[school code]

Gloucester High School

Annual School Report 2014

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School context statement

Gloucester High School is a comprehensive school serving the communities of the Bucketts Way. We are particularly mindful of our role as an integral part of our town and district. We are aware of the challenges of isolation and locality, and are proud of the strategic way in which we respond to these. We are committed to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum leading to the development of capable citizens who are well prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century. As a result of schooling at Gloucester High School, it is expected that a student has:

- achieved successfully by consistently striving for personal best

- developed a desire for and confidence in lifelong learning

- established effective literacy, numeracy and communication skills

- developed the ability and independence needed to make informed decisions

- become well-equipped for an adult life which will embrace the complex challenges and technological advances of the future

- formed a well-developed ethic for active participation in a working environment

- matured into a responsible, sensitive individual with a well-developed appreciation for their own skills, ability, respect and empathy for others.

Principal’s Message

Our major priorities for 2014 were Leadership; Quality Teaching; Engagement and Attainment; and Curriculum and Assessment.

We have continued to embed the Positive Behaviour for Learning process and associated

core expectations of Care, Achievement, Respect, Effort and Responsibility, arrived at in conjunction with our student body. All classrooms have our revised CARER statements on display.

Work has continued to improve the environment of the school. Work on the construction of the long-awaited Metal Industries Trade Skills Centre will begin in mid-2015, with an expectation that a fully-functioning TSC will await the beginning of the 2016 school year. This Centre will provide another resource to assist students in attaining trade qualifications whilst at school. Refurbishment of our Woodwork Room and Room 19 have been completed during 2014, providing the school with an extra resource room, senior seminar space / Aboriginal resource room, general classroom and upgraded woodwork facilities. Funding for the refurbishment of our Agriculture yards and facilities has been obtained, with work in this area to begin during 2015.

The ongoing programs of which we are consistently proud include:

The Agriculture Show Program

The annual Gloucester Tri-Challenge

The Multicultural Festival and Miller High School visit

The Year 10 Interview Program

The Hospitality Program

The school Musical Production

The Duke of Edinburgh Awards

The Resilience for Learning Hub ran for its first full year, with very positive results in student learning, resilience and self-motivation. An expanded program planned for 2015 will see the Hub in operation for three full days a week. This exceeds the operating times for other similar facilities within our network of schools. This is another feather in the Gloucester High School cap!

Results in the 2012 HSC were very pleasing. Gloucester High School students earned five Band 6 (or equivalent) results and 28 Band 5 results. This is a great result indicating the capacity of our school to provide quality outcomes for students.

Thank you to the hard working members of our P&C. To the executive team of Rachel Starrett (President and Uniforms), Eve Green and Janet

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Garner (Vice Presidents), Kim Hall (Secretary), Suzie Dark (Treasurer) and Kalen Danton (Canteen Treasurer and Chaplaincy accounts). I extend my personal thanks for your continued hard work and support of the school and its students. I would also like to thank Canteen Manager, Mrs Mandy Nelson, and her assistant, Ilona Holstein, for their diligence in maintaining the highest possible standards in the school canteen, and for the huge funding support it has provided.

I would also like to acknowledge the fine work done on a consistent basis by our teaching and support staff. Your diligence and professionalism are greatly appreciated.

I certify that the information in this report is the result of a rigorous school self-evaluation process and is a balanced and genuine account of the school's achievements and areas for development.

Mr Pat Cavanagh

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

Gender 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Male 192 159 174 165 172 175 174

Female 220 204 182 171 174 177 181

Student attendance profile

Year 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Sch

oo

l

7 91.8 94.0 93.4 92.9 91.9 93.7

8 92.0 92.2 88.6 87.3 91.3 88.4

9 90.0 92.8 89.7 90.1 88.9 85.0

10 91.5 92.7 88.1 87.3 88.0 88.0

11 93.3 92.0 87.8 87.4 88.7 90.0

12 92.0 93.9 92.7 89.7 90.6 89.1

Total 91.6 91.7 92.9 89.8 89.1 90.0 89.0

Stat

e D

EC

7 92.3 92.6 92.5 92.4 93.2 93.3

8 90.0 90.5 90.1 90.1 90.9 91.1

9 88.8 89.1 88.8 88.7 89.4 89.7

10 88.7 88.3 87.1 87.0 87.7 88.1

11 89.4 89.1 87.6 87.6 88.3 88.8

12 89.4 89.8 89.2 89.3 90.1 90.3

Total 89.9 89.7 89.9 89.2 89.1 89.9 90.2

As indicated by the graph below, Gloucester High School has maintained attendance rates similar to, or slightly above, state average over the past seven years.

