Contact Information
Postal address: / 113 Fourteenth Avenue Home Hill 4806
Phone: / (07) 4790 5555
Fax: / (07) 4790 5500
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: / Principal – Judith White
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School OverviewAt Home Hill State School we are committed to providing a safe, respectful learning environment for all students and staff, an environment in which studens have opportunities to engage in quality learning experiences and acquire values supportive of their lifelong well-being. Home Hill State School is a Positive Behaviour for Learning school. Our values are “Safe, Respectful Leaners.The school community is engage productively in establishing strong partnerships for the wellbeing and educational outcomes for all our students.
The Australian Curriculum is taught to maximise the individual need of studdents in English, Mathematics, Hostory, Geography, Science, The Arts, Health & Physical Education, Technology and LOTE – Japanese (Charters Towers School of Distant Education) The key imporvement agenda for Home Hill State School is Writing, Numeracy, Reading and Attendance.
As a school our priority is to maximise the educational outcomes of all students.
Principal’s ForwardIntroduction
Welcome to the Home Hill State School 2016 School Annual Report. This report identifies the achievements of the 2016 school year. We are committed to creating a learning environment where every child thrives in a caring, nurturing community of independent, creative and connected learners. At Home Hill State School, staff build a positive learning culture and nurture relationships and partnerships with families and the wider community. Students support each other by being active participants. A culture of high expectations for all is a core value. We are committed to a strong improvement agenda through explicit teaching and learning and staff capacity building.
School Progress towards its goals in 2016
During 2016 our focus was on the continuous improvement of student performance in English, Mathematics, Science and the implementation of the other learning areas of the Australian Curriculum.
We continued to refine and enhance our school curriculum – focusing on the commencement of the Four Lesson Sequence, Implementing Age Appropriate Pedagogies s a trial school for 2016. Continued unpacking units, in English and Mathematics for alignment with the Australian Curriculum. Moderation of summative assessment tasks and student portfolios to ensure consistency of practices.
Reading – Implemented 100 minute literacy block in all year levels (Prep – Year 6). Targeted intervention was conducted through SSIR (Short Sharp Intensive Reading Program) across Prep to Year 3.Commenced implementation of MSV practices
(Meaning, Syntax and Visual) to improve reading and writing.
Australian Curriculum Implementation - Full implementation in the areas of English, Mathematics, History, Geography, Science, The Arts, Health & Physical Education and Technologies.A digital technology teacher was employed to co-plan, co-teach and co-assess for Digital Technologies. .Learning walls were constructed for all KLA’s to make learning visible.
Improving Teaching Practice – Engaged Digital Technology teacher to enhance student learning in technology. Trained teachers in the role of Beginning Teaching Mentors. Leadership team and Prep and year 1 teachers were involved and lead the implementation of Age Appropriate Pedagogies through Griffith University.
Attendance – 92% whole school attendance achieved.
School Wide Positive Behaviour – Initial year of implementation, baseline data gathered on major and minor behaviours. Whole school professional development to support embedding.
Future Outlook
Attendance
Attendance target for all students greater than 93%. Everyday Counts strategy via posters and fortnightly newsletter/ facebook/ website articles, case manage student attendance.
Teacher practice
Consolidation of Quality Teaching and Learning practices across the school (Clarity, Evidence Driven Instruction, Gradual Release of Responsibility and Monitor Learning). Implementation of Four Lesson sequence in years Prep to year 3. Consolidation of Age Appropriate Pedagogies. Implementation of HASS (History and Social Science) across all year levels through co-planning sessions.
Develop assessment literate learners and teachers, Instructional leadership through Inquiry Cycle, Coaching and mentoring, Lesson Observations and Feedback, Instructional walk throughs and classroom visits/ collegial classroom visits. Refine case management and implement ClassData meetings.
Positive Behaviour for Learning
Update the Responsible Behaviour Plan 2017-2018, further implement the PBL framework, Implement PBL student support programs – Rock and Water, Hero Awards, Quiet Out room, Gardening Programs and Lunch time Social Skilling with BMST (Behaviour Management Support Teacher) Professional Development – O/S data analysis.
