annual school report 2013 - fairfield public school · fairfield public school annual school report...

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Fairfield Public School Annual School Report 2013

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Learning Together !

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School!context!

Fairfield! Public! School! was! established! in!1889!and! is!planning! it’s!125th!year!of!Public!education! in! 2014.! It! serves! a! culturally!diverse! community! and! is! situated! in! the!central! business! district! of! Fairfield! city! in!metropolitan!Sydney.!!

Principal’s!message!2013!has!been!another! successful!year,!with! the!implementation! of! our! quality! teaching! and!technology! program.! ! The! school! continued! to!employ!a!team!of!mentors;!Vicki!Miedler,!Literacy!!Michelle! Tregoning,! Numeracy! and! Brad! Tate,!Technology!!who!were!instrumental!in!continuing!successful! training! and! development! programs!for!the!whole!staff.!!Teachers!now!have!access!to!4! iPads,!with!more! purchases! planned! for! 2014,!in!each!room,!and!a!range!of!skills!and!strategies!to!use!the!apps!in!a!very!productive!and!problem!solving!based!manner.!!

The!P&C!has!continued! to!grow! in! strength!with!over! 30! people! attending!meetings! on! a! regular!basis.! ! A! very! active! fund! raising! team!has! been!established! and! continues! to! provide! support! to!the! students! and! staff.! ! The! P&C! generously!donated!$10,000!towards!the!purchase!of!iPads.!

The! school! has! actively! sought! participation! in!and!provision!of! training! through! the!CabraSVale!Community! of! Schools.! ! The! highlight! of! this!collaboration! was! the! successful! joint! staff!development! day! in! term! 2! with! Canley! Vale,!Lansvale,! Lansvale! East! and! Carrramar! Public!Schools.!

The!school!is!also!working!in!another!Community!of!Schools!project!on! implementing! Instructional!rounds,! with! a! focus! on! developing! leadership!skills.!

The! school! looks!forward! to!celebrating! it’s!125th!year!of!public!education,! with!many! events!throughout! the!year.! ! The! school!bell! has! been!renovated,! by! Mr!Robert! Taylor! our!school! general!

assistant,! and! will! focus! as! a! central! theme! for!our!celebrations.!

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I!certify!that!the! information! in!this!report! is!the!result!of!a!rigorous!school!selfSevaluation!process!and! is! a! balanced! and! genuine! account! of! the!school’s! achievements! and! areas! for!development.!

David!Smith!

Principal!

P!&!C!and/or!School!Council!message!!

The!P&C!gave!control!of!the!school!uniform!shop!to! an! external! provider! in! 2013! with! the! P&C!taking!a!percentage!of!all!sales.!

FundSraising! activities! throughout! the! year! raise!money! towards! purchasing! resources! for!students,! with! $10,000! donated! towards! the!purchase!of! iPads,! and!donations! towards!books!and!medallions! for! Presentation! Days! as!well! as!subsidy! for! Swim! School! in! term! 4.! ! During! the!P&C!meetings! talks! from! outside! agencies! were!organised,! such! as! Burnside,! Police! Traffic!Department.!!

The! P&C! organised! Mother’s! Day! and! Father’s!Day!stalls,!and!ran!very!successful!student!discos.!!

President!Mr!Vic!Meli!

Student!representative’s!council!(SRC)!message!In!2013!the!students!of!Fairfield!Public!School!elected!a!Student!Representative!Council!from!classes!in!years!1S6.!

Throughout!the!year!the!SRC!chose!to!fundraise!for!the!school!as!well!as!Stewart!House.!Several!fundraising!events!occurred!including!Mufti!Day,!Crazy!Hair!Day!and!Crazy!Sock!Day.!!Over!$300!was!collected!for!Stewart!House!and!school!fundraising.!Some!funds!were!set!aside!to!be!spent!on!playground!equipment.!

Every!year!students!from!Fairfield!Public!School!kindly!support!the!Stewart!Hose!Collection!by!donating!gold!coins!and!clothes.!The!Stewart!House!charity!congratulated!THE!SCHOOL!for!!

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their!donations,!which!went!towards!helping!organize!school!camps!and!supporting!students!in!need!throughout!NSW.!

The!SRC!also!assisted!the!school!to!participate!in!the!collection!of!food!parcels!to!support!people!in!need!at!Christmas!time.!The!Starr!Partners!Real!Estate,!in!Station!Street!Fairfield,!collected!donations.!Collections!went!towards!creating!meals!for!the!Uniting!Church!Dinner!Christmas!celebrations.!

Students!from!the!School!work!together!to!recycle.!The!recycling!program!runs!fortnightly!and!has!proven!to!have!a!positive!impact!on!the!students.!Students!are!becoming!positive!role!models!as!they!learn!to!care!about!the!environment.!

Christopher!Gallego,!Captain!

Holly!Rowley,!Captain!

Student!information!It! is! a! requirement! that! the! reporting! of!information! for! all! students! be! consistent! with!privacy!and!personal!information!policies.!

Student!enrolment!profile!

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!Student! numbers! continue! to! be! unpredictable.!!Student! numbers! increased! throughout! the! year!grew!to!627.!

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2007! 2008! 2009! 2010! 2011! 2012! 2013!

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Enrolments!

Male! Female!

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Student!attendance!profile!

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Management!of!nonIattendance!

The! Deputy! Principal! and! Principal! work! closely!with! teaching! staff! and! the!Home!School! Liaison!Officer! (HSLO)! to! monitor! attendance.! SENTRAL!roll! marking! system! has! assisted! in! the! early!identification!of! students!with!attendance! issues!and! monitoring! of! students! causing! concern.!Attendance! plans! are! developed! and!implemented!to!support!families!to!improve!their!child’s!attendance!and!participation!in!learning.!

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Workforce!information!It! is! a! requirement! that! the! reporting! of!information! for! all! staff!must! be! consistent!with!privacy!and!personal!information!policies.!

Over!45%!of!staff!have!been!teaching!more!than!ten!years!with!40%!in!their!first!five!years. 35%!of!staff! are! temporary! teachers! filling!maternity! or!long! term! leave.! The! school! also! employed! four!SLSO,!including!an!ethnic!SLSO!to!provide!support!in!the!classroom.!

Workforce!composition!Position! Number!Principal! 1!Deputy!Principal(s)! 1!Assistant!Principal(s)! 4!Classroom!Teacher(s)! 20!Teacher!of!Reading!Recovery! 0.84!Learning!and!Support!Teacher(s)! 2.9!Teacher!Librarian! 1.2!Teacher!of!ESL! 5.2!School!Counsellor! 1!School!Administrative!&!Support!Staff! 4.062!Equity!positions! 3!Total! 44.202!

The! Australian! Education! Regulation,! 2013!requires! schools! to! report! on! Aboriginal!composition!of!their!workforce.!

The! school! does! not! have! any! Indigenous! staff!currently!employed!in!the!school.!!

Teacher!qualifications!

All! teaching! staff! meet! the! professional!requirements!for!teaching!in!NSW!public!schools.!

Qualifications! %!of!staff!Degree!or!Diploma! 31%!Postgraduate! 58%!NSW!Institute!of!Teachers!Accreditation! 42%!

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Financial!summary!This! summary! covers! funds! for! operating! costs!and! does! not! involve! expenditure! areas! such! as!permanent! salaries,! building! and! major!maintenance.!!

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Date!of!financial!summary! 30/11/2013!

Income' $!Balance!brought!forward! 481917.89!Global!funds! 420276.07!Tied!funds! 535173.05!School!&!community!sources! 100056.27!Interest! 16225.04!Trust!receipts! 31660.64!Canteen! 0.00!Total!income! 1585308.96!!Expenditure' !Teaching!&!learning! !

Key!learning!areas! 49298.65!Excursions! 22709.70!Extracurricular!dissections! 46512.21!

Library! 16253.62!Training!&!development! 8190.11!Tied!funds! 498228.87!Casual!relief!teachers! 110844.78!Administration!&!office! 119659.97!SchoolSoperated!canteen! 0.00!Utilities! 79622.90!Maintenance! 49287.87!Trust!accounts! 30493.02!Capital!programs! 12076.11!Total!expenditure! 1043177.81!Balance!carried!forward! 542131.15!! !

A! full! copy! of! the! school’s! 2013! financial!statement! is! tabled! at! the! annual! general!meetings!of!the!School!Council!and/or!the!parent!body.! Further! details! concerning! the! statement!can!be!obtained!by!contacting!the!school.!

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School!performance!2013!!

Book!Week!Read!Across!the!Universe.!

Book!Week!2013!was!celebrated!with!the!theme!of!“Reading!Across!the!Universe.”!The!week!commenced!with!the!visiting!performances!for!PS6!consisting!of!a!storyStelling!show!and!a!‘Speech!Snatchers’!show.!

