2010 Annual School Report
RAINBOW STREET PUBLIC SCHOOL
NSW Public Schools – Leading the way
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Our school at a glance
Students
Rainbow Street’s motto is “Excellence in Education in a Caring Environment since 1923”. Rainbow Street Public School began 2010 with an enrolment of 296 students (at the February census) and has increased to 340 students enrolled to begin the 2010 year. Students come from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Approximately 75% of students come from a background where English is not their first language. The school offers students many opportunities both within and outside the classroom setting to excel intellectually, socially and physically and students are encouraged to actively protect the environment.
The school supports an inclusive and non-discriminatory culture. Rainbow Street has 39 students enrolled in a Support Unit. These students with special needs are fully integrated into school activities.
Staff
All teaching staff meet the professional requirements for teaching in NSW public schools. In 2009 we had 11 mainstream classes and 4 support classes, with aide assistance for our students with special needs. We have additional support staff such as an English as a Second Language (ESL), teacher, a release from face to face teaching (RFF) teacher, a librarian and a school counsellor. We also have the equivalent of two and a half administrative staff. These positions are made up of one full time School Administration Manager (SAM) and two part time School Administrative Officers (SAOS). In addition, the school has a part time General Assistant.
Significant programs and initiatives
Rainbow Street Public School continues to consolidate and further develop a number of highly successful programs to support students and to improve student outcomes: These include:
· Student Leadership and the Halogen Foundation Leadership training
· Public Speaking from Kindergarten to Year 6
· Debating from Year 3 to Year 6
· Kindergarten and Year 6 Buddy Program
· Brewongle Bush Camp for Year 3 and 4
· PLAYZONE program run by Year 6 Captains and Prefects
· Canberra and Bathurst excursion for Year 5 and 6
· Musical Evening at Rainbow Street
· SHOWCASE performance at Souths Sydney Juniors Club
· Choir Opera House Performance
· K-6 Christmas Performance
· School Disco
· Yr 5 & 6 End of Year Dinner
Rainbow Street has a learning support team, comprising the principal, the counsellor, the student learning support teacher (STLA), the ESL teachers, the Assistant Principal (Support) and chaired by the Assistant Principal (Welfare) to support students with specific learning needs.
Many other achievements are reported elsewhere in this report.
Principal's message
Rainbow Street is a steadily growing K-6 primary school situated in Randwick. The school continues to maintain its excellent reputation throughout the local community and beyond. Enquiries for enrolment at our school come from across the world and from interstate through our website.
We have extensive grounds incorporating a much loved soccer field, playground equipment, netball courts, handball courts and grass areas for our students to run and play.
Our school is adjacent to Randwick Boys High School and Randwick Girls High School. We have a close, supportive and interactive relationship with both high schools with many of the older students coming in every day to collect younger siblings. We are adjacent to Rainbow Street Pre-school with a large percentage of these students beginning Kindergarten at Rainbow Street.
Our school is open on Saturdays for Abacus Mathematics and Chinese language lessons. In 2009 we also provided after-school tuition in Italian and Greek. Swedish classes are also held on Monday evenings.
Rainbow Street’s canteen provides healthy snacks and lunches and barbecues are a regular event with students and parents.
This report highlights our school programs in 2009 and showcases the Rainbow Street students, their families and our staff.
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.
Mrs Susanne Rosier, Principal
P&C - Parents & Citizens Association
2009 was a year of growth in parent numbers for the P&C. We have tried to develop the meeting structures as well as carefully using our resources to target specific activities. With larger numbers of parents involved sub- committees detailed discussion, consultation and planning could take place outside of meetings and allow decisions and action points to be addressed in the meetings. We tried to build a framework to make us effective and efficient.
The Building sub-committee – looked at the BER school hall project and the provision of toilets for the infants school. Views from P&C were relayed to meetings with ABI group. The Welfare sub-committee – looked at a strategic plan for the for School’s Welfare and anti-bullying policy – supported by DET and was a wide-ranging, school wide consultation process.
The Fundraising sub-committee was very successful and raised more than $11,000. Their activities raised money but also worked well to build connections between parents, teachers and students of the school. The more people that are involved in the P&C the more we can achieve in 2010. Hilary Webster was a great liaison person and the support unit were wonderfully involved in the Art Show.
The car boot sales are very popular and encourage other parents to be involved by volunteering on the day.
Debbie Payne – P&C President, 2009
Student representative’s message
Gabriel and I were elected school captains in December 2009 to take up the role in 2010. We were extremely nervous and scared at the time and wondered how we were going to get through the year. Our parents were very proud of us especially our mums who lost it completely when they were told at the Speech Day.
During the year we have represented our school at Young Leaders Day at Darling Harbour. This was a great day and we got to hear from Bill Harrigan (the referee) and Melissa Doyle from Sunrise. They taught us how to be resilient and encouraged us to help others and cooperate with the people we meet.
We were lucky enough to be chosen for PSSA sport. Jamye played softball and netball and I played soccer. We only lost two soccer matches and Jamye’s netball team has really improved.
During NAIDOC WEEK we went around all the classrooms selling cool Koori wristbands. The school raised around $900 to help the Koori kids with their education. We also sold dolphins for Stewart House. Stewart House is a place on the beach where kids come from all over NSW when mum and dad need a break.
Jamye was part of the choir that sang at the OPERA HOUSE while I livened up the audience with my Michael Jackson “moonwalk” at SHOWCASE.
