ABOUT THIS REPORT

St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove is registered by the Board of Studies (NSW) and managed by the Catholic Education Office (CEO), Sydney, the ‘approved authority’ for the Registration System formed under Section 39 of the NSW Education Act 1990.

The Annual Report to the School Community for this year provides the school community with fair, reliable and objective information about school performance measures and policies, as determined by the Minister for Education.

The Report also outlines information about initiatives and developments of major interest and importance to the school community during the year, and the achievements arising from the implementation of the school’s Annual Development Plan. 

Accordingly, the Report demonstrates accountability to regulatory bodies, the school community and the Catholic Education Office (CEO), Sydney.  This Report has been approved by the CEO, Sydney in consultation with the Regional Consultant who monitors that the school has in place appropriate processes to ensure compliance with all NSW Board of Studies requirements for Registration and Accreditation.

This Report complements and is supplementary to school newsletters, yearbooks and other regular communications.  The report will be available on the school’s website by 30 June 2008 following its submission to the Board of Studies.

The contents of this report will be discussed at the first Parents and Friend meeting in Term 3, following its submission to the Board of Studies.

Further information about the school or this report may be obtained by visiting the school website at www.stursulakingsgrove.catholic.edu.au.

MESSAGES FROM KEY SCHOOL BODIES

Principal’s Message

This report covers the following areas, which were part of St Ursula’s annual development plan for 2007.

1.      Catholic Life and Religious Education

·         Catholic Life and Culture

2.      Students and their Learning

·         Educational Potential

3.      Pedagogy

·      Planning, Programming and Evaluation

·      Assessment

·      Professional Learning

4.      Human Resource Leadership and Management

·      Overall compliance with legislation/other requirements

5.        Resources, Finance, Facilities

·         Environmental Stewardship

6.        Parents, Partnerships, Consultation and Communication

·         Parent Involvement

·         Reporting to the Community

Parents and Friends Representative Message

This is my second year as President of the Parents and Friends (P & F) at St Ursula’s and my fifth year as a member of the P & F.  The P & F is the best way to connect the school with the parents and the wider community.  I have also attended the Executive P & F meetings as part of the Federation and interacted with other schools and the Catholic Education Office, Sydney (CEO).  I have worked closely with Grainne Norton, the parent community education officer who has kept me updated with all matters relating to the P & F and the Catholic school system.

The P & F has included the wider community through an informative program run with the help of one of the teachers, Doreen Schuler and is called Families Matter. This program is part of the Government initiative Mind Matters. Guest speakers are invited to address parents on many issues relating to young adolescents. The speakers included Grainne Norton, Peter Northy, our school liaison officer from the NSW Police Force, Cheryl Keane from Youth Off The Streets and Jerry McShane from the Drugs Forum.

Within the college the P & F work closely with the staff to implement a pastoral care program that fosters a sense of self and faith awareness appropriate to the age of each group.  The parents see the Religious Education (RE) program being implemented and witnessed as an integral part of all school functions.

The curriculum offered at St Ursula’s caters for the vast majority of student subject choices one could contemplate. The extra-curricular activities available increase the likelihood of a well rounded education.  The P & F works well with the invaluable support of the Principal and staff of the college and the unstinting toil of the secretarial staff, who collate, collect and distribute all matters needed to run a successful P & F.

CATHOLIC LIFE AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

St Ursula’s College follows the Archdiocesan Religious Education Curriculum and uses the student texts, To Know, Worship and Love, as authorised by the Archbishop of Sydney, George Cardinal Pell.

Catholic life and culture is fostered in the school in the following ways:

1.      Spirituality

·         Staff and students are encouraged to organise and attend Tuesday and Friday Mass.

·         Year 10 and 12 theme committees are involved in the planning and conduct of Graduation Masses.

·         School liturgies celebrated communally include Opening Mass, Ash Wednesday liturgy, Grandparents Mass, Easter liturgy, Reflection Day liturgies.

·         Students have the following opportunities:  Year 12 Retreat, Year 11 Leadership Camp, Year 9 Pastoral Care Camp, Years 7, 8 and 10 Reflection Days.

·         Eucharistic Ministers are trained.  Twenty seven students trained in 2007.

·         Music and Drama departments support school liturgies.

·         Year 12 Drama class – gospel dramatisation at Opening Mass.

·         Year 9/10 Drama class performed ‘Make Poverty History’ at Millennium Development Goals Assembly.

·         Year 9/10 Drama performed Stations of the Cross at Easter Liturgy.

·         Visual Arts department contribute to the development of sacred spaces.

·         Textiles class make banners and altar decorations.

·         Weekly reflections on Sunday liturgy were provided to the staff.

2.      Relevant Outcomes from the Annual Development Plan

·         Increase professional development of the staff in the new stage 6 Studies of Other Religions and Catholic Studies Syllabuses.

·         Refinement of RE programmes, Year 7-12, after completion of register evaluations.

·         Professional development of staff to increase expertise in liturgy and spirituality.

·         Provide opportunities for staff to improve ICT skills.

3.      Involvement in the broader life of the Church/World Youth Day (WYD)

·         WYD Co-ordinator appointed

·         Formation of WYD committee to plan and implement WYD activities.

·         Incorporation of WYD curriculum support documents in RE program.

·         Registration of ePILGRIMS for WYD.

·         Distribution of WYD handbook for use in classes across KLA areas.

·         WYD Assembly to commission St Ursula’s WYD cross and icon.

·         School Assembly to promote WYD.

·         Students attend Darling Harbour for the arrival of WYD cross.

·         Liaison with St George Deanery to promote WYD activities.

·         Pilgrim partnership support programmes with Indonesia explored.