A!book!fair!was!organized!in!the!library!for!students,!teachers!and!parents!to!purchase!books.!Book!Week!culminated!in!our!Book!Parade.!Students!from!PS6!were!able!to!dress!up!as!their!favourite!characters!from!many!stories.!A!great!sight!was!the!‘pirate’!on!playground!duty.!Other!visitors!were!tigers,!Stitch,!Elmo,!a!wimpy!kid!as!well!as!visiting!Royalty.!

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Fairfield’s!Got!Talent!

Fairfield’s!Got!Talent’!competition!was!again!held!in!the!hall!and!highlighted!the!many!talents!of!our!students!from!KS6!in!music,!dance!and!drama.!!

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AntiIBullying!Message!

Fairfield!once!again!continued!it’s!antiSbullying!focus!with!a!visit!by!Brett!Murray.!!Brett’s!performance!in!the!hall!was!enthusiastically!received!by!all!staff!and!students!in!the!school!hall.!!His!message!was!simple!and!effective.!!!

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The!annual!antiSbullying!poster!competition!was!held!in!term!2,!with!over!140!KS6!entrants.!!The!winner!in!2013!was!Chelsey!Be!in!Year!5.

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Kindergarten!Farm!visit:!

Changes!was!a!unit!of!work!that!was!selected!to!best!support!the!students!in!understanding!the!way!we!and!other!living!things!can!change!in!different!ways!over!time.!!

The!Kindergarten!farm!visit!was!an!exciting!way!for!students!to!explore!through!hands!on!experience!of!new!sights,!sounds,!smells!and!touches!that!complimented!the!ageSappropriate!presentation.!!

Students!were:!

• Introduced!to!farm!animals,!hand!fed!the!animals!and!learnt!the!name!of!the!parent!and!child!of!each!species.!!

• Able!to!ask!questions!about!the!smaller!animals,!as!the!students!sit!to!hold!baby!chicks,!rabbits!and!ducks.!!

Henny!Penny!Hatching!

• Changes!was!a!unit!of!work!that!was!selected!to!best!support!the!Kindergarten!students’!understanding!the!way!we!and!

other!living!things!can!change!in!different!ways!over!time.!!

• The!Henny!Penny!hatching!program!was!incorporated!into!the!unit!as!a!learning!tool!for!students!to!gain!hands!on!experience!of!bringing!the!joy!of!watching!eggs!hatch!and!chicks!emerge!through!their!shells.!!

• The!Henny!Penny!hatching!program!came!with!clear!operating!instructions,!24!hour!onScall!service!and!detailed!resources!for!students!and!teachers.!!The!students!also!had!choices!to!take!the!chicks!home!to!care!for!with!parents/guardian!permission!for!no!extra!cost.!The!chicks!that!remained!were!collected!at!the!end!of!the!program.!!

Stage!1!Opera!House!Excursion:!

Our!Stage!1!students!had!the!opportunity!to!visit!the!Opera!House!to!watch!a!45!minute!live!performance!titled!“Theo!and!the!Lion.”!This!theatrical!performance!was!based!on!Pamela!Allen’s!picture!book!“A!Lion!in!the!Night.”!At!the!conclusion!of!the!performance,!students!were!given!the!opportunity!to!ask!the!actors!questions!about!the!performance.!

The!Steadfast!Tin!Soldier!Excursion!

Year!3!visited!the!Sydney!Opera!House!and!enjoyed!a!45!minute!creative!arts!show!which!showcased!both!modern!paintings!and!live!theatre.!!The!performance!entitled!‘The!Steadfast!Tin!Soldier’!was!an!imaginative!retelling!of!the!classic!Hans!Christian!Anderson!tale,!which!came!alive!through!vigorous!live!painting!techniques.!!The!oneSman!show,!by!a!German!artist!named!Joachim!Torbahn,!unfolded!on!a!large!clear!canvas,!as!a!child’s!nursery!was!sketched,!coloured!and!painted.!!The!students!were!enthralled!and!quite!vocal!about!the!images!that!were!created!as!he!kept!all!of!us!entertained!with!his!amazing!quick!brushstrokes.!!This!performance!provided!students!with!many!learning!activities!that!linked!to!the!English!and!Creative!Arts!Syllabus.!

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COMPASS!

The!school!is!in!an!active!partnership!in!the!COMPASS!program!aimed!at!developing!students!in!schools!from!Years!3!in!primary!school!to!Year!12!in!high!school.!

YEAR!3!UNIVERSITY!VISIT!

Year!3!students!visited!Sydney!University!to!participate!in!the!COMPASS!Program.!During!the!visit!the!students!had!the!opportunity!to!go!for!a!tour!around!the!campus.!Students!participated!in!activities!set!up!by!the!different!faculties,!including!dentistry,!nursing,!law,!arts!and!engineering.!Each!student!was!given!a!library!bag,!fresh!fruit!and!a!bottle!of!water!on!the!day.!

NICHOLSON!MUSEUM!

Year!4!participated!in!the!Compass!program!through!a!visit!to!the!Nicholson!Museum!at!Sydney!University.!!It!provided!students!with!the!opportunity!to!develop!their!interest!and!curiosity!to!learn!about!the!various!aspects!of!archaeology,!such!as!the!mummification!process,!languages!and!symbols!of!Egyptian!culture.!It!was!a!very!rich!learning!experience!for!these!students.!!

13!STOREY!TREEHOUSE!

Year!5!participated!in!the!Compass!program,!by!attending!a!performance!of!the!production!13!Storey!Treehouse,!at!the!Seymour!Centre.!Students!learnt!about!the!production!of!narrative,!the!importance!of!characterisation!and!appropriate!audience!participation!and!behaviour!and!the!enjoyment!of!live!theatre.!

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COMPASS!I!OCCUPATIONAL!THERAPY!

During!Terms!2!and!3,!Occupational!Therapy!students!from!Sydney!University!undertook!their!paediatric!practicum!at!the!school.!This!involved!students!from!KS2!receiving!small!group!treatments.!This!very!valuable!program!supported!our!students’!skill!development!in!gross!motor,!fine!motor!and!core!strength.!

DRUMMING!GROUP!

Our!drumming!group!performed!at!Fairvale!Public!School’s!Multicultural!Day.!The!staff,!students!and!parents!of!Fairvale!Public!School,!praised!our!students!for!their!wonderful!performance.!The!drumming!group!was!also!presented!with!a!Certificate!of!Appreciation.!

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ONESIGHT!

One!Sight!is!the!charity!associated!with!OPSM.!Over!two!days!their!volunteers!screened,!at!no!cost!to!families,!our!KS6!students’!vision.!Students!who!were!identified!with!sight!issues!were!then!provided!with!vouchers!to!further!assess!their!vision!and!receive!complementary!glasses.!

ANZAC!Day!

Students!donated!flowers!to!make!wreaths!and!letter!decorations!to!recognize!past!and!present!service!men!and!women.!A!formal!school!assembly!was!held!where!wreaths!and!flowers!were!laid,!students!listened!to!bugle!calls!of!the!Last!Post!and!Ravel,!viewed!slideshows.!!Senior!Prefects!represented!the!school!with!Mrs!Piccinin!at!ANZAC!Day!marches!with!past!soldiers!and!family!at!the!local!dawn!service.!

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HOMEWORK!CENTRE!

Five!teachers!ran!a!homework!centre!for!invited!students!to!join!afterschool!homework!sessions!on!Mondays!and!Wednesdays!from!3.15pm!–!4.15pm.!

Homework!centre!was!an!opportunity!for!students!to!take!part!in!activities!that!provided!additional!support!for!their!learning.!During!this!time!students!were!given!one!to!one!support!by!assisting!them!in!their!homework.!The!students!homework!ranged!from!online!based!learning!(mathletics,!bug!club!and!blogs!e.t.c)!to!homework!sheets.!!!!

YEAR!4!CARES!EXCURSION!

Students!in!year!4!attended!a!bike!and!road!safety!excursion!at!Georges!Hall!with!the!supervision!of!teachers!and!the!NSW!Police.!They!participated!in!three!different!activities!where!students!learnt!specific!road!rules!related!to!bike!safety,!rules!and!use!on!roads.!They!practiced!skills!in!managing!road!signals!and!signs,!speed,!turning,!signaling!and!riding!in!different!conditions.!Students!viewed!damaged!bikes!and!short!appropriate!images.!They!discussed!situations!involving!consequences!of!inappropriate!care!and!use!of!bikes!in!traffic.!They!learnt!about!the!importance!of!wearing!a!fitted!helmet.!This!was!a!thoroughly!worthwhile!excursion.!

