Gayndah State School
Queensland State School Reporting
2014 School Annual Report
/ Postal address / PO Box 106 Gayndah 4625Phone / (07) 4160 3333
Fax / (07) 4160 3300
Email /
Webpages / Additional reporting information pertaining to Queensland state schools is located on the My School website and the Queensland Government data website.
Contact person / Mr. K Nichols (Principal Gayndah State School) Dip. Teach, B. Education, Post Grad Children’s literature.
Principal’s foreword
Introduction
Welcome to the Gayndah State School Annual Report for 2014. This report contains data and information on curriculum, the progress of students and the school. This report is available in a hard copy format if requested.
Gayndah State School is a Band 7 school located in Central Queensland Education District and is set in a rural community approximately 150 kilometres west of Maryborough.
Our school serviced approx 145 students in 2014. Gayndah has a town population of about 1750 with a local shire population of around 3000. It is noted as Queensland’s oldest town having been settled in 1848. The school has a long and proud history in our local community having been opened in 1863.
It is one of the oldest schools still operating in Queensland (1865) and has seen many generations of families attend.
Our mission is to provide quality educational experiences for all students. It is the collective aim of all to insure the individual child is supported in their lifelong learning journey. Our staff motto is ‘Enabling all students to become valuable members of society.’
School progress towards its goals in 2014
2014Annual Implemetation Program highlighted the following:
School goals. / 2014 ProgressTeacher Planning. / Implementation of National Curriculum (ACARA)is continuing.
English / Implemented
Mathematics / Implemented
Science / Implemented
History / Implemented
Languages / Implemented
Geography / Implemented
Economics & Business / Completion 2015
Civics & Citizenships / Completion 2015
PE / Implemented
Health / Implemented
Music / Implemented
Arts / implemented
Technologies
ICT / implemented
Teacher Data analysis. / In 2014 data was used extensively
Data is collected and analysed for the purpose of informing teaching in the classroom so that every child has a chance to achieve to their capability.
External Data: NAPLAN, Pat Maths and Pat reading.
Internal Data: Probe a reading test, PM benchmarks, Words Their Way, Currriculum planning tests in all subjects. Teachers collect their own classroom data to track student progress.
School data: Discipline, Absenteeisms, Report card trends in the school…
CQ3S a child centered analytical program was tgrialled succeswsfully in 2014 and will be filly impelented in 2015. This program will analyse student marks from NAPLAN tests and Resits of NAPLAN tests. This will lead to the establishment of student and class action plans.
Teacher Performance development. / All teaching staff undergo an interview at the beginning, middle and at the end of the school year. This is a professional conversation where goals are set and strategies are put into place to enhance teaching skills. In 2014 goals included school improvement agenda (reading and writing). All teachers successfully achieved their goals during 2014. Evident in the years outstanding NAPLAN results.
Teachers have access to Profileing from a qualified Profiler (Mrs Rackemann). A program which analysis teaching styles and and pinpoints areas of teaching to improve.
Student Goal setting. / All students will have a single goal that they would like to achieve. This reviewed in various ways at key junctures throughout the year. Children self assess their progress either as a group, an individual or with an adult.
School Wide Behaviour Program Support. / Mr Nichols, Mrs Ulcoq and Mrs Callahan attended Poitive Education Seminar in Geelong. Ideas regarding implementation of Positive Education have been introduced into our ‘3G’ program along with our ‘3C’s’
2014 saw a focus on these programs untill they are embedded in the schools routines.
Literacy Coaching. / Gayndah State School was fortunate to have a literacy and explicit teaching coach for 2014. This was provided through the Federal Government’s ‘National Partnership’ program.
Through this program teachers received personal tuition in lesson planning and design, programs were adjusted with teachers to meet the needs of our student population.
At the end of this period all teachers could demonstrate a sequenced teaching lesson based on explicit teaching. As a result of the schools focus on pedagogy our student’s averaged above our like schools as well as the nation. This improvement was in all areas.
Priority area / Strategies / Report
Priority 1. Reading / Strategy: Classroom teachers will master explicit teaching.
Teachers will use The Art and science of teaching (ASOT) to complimentexplicit teaching through reflective practice.
Develop and enact Pedagogical placemat
Strategy: Review data collection, benchmarks and targets
Actions Responsible Officer(s)
Ensure consistent school-wide teaching practices in using 'Q and R' and 'Words Their Way'.
Ensure that Writing is practiced every day.