Management of non-attendance

Student non-attendance is managed in several different stages as follows: letter home to parents after two days’ absence; phone call to parents; interview with parents to devise strategies for improved attendance; referral to Home School Liaison Officer or Aboriginal School Liaison Officer if non-attendance continues.

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Post-school destinations

Post-school destinations

Year 10

%

Year 11

%

Year 12

%

Seeking employment

8 11

Employment 4 40 TAFE / college entry

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Apprenticeship / Traineeship

6

University entry 31 Gap / travel 11 Further education

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Some students, once finished a “gap year”, plan to enter the workforce or attend university.

Year 12 students

Thirty-eight students successfully completed their HSC during 2014. This equates to 97% of all Year 12 students.

Thirty-one Year 12 students successfully completed Vocational Education courses during 2014. This equates to a 97% successful completion rate.

Workforce information

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

Workforce composition

Position Number

Principal 1

Deputy Principal(s) 1

Head Teachers 5

Classroom Teacher(s) 23.6

Learning and Support Teacher(s) 0.9

Teacher Librarian 1

School Counsellor 1

School Administrative & Support Staff 6.982

Total 40.482

The Australian Education Regulation, 2014 requires schools to report on Aboriginal composition of their workforce. None of our permanent staff members has identified as Indigenous.

Teacher qualifications

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

Qualifications % of staff

Degree or Diploma 100

Postgraduate 7

Professional learning & teacher accreditation

Professional Learning activities took place for both teaching and support staff during 2014, to enhance student outcomes through development of staff knowledge and skills. Funds of $33889.40 were allocated to Teacher Professional Learning, equating to approximately $1023.85 per teacher. SAS staff funds of $1370.84 were allocated, equating to $196.36 per person.

Beginning Teachers

In 2014, Gloucester High School had one permanent and two temporary staff members seeking accreditation at the Proficient Level of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

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 30/11/2014

Income $

Balance brought forward 306431.13 Global funds 533420.49 Tied funds 322543.77 School & community sources 189801.37 Interest 11457.86 Trust receipts 24378.77

Total income 1388033.39

Expenditure

Teaching & learning Key learning areas 102692.12 Excursions 86099.80 Extracurricular dissections 33776.23

Library 7578.08 Training & development 1370.84 Tied funds 346718.97 Casual relief teachers 146148.70 Administration & office 86762.05 Utilities 90192.03 Maintenance 40383.55 Trust accounts 28881.21 Capital programs 35310.42

Total expenditure 1005914.00

Balance carried forward 382119.39

A full copy of the school’s 2014 Financial Statement is tabled at the annual general meetings of the P&C Association. Further details concerning the statement can be obtained by contacting the school.

School performance 2014

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 7: from Band 4 (lowest) to Band 9 (highest for Year 7)

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.

Higher School Certificate (HSC)

In the Higher School Certificate, the performance of students is reported in performance bands ranging from Performance Band 1 (lowest) to Performance Band 6 (highest). For statistical reasons, only those subjects with larger student numbers appear in the graph below.

Subjects in which students performed well above state average include Ancient History; Software Design and Development; Legal Studies; PD/H/PE; and Metal and Engineering (examination).

Other achievements

Music

2014 was another successful year for the Music Department. Two students presented for their HSC examinations and both achieved creditable results, which was a testimony to their consistent effort throughout the year.

Our students also performed at various events in the district, including Anzac Day and Remembrance Day celebrations, the annual

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Shakespeare Festival, Gloucester Chill Out Festival, Carols by Candlelight and at the local nursing home. The highlight of the year was our attendance at the annual Secondary Schools Choral Festival held at Sydney Town Hall in May. Twenty four eager choir members attended this concert, where we sang works ranging from Baroque music to a piece composed by a young Australian composer. It proved to be a great experience and all the students agreed that they want to attend this event again.