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REFUGEE!PROJECT!

Six!students!from!Year!Six!were!entered!into!a!movie!making!competition,!which!was!run!by!the!ACMI(Australian!Centre!for!Moving!Image).!!Their!movie!was!titled!“The!Book!of!Friendship”!and!focused!on!how!different!people!feel,!react!and!deal!with!bullying.!There!were!678!entries!Australia!wide!and!“The!Book!of!Friendship”!was!one!of!the!six!finalists!in!the!competition.!An!award!ceremony!was!held!in!Melbourne!and!attended!by!Mrs!Sami!(the!teacher!who!worked!closely!with!the!students!during!the!whole!movie!making!process)!in!Melbourne.!All!participants!received!certificates.!The!movie!is!also!featured!on!You!Tube.!

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S.O.L.E!

A!range!of!classes!in!the!primary!developed!self!

organised!learning!environments!(SOLE)!where!students!were!responsible!for!designing!the!learning!and!content!of!lessons.!!The!results!were!very!favourable!and!teachers!reported!a!significant!increase!in!student!engagement!and!work!productivity.!!

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Art!and!Movie!Festival!!Students!and!parents!were!invited!to!celebrate!the!creativity!of!students!and!staff!during!the!year.!

!During!2013!the!school,!with!assistance!from!the!P&C,!invested!significant!funds!into!iPad!technology!that!has!allowed!students!to!learn!in!new!and!innovative!ways!and!showcase!their!creative!side.!!

A!public!event!invited!the!students,!staff!and!community!to!dress!up!and!walk!the!red!carpet!into!the!hall!where!students’!and!staffs’!learning!and!achievements!was!showcased!and!celebrated.!!There!was!a!special!performance!by!the!dance!group,!“Young!Men!Society”!who!appeared!on!X!Factor.!Students,!parents!and!staff!came!dressed!as!their!favourite!movie!star!and!walked!the!red!carpet.!

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Are!in!the!stage!folders!2013!

Stage!2,!4W!Image!numbers!!!2496!&!!!2487!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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SPORT! ! ! !

Students!participated!in!a!range!of!interSschool!sporting!competitions!through!the!Lansdowne!Zone!Primary!Schools!Sport!Association!(Lansdowne!PSSA).!The!Zone!is!comprised!of!11!schools!situated!in!the!Fairfield!School!Education!Network.!

The!school!presented!teams!in!the!following!sports:!

Senior!Cricket,!Modified!Cricket,!Boys!and!Girls!Softball,!Boys!and!Girls!T/Ball,!Boys!and!Girls!Basketball,!Boys!and!Girls!Oztag,!Boys!and!Girls!Touch!Football,!Senior!and!Junior!Soccer,!Senior!and!Junior!Newcombe!Ball!and!Senior!and!Junior!Girls!Netball.!

This!year!the!school!also!presented!teams!in!Gala!Days!for!the!sports!of!Touch!Football!(2!teams),!UNICEF!Soccer!(2!teams)!and!Cricket!(2!teams).!

At!the!close!of!the!sporting!season,!Fairfield!Public!School!teams!were:S!

• Joint!Premiers!in!Senior!Cricket!• Runners!up!in!Junior!Soccer!• Gold!medallists!in!the!Boys!UNICEF!

Soccer!Gala!Day!!• Bronze!medallists!in!the!UNICEF!Girls!

Soccer!Gala!Day!• 19!students!were!selected!as!Zone!

representatives!in!Regional!Championships!for!Boys!11s!Rugby!League,!Boys!Opens!Rugby!League,!Boys!Rugby!Union,!Boys!Touch!Football,!Boys!Cricket,!Girls!Touch!Football!and!Girls!Football!(soccer).!!

• Two!students!(Jonathan!Tuakalau!and!Ruci!Nitiva)!received!a!Lansdowne!Zone!PSSA!Sport!Blue!award!for!outstanding!achievements!in!sport!this!year.!!

Students!in!Stage!2!and!3!participated!in!the!annual!Swimming,!Cross!Country!and!Athletics!carnivals.!!

47!school!representatives!were!selected!for!competition!in!Zone!Athletics,!!Cross!Country!and!!for!Swimming!carnivals.!The!school!was!placed!sixth!in!the!Zone!for!Athletics,!sixth!for!Cross!Country!and!seventh!for!Swimming.!!

Six!students!were!selected!as!Zone!representatives!in!Regional!Athletics,!four!in!Regional!Cross!Country!and!two!in!Regional!Swimming!championships.!

Students!K–!2!participated!in!two!school!based!Gala!days,!those!being!a!Fun!Run/!long!distance!walking!event!(Infants!Cross!Country)!and!an!Athletics!Carnival.!!

Skill!development!clinics!were!held!for!AFL!K!S!6,!Parramatta!Eels!Rugby!League!K!S!6!and!SISA!Fundamental!Movement!Skills!K!S!6.!The!Sports!in!School!Australia!(SISA)!program!is!delivered!in!a!range!of!complex!stations!that!provide!a!wide!and!varied!range!of!resources!that!are!designed!to!inspire,!motivate!and!excite!all!students!to!optimal!engagement!throughout!each!weekly!session.!

GYMNASTICS!

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The!school!also!participated!in!a!K!S!6!Gymnastics!Program!that!was!subsidized!through!a!grant!

from!the!Premier’s!Sporting!Challenge.!!

Teachers!continued!to!implement!the!school!

K!–!6!PE/Sport!and!Physical!Activity!Policy;!

allocating!set!minimal!times!per!week!in!fitness,!skill!development!and!sport!lessons.!The!program!is!still!posted!on!the!School!Sport!Unit!website,!as!one!of!the!18!exemplar!school!sports!programs!in!NSW,!(for!11!consecutive!years).!!

NSW!DEC!SHOWCASE!

The!school!was!again!featured!in!the!NSW!DEC!Showcase!in!Sport!and!Performing!Arts!DVD!this!year.!This!package!was!distributed!across!NSW,!acknowledging!the!school!for!high!student!engagement!and!quality!teaching!programs!in!physical!activity!and!creative!arts.!The!Sport!Coordinator!(Mandy!Wells)!facilitated!SSW!regional!teacher!professional!development!accredited!by!the!NSW!Teachers!Institute.!!

The!Special!Swimming!Scheme!Program!occurred!in!Term!4!this!year,!utilising!both!the!outdoor!and!indoor!pools!for!Swim!and!Survive!skill!development.!240!students!from!Years!2!–!6!were!involved!in!a!twoSweek!intensive!learn!to!swim!session!at!Fairfield!Leisure!Centre.!All!students!in!attendance!increased!their!level!of!competency,!as!noted!by!the!Department!of!Education!and!Communities!Swimming!instructors.!

Fairfield!Public!School!participated!in!the!Premiers!Sporting!Challenge!for!the!sixth!consecutive!year.!Every!class!in!the!school!participated!in!a!10!week!program!of!logging!their!physical!activity,!complemented!by!lessons!in!why!activity,!fitness!and!healthy!lifestyles!are!important.!Our!school!achieved!a!DIAMOND!award!from!the!Premiers!Department!as!well!as!a!grant!of!money!to!continue!funding!the!program!in!the!future.!We!also!received!a!special!grant!under!the!program!to!reduce!the!cost!of!the!KS6!Gymnastics!Program!to!provide!a!greater!level!of!student!participation.!

Unicef!invited!over!lucky!30!students!to!participate!in!a!soccer!training!session!with!Manchester!United!F.C.!They!participated!in!draining!drills!and!games!run!by!the!Manchester!United!coaching!staff!and!were!lucky!enough!to!meet!two!players,!the!Brazilian!twins!Rafael!and!Fabio!da!Silva.!It!was!an!amazing!experience!and!we!are!thankful!to!be!given!this!once!in!a!lifeStime!opportunity.!!

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A!girls!and!boys!team!competed!against!schools!from!across!Sydney!participated!in!a!modified!soccer!competition!and!had!the!opportunity!to!meet!Sydney!FC!and!Western!Sydney!Wanderers!players.!The!girl’s!team!was!very!competitive!while!the!boy’s!team!made!it!to!the!final!and!won!!The!school!was!also!awarded!the!Fair!Play!award.!

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Milo!cricket!

A!girls!and!boys!team!participated!in!the!Milo!Cup!modified!cricket!competition!and!played!against!a!variety!of!schools!from!across!Sydney.!The!girls!won!a!few!games!while!the!boys!made!the!semiSfinal.!!It!was!a!great!day!and!we!all!enjoyed!competing!in!modified!cricket.!

The!School!Sport!Coordinator!(Mandy!Wells)!was!awarded!the!inaugural!Sydney!South!West!School!Sport!Association!Service!Award!for!20!consecutive!years!of!service!to!regional!sporting!programs.!