Strategy: Ensure consistent school-wide teaching practices (include method)
Implement collegial coaching time. This will look like teachers' sharing at staff meetings,
Strategy: Implement twice yearly goal setting for all students
Students to have set goals on one or two specific areas in mathematics and English. It willlook like all students having their goals written, evaluated by them and reported to parents. / Teachers have demonstrated to other school how to take an explicit teaching lesson based on John Monroe.
ASOT was introduced this period with further implementation in 2015.
Placemat developed and includes explicit teaching practices as one part of the diverse teaching practice.
Assessment targets and goals have been set.
Q and R and Words Their Way Diagnostic assessment has been implemented across the school.
Sharing of what is happening in the classroom is practiced regularly in staff meetings.
Student goal setting is still in development stage – goals are set but a set format for reporting is yet to be established.
Priority 2. Writing / Strategy: Adopt consistent school-wide teaching, assessment and feedback strategies for writing based on ACARA criteria using C2C Criteria as aresource.
Ensure consistent school-wide teaching practices by using criteria from NAPLAN sourcesand C2C
Emphasis on narrative and persuasive text.
Strategy: Progress to be tracked utilising ACARA Criteria sheets. All students to progress by 1 level per category in all areas. / Writing is based on ACARA guidelines.
Across grade moderation once a term has been implemented.
Priority 3. numeracy / Strategy: Implement the 'Mathematics National Curriculum' using "Stepping Stones"and "C2C" as a resource.
ProfessionalDevelopment and classroom implementation timelines will be completed by teachers.
Strategy: Moderate across classes, utilizing tests Stepping Stones) to direct teaching. / Stepping Stones has been implemented across the school – prep top 6
Future outlook
Annual Improvement Plan for 2015 is based on data from Parent/teacher/student surveys, internal assessment and NAPLAN Results
Strategies / TargetsHigh Expectations
All staff to engage in whole school performance, feedback and reflection scheme. (Planning data conversations, focused classroom walkthroughs and classroom profiling.
All teachers are dedicated to ensuring that all students are engaged and achieving their potential (differentiation documentation and data evidence of improvements in targeted areas.)
Maintain strong productive relationships with parents and wider community.
Fulfilment of school wide planning expectations.
A focused student learning goal established on one of the key learning areas.
Embedding Indigenous perspectives.
All teachers have a performance framework that align with the AIP.
Explicit Improvement Agenda - Upper 2 Bands Writing Strategy - examining Belief, Performance, Personalising U2B, Rapid Improvement Strategies, Tracking, Celebration.
Implement Pedagogical framework to be implemented in all classrooms.
Develop mastery of Explicit Instruction as the cornerstone pedagogy of every classroom when teaching new knowledge and skills in the learning areas (particularly in English, Mathematics and Science).
Implement ‘Reflective Practice” ASOT for teachers to analyse their teaching practice.
Identify students for verification of Gifted and/or Talented Status - correlation of a broad range of student data and subsequent strategies to maximise student performance in academic results. / The proportion of students receiving a grade of ‘C’ or better of all students receiving a A-E grade (Years 1 to 6, English, Maths, Science - Semester 1 & 2). C or better = 80%.
The proportion of positive responses to all survey items for Staff, Parents and Students. In more than two thirds of areas, Primary: >90% all measures.
Positive Ed to show ACER (SEW test) improvement over 12 months.
Great Attendance
Entering student attendance accurately on one school.
Teaching staff to monitor and track student attendance.
Individual class celebrations when attendance goal reaches 95% or greater.
Implementation of attendance and behaviour reports every term. / Students Attendance >92.2%
Indigenous Students Attendance: >86.5%
Less than 85% Attendance >17.8%
Outstanding Behaviour
Creation of an action plan to address recommendations following the 2014 Discipline Audit Findings.
Classroom profiling conducted by staff peers.
Parenting workshops offered to parents
Inclusion of the wellbeing framework (Pos. Education and ‘Kids Matter’) in 3G program.
Continue whole school program of rewards for students who exhibit good behaviour and demonstrate the ‘3Cs’. / An average number of Short Disciplinary Absence incidents per 1000 students per term
Short Suspensions, Primary: <25
Exclusions, Primary ≤ 0
Cancellations, Primary ≤ 0
Excellent results
Reading and writing pedagogical scripts developed and enacted. Data supported results.
Feedback loop to students (3 stars and a wish format). All student major writing and new work in English to be given written feedback.
Moderation process established with like schools.
Completion of ILP’s for all students. Documented strategies to enable students to achieve in U2B and perform above NMS.
Pedagogical frame work to be used by all teachers (Explicit Teaching and Dimensions of teaching).
Short Cycle data Analysis projects on aspects of English (visualising, writing script, on demand writing.)