We have continued to encourage our students to present excellent performances, compositions and assessment tasks. The quality of the work continues to improve with more students endeavouring to experiment with composition and the use of more technology in the Music area.

Congratulations to all our musicians and technicians for a very successful year. I look forward with great anticipation to 2015 and further exciting developments in Music including the production of our musical Seussical.

Visual Arts / Photography

The ultimate result for any subject is to see students achieve a Band 6. In 2014, Sophie Kingston and Jake Harris worked consistently and with commitment to achieve this top result. Congratulations go to them for their diligence.

Year 10 Visual Arts and Photographic and Digital Media (PDM) students both produced some very strong artworks in 2014. Drawing and painting was the focus for two bodies of work for art students and experimental photography for PDM students. The focus for the art students was Their World And People Who Populate It. They produced drawings using a range of media including pencil, charcoal, ink and collage. In their paintings they extended the theme from their drawings and endeavoured to develop their skills in representation using painterly conventions on a number of different surfaces.

Stage 4 students worked on drawings, prints including collagraphs and block prints, large charcoal drawings, 3D media and painting.

Overall 2014 proved to be another year of excellent work and results produced by our very talented and capable students at Gloucester High School.

Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh program saw the continuation of one student to Gold Level, with eight students continuing through Silver Level, and a Bronze Level intake of 16 students. Successful expeditions to the Barrington Tops were conducted at various times throughout the year, with student skills and knowledge improving as a result.

Mock Trial

Our Mock Trial Team, consisting of Benjamin Reynolds, Coen Durbidge, Hayley Johns, Jordan Dunn, Patrick Skelton, Lillian Nixon and Anna Lewis, performed brilliantly throughout 2014.

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These students participated in a state-wide completion involving 200 private and public schools and came 18th in the first 4 rounds. They were able to progress to the last 32 schools stage of the competition and were unfortunately drawn against the recent competition winners John Paul College from Coffs Harbour. Gloucester were relatively narrowly beaten losing 263 to 279. This performance was all the more remarkable because the competition is for Year 11 students and our students are all in Year 10. The Magistrate for the trial, with over 20 years’ experience, commented that the Gloucester High School team’s performance was the best that she had seen from a Year 10 team.

Congratulations to the students on their never-say-die attitude in each trial and their application to learning the skills of advocacy. They gave up lunchtimes to prepare for the weeks preceding the trials and often had to travel long distances to participate. Even during the last trail they were picking up skills from the other team and using them on their opposition to great effect. These students exemplified the best qualities of students at our great school.

Tri-Challenge

As usual, a wonderful day was experienced by the students and staff at the Tri-Challenge held on the last Friday of Term 3. With a little rain, prior to the day, the river level was higher than previous years making for a slick kayak leg for competitors. The addition of more sealed roads has continued to improve the 10 km bike times. The 4 km run leg continues to be a challenge with most of it still uphill! The overall winner was Ryan Yates who produced a fantastic run leg to come home over the top of Shelby Green and Lachlan Clarke in a very close finish.

Transition (Primary to High School Program)

Students from across our primary schools attended Gloucester High School for four visits in which they attended a variety of classes to gain insight and experience into being a high schooler.

The three classes on offer were Food Tech, Science Investigations and Language/Library. Students attended from 1.30 - 3.15 pm on Wednesday afternoons, with three rotations being experienced. All students then attended a full day Orientation on 3 December, which incorporated activities run by our peer support leaders and other wellbeing programs.

Student feedback has been positive and they all seem very happy and confident in the high school setting. Special thanks must go to our Year 10 volunteers who supported the Year 6 students in their activities.

Spirit Day

On Tuesday March 11th Gloucester High School students and staff got to dress up in their House colours, from reds (Tibbuc) and blues (Belbora) to greens (Mograni) and yellows (Kurracar) - the school was awash in technicolour for Spirit Day!

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Spirit Day was the brainchild of ex-school captain Emily Hamilton. It was born out of a feeling that House spirit was a little less than many thought it should be. So, Spirit Day was conceived to promote teamwork and pride in one’s House. The day itself includes a range of fun activities from handball and tug-of-war to theatresports and scavenger hunts. Last year, motivational speaker Sam Cawthorne entertained students with his moving and inspirational story. This year, we started off the day listening to respected musician Matt Zarb, who was absolutely spectacular. He gave us the inspiration to achieve our dreams, no matter what anyone says. And the music was excellent, too!