We had to make a lot of speeches during the year when visitors came to the school, when we had special occasions e.g. K-2 Gold Assembly and also had to help take new parents around the school during Kinder Orientation.
One of the best days at Rainbow Street was the Multicultural Day. Jamye’s mum made fried rice and Jamye’s grandma was there too. We tried all the food in the new hall and I think I ate too much. The pavlova was excellent and Jae Jae’s mum made really good noodles!!
Next year I am going to Randwick Boys High and Jamye is going to Randwick Girls High and once again we will have to get rid of our nerves!!
Gabriel Abiad & Jamye Charalambous
School Captains – 2010
Greta Magistrale – School Captain, 2009
School context
Student information
It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all students must be consistent with privacy and personal information policies.
Student enrolment profile
At the time of writing this report there were 341 students enrolled at Rainbow Street. We now have three kindergarten classes at Rainbow Street.
Student attendance profile
We have a significant number of students who have extended leave overseas for family reasons.
Student AttendanceYear / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009
School / K / 96.4
1 / 95.5
2 / 96.0
3 / 95.0
4 / 95.0
5 / 97.1
6 / 95.0
Total / 95.5 / 95.8 / 95.7 / 95.3
Region / K / 95.4
1 / 94.9
2 / 95.1
3 / 95.2
4 / 95.1
5 / 95.3
6 / 94.5
Total / 95.0 / 95.0 / 95.2 / 93.7
State / K / 94.3
1 / 93.7
2 / 94.0
3 / 94.1
4 / 94.0
5 / 94.0
6 / 93.6
Total / 94.0 / 94.0 / 94.1 / 92.1
2 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009
Class sizes
In March 2003 the Government announced its commitment to publish primary class sizes in annual school reports in order to provide parents with as much local information as possible.
The following table shows our class sizes as reported at the 2009 class size audit conducted on Wednesday 9 February 2009.
Roll Class / Year / Total per Year / Total in Class1H / 1 / 22 / 22
1M / 1 / 23 / 23
2-3A / 2 / 11 / 27
2-3A / 3 / 16 / 27
2F / 2 / 26 / 26
3-4L / 3 / 18 / 27
3-4L / 4 / 9 / 27
4G / 4 / 27 / 27
5G / 5 / 31 / 31
6C / 6 / 26 / 26
KF RED / K / 20 / 20
KM BLUE / K / 17 / 17
KS YELLOW / K / 18 / 18
Structure of Classes
In 2009 we had two multi-age/composite classes exist to accommodate class size objectives.
SUPPORT UNIT
CLASS / BOYS / GIRLS / TOTALSW
Autism class / 5 / 2 / 7
SD
Senior I.O. class / 6 / 4 / 10
SH
Junior I.O. class / 7 / 2 / 9
SM
I.M. class / 9 / 4 / 13
Staff information
It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all staff must be consistent with privacy and personal information policies.
Staff establishment
In 2009, in addition to the teaching staff there were three administrative staff and approximately 8 part-time and full-time aides.
Position / NumberPrincipal / 1
Assistant Principal(s) / 4
Classroom Teachers / 11
Teacher of mild and moderate disabilities / 3
Teacher of Reading Recovery / 1
Support Teacher Learning Assistance / 1
Teacher Librarian / 1
Teacher of ESL / 2
Counsellor / 1
Total / 25
Staff retention
Due to the increase in student numbers in 2009 two further teachers will be employed on mainstream classes in 2010. One of these teachers will carry on with supervision of the band. The other new teacher will also be assisting with our cricket programme.
Due to the increase in student numbers in 2009, our Librarian has been offered another day enabling our library to be open four days a week from Term 1, 2010.
Due to the increase in student numbers we have been fortunate enough to offer a further two working days to one of our office staff.
Staff attendance
Staff have access to leave entitlements such as sick leave. In 2009 the average daily attendance rate for staff, as determined by the Department, was 95.9%.
Teacher qualifications
All teaching staff meet the professional requirements for teaching in NSW public schools.
Qualifications / % of staffDegree or Diploma / 75%
Postgraduate / 25%
Financial summary
This summary covers funds for operating costs and does not involve expenditure areas such as permanent salaries, and major maintenance.
Rainbow Street benefited from the Building the Education Revolution (BER) federal funding, with the construction of a new hall, which commenced in September 2009. The hall is located on the junior toilet block site so that students will not lose any of their play area.
New junior toilets were built adjacent to Block F (TRAC) Before & After School Care, to cater for K-2 classes and one toilet for teacher use. Funds for this project came from the National School Pride (NSP) initiative also instigated by the Federal Government.
A spellathon run by the school raised $10,000 in November 2009. These funds were allocated to providing more advanced technology connection to the junior classrooms. The funds were also allocated to providing for inclusions, for example, stage curtains in the new school hall.
The P&C raised substantial funds from the many fundraisers this year. These included car boot sales, raffles, selling art folders and running an art show.
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A full copy of the school’s 2009 financial statement is tabled at the Annual General Meeting of the Parents and Citizens Association. Further details concerning the statement can be obtained by contacting the school.
School performance 2009
Achievements
Arts
The Rainbow Street choir performed on many occasions during 2009. Highlights included performing at the Opera House, Education Week and at the Speech Day.
Our creative arts programs continued to showcase student’s outstanding work. Students entered the Randwick Council Recycling competition and their work was displayed at the local council chambers.