SUPPORTED!LEARNING!PROGRAMS!

Students!in!Kindergarten!were!involved!in!a!unit!of!work!!that!was!selected!to!best!support!the!students!in!understanding!the!way!we!and!other!living!things!can!change!in!different!ways!over!time.!!

The!Henny!Penny!hatching!program!was!incorporated!into!the!unit!as!a!learning!tool!for!students!to!gain!hands!on!experience!of!bringing!the!joy!of!watching!eggs!hatch!and!chicks!emerge!through!their!shells.!!

The!Henny!Penny!hatching!program!came!with!clear!operating!instructions,!24!hour!onScall!service!and!detailed!resources!for!students!and!teachers.!!The!students!also!had!choices!to!take!the!chicks!home!to!care!for!with!parents/guardian!permission!for!no!extra!cost.!The!chicks!that!remained!were!collected!at!the!end!of!the!program.!!

Academic!achievements!NAPLAN!

In! the!National!Assessment! Program,! the! results!across! the! Years! 3,! 5,! 7! and! 9! literacy! and!numeracy! assessments! are! reported! on! a! scale!from!Band!1!to!Band!10.!

The! achievement! scale! represents! increasing!levels!of! skills!and!understandings!demonstrated!in!these!assessments.!

Year! 3:! from!Band!1! (lowest)! to!Band!6! (highest!for!Year!3)!



Year!9:!from!Band!5!(lowest)!to!Band!10!(highest!for!Year!9)!

The! My# School! website! provides! detailed!information! and! data! for! national! literacy! and!numeracy!testing!(NAPLAN).!

Click!on!the!link!http://www.myschool.edu.au!!and! enter! the! school! name! in! the! Find# a# school!and!select!GO#to!access!the!school!data.!

NAPLAN!Year!3!I!Literacy!(including!Reading,!Writing,! Spelling! and! Grammar! and!Punctuation)!

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Year!3!NAPLAN!Reading!results!

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!Year!3!NAPLAN!Spelling!results!

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!Year!3!NAPLAN!Grammar!and!Punctuation!results!

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Year!3!NAPLAN!Writing!results!

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NAPLAN!Year!3!I!Numeracy!!

0!

20!

40!

1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6!

Percen

tage!of!stude

nts!

Bands!

Percentage!in!bands:!Year!3!Spelling!

Percentage!in!Bands!School!Average!2009S2013!SSG!%!in!Bands!2013!

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20!

30!

1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6!

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tage!of!stude

nts!

Bands!

Percentage!in!bands:!Year!3!Grammar!&!Punctuaeon!


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30!

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50!

1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6!

Percen

tage!of!stude

nts!

Bands!

Percentage!in!bands:!Year!3!Wrieng!

Percentage!in!Bands!School!Average!2011S2013!SSG!%!in!Bands!2013!State!DEC!%!in!Bands!2013!

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!NAPLAN!Year!5!I!Literacy!(including!Reading,!Writing,! Spelling! and! Grammar! and!Punctuation)!

Year!5!NAPLAN!Reading!

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Year!5!NAPLAN!Spelling!

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0!

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50!

1! 2! 3! 4! 5! 6!

Percen

tage!of!stude

nts!

Bands!

Percentage!in!bands:!Year!3!Numeracy!


0!

10!

20!

30!

40!

50!

3! 4! 5! 6! 7! 8!

Percen

tage!of!stude

nts!

Bands!

Percentage!in!bands:!Year!5!Reading!


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!Year!5!NAPLAN!Writing!

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NAPLAN!Year!5!I!Numeracy!

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!Average!growth!between!Year!3!and!Year!5!

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0!

10!

20!

30!

3! 4! 5! 6! 7! 8!

Percen

tage!of!stude

nts!

Bands!

Percentage!in!bands:!Year!5!Spelling!


0!

10!

20!

30!

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3! 4! 5! 6! 7! 8!

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tage!of!stude

nts!

Bands!

Percentage!in!bands:!Year!5!Wrieng!


0!

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Percen

tage!of!stude

nts!

Bands!

Percentage!in!bands:!Year!5!Numeracy!


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Significant!programs!and!initiatives!Transitional!Equity!Funding!

Fairfield!Public!School!continued!to!be!funded!by!equity! programs! in! 2013,! including! funds! from!Transitional!Equity.!

National! partnerships! and! significant!Commonwealth! initiatives! (participating!schools!only)!

Changes:!Changes!in!teacher!quality!and/or!teacher!capacity!through!innovative!and!tailored!professional!learning!experiences.!

The!school!has!focused!on!improving!the!equity!issue!in!the!provision!of!quality!teaching!and!the!transformation!of!learning!outcomes!for!all!students!across!our!school!site.!Using!the!new!syllabus!documents!in!English!and!Mathematics!and!research!into!student!engagement!and!21st!Century!Learning!Skills!as!the!vehicles!of!change,!we!have:!!

•!Modelled!the!required!transformational!change!required!to!effectively!implement!the!new!syllabus!documents!in!English!and!Mathematics.!Examined!and!discussed!the!research!behind!the!Australian!Curriculum!and!resulting!syllabus!documents.!•!Modelled!strategies!that!promote!substantive!conversations!to!support!the!move!away!from!InitiateSRespondSEvaluate!methods!of!questioning!to!a!classroom!rich!in!conversation.!This!has!extended!into!the!staffroom,!formalising!the!sharing!of!professional!learning!in!staff!meetings!and!taking!advantage!of!any!moments!when!all!staff!are!gathered!to!focus!on!our!core!business!S!student!learning!•!Critically!reflected!upon!the!voices!of!experts,!within!and!outside!of!the!field!of!education,!using!these!to!promote!conversations!around!transforming!educational!practices!and!curriculum!change!•!Critically!analysed!and!reflected!upon!the!way!we!question!and!the!power!of!asking!effective!questions,!particularly!examining!the!REAL!framework!as!well!as!‘googleable!vs.!nonSgoogleable’!questions,!Bloom’s!taxonomy!and!higherSorder!thinking!•!Developed!teacher!understanding!in!the!proficiency!strands!and!new!inclusions!in!the!math!syllabus!through!teaching!through!the!proficiency!strands,!crafting!inquirySbased!learning!opportunities!and!demonstrating!how!critical!and!creative!thinking!can!be!developed!in!mathematics.!14!class!teachers!opted!to!participate!in!further!professional!learning!in!this!area!•!Demonstrated!the!difference!between!being!learningSfocused!over!contentSfocused!learning!experiences!and!the!result!upon!student!engagement!and!learning!outcomes!•!Engaged!staff!in!learning!experiences!that!demonstrated!Genius!Time,!SOLE,!ProblemSbased!learning,!projectSbased!learning,!challengeSbased!learning!and!the!balance!between!explicit!and!inquirySbased!learning.!All!stage!2!teachers!are!now!involving!students!in!learning!experiences!via!SOLE!and!all!teachers!across!the!school!are!experimenting!with!inquirySbased!learning,!reflecting!upon!the!power!of!a!good!question!to!“cover”!a!vast!number!of!objectives!and!outcomes!in!both!new!syllabus!documents!in!English!and!Mathematics!•!Adapted!the!fundamental!pedagogical!practices!of!TEN!to!support!student!learning!in!mathematics!across!the!school.!This!has!involved!

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adapting!the!continuums,!tracking!sheets!and!learning!plans!to!extend!KS6,!involving!staff!in!learning!experiences!across!the!continuum!and!developing!TEN!mentors,!responsible!for!supporting!the!implementation!of!differentiated!instruction!in!mathematics!across!the!school.!•!Modelled!the!use!of!technology!to!capture!student!learning!and!thinking!through!iPad!apps!such!as!‘explain!everything’!•!Attempted!to!establish!a!culture!of!not!using!technology!for!the!sake!of!technology!but!rather!as!a!tool!that!furthers!learning!opportunities!beyond!a!model!of!substitution.!This!has!been!clearly!demonstrated!in!the!classes!that!took!written!storyStelling!into!an!audioSvisual!medium!through!a!complex,!challenging!processes,!leading!to!a!wholeSschool!involvement!in!a!movie!premiere,!furthering!the!DigiEd!professional!learning!•!Developed!and!implemented!an!innovation!project!in!order!to!combat!the!perception!that!innovation!and!responsible!riskStaking!were!not!supported!in!this!school.!This!has!led!to!further!discussions!around!growth!mindset,!research!behind!neuroplasticity!and!retention!of!learning!•!Demonstrated!the!link!between!substantive!engagement,!reflection!and!feedback!and!the!quality!of!learning!intentions.!This!has!led!to!all!staff!reflecting!upon!the!difference!between!procedural!and!substantive!engagement,!planning!for!gathering!and!using!student!reflections!as!a!significant!component!of!their!formative!assessment!data!and!reSthinking!the!focus!of!learning!intentions!to!be!learningSorientated!vs.!taskSorientated!•!Removing!barriers!to!change,!through!asking,!discussing!and!visibly!responding!to!teachers!and!learners,!we!made!significant!changes!to!the!school!timetable!in!order!to!minimise!interruptions!and!disruptions!to!learning!time.!Programming!proformas,!processes!were!reSevaluated!/!changed,!school!assemblies!were!changed!and!executive!meetings!were!reSstructured!•!Manufactured!a!space!where!teachers!can!reflect!on!their!own!and!others!learning,!using!Edmodo!as!a!space!to!publicly!share!their!thinking!and!commitment!to!ongoing!improvement!•!Communicated!with!the!broader!school!environment!through!setting!up!school!Twitter!and!Facebook!accounts,!improving!the!school!website!and!establishing!the!school!news!which!is!created!by!students!