After being moved from the hall to the main quadrangle, all Years were dispersed into their House team to practice their war cries. From the beating of drums, the stamping of feet, the yells and cries could be heard from far away. Parading in front of the teachers and students their different war cries and fancy dress, the students filled the quadrangle with cheer, joy and lots of noise!

Scattering into their different groups, the students decided to show how much spirit they had in a variety of activities, from Cup Cake Decoration and Party Games to Angry Nerds and the Construction Challenges, and many more fun things to do.

At lunch, the School Representative Council (SRC) provided a sausage sizzle and face painting for the students. Then the students and teachers moved down onto the oval to join in the tug-of-

war and obstacle races. Even our principal got in on the act, putting his head in the stocks at the mercy of students in the sponge throwing. Fortunately for him (and the students), nobody managed to hit ‘the mark’.

Much thanks to Tom Redman and Ryan Hennessey for running the barbecue and to Rose Windred, Hannah Feeney, Ms Grey and Nathaniel Tanare for taking photos and video on the day. It really was a great day!

Agriculture

The Agriculture Program at Gloucester High School was again successful during 2014. The school had 28 students participate in Wingham Beef Week, the highlight of the different events attended throughout the year. Gloucester High School was one of 19 schools. Our school brought the largest single group of the 260 students that participated.

With no school bred steers available this year, we sourced (with the Ag Sub Committee of the High School P&C) nine steers from the Bignell family (two steers) and Brett Howard (four Angus cross and Hereford and Santa Gertrudis crosses). Other steers were kindly donated by R. Groves, D. Robinson, G. Marsh and K. Lowrey. Our thanks go to these kind supporters of our school.

The competition started on Tuesday afternoon with Judging, after a morning spent learning about Livestock Health, grooming for success, scales and new technologies from Gallagher and ultra-sounding for fat scores. Macaela Harris and Natalie Schneider did extremely well in the

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judging competition placing 2nd and 15th respectively out of 180 students.

The following morning was the first part of the Beef Appreciation competition with Judging of live animals according to market specifications and how they would eventually hang on the hook. Following this was the parading competition. Competition was tight this year with many private schools attending and the large numbers of students competing. In the 17 years Ayla Ansell placed 6th in a large number of competitors, and in the 18 years Trae Cooper placed 2nd. This was an outstanding achievement from the Gloucester High School students.

On the Thursday the seven steers were judged on the hoof. We had a Hereford cross steer in Class 2 middle domestic, two steers in class 3 middle domestic (Hereford Santa cross and an Angus cross steer) and four steers in Class 4 Export. Unfortunately no animals placed in the hoof competition.

Friday was a much more relaxed day with carcass viewing and the presentation of the major awards. Jodie Harris was presented with the champion Herds person award for her outstanding efforts during the entire week. All students who attended appreciated the experience and were grateful for the opportunity to represent their school.

Significant programs and initiatives – Policy and equity funding

Aboriginal education

In 2014, over 50 students identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, reflecting a percentage of close to 11% of the student population. Norta Norta funding supported students in both the junior and senior school and concentrated on meeting requirements of each student’s Personal Learning Plan (PLP). A total of 18 staff members volunteered to act as PLP mentors for students, providing direction and support for literacy, numeracy, liaison with staff, assistance with assessment tasks and organizational aspects. Mrs Hogan has again taught Aboriginal Studies to all Year 8 students, enlisting the ongoing assistance of our traditional Worrimi Elder and his partner, elder Aunty Marilyn Carey. Some

fantastic artwork was been produced under Uncle’s keen eye. Unfortunately, Uncle passed away during 2014. His contribution to Aboriginal Education within the school will be sadly missed. The refurbishment of Room 19 was substantially completed to provide a seminar space suitable for workshop sessions with students.

Focus groups of Aboriginal students were conducted during the year to help plan for activities and programs that will be conducted during 2015. These include the establishment of a junior AECG, a bush craft and food project, setting up a secondary dance group, and feeding into the school’s sustainability programs. Attendance rates for Aboriginal students continue to be similar to the wider school population and well above the rates for Aboriginal students across the North Coast Region.