Our School at a GlanceSchool Profile
Coeducational or single sex: / CoeducationalIndependent Public School: / No
Year levels offered in 2016: / Prep Year - Year 6
Student enrolments for this school:
Total / Girls / Boys / Indigenous / Enrolment Continuity
(Feb – Nov)
2014 / 293 / 122 / 171 / 51 / 94%
2015* / 253 / 114 / 139 / 47 / 94%
2016 / 263 / 111 / 152 / 42 / 89%
Student counts are based on the Census (August) enrolment collection.
*From 2015, data for all state high schools include Year 7 students. Prior to 2015, only state high schools offering Year 7 had these students included in their counts.
In 2016, there were nostudents enrolled in a pre-Prep** program.
**pre-Prep is a kindergarten program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, living across 35 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, in the year before school (
Characteristics of the Student Body
Overview
Home Hill State School has a school Index of Community Socio-Economic Advantage (ICSEA) value of 926. It has an approximate population of 3000 and is heavily reliant on the local primary industries for employment. The school has an enrolment of 16% Indigenous students. Home Hill State School enrolment has increased over the last year and maintained eleven classrooms for the last three years.
Average Class Sizes
The following table shows the average class size information for each phase of schooling.
AVERAGE CLASS SIZESPhase / 2014 / 2015* / 2016
Prep – Year 3 / 25 / 23 / 21
Year 4 – Year 7 / 25 / 24 / 21
Year 8 – Year 10
Year 11 – Year 12
*From 2015, data for all state high schools include Year 7 students. Prior to 2015, only state high schools offering Year 7 had these students included in their counts.
Curriculum Delivery
Our Approach to Curriculum Delivery
All students study the following common subjects from the Australian Curriculum called Learning Areas (LOAs): English, Mathematics, Science, History and Geography, The Arts, Health and Physical Education and Technology. Currently our school has adopted and adapted the Department of Education and Training’s State Schooling "Curriculum into the Classroom" (C2C) resource that has been designed for all state schools to teach the Australian Curriculum.
In 2016 the school also offered Japanese as the Language Other Than English (LOTE) for eligible students in Years 5 & 6 via Charters Towers School of Distance Education.
We map individual student progress in a number of ways. Various forms of assessment, monitoring and reporting methods are consistently employed in and across year levels. This ensures that provision of additional support/extension can be provided to those individual students with a specific learning need. For instance, students with a disability are enrolled into the Special Education Program (SEP). They have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and are integrated into the classroom with varying degrees of support. Some students in the SEP as well as others who are not, may also have a more individualised learning program, called an Individual Curriculum Plan (ICP).
All Learning Areas for all students are formally reported on twice yearly. Face to face parent-teacher interviews are held two times a year. Parents do not have to wait for these junctures to discuss their child’s progress and are encouraged to make an appointment at any time to talk with the teacher. We have an open door policy.
All teachers from Home Hill State have worked with the Leadership Team to ensure consistency of assessment practices, unit analysis and co-planning.
Co-curricular Activities
Home Hill State School has a variety of extra-curricular activities to enrich the lives and talents of our students:
- Junior Secondary Transition program with HHSHS
- Instrumental Music Program
- Japanese Speaking Competition
- Verse Speaking and Choral Performances at the Burdekin Schools Choral Challenge
- Choir– offered during school breaks by our specialist music teacher.
- NAIDOC Week celebrations
- Home Hill’s annual ANZAC Day Ceremony
- Year 5 and 6 Camp
- Reef Guardian Future Leaders Echo Challenge
- ICAS Science, English and Mathematics Competitions
- Student Council; Student Representatives; Student Media Group
- Interschool Sport, Cross-Country and Athletics Carnivals
- Regional Sports representation
- Class Buddy Peer Mediation and Support Program
- Christmas Concert, School Awards and Graduation Ceremony
- School Discos
- Annual Fancy Dress Dance Night
- World Teachers Day, Teacher Aide Day, Cleaners Day and Chappie Day
- AFL coaching
- Garden Club
- Water Polo lunch program
- Swimming Club
- Computer lab
- Enviro Club
- Library
- Chaplaincy; Kids Club
- QLD Arts Council
How Information and Communication Technologies are used to Assist Learning
Australian Curriculum units integrate ICT in teaching and learning. A computer lab is maintained and a Laptop Centre has been established.