•!Modelled!the!use!of!technology!to!gather!data!(via!tools!such!as!Explain!Everything,!Edmodo,!Socrative,!Google!Forms,!etc.)!to!drive!teaching!and!learning!opportunities.!This!included!modelling!the!paradigm!shift!towards!justSinStime!and!pointSofSneed!learning!(over!justSinScase)!•!Had!teachers!participate!in!Twitter!chats,!supporting!them!in!creating!their!own!professional!learning!networks!•!Supported!staff!in!developing!an!understanding!of!the!syllabus!documents!by!designing,!implementing!and!evaluating!schoolSbased!professional!learning!that!saw!staff!examining,!questioning,!discussing!and!using!the!documents!in!order!to!support!curriculum!change.!

Changes!in!whole!school!evaluation!and!planning!(Reform!5)!

•! Executive! team! engages! in! targeted! reflection!on! school! plan,! through! the! employment! of! a!critical! friend,! former! consultant! and! principal.!External! scrutiny! has! allowed! the! school! to!strengthen! knowledge! of! needs,! success! and!further! directions.! ! Planning! is! now! linked! to!learning! support! needs! of! all! students! in! the!school.! ! Professional! learning! is! now! targeted! at!the! professional! learning! needs! of! staff! as!identified!by!the!staff.!

•! Further! planning! and! consultation! will! occur!with!the!critical!friend!in!2014.!

•!An!increase!in!the!collection!of!valid!data,!for!a!purpose,! through! learning! support! team!meetings!has!allowed!for!improved!staff!training,!increased! staff! ability! to! react! to! student! need!based!on!their!observations!and!data!collected.!!!

•! Student! achievement! data! is! now! being! used!for! the! first! time! in! a! coSordinated! and!practical!approach! to! drive! teaching! programs,! inform!support! requirements,! train! staff! and! provide!areas! of! development! for! staff.! ! Student! data! is!also!being!used! to! form!classes! for! 2014! for! the!first! time! that! has! had! an! equal! and! substantial!amount!of!time!and!teacher!input.!!The!data!has!improved! the! knowledge! of! the! Learning! and!Support! team! and! improved! the! targeting! of!support! across! the! school! into! areas! of!!substantial! need! both! for! students! and! staff!training.!

•! Parents! have! increased! access! to! school!information! through! Twitter! and! Facebook!

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accounts,! increased! opportunities! to! have! input!at! the! school! P&C!meetings! which! can! now! run!on!a!regular!basis!in!every!term.!

Aboriginal!education!

The!school!continues!to!provide!programs!through!units!of!work!and!the!development!of!knowledge!and!understanding!of!Aboriginal!history,!culture!and!contemporary!Aboriginal!Australia.

In!2013!there!were!4!Aboriginal!or!Torres!Straight!Island!students!enrolled!in!the!school.!An!SLSO!was!employed!to!support!the!learning!needs!of!Aboriginal!students.!Individual!learning!plans!were!developed!for!each!student!in!consultation!with!parents!and!the!learning!support!team.

Attendance!rates!were!similar!or!better!than!the!state!average!for!students.

Multicultural!education!

Fairfield! Public! School! has! 98%! Language!Background!Other!Than!English!(LBOTE)!students!from! over! 40! different! language! backgrounds.!Arabic,! Assyrian! and! Vietnamese! are! the! main!first! languages! spoken! by! students.! The! number!of! refugee! families! continues! to! be! high! and! is!increasing.! ! Approximately! 30%! of! the! schools!students! are! from! refugee! backgrounds,! with!more! experiencing! refugee! like! experiences.! In!2013,! the! school! received! additional! support! for!refugee! families.! Multicultural! perspectives! are!included!in!all!school!activities!and!programs.!

School!planning!and!evaluation!2012—2014!

School!evaluation!processes!NSW! public! schools! conduct! evaluations! to!support! the! effective! implementation! of! the!school!plan.!!The!processes!used!include:!

School!planning!2012—2014:!progress!in!2013!School!priority!1!

• Increase!Year!3!student!average,!over!3!years,!2009S2011,!at!or!above!minimum!standard!in!NAPLAN! reading! from! 65%! to! an! average,!2011S2013,!of!72%.!

• Increase!Year!3!student!average,!over!3!years,!2009S2011,! at! State! proficiency! in! NAPLAN!reading! from!14%!to!an!average,!2011S2013,!of!20%.!

• Increase Year 5 student average, over 3 years, 2009-2011, at or above minimum standard in NAPLAN reading from 53% to an average, 2011-2013, of 54%.

• Increase!Year!5!student!average,!over!3!years,!2009S2011,! at! State! proficiency! in! NAPLAN!reading!from!4%!to!an!average,!2011S2013,!of!10%.!

• Increase Year 5 student average, over 3 years, 2010-2012, achieving or exceeding minimum growth in NAPLAN reading from 49% to an average, 2011-2013 of 53%.

Outcomes!from!2012–2014!• 2013 NAPLAN data of Year 3 students

achieving at or above minimum standard in NAPLAN reading indicates an average of 79% over the period 2011-2013

• 2013 NAPLAN data of Year 3 students achieving at proficiency in NAPLAN reading indicates an average of 18% over the period 2011-2013

• 2013 NAPLAN data of Year 5 students achieving at or above minimum standard in NAPLAN reading indicates an average of 74% over the period 2011-2013

• 2013 NAPLAN data of Year 5 students achieving at proficiency in NAPLAN reading indicates an average of 6% over the period 2011-2013

• 2013 NAPLAN data indicates an average of 48.7% of students achieved or exceeded minimum growth in NAPLAN reading over the period 2011-2013

Evidence!of!progress!towards!outcomes!in!2013:!!

• Teacher!feedback!throughout!professional!learning!sessions!and!after!team!teaching!opportunities!indicates!that!the!appointment!of!a!Literacy!Mentor!to!lead!quality!literacy!teaching!initiatives!and!ensure!the!embedding!of!FoR!pedagogy!across!the!school!has!been!successful.!

• All!new!teaching!staff!undertook!PL!in!the!teaching!of!comprehension!strategies!and!the!role!of!rich!accountable!talk!in!the!classroom!and!its!connection!to!comprehension.!Exit!tickets!indicate!that!this!has!resulted!in!an!increased!

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understanding!of!how!to!explicitly!teach!comprehension!strategies!across!the!KLA’s.!Program!discussions!indicate!that!92%!of!staff!have!explicitly!taught!comprehension!strategies.!There!has!been!a!29%!increase!in!Year!1!students!achieving!stage!benchmarks!of!cluster!6!and!above!in!comprehension!according!to!literacy!continuum.!

• All!KS4!classroom,!LST!and!ESL!teachers!participated!in!professional!learning!in!‘How!to!teach!children!to!read’!by!our!Reading!Recovery!teachers.!RR!teachers!provided!class!based!support!to!implement!program.!Teachers!in!stage!meetings!and!LST!meetings!report!it:!!

• Developed!a!deep!knowledge!of!how!children!learn!to!read.!

• Increased!their!confidence!!in!providing!explicit!and!systematic!guided!reading!instruction!that!greatly!improved!student!learning!outcomes!

• As!a!result!of!the!explicit!reading!program!there!has!been!an!increase!in!achievement!of!school!reading!benchmarks!through!explicit!reading!program!

• Kindergarten!(RR!level!6)!–!63%!increase!• Year!1!(RR!level!16)!–!57%!• Year!2!(RR!level!20)!–!25%!

• Purchase!of!multiple!copies!of!levelled!readers!enabled!teachers!to!keep!set!of!books!for!students!to!access!for!familiar!reading.!