Students engaged in challenging, engaging curriculum. ACRA utilising C2C as a resource.
Targeted, short term support based on gathered information about students. Support based on the Learning Support Pyramid. / NAPLAN
NMS In more than two thirds of areas:
>95% for Year 3
>90% for Year 5, 7
U2B In more than two thirds of areas:
>45% for Year 3
>35% for Year 5
>30% for Year 7
Similar Queensland State Schools (SQSS)
NMS, U2B
"Total of above (1) and similar (0.5) divided by areas greater than two thirds of total areas.
Above is greater than 5 percentage points higher for U2B, 1/2 NAPLAN band higher for scale score, 0.2 of a standard deviation higher for Relative gain. Similar is plus or minus the listed limits."
Yr 3 Mean / 3/5 relative gain
School / Regional / School / Regional
Reading / 420 / 90
Writing / 415 / 70
Grammar / 410 / 80
Spelling / 430 / 70
Numeracy / 400 / 90
Our school at a glance
School Profile
Coeducational or single sex: Coeducational
Year levels offered in 2014: Prep Year - Year 6
Total student enrolments for this school:
Total / Girls / Boys / Enrolment Continuity(Feb – Nov)
2012 / 199 / 98 / 101 / 93%
2013 / 175 / 85 / 90 / 92%
2014 / 173 / 90 / 83 / 96%
Student counts are based on the Census (August) enrolment collection.
Characteristics of the student body:
Our student body is derived from a low socio economic rural demographic where most of our parent body are farm itinerate workers and support workers such as electricians, carpenters, well fare and health workers and semiprofessional. We have 21% indigenous population, this varied throughout 2014.
Average class sizes
Phase / Average Class Size2012 / 2013 / 2014
Prep – Year 3 / 23 / 19 / 22
Year 4 – Year 7 Primary / 22 / 20 / 21
Year 7 Secondary – Year 10
Year 11 – Year 12
School Disciplinary Absences
Disciplinary Absences / Count of Incidents2012 / 2013 / 2014*
Short Suspensions - 1 to 5 days / 9 / 4 / 5
Long Suspensions - 6 to 20 days / 0 / 0 / 0
Exclusions# / 0 / 0 / 0
Cancellations of Enrolment / 0 / 0 / 0
# Exclusion is an abbreviated title which reflects suspensions with recommendations for exclusion, which may result in an exclusion or be set aside through an appeals process.
* Caution should be used when comparing 2014 data with previous years SDA data as amendments to the disciplinary provisions in the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006, passed in late 2013, created a time series break.
Curriculum offerings
Our distinctive curriculum offerings
Gayndah State School is using ‘Curriculum to Classroom’ (C2C) as a resource supporting implementation of the National Curriculum in Literacy, Science, History, Studies of Society and Numeracy.
The Early Years of Schooling and Middle Years of Schooling Frameworks continue to influence curriculum changes in the school. The C2C curriculum has been adopted by all grades, modifications will occur as required to suit the needs of the students in our charge. .
Extra curricula activities
Gayndah State School has an active Student Council – where students are involved in projects, activities and school decision making, having a say in general school policy, fundraising and leadership issues.
Intra and inter sport activities.
School camping program.
‘Options’ is a program where students can choose between a number of art and sporting activities.
We offer:
A full learning support program for students at educational and emotional risk.
A chaplain who runs social/emotional programs on two days a week.
A breakfast program.
Many lunchtime activities from Art, Singing to Rugby League.
A Speech language Pathologist 2 full days a week.
A full sporting program offering everything from swimming to Rugby League.
An instrumental Music Propgram.
How Information and Communication Technologies are used to assist learning
At Gayndah State School a range of technologies including computers, digital cameras, ipads and interactive whiteboards are utilised to support the learning of our students. Computers are used for the presentation of student work, creation of student web pages, delivery of learning objects and digital resources. Staff use computers to store and create digital portfolios of students and access Interactive software to engage students. Computers are used extensively to support students with disabilities to maximise their access to learning. Digital animation and online learning is embedded in learning units.
Year 5 and 6 have their own set of laptops used in curriculum delivery.
Future plan is to provide a set of laptops in 2015 to years 2,3 aand 4.
Social Climate
Gayndah State School provides and supports a School Chaplaincy program which supports students requiring pastoral care. Regular, high attendance at ‘Chappy Corner’ indicates its popularity.
A proactive values based social skilling program called Growing Generation Gayndah (3G) continues to focus on implementation of fortnightly lessons on values and school rules.