All classrooms are fitted with electronic interactive whiteboards or interactive data projectors. A major wireless network and bandwidth upgrade occurred in 2016.
The whole school is cabled with fibre optic broadband internet access.
Digital technology is a school initiative in 2017. A Digital Technology Teacher has been employed to increase the integration of technology into classrooms and increase the developmental skills of students and teachers. Robotics hardware and software including Bee-Bots, Scratch; class sets of ipads were implemented to engage students further in the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies coach from the Queensland Department of Education and Training Regional STEM provided professional development for all staff.
Social Climate
Overview
Home Hill State School is a Positive Behaviour for Learning School. The rules are Safe, Respectful Learners. The PBL committee has implemented the language and expectations which outlines our school rules and the expectations that go with those rules. The school community has reviewed the school values and expectations are explicitly taught by classroom teachers and on school assemblies every Monday.
The school delivers a safe, caring and consistent educational experience to the students. All school classrooms exhibit a highly structured, high demand and encouraging learning environment. Students and their parents value the commitment and caring work of staff members at this school. There is a consistent overtly positive and encouraging philosophy underpinning the management and learning approach used at this school.
We believe that behaviour management should be consistent, insistent and persistent. Active teaching of specific behaviours sustained by the modelling of desired competencies is the underlying theme. All staff promote the development of positive behaviours for students to become Home Hill Hero’s.
The school environment and student learning environment are inviting and engaging. We also have two Chaplains one day each week. A Guidance Officer is appointed to the school for one day each week. School Opinion Survey data for parents, students and staff is positive in almost all areas.
Parent, Student and Staff Satisfaction
Parent opinion survey
Performance measurePercentage of parents/caregivers who agree# that: / 2014 / 2015 / 2016
their child is getting a good education at school (S2016) / 96% / 85% / 100%
this is a good school (S2035) / 96% / 85% / 100%
their child likes being at this school* (S2001) / 96% / 90% / 100%
their child feels safe at this school* (S2002) / 96% / 85% / 100%
their child's learning needs are being met at this school* (S2003) / 96% / 75% / 100%
their child is making good progress at this school* (S2004) / 96% / 75% / 100%
teachers at this school expect their child to do his or her best* (S2005) / 92% / 90% / 100%
teachers at this school provide their child with useful feedback about his or her school work* (S2006) / 92% / 80% / 100%
teachers at this school motivate their child to learn* (S2007) / 92% / 80% / 100%
teachers at this school treat students fairly* (S2008) / 92% / 90% / 92%
they can talk to their child's teachers about their concerns* (S2009) / 92% / 89% / 100%
this school works with them to support their child's learning* (S2010) / 92% / 80% / 100%
this school takes parents' opinions seriously* (S2011) / 92% / 80% / 100%
student behaviour is well managed at this school* (S2012) / 92% / 70% / 92%
this school looks for ways to improve* (S2013) / 96% / 74% / 100%
this school is well maintained* (S2014) / 96% / 80% / 100%
Student opinion survey
Performance measurePercentage of students who agree# that: / 2014 / 2015 / 2016
they are getting a good education at school (S2048) / 95% / 97% / 99%
they like being at their school* (S2036) / 95% / 91% / 99%
they feel safe at their school* (S2037) / 96% / 91% / 97%
their teachers motivate them to learn* (S2038) / 99% / 94% / 100%
their teachers expect them to do their best* (S2039) / 99% / 96% / 100%
their teachers provide them with useful feedback about their school work* (S2040) / 96% / 93% / 99%
teachers treat students fairly at their school* (S2041) / 98% / 95% / 99%
they can talk to their teachers about their concerns* (S2042) / 95% / 92% / 97%
their school takes students' opinions seriously* (S2043) / 92% / 86% / 97%
student behaviour is well managed at their school* (S2044) / 88% / 76% / 91%
their school looks for ways to improve* (S2045) / 99% / 97% / 97%
their school is well maintained* (S2046) / 98% / 95% / 97%
their school gives them opportunities to do interesting things* (S2047) / 98% / 88% / 96%
Staff opinion survey
Performance measurePercentage of school staff who agree# that: / 2014 / 2015 / 2016
they enjoy working at their school (S2069) / 100% / 89% / 100%
they feel that their school is a safe place in which to work (S2070) / 100% / 95% / 100%
they receive useful feedback about their work at their school (S2071) / 100% / 84% / 88%
they feel confident embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives across the learning areas (S2114) / 100% / 93% / 92%
students are encouraged to do their best at their school (S2072) / 100% / 100% / 100%
students are treated fairly at their school (S2073) / 100% / 100% / 100%
student behaviour is well managed at their school (S2074) / 93% / 74% / 83%
staff are well supported at their school (S2075) / 93% / 74% / 92%
their school takes staff opinions seriously (S2076) / 96% / 76% / 88%
their school looks for ways to improve (S2077) / 96% / 100% / 100%
their school is well maintained (S2078) / 100% / 100% / 96%
their school gives them opportunities to do interesting things (S2079) / 96% / 95% / 100%