• Teachers!identify!that!they!require!more!PL!opportunities!to!enable!them!to!plan!and!deliver!a!more!balanced,!explicit!and!systematic!literacy!program.!

• All!KS2!teachers!mapping!student!achievement!using!Best!Start!and!all!KS6!teachers!mapping!student!achievement!using!literacy!continuums!on!SENTRAL.!

• Feedback!from!stage!supervisors!indicates!that!the!use!of!the!literacy!continuum!supports!the!teachers!in!their!team!to!develop!a!more!systematic!understanding!of!student!literacy!development!and!enable!them!to!cater!

for!identified!learning!needs!through!the!differentiation!of!learning!opportunities.!

• Teacher!feedback!acknowledges!the!support!of!Literacy!mentor.!Through!collaborative!planning!and!collegial!discussions!teachers!were!able!to!see!learning!theory!and!research!being!put!into!practice!!through!well!developed!lessons.!Lessons!were!based!on!identified!student!need!and!based!on!outcomes!of!new!English!syllabus.!

• Lessons!delivered!using!the!team!teaching!model!modelled!effective!pedagogy!including!goal!directed/purpose!driven!learning,!authentic!integration!of!ICT!and!teacher/student!feedback!and!reflection.!

• Purchase!of!‘Bug!Club´!site!licences!for!all!students!has!allowed!students!to!have!the!opportunity!to!practise!their!reading,!especially!fluency,!by!reading!teacher!allocated!texts!and!undertaking!the!embedded!activities!attached!to!each!reader.!Approximately!77%!of!KS2!students!regularly!accessing!the!program!at!home.!

• Students!with!no!internet!access!at!home!have!priority!access!to!computers!in!the!Library!at!lunchtime!and!through!‘Homework!Centre’.!

• Teachers!surveyed!indicate!the!ease!for!book!allocation,!automated!assessment!and!quick!and!easy!reporting!are!an!added!bonus!of!the!system.!

• Parents!acknowledge!that!the!online!program!has!facilitated!their!child’s!love!and!enjoyment!for!reading!as!well!as!a!great!way!to!practise!the!skills!learnt!in!the!classroom.!

• There!has!been!a!15%!increase!in!parent!attendance!at!literacy!workshops.!Parent!feedback!indicates!they!are!more!confident!in!their!ability!to!support!their!child’s!reading!and!comprehension!at!home.!

• AP!Literacy!and!AP!ICT!mentors!collaborated!with!class!teacher!and!film!

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maker!from!COMPASS!to!develop!a!stop!motion!digital!story.!Students!were!supported!and!given!ownership!of!their!learning!to!collaboratively!develop!and!create!a!movie!for!an!authentic!purpose!and!audience.!Students!developed!their!collaborative!skills!through!a!focus!on!communicating,!the!general!capabilities!of!the!English!syllabus,!visual!literacy!and!the!authentic!integration!of!technology,!using!iMovie.!Students!were!responsible!for!all!components!of!the!movie!from!development!of!storyline,!storyboarding,!preSproduction,!filming!and!post!production.!

• ‘OneSSite’!community!program!tested!the!eye!sight!off!346!students.!25%!of!students!tested!had!vision!that!did!not!meet!the!expected!levels!in!one!or!more!areas!assessed.!

Strategies!to!achieve!these!outcomes!in!2014!

• Literacy!mentor!and!ESL!AP!to!continue!in!their!roles!to!improve!student!learning!outcomes!in!English.!!

• Targeted!PL!opportunities!to!enable!teachers!to:!

• plan!and!deliver!a!more!balanced,!explicit!and!systematic!literacy!program!

• develop!collaborative!planning!practices!using!the!ESL!scales,!EALD!progression,!literacy!continuum!and!English!syllabus.!

• Continue!to!develop!school!leaderships!understanding!of!the!relationships!between!curriculum,!learning,!teaching!and!use!of!formative!assessment!data.!To!enhance!their!capacity!to!support!their!own!and!teachers!professional!development.!

• Develop!a!more!rigorous!and!accountable!process/system,!with!emphasis!on!teacher!professional!dialogue!for!the:!

o analysis!of!data,!!o development!and!monitoring!of!

targets!achievements!!o embedding!of!effective!

pedagogical!practices!in!teaching!–!goal!setting!and!success!criteria!based!on!learning,!reflection!and!

effective!feedback!to!ensure!substantive!engagement.!

• Further!development!of!strategies!(using!a!small!bank!of!resources)!across!each!critical!aspect!of!literacy!to!address!each!cluster!of!markers!is!required.!!

• Leadership!team!to!continue!the!tracking!and!evaluation!of!student!achievement!in!a!coordinated!approach.!

Targets!for!2014!

• Increase! percentage! of! Year! 3! students!achieving!at#or#above#minimum#standard#in# NAPLAN# reading! from! 72%! to! 77%!(average!2012S2014)!!

• Increase! Year! 3! students! achieving! at#state#proficiency#in#NAPLAN#reading!from!20%!to!25%!(average!2012S2014)!

• Increase! Year! 5! students! achieving!at# or#above# minimum# standard# in# NAPLAN#reading#from!54%!to!59%!(average!2012S2014)!

• Increase! Year! 5! students! achieving! at#proficiency# in# NAPLAN# reading! from! 8%!to!15%!(average!2012S2014)!

• Increase! Year! 5! students! achieving!at# or#exceeding# minimum# growth# in# NAPLAN#reading#from!53%!to!58%!(average!2012S2014)!

School!priority!2!

• Increase! Year! 3! student! average,! over! 3!years,! 2009S2011,! achieving! at! or! above!minimum!standard! in!NAPLAN!numeracy!from! 53%! to! an! average,! 2011S2013,! of!60%.!

• Increase! Year! 3! student! average,! over! 3!years,! 2009S2011,! at! State! proficiency! in!NAPLAN! numeracy! from! 11%! to! an!average,!2011S2013,!of!14%.!

• Increase! Year! 5! student! average,! over! 3!years,! 2009S2011,! achieving! at! or! above!minimum!standard! in!NAPLAN!numeracy!from! 51%! to! an! average,! 2011S2013,! of!53%.!

• Increase! Year! 5! student! average,! over! 3!years,! 2009S2011,! at! State! proficiency! in!NAPLAN! numeracy! from! 10%! to! an!average,!2011S2013,!of!13%.!

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• Increase! Year! 5! student! average,! over! 3!years,!2010S2012,!achieving!or!exceeding!minimum!growth!in!NAPLAN!

Outcomes!from!2012–2014!

• 2013!NAPLAN!data!of!Year!3!students!achieving!at!or!above!minimum!standard!in!NAPLAN!numeracy!indicates!an!average!of!80%!over!the!period!2011S2013.!

• 2013!NAPLAN!data!of!Year!3!students!achieving!at!proficiency!in!NAPLAN!numeracy!indicates!an!average!of!14%!over!the!period!2011S2013!

• 2013!NAPLAN!data!of!Year!5!students!achieving!at!or!above!minimum!standard!in!NAPLAN!numeracy!indicates!an!average!of!73%!over!the!period!2011S2013!

• 2013!NAPLAN!data!of!Year!5!students!achieving!at!proficiency!in!NAPLAN!numeracy!indicates!an!average!of!10%!over!the!period!2011S2013!

• 2013!NAPLAN!data!indicates!an!average!of!47.6%!of!students!achieved!or!exceeded!minimum!growth!in!NAPLAN!numeracy!over!the!period!2011S2013!

Evidence!of!progress!towards!outcomes!in!2013:!

• Teacher!comments!indicate!the!appointment!of!an!AP!numeracy!mentor!has!been!successful!in!providing!a!coSordinated!evidence!based!approach!to!the!explicit!teaching!of!numeracy.!

• Teacher!participation!in!PL!as!a!learner!and!educator!has!provided!teachers!with!experiences!in!teaching!through!the!proficiency!strands,!connecting!concepts!in!mathematics!and!involvement!in!rich,!authentic!number!tasks.!

• All!teachers!participated!in!PL,!implemented!and!evaluated!own!problem!based!learning!in!mathematics.!!Teachers!reflected!as!a!learner!and!then!as!an!educator.!

!• Feedback!and!collegial!discussions!

following!professional!learning!in!TEN!by!all!KS2!classroom!and!support!teachers!facilitated!by!numeracy!mentor!and!

regional!consultants!indicate!an!improved!ability!by!KS2!teachers!to!develop!weekly!explicit!teaching!programs!by!adapting!and!refining!explicit!number!strategies!and!differentiating!learning!to!address!student!learning!needs!across!the!numeracy!continuum.!

• TEN!data!indicates!achievement!of!EAS!benchmarks!for!each!grade:!

• 89%!of!Kindergarten!students!achieving!‘Perceptual’!or!above!

