submission rates have improved to anaverage submission rate of 92.7% across year 7–12.

NAPLAN

In the National Assessment Program, the results acrossthe Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 literacy andnumeracy assessments are reported on a scale fromBand 1 toBand 10. The achievement scale represents increasinglevels of skills and understandings demonstrated in these assessments.

There was some strong growth achieved from Year 7 toYear 9. Year 7 Writing and Grammar have shownimprovements in the higher bands, which is alsoreflected in the Year 9 reading and Grammar results.This year the year 9 writing results were disappointingfor the higher bands as in previous years we showedimprovement and this created a return to the writingfocus through ALARM.


Year 7 and Year 9 numeracy showed the same trendswhich were also reflected in the state results. OurNumeracy results continue to be strong and show thatthe majority of our students are in the higher bands fornumeracy with very few achieving the lower band. Thestudents also show growth between year 7 and year 9.

2016 was a strong year for Aboriginal students inNumeracy in year 7 with 10% of aboriginal students inyear 7 achieving band 9. Year 7 Numeracy resultsshowed improvements in band 8 and again very fewstudents in band 4. This was mirrored in year 9 withband 7,8 and 9 achievement at state average andstrong growth in band 10. In Year 7 reading studentsshowed strong achievement in band 7, 8 and 9 and thiswas mirrored in year 9 where band 8 ,9 and 10 showedimprovements from last year with a very small numberof students in band 5.

Higher School Certificate (HSC)

The performance of students in the HSC is reported inbands ranging from Band 1 (lowest) to Band 6(highest).


2016 was another strong performance in the HSC . The 106 Students received 120 band 5 and 6 resultsacross the subjects which shows a strong valued addedgrowth from year 10 to HSC. The results of the last twoyears has shown unprecedented improvement inachievement of the higher bands. 25% of the cohortreceived an early entry offer to university and half thecohort went on to study in tertiary settings.

Parent/caregiver, student, teachersatisfaction

This year the parent community completed the Tellthem from me Survey and showed an overwhelmingagreement on the schools reputation being good. 89%of the parents surveyed would recommend the highschool. 93% of parents surveyed agreed that they weresatisfied with the level of communication and serviceoffered to parents.

Policy requirements

Aboriginal education

The Aboriginal Education team in 2016 has workedclosely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderstudents to ensure they are supported and engaged intheir education working towards closing the gap andthen working beyond the gap.This year The DeadlyHomework Centre continued which provides anopportunity for students to have a safe and resourcefulplace after school hours to complete their homeworkand assessment tasks which has been highlysuccessful.


In 2016, Naidoc Day Celebrations were celebrated andagain are an important event on our school calendar. Aboriginal students lead non Aboriginal students inmultiple cultural awareness activities. During this weekwhich included a school assembly for years 7–9 we hadthe Koomurri performers come and celebrate with uswhich saw us all learning Aboriginal Dance as a schoolcommunity.

As a Community of Schools we celebrated BelongingDay with Harrington Park Primary School, NarellanPublic School and Narellan Vale Public School.Students Taronga Zoo and engaged in learning aboutthe importance of animals to the Dreaming Stories andtotems. A very successful program that connectsAboriginal students of all ages in our local community.

In 2016 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studentswere invited to participate in the Opportunity Hubsprogram. This program aims at supporting andnurturing students to work towards achieving a tertiaryeducation.

Student numbers have increased in identifiedAboriginal students from 11 in 2010 to 52 in 2016.100% of students in 2016 have a PersonalisedLearning Pathways to help them achieve learningoutcomes and attain their personal goals.

Multicultural and anti-racism education

The school has a diverse cultural identity with 258students from a non–English speaking background (NESB). This represented 25% of the school’spopulation across 51 language groups, the main onesbeing Spanish, Hindi and Arabic.

In 2016 a new EALD strategy wasdeveloped andimplemented. The staff continued to be in upskilled inthe EnglishAdditional Language and Dialect LearningProgression (EAL/D). All Year 7 andnew enrolmentswere assessed according to this progression.

Our NESB students continued toachieve above thestate average in NAPLAN and those with learningneedsreceived a range of support across the KLA’s.This was delivered in one–to–one,small group andmainstream classes. The EAL/D and classroomteachers workedcollaboratively to support the needsof targeted students. A beforeschool EAL/D readingprogram supportedtargeted students to improve theirliteracyskills. Homework and assessment helpwasprovided via the school learning centre and EAL/D after school support.

The school actively fosteredcommunity links throughpartnering with Macarthur Diversity Services Incwhichsupported EALD students at risk with arange ofprograms including: weekly tutorials, a social skillsprogram,homework club, a Barista Course, holidayactivities and by assisting newly arrived studentsandtheir families with resettlement needs and byencouraging community participation.

The school held a Harmony Day assembly whichhelped to raise students’ understanding of cultural

issues and furthered their appreciation of our school’sdiverse cultural background.

Other school programs

2016 saw the school partner wit Xventure to run astudent leadership program. This students wereinvolved in a 10 week program that saw them viewinterviews from 100 international leaders to work as agroup looking into their own identity and resilience.They explored their leadership and how to work as ateam and spent a day involved in group challenges ona race around with world type excursion to build teamwork. The program ended in students presenting theirpersonal achievement goals and future directions inwork and study. The program was supported byWollongong university, Deloitte and Xventure. At theend of the program students measured higher in theresilience scale and higher in emotional intelligenceand collaboration. This was a great boost to our futurefocused learning platforms, building 21st Century skills.

The IPOPS (innovative pockets of practice) programwas also a wonderful program that ran this year, fundedby the Systems Leadership grant to support theimplementation of innovative future focused learningbetween Elizabeth Macarthur High school and ourfeeder primary schools, Narellan, Narellan vale andHarrington Park primary schools. The four school joinedtogether for joint Staff development day whee they hadtasters of the 7 innovative practices on offer. Staffelected to be part of one of the ipops. Each ipop had aninstructional leader to lead to the training. Theinstructional leaders all were trained in various aspectsof leadership and action learning. Then they used themodelled , guided , independent structure to implementthe practice. Firstly groups members were trained in thetheory behind the practice, they then watched theinstructor implement the practice in the classroom, thenthey implemented the practice and the instructorwatched them and gave them feedback. data wascollected throughout the process so the teachers couldsee the impact of the new practice. Without exceptionthe future focused learning practice made a hugeimpact on the learning of students.


2016 elizabeth macarthur high school annual report · the annual report for 2016€is provided to...

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