Anti-bullying Program is combined with the schools ‘3G’ and ‘3C’ program. Skills are explicitly taught and followed through.2014 is seeing the introduction of ‘Positive Education” into the school through the 3G program and Chaplaincy Program.
The anti-bullying procedures at Gayndah State School are an addition to Growing Generation Gayndah. This means that all students are being explicitly taught expected school behaviours and receiving high levels of social acknowledgement for doing so.
Our 3C program (Courtesy, Cooperation and Common Sense) are the foundation on which school rules are built. There is a fortnightly 3C Luncheon where students who have exhibited the 3C’s are rewarded with Luncheon with the Principal.
The staff have been learning about positive education. We intend to start implementing this program through our 3G program throughout 2015.
Our Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students also includes cyber-bullying.
Student data from the School Opinion Survey shows that they feel safe and treated fairly and that the behaviour of students is good and compares to state data. Though it is down from previous years, this can be directly linked to the cohort of students who were selected to answer the questionnaire. Parents are also happy with the school climate and all areas concerning behaviour, discipline, fair treatment, safety and contentment are on par with state mean.
Parent, student and teacher satisfaction.
In general parents and students are satisfied with the education they are getting at Gayndah State School. Bearing in mind that 1 child equates to %3 variation in the results below, our overall satisfaction between teachers and parents remains high
Parent, student and staff satisfaction with the school
Performance measurePercentage of parent/caregivers who agree# that: / 2012 / 2013 / 2014
their child is getting a good education at school (S2016) / 96% / 97% / 89%
this is a good school (S2035) / 96% / 97% / 89%
their child likes being at this school* (S2001) / 86% / 97% / 89%
their child feels safe at this school* (S2002) / 96% / 100% / 78%
their child's learning needs are being met at this school* (S2003) / 89% / 93% / 89%
their child is making good progress at this school* (S2004) / 89% / 93% / 89%
teachers at this school expect their child to do his or her best* (S2005) / 96% / 97% / 100%
teachers at this school provide their child with useful feedback about his or her school work* (S2006) / 96% / 93% / 89%
teachers at this school motivate their child to learn* (S2007) / 93% / 90% / 89%
teachers at this school treat students fairly* (S2008) / 79% / 93% / 78%
they can talk to their child's teachers about their concerns* (S2009) / 96% / 90% / 89%
this school works with them to support their child's learning* (S2010) / 96% / 93% / 88%
this school takes parents' opinions seriously* (S2011) / 93% / 90% / 89%
student behaviour is well managed at this school* (S2012) / 85% / 93% / 89%
this school looks for ways to improve* (S2013) / 96% / 96% / 89%
this school is well maintained* (S2014) / 96% / 100% / 89%
Performance measure
Percentage of students who agree# that: / 2012 / 2013 / 2014
they are getting a good education at school (S2048) / 88% / 97% / 100%
they like being at their school* (S2036) / 85% / 97% / 97%
they feel safe at their school* (S2037) / 100% / 97% / 100%
their teachers motivate them to learn* (S2038) / 92% / 98% / 97%
their teachers expect them to do their best* (S2039) / 98% / 98% / 93%
their teachers provide them with useful feedback about their school work* (S2040) / 92% / 95% / 97%
teachers treat students fairly at their school* (S2041) / 85% / 90% / 100%
they can talk to their teachers about their concerns* (S2042) / 75% / 97% / 97%
their school takes students' opinions seriously* (S2043) / 82% / 95% / 82%
student behaviour is well managed at their school* (S2044) / 74% / 92% / 79%
their school looks for ways to improve* (S2045) / 96% / 97% / 100%
their school is well maintained* (S2046) / 96% / 97% / 96%
their school gives them opportunities to do interesting things* (S2047) / 89% / 98% / 93%
Performance measure
Percentage of school staff who agree# that: / 2012 / 2013 / 2014
they enjoy working at their school (S2069) / 100% / 100%
they feel that their school is a safe place in which to work (S2070) / 100% / 94%
they receive useful feedback about their work at their school (S2071) / 88% / 89%
students are encouraged to do their best at their school (S2072) / 94% / 100%
students are treated fairly at their school (S2073) / 94% / 94%
student behaviour is well managed at their school (S2074) / 88% / 94%
staff are well supported at their school (S2075) / 88% / 100%
their school takes staff opinions seriously (S2076) / 88% / 100%
their school looks for ways to improve (S2077) / 94% / 100%
their school is well maintained (S2078) / 100% / 100%
their school gives them opportunities to do interesting things (S2079) / 94% / 100%
* Nationally agreed student and parent/caregiver items were incorporated in the School Opinion Survey in 2012.