• 75%!of!Year!1!students!achieving!‘Figurative’!or!above!

• 63%!of!Year!2!students!achieving!‘Counting!on!and!back’!or!above!

• Eight!teachers!developing!their!leadership!capacity!as!TEN!mentors.!Collaborating!with!other!classroom!teachers!KS6!to!embed!effective!pedagogy!through!the!explicit!teaching!of!number!in!TEN!lessons!

• Students!accessing!‘Mathletics’!at!home!to!develop!their!mathematical!fluency!across!the!strands!has!decreased!over!the!last!twelve!months.!Only!30%!of!students!have!accessed!‘Mathletics’!in!the!last!month!at!home.!Students!unable!to!access!the!internet!at!home!have!been!priority!to!access!the!computers!in!the!Library!at!lunchtime!and!during!‘Homework!Centre’

Strategies!to!achieve!these!outcomes!in!2014:!!

• Numeracy!mentor!and!ESL!AP!to!continue!in!their!roles!to!improve!studentSlearning!outcomes!in!Mathematics.!

Ongoing!targeted!PL!to:!!

• use!formative!data!to!strategically!evaluate,!refine!and!reform!learning!opportunities!!

• !deliver!balanced,!systematic!and!effective!numeracy!lessons!

• strengthen!the!use!of!structured!effective!feedback,!learning!intentions!and!success!criteria!based!on!learning!!

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• transform!learning!to!meet!the!goals!of!the!Melbourne!Declaration!and!Australian!curriculum!through!balancing!inquiry!based!learning!and!explicit!teaching!!

• !differentiate! instruction! and! point! of!need!learning!

• engineer! learning! experiences! that! lead!to!substantive!engagement!!

• utilise! technology! to! further! learning! in!numeracy!

• develop! creative! and! critical! thinking!through!learning!in!numeracy!

Development!of!playground!markings! to!support!the!understanding!of!numeracy!concepts!

Target!for!2014!

• Increase! Year! 3! students! achieving!at# or#above# minimum# standard# in# NAPLAN#numeracy! from! 60%to! 65%(average!2012S2014)!!

• Increase! Year! 3! students! achieving! at#State# proficiency# in# NAPLAN# numeracy!from!14%!to!19%!(average!2012S2014)!

• Increase! Year! 5! students! achieving!at# or#above# minimum# standard# in# NAPLAN#numeracy! from! 53%! to! 58%(average!2012S2014)!

• Increase! Year! 5! students! achieving! at#State# proficiency# in# NAPLAN# numeracy!from!13%!to!18%(average!2012S2014)!

• Increase! Year! 5! students! achieving! or#exceeding# minimum# growth# in# NAPLAN#numeracy! 51%! to! 56%(average! 2012S2014)!

School!priority!3!

• Increase! the! implementation! of! the!Quality! Teaching! Framework,! from! 85%!of!classrooms!in!2012!to!90%!in!2013.!

Outcomes!from!2012–2014!!• Approximately 2500 hours of professional

learning delivered to staff, equating to approximately 57 hours per teacher.

• School leadership team monitored teaching and learning programs of all staff on regular basis.

Evidence!of!progress!towards!outcomes!in!2013:!

Employment! of! literacy,! numeracy! and! ICT!mentors!has!lead!to:!

• embedding!of!quality!teaching!initiatives!through!collaboration!and!team!teaching!!

• increased!confidence!of!staff!to!embed!effective!21st!century!pedagogical!practices!across!the!school!by!teaching!through!21st!century!pedagogies!

• modelling!of!a!balanced!approach!between!explicit!and!inquiry!based!learning!

• increased!substantive!communication!amongst!the!teachers.!

• Reflections!by!staff!and!school!leadership!team!acknowledge!the!need!to!develop!a!more!rigorous!and!accountable!process/system,!including!substantive!conversations!for!the!analysis!of!data!and!the!

• development!and!monitoring!of!targets!achievements.!

• embedding!of!effective!pedagogical!practices!in!teaching!–!goal!setting!and!success!criteria!based!on!learning,!reflection,!effective!feedback!to!ensure!substantive!engagement!!

!

• Twelve!teachers!completed!online!training!in!‘Understanding!Dyslexia!and!Significant!Difficulties!in!Reading’!and!ten!teachers!completed!‘Understanding!Autism’.!Teacher!forums!and!collegial!discussions!facilitated!by!tutor!acknowledge!an!improved!depth!of!knowledge!of!reading!difficulties!and!autism!and!an!improved!ability!to!adapt!and!refine!explicit!teaching!strategies!to!cater!for!all!students.!

• Occupational!Therapists!program!through!COMPASS!(Sydney!Uni)!introduced!to!school.!Twelve!teachers!attended!PL!sessions!offered!by!the!OT’s.!Teacher!evaluations!report!that!the!program!has!increased!their!knowledge,!supported!them!in!the!identification!of!student!needs!and!offered!applicable!and!adaptable!OT!practices!that!they!can!perform!independently!in!the!classroom.!

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• The!school!was!provided!information!to!develop!its!own!OT!resources!and!activities.!

• All!PL!sessions!and!class!based!support!by!literacy,!numeracy!and!ICT!mentors!has!ensured!the!modelling!of!effective!pedagogy!including!the!authentic!embedding!of!technology!in!teaching!and!learning!programs.!

• Infrastructure!updates!have!supported!teachers!to!effectively!use!ICT!within!the!school.!

• Roll!out!of!approximately!150!iPads.!All!classrooms!now!have!access!to!at!least!five!iPads!to!support!student!learning.!!Classroom!teachers!continue!to!develop!their!pedagogical!practices!in!the!use!of!iPads!to!support!student!learning.!!

• 95%!of!staff!using!Twitter!as!part!of!their!PLN.!Teachers!using!twitter!and!Edmodo!to!reflect!on!new!learning!during!PL!sessions.!Teachers!have!an!increased!confidence!in!reflecting!on!their!new!learning!and!understanding!using!Twitter!and!Edmodo.!

• Two!teachers!participating!in!‘Fair!Go’!project!through!University!of!Western!Sydney!to!increase!substantive!engagement!in!the!classroom.!All!staff!have!participated!in!PL!targeting!substantive!engagement!in!the!classroom.!!

• Staff!reflections!posted!on!Edmodo!indicate!an!increased!understanding!of!substantive!engagement!


This! target! has! been! redesigned! as! strategies! to!be! embedded! for! achievement! of! school’s!literacy!and!numeracy!targets.!!

School!priority!4!

Student attendance rate at or exceeding regional average (currently)

Outcomes!from!2012–2014!!

• Daily! attendance! of! students! at! 91.64%!based!on!SENTRAL!data!to!date!this!year,!which!is!a!small!decrease!from!91.85%!in!2012.!

• The! number! of! students! accessing!‘Breakfast! Club’! each! day! of! operation!has!remained!at!the!same!rate.!


• Fortnightly!monitoring!of!daily!and!partial!attendance! by! Deputy! Principal! has!allowed! the! identification! of! students!whose! attendance! is! causing! concern.!Letters! sent!home! to!parents,! telephone!contact!and!parent! interviews!have!been!effective! in! making! parents! more! aware!of! importance! of! regular! attendance! at!school.! Student’s! taking! extended! leave!continues!to!be!a!concern.!

• Consistent!information!about!importance!of!regular!attendance!at!school!has!been!disseminated! to! parents! through! stage!information!sessions,!school!newsletters,!notes! home,! P&C! meetings! and! CLO!interactions!

• Targeted!support!and!identification!of!‘at!risk’! students!during! transition!programs!has! ensured! that! strategies! have! been!developed! and! implemented! to! cater! to!their!specific!learning!and/or!behavioural!needs.! This! has! allowed! for! a! more!settled!start!to!the!new!school!year.!

• CLO!and!SaCC!have!been! instrumental! in!personalising! support! to! parents! by!listening! to! parents! and! responding! to!real!rather!than!perceived!needs.!

• Increased! participation! of! parent! and!community! in! school! events! and!programs:!

- 30! to! 40! parents! attending! P&C!meetings!

- 60!parents! attended! literacy! and!understanding! NAPLAN!information!sessions.!These!have!helped! to! raise! the! expectations!of! parents! for! their! children’s!education!

- 22! Stage! Two! parents! attended!information! session! about! SOLE!(Self! Organised! Learning!Environments)!!

- CLO! conversation! classes! and!SaCC!playgroups!oversubscribed!

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- Parent! café! started! in!collaboration! with! outside!agencies! each! week! to! discuss!issues!that!are!impacting!them!

• Improved! communication! channels! with!parents!and!the!local!community!through!expanded! school! website! and! Facebook!and!Twitter!accounts.!


• Continue!to!monitor!attendance.!