Multicultural education and anti-racism

Gloucester High School is proud of its record in promoting tolerance and acceptance of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Our flagship event is

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the Miller High School visit and Multicultural Day, which occurred in Term 4. Students from many different countries who attend Miller High School in Sydney visited our school for four days. Staying with local families, the students were involved in many activities during the school day, sharing their experiences with Gloucester students. The culmination of the visit is the students’ performance depicting each one’s story of survival. This uplifting experience provides insight for our students into what others have had to face in their lives. Other experiences during the visit include a school social, bushwalk, soccer game and the multicultural food festival. The friendships made during this short time are a true reflection of an acceptance and embracing of difference.

Issues of tolerance, anti-racism and anti-bullying are dealt with formally in the school’s Wellbeing classes, a mandatory part of the school curriculum for Years 7 to 10.

During our 2014 Spirit Day, one event was the completion of a huge “At GHS it’s OK to be …” sign, which demonstrated tolerance for people from different cultures, religious backgrounds, sexual orientations and so on. The sign is now proudly displayed in the school’s hall.

Equity Loadings

As part of the Local Schools, Local Decisions reforms, Gloucester High School received Equity funding under the categories of Aboriginal Loading, Low Socio-economic Background Loading, and Low-level Adjustment for disability Loading. Funds from these sources were used in a variety of ways. These included:

Support for staffing of the school’s Resilience for Learning Hub

Support for the ongoing implementation of the Quicksmart numeracy intervention program (including hiring of staff)

Support within classrooms for students with identified learning needs

Funds to extend the time at school for our Learning and Support Teachers

Student Wellbeing / Learning and Support

The Learning Support Team (LST) and Wellbeing team are coordinated by the Head Teacher Wellbeing, and include Year Advisers, Boys’ and Girls’ Supervisors, School Counsellor, Support Teacher Learning, Principal, Deputy Principal, Chaplain and Support Teacher Behaviour, School Learning Support Officers and other interested staff.

The Student Wellbeing Policy and discipline code are well understood and accepted by the students and parents. They promote positive behaviour with tangible rewards and links with our Positive Behaviour for Learning model. The Uniform Policy, The Anti-bullying Policy and the Mobile Phone policy are explicitly taught during Wellbeing classes and promoted in the newsletter.

Year 10 students trained in a Peer Empowerment Program to support younger students in resilience and anti-bullying activities. The Year 10 leaders were actively involved in the Year 6 Orientation Day to assist in the transition of the primary school students to the high school structures and environment.

The school counsellor has worked closely with students. External agencies have been very supportive with our programs and in assisting our students to manage difficult circumstances.

The school chaplain, Miss Chloe Walker, has worked closely supporting students who are dealing with issues that impact on their learning, social networks and emotional wellbeing. Miss Walker has facilitated Seasons for Growth and weekly Breakfast Club with the support from

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students across the school and a keen network of community helpers.

The School Learning Support Officers (SLSOs) have had a positive influence on educational outcomes for students requiring additional needs and in supporting the classroom teacher with their teaching and learning for identified students.

The Wellbeing Program continued for Years 7 to 10 students. These units were evaluated by a student/teacher focus group at the end of the year. Changes to topics were made based on student needs to address issues such as understanding me, core values, mental health issues, anti-bullying, coping skills, tolerance and empathy, relationships, risk taking, drugs and alcohol, conflict resolution and anger management. Some of the positives from the program resulted in more student referrals for assistance and more staff recognition and discussions on students’ wellbeing and behavioural concerns.

The School Link Coordinator from Manning Mental Health Services brought a team of trained counsellors to the school to deliver programs to Year 8 and Year 9 students. The Year 8 program, Free to Be, dealt with body image and self-esteem issues faced by young people together with strategies and agencies to support individuals experiencing these issues.

Gloucester Advocate and Gloucester Coal subsidised the cost of school diaries for Year 7 and Year 8 students. The Year 7 teachers worked with their classes on effectively using diaries to assist them with homework, assignments and as a communication tool between the home and school.