·         Ricki-Lee fundraiser concert for this programme.

·         Pre WYD initiatives set in place.

4.      Peace and Social Justice Initiatives

·       Years 7 to 12, Young Vinnies and Mini Vinnies initiatives and activities.

·       Years 7 to 12 Project Compassion appeal.

·       Caritas “Make Poverty History”.  Armband selling and wearing.

·       Millennium Development Goals Assembly.

·       Easter and Christmas hampers for St Vincent de Paul.

·       Winter appeal for the homeless.

·       August food collection for the homeless.

·       Staff and students do night patrol.

·       Staff and student street retreats at Matthew Talbot Hostel.

·       Nano Nagle Outreach – students run camps for disadvantaged students in July, October and December.

·       Students visit Rosemore Nursing Home.

·       Students financed and conducted “Buddies Days” for disadvantaged children to Sydney

Aquarium, Sydney Wildlife Park and Enfield Bowling.

·            “Communities for Communities” – fundraising to provide building resources in the Philippines.

·            Support doctor and nurse working in Addis Ababa.

5.      Celebrate Jubilee

·         Publication of Jubilee booklet

·         Celebrate the philosophy values and charism of St Angela Merici as part of the College 50 year Jubilee.

·         Provide staff, students and parents with a range of opportunities in which they can encounter God and deepen their faith, through participation in prayer, liturgy, and sacraments.

·         Continue to highlight the relevance of faith to life and contemporary culture with a special focus on environmental stewardship.

SCHOOL CURRICULUM

St Ursula’s College follows the Board of Studies syllabus for each course offered (as required for Registration and Accreditation under the Education Act 1990) and implements the curriculum requirements of the Catholic Education Office.  The curriculum, teaching and learning are informed by the priorities, goals and indicators outlined in the Sydney Catholic Schools, Towards 2010 Strategic Leadership and Management Plan, in particular: Key Area 2 (Students and their Learning) and Key Area 3 (Pedagogy).  Staff members at the school are committed to continuous improvement of teaching and learning in all facets of the school curriculum.

The school offers eleven Board of Studies mandated and approved School Certificate Courses and thirty two Higher School Certificate Courses.  School Certificate electives include Geography Elective – Planet Earth, Geography Elective – Wet and Wild, History Elective – Modern, History Elective – Ancient/Modern, History Elective – Ancient/Medieval, Commerce, Design and Technology, Drama, Food technology, Japanese, Music, Textiles, Visual Arts.  The number of students in each of these electives varies according to resources and interest.  The school offers Higher School Certificate (HSC) extension courses in   English Extension 1 and 2, History Extension, and Mathematics Extension 1 and 2.  Particular features of the school’s curriculum include:

·         Learning Support Programs

·         Vocational Education and Training (VET) Programs – Certificate II in Business (AQF), Hospitality Operations, Retail Operations

·         Whole school approach to Literacy and Numeracy.

Particular features of the school’s co-curricular program include:  Debating, Public Speaking, Mock Trials, Tournament of the Minds.

The school has a strong sporting programme.

Students and their Learning

1.      Educational Potential

·         Develop effective structures, programmes and practices to support student learning.

·         Celebrate curricular and co-curricular student achievement.

·         Systematically address learning needs of students.

·         Differentiated learning and targeted intervention strategies evidenced across the school.

·         Involve students in aspects of their learning.

·         Parents’ feedback on student involvement.

2.      Pedagogy

Provision for the diverse needs of learners:

·         Extend Gifted and Talented training for staff

·         Create teams of reflective practice for mutual support and professional sharing

·         Differentiated curriculum development to continue in KLA areas.

·         Information Communication and Technology (ICT) committee established.

·         Three year plan for curriculum integration of ICT.

·         E Learning/Parent involvement extension.

·         Alignment of assessment for learning.

3.      Assessment

·      Continue to develop understanding of the fundamental principles and practices of assessment of and for learning.

·      Provide meaningful feedback to students on assessment.

·      Data used to inform teaching and learning.

·      Quality assessment tasks reflect syllabus and programmes and linked to teaching and learning.

4.      Professional Learning

·         Continued commitment to staff professional development.

·         Membership of educational and professional organisations facilitated.

·         Staff to take individual and collective responsibility for professional development.

·         Effective learning culture is characterised by team learning and dialogue.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN STATEWIDE TESTS

ELLA and SNAP

Students in NSW sat the English Language and Literacy Assessment (ELLA) in March and the Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP) in May this year.  The test results provide valuable information about student achievements in literacy and numeracy.  Analysis of these results assists school planning and is used to support teaching and learning programs.  Additionally, the results can be used by schools to monitor literacy and numeracy development through time.  ELLA and SNAP will be replaced by the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) from 2008.

The following table details the school’s performance in ELLA and SNAP over time as compared to all students in the state. 

Students performed well in 2007.  This is largely due to the School’s targeted intervention programme in both English and Mathematics, for Year 7 students during Term 1.  We also have close communication with primary feeder schools and interviews with incoming Year 7 parents to determine the needs of students as they enter secondary school.

National Benchmarks

The Commonwealth Government sets minimum acceptable standards for reading, writing and numeracy at particular ages.  These are referred to as national benchmarks.  The performance of the students in our school in the Year 7 English Language and Literacy Assessment (ELLA) and in the Year 7 Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP) is compared to these benchmarks.  The percentages of students in this school achieving the national benchmarks as compared to previous years are reported below.

Students have performed well over the last three years.  For a full report on this programme see section School Determined Improvement Targets.

School Certificate results

The percentage of students achieving bands 4, 5 and 6 is reported against state-wide performance in each of the subjects shown over time.