• Send! letters! out! to! parents! of! students!with!concern.!

• Liaise!with!the!HSLO!on!a!regular!basis.!

• CLO’s!continue!to!build!relationships!with!the! community! and! develop! workshops!around!the!importance!of!schooling.!

Target!for!2014!

• Student! attendance! rate! at! or! exceeding!regional!average!(currently)!

School!priority!5!

Increase! effective! implementation! of! ESL!pedagogy! in! Literacy! programs! in! 2012! and!Literacy!and!Numeracy!programs!in!2013.!


• ESL! Scale! data! collected! twice! yearly!continues!to!show!continued!growth!but!achievement! is! still! below! stage!benchmarks!


• Participation! in! ‘Leadership! Project! for!Refugee! Support’! has! built! leadership!capacity! to! build! ‘Professional! Learning!Networks’! for! teachers! to! develop! their!knowledge,! skills! and! understanding! and!therefore! their! ability! to! cater! to! the!identified! needs! of! ESL! and! refugee!students! in! the! classroom.! This! is!allowing! for! sustainability! of! programs!due! to! the! loss! of! consultancy! support!across!the!region.!

• Three! teachers! undertaking! action!learning! as! a! Lighthouse! School! in!collaboration! with! Early! Childhood! and!Best! Start! and! ESL! consultants,! targeting!collaborative! planning! and! programming!using! the! EALD! progression! and! Literacy!

continuums.! Teachers! have! deepened!their! knowledge! and! are! trialling!conceptual! programming! framework! for!the!new!English!syllabus.!Further!PL!as!a!whole! staff! is! required! to! develop!collaborative!planning!practices!using!the!ESL!scales,!EALD!progression,!literacy!and!numeracy! continuums! and! English!syllabus.!

School!priority!5!

Increase!number!of!staff!involved!in!implementing!Leadership!Capability!Framework,!beyond!the!current!executive!structure!in!the!school!to!aspiring!leaders.!


• Three! coSteam! leader! positions! created!to! enhance! leadership! opportunities! for!class!based!teachers.!

• Additional! leadership! opportunities!afforded! through!managing! of! programs!within!and!outside!school.!

• All!school!executive!and!six!teachers!from!wider! leadership! team! participated! in!professional! learning! through! discussion,!reflection! and! collaboration! to! develop!instructional! leadership! skills! across!Community!of!Schools!(CoS)!

• CoS! implementation! teams! led!professional! learning! in! required!protocols! on! instructional! rounds,! data!analysis! and! discussion! of!observations/findings,! reflection! and!planning! framed! around! each! schools!identified!‘problem!of!practice’!

• !Leaders! supported! the! implementation!of! instructional! rounds! and! developed!their!leadership!knowledge!and!skills.!

• Leaders! reflected!on! classroom!practices!and! engaged! in! high! quality! professional!learning! and! accountable! collegial!conversations.!!

• All!staff!have!a!professional!learning!plan!linked! to! school! priorities.! Analysis! of!professional! learning! plans! has! enabled!the! school! executive! to! target!professional! learning! based! on! identifies!need.! Accountable! protocols! need! to! be!refined!to!ensure!needs!are!being!met!at!whole! school! level,! stage! level! and!

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teachers! become! more! responsible! for!their!own!professional!learning.!

PROFESSIONAL!LEARNING!

Literacy,! Numeracy! and! Authentic! Technology!Integration!

In!2013!the!school!employed!through!transitional!equity! funds! a! mentor! in! literacy,! Mrs.! Vicki!Miedler,!numeracy,!Miss.!Michelle!Tregoning!and!authentic! technology! implementation,! Mr.! Brad!Tate.! ! Teachers! were! released! from! classroom!programs!to!work!with!the!mentors!on!a!range!of!professional! learning! activities.! ! Activities!including! problem! based! learning,! the! new!English! and! Mathematics! curriculum! and! the!implementation!of!authentic!technology.!

!!

INSTRUCTIONAL!ROUNDS!

Three!school!principals!joined!together!to!form!a!community!of!schools!to!be!trained!as!instructional!rounds!facilitators.!!The!three!schools!trained!existing!and!aspiring!leaders!in!rounds!techniques!and!were!awarded!with!funding!of!$50,000!towards!the!project.!Results!of!the!project!are!to!be!published.!!!

Rounds!took!place!in!classrooms!at!Lansvale!East,!Canley!Vale!and!Fairfield!Public!Schools.!!Austral!Public!School!joined!the!community!of!schools!in!Term!4.!!!

The!focus!has!been!on!developing!the!skills!of!the!leaders!in!each!school!setting!with!the!results!being;!

• Increased!collegial!development!• Deeper!understanding!of!pedagogy,!

through!training!and!development!• Best!practice!/!feedback!skills!developed!

in!relation!to!a!particular!area.!

• Ability!to!be!more!objective,!see!patterns!and!trends!

• Provision!of!a!professional!dialogue!for!consistent!pedagogy.!

• Opened!classrooms!to!help!drive!relevant!training!and!development.!

Instructional!rounds!will!continue!to!be!implemented!in!2014!with!the!second!lot!of!rounds!visits!in!each!school.!!Links!to!each!school!are!beginning!to!see!groups!of!teachers!liaising!between!sites!for!professional!development.!

FAIR!GO!PROJECT!

Brad!Tate,!Technology!mentor!undertook!Stage!2!of!the!Fair!Go!project!as!the!Hub!Mentor.!Brad!had!been!mentored!in!Stage!1!by!the!Hub!Expert,!Sarah!Webb,!Blairmount!PS.!!Brad!continued!to!be!involved,!with!the!support!of!Fairfield!Public!School!principal,!the!project.

Melinda!Kusa,!teacher!of!a!Year!1!mixed!ability!class,!with!students!of!Vietnamese,!Assyrian,!Serbian,!Bosnian!and!Islander"!backgrounds!was!brought!into!the!project!as!mentee.!!The!class!involves!students!with!refugee!and!high!ESL!needs.!!

The!action!learning!focused!on!a!performance!based!unit!about!the!environment,!with!strong!student!centred!and!directed!learning.!This!began!with!interest!from!the!students!about!sea!creatures!and!dolphins,!developing!into!environmental!activism!to!protect!the!habitat!of!these!animals!through!local!action,!with!the!driving!question,!

!How#can#we#solve#this#pollution#in#our#school?#The!project!mentoring!and!classroom!practices!have!integrated!technology!as!a!research!and!creative!tool!and!increased!student!self!Sdirection!and!accountability.!

The!project!has!been!supported!by!the!University!of!Western!Sydney!and!will!continue!with!a!new!mentor!and!new!mentees!in!2014.!

Parent/caregiver,!student,!and!teacher!satisfaction!In! 2013,! the! school! sought! the! opinions! of!parents,!students!and!teachers!about!the!school.!!

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Parent! feedback! and! consultation! has! been!slowly! building! throughout! the! last! three! years.!!The! P&C! has! been! in! full! operation! for! the! year!with!all!positions!filled!for!the!full!year.!!!

The!school!continues!to!maintain!a!school!website,!which!is!averaging!500!hits.!The!school!has!also!established!a!Facebook!page!and!a!Twitter!account!for!the!dissemination!of!information!to!parents.!

About!this!report!In! preparing! this! report,! the! selfSevaluation!committee! has! gathered! information! from!evaluations! conducted! during! the! year! and!analysed! other! information! about! the! school's!practices! and! student! learning! outcomes.! The!selfSevaluation! committee! and! school! planning!committee! have! determined! targets! for! the!school's!future!development.!

David!Smith!Principal!!!!!!Natalie!Picinin!DP!

Leanne!Condran!AP!!!!!!!!!!Saroj!Sami!ESL!

Mandy!Wells!Teacher!!!!!!Loan!Cao!Teacher! !

Amanda!Hayes!Teacher!!!Jessica!Zacheo!Teacher!

!Valerie!Liapis!Teacher!!!!!!Pressica!Papi!Teacher!

Cindy!Valdez!Adams!NSP!ESL!

Vicki!Miedler!NSP!Literacy!!

Michelle!Tregoning!NSP!Mathematics!

Brad!Tate!NSP!Technology!!!!

School!contact!information!

Fairfield!Public!School!

68S82!Smart!St!Fairfield!NSW!2165!

Ph:!9724!1065!!!Fax:!9727!9160!

Email:[email protected]!

Web:!http://www.fairfieldSp.schools.nsw.edu.au!

School!Code:!1895!

Parents!can! find!more! information!about!Annual!School! Reports,! how! to! interpret! information! in!the! report! and! have! the! opportunity! to! provide!feedback!about!the!report!at:!

https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/highSperformance/annualSschoolSreports!

!

!

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