The Learning and Support Teacher has continued with the integration of students and Life Skills students. Quick Smart and Multi-Lit programs continued. Individual Learning and Behaviour plans have been completed on identified students. Regular communication is delivered to staff regarding students requiring adjustments in their learning.

The Resilience for Learning Hub has been a very successful addition to the school’s wellbeing structures. Students involved are identified from

discipline, behaviour, poor coping skills and attendance data. The program supports students who are at risk, those students who have poor attendance due to wellbeing and family issues, have been suspended and for students needing extra assistance with their learning. Sessions incorporate rigorous academic instruction which is individually tailored to meet each student’s learning needs. Evaluations of the program indicate positive outcomes for the program structure and student results. Surveys from all stakeholders (students, parents, teachers and community) have been very supportive.

School planning and evaluation 2012—2014

School evaluation processes

NSW public schools conduct evaluations to support the effective implementation of the school plan. The school plan is discussed informally in staff and executive meetings on an ongoing basis. As a “living document” the plan evolves throughout the year as new priorities arise. Formal evaluation of the school plan is conducted twice yearly by the school’s executive. Focus areas are discussed with the P&C Association and form the basis of funding provided by the P&C. The school plan is available on the school’s website.

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School planning 2012-2014: The following priorities are taken from the Gloucester High School Management Plan 2011 - 2014 School Priority 1 - Leadership Outcomes for 2012–2014

Formal and informal review processes adhere to situational analysis / planning cycle beliefs (dataplanning implementationevaluation)

Teacher and Executive support processes are underpinned by carefully planned reflective processes based on peer-to-peer collaboration

Evidence of progress towards outcomes in 2014:

The school’s Peer Partnerships program continued to grow and provided teachers with a mechanism to reflect and improve upon their work

Teacher and Executive reflection tools based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers were designed and implemented with all teaching staff, informing the development of Individual Professional Learning Plans

Head Teacher feedback on teacher development was provided formally through regular Executive Professional Support meetings

Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:

Peer Partnerships work will be expanded to include appraisal of video lessons and a commitment from all BWCoS staff to undertake, and report upon, collegial programs

Staff professional development targets will be identified and discussed with HTs

School Priority 2 - Quality Teaching Outcome for 2012–2014

Quality Teaching strategies are used in all classrooms and identified by all students

More independent learners are created through attention to Quality Teaching

elements and a focus on the teaching, learning, assessment and feedback cycle

Increased engagement of learners through the use of the 3 Quality Teaching dimensions in the learning cycle

Evidence of progress towards outcomes in 2014:

Quality Teaching posters are displayed in all classrooms

Staff professional learning based on the new curriculum has focused on the incorporation of “must haves” into Teaching and Learning Programs

An Ongoing Performance Assessment Program (OPAL) has be established for Year 11 and 12 students

Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:

Quality Teaching survey responses indicate a knowledge of Quality Teaching elements and verify their use within all classrooms

Peer Partnerships appraisals are based on deliberate coding of Quality Teaching elements observed within classroom settings

Increased focus on explicit teaching and quality records of learning

School Priority 3 – Engagement & Attainment Outcomes for 2012–2014

High expectations exist of staff and students in the development and maintenance of a culture of learning

Carefully planned strategies are used to enhance the learning environment of the school, and to promote the school as an irresistible educational option

Wellbeing programs are systematically organised and implemented to ensure a safe, happy and supportive learning environment, catering for all stakeholders

Evidence of progress towards outcomes in 2014:

The Resilience for Learning Hub catered for the learning needs of targeted students, and operated three half days per week for the whole year

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Continuation and refinement of the eLearning Program, PtoH Transition Program, shared School Development Day and Bucketts Way Community of Schools cooperation have led to positive promotion of Gloucester High School within the wider community

Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:

Parent communication will be enhanced by deliberate contact (Letters of Commendation; Term 1 Phone Contact) designed to create a “two way street” of communication

The Resilience for Learning Hub will be implemented for 35 weeks during 2014, and will increasingly involve community input

School Priority 4 – Curriculum & Assessment Outcomes for 2012–2014

A systematic plan is in place to accommodate the arrival of the National Curriculum, focussing on quality Teaching and Learning programs, assessment and feedback outcomes and incorporating technology, literacy and numeracy.