* Nationally agreed student and parent/caregiver items
# ‘Agree’ represents the percentage of respondents who Somewhat Agree, Agree or Strongly Agree with the statement.
DW = Data withheld to ensure confidentiality.
Parent and community engagement
We publish a fortnightly newsletter and regularly maintain our school website. In 2016 a school Facebook page was added. Our P&C have added a Facebook page to inform parents of meetings and directions for the school and community.
Many parents have become involved in our active P&C Association which meets each month on a Thursday at 7pm.
Many school activities are supported by volunteers such as the P&C. Parents are encouraged to be active participants of the Home Hill State School P&C Association.
At Home Hill State School parents are involved in classrooms in a variety of ways. We strongly value the partnership that we have with our parents. Parents assist with reading teams, tuckshop and sports day, Special events, school assemblies and as volunteers on excursions.
Face to face parent teacher interviews are conducted twice a year. Celebrations are well supported in the school with NAIDOC Day combining with Ayr State School each July bi-annually.
Respectful relationships programs
The school has developed and implemented a program that focuses on appropriate, respectful and healthy relationships. All our students are taught our three school expectations; I am a Home Hill Hero. I am Safe, Respectful and a Learner, using the Positive Behaviour Learning Expectations Matrix. PBL rules are shared on parade each Monday, rules displayed around the school and explicitly taught by classroom teachers. During this phase the majority of students learn what is expected of them in the various school settings.
Home Hill State School implements proactive, preventative processes and strategies to support student behaviour. These include:
- a relevant, stimulating curriculum;
- differentiated curriculum to support student needs;
- high quality teaching strategies based on Explicit Instruction and the Gradual Release of Responsibilities;
- modelling acceptable behaviours, PBL;
- professional development for all staff;
- a dedicated and very active P&C association;
- Student support team to support students with learning
The school has developed and implemented a program or programs that focus on appropriate, respectful and healthy relationships.
School Disciplinary Absences
The following table shows the count of incidents for students recommended for each type of school disciplinary absence reported at the school.
SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY ABSENCESType / 2014* / 2015** / 2016
Short Suspensions – 1 to 5 days / 35 / 26 / 20
Long Suspensions – 6 to 20days / 0 / 1 / 0
Exclusions / 0 / 0 / 0
Cancellations of Enrolment / 0 / 0 / 0
* Caution should be used when comparing post 2013 SDA data as amendments to EGPA disciplinary provisions and changes in methodology created time series breaks in 2014 and 2015.
**From 2015, Exclusion represents principal decisions to exclude rather than recommendations for exclusion. From 2015 where a principal decided not to exclude, a small number of recommendations for exclusions have been counted as a long suspension. Exclusions, Cancellations and Long & Charge Suspensions may be upheld or set aside through an appeals process.
Environmental Footprint
Reducing the school’s environmental footprint
Work is continuing on becoming a more environmentally sustainable school. Home Hill State School is a Reef Guardian school winning the 2017 Ripples of Change grant to reduce our ecological footprint. Students work with the GBRMPA (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority); Reef Guardian Coordinator to improve environmental practices and engage all students in reducing our footprint.