Strategies for more able learners are planned and implemented across faculties and across the school.

A focus on Stage 6 will enhance student outcomes in terms of school-to-work or further education opportunities.

Evidence of progress towards outcomes in 2014:

Teacher Professional Learning time around the new curriculum has been strategically organized and made available to all staff

A commitment to Collegial Leadership Networks (CLNs) has been ongoing, with three staff members taking on coordinator roles

HSC analysis has been expanded to include discussions around maximizing performance and item / component analysis

Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:

An ongoing commitment to CLNs will involve promotion of exec members as Coordinators

and the Principal as mentor and member of the writing team

Ongoing commitment will be provided for the continued roll-out of the new curriculum, with Professional Learning time being devoted to enhancing and refining our “must have” list for Teaching and Learning Programs

Parent/caregiver, student, and teacher satisfaction

In 2014, the school sought the opinions of parents, students and teachers about the school.

Their responses are presented below.

Student Focus Groups

Focus group activities during 2014 involved the following groups of students.

Focus Group

Area of Interest

Year 10 Teaching and Learning

Year 11 Quality Teaching at GHS

Aboriginal Students

Planning for 2015; uses for the Aboriginal Resource Room

Various students

Discipline Procedures – Use of the Orange Sheet

Information from these focus groups formed an important source of data in the formulation of the Gloucester High School Strategic Plan for 2015 -2017. The Year 10 and 11 Focus groups, which focused on Quality Teaching, looked at the ways the three elements of the Quality Teaching framework (Intellectual Quality, Quality Learning Environment, Significance) were being seen in classrooms. During 2015, this work will lead into the formulation and implementation of student surveys designed to improve teaching practice and student outcomes.

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Staff Beliefs / Five Great Things survey

Staff were surveyed about their beliefs about Learners and Learning and about the top five Great Things about Gloucester High School. Information from these surveys formed an important source of data in the formulation of the Gloucester High School Strategic Plan for 2015 -2017.

Staff believe that all students can learn and that all students learn in different ways. They also believe that relevance underpins the desire to learn and that learning needs to be tailored to suit individuals. Staff believe that students want flexibility, humour, knowledge of their subject, consistency, ability to model, care, fairness, scaffolding, and quality feedback from their teachers. Data from this survey will be combined with student focus group data to inform our planning during 2015.

Of the 5 Great Things, staff identified the attitude of staff and students as paramount (40 responses), and the professionalism and cohesion of staff as very important (31 responses). Other factors identified include the size of the school and physical environment, curriculum and extra-curricula activities, community involvement, and the school’s discipline and wellbeing structures and processes.

Future Directions 2015-2017 School Plan

NSW DEC is implementing a new school planning process for 2015-17. The new plan will be published on the school’s website from the beginning of Term 2 2015.

Our three Strategic Directions for the 2015-17 School Plan appear below, along with statements of purpose for each.

Building Today’s Learners, Tomorrow’s Citizens

At GHS, we are committed to supporting students from all backgrounds to become successful learners, confident and creative individuals and active and informed citizens. By focussing on reflective practices, individual planning and student voice we are striving to ensure each student learns to learn.

Leading Quality Teaching, Assessment and Feedback

At GHS, we are committed to leading ongoing improvement in teaching practice to promote excellence and equity for all students. We regard explicit teaching as a fundamental element for student improvement, and are actively building a culture of learning underpinned by the performance development of all staff through collaborative, reflective and analytical professional learning processes.

Enhancing Community Engagement and Participation

At GHS, we are committed to engaging with parents, carers and the wider community to form meaningful partnerships that add significance to the educational experience of all students. By developing high levels of communication, participation and advocacy, we aim to further enhance the school’s role as a central part of the Gloucester community.

About this report

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

Mr Pat Cavanagh Principal

Mr Mike King Deputy Principal

Mrs Lyn Harwood, Mrs Christine Moulds

School Administrative Managers

Mrs Rachel Starrett P&C President

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School contact information

Gloucester High School

129 Ravenshaw Street, Gloucester NSW 2422

Ph: 02 6558 1605

Fax: 02 6558 1229

Email: gloucester-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Web: www.gloucester-h.schools.nsw.edu.au

School Code: 8371

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/high-

performance/annual-school-reports