Bethany Catholic Primary School, Glenmore Park · Bethany Catholic Primary School, Glenmore Park, opened in 1996 and is situated in the suburb of Glenmore Park, within the Diocese

Bethany Catholic Primary School,Glenmore ParkP O Box 8134, Glenmore Park 2745Principal: Mrs Cheryl BrownPhone: 4733 5299 Fax: 4733 5079Email: [email protected]://www.bethanyglenmorepark.catholic.edu.au

Introduction

About the Annual School ReportBethany Catholic Primary School is registered by the New South Wales Education StandardsAuthority, NESA, as a member of the Catholic system of schools in the Diocese of Parramatta.

The Annual School Report provides parents and the wider school community with fair, accurateand objective information about various aspects of school performance and development. TheReport describes achievement of school development priorities in 2017 and gives informationabout the 2018 priorities.

This Report is a legislative requirement under the Schools Assistance Act, 2008 and the EducationAmendment Act 2004.

The information in this Report is complemented by the school website where other schoolpublications and newsletters can be viewed or obtained from the school.

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Key Messages

PrincipalAt Bethany Catholic Primary School, we believe children must see themselves as capable learnersencouraged to have a growth mindset towards their learning. Ownership of learning isencouraged and nurtured through the development of independence, where children areencouraged to take learning risks and see challenges as opportunities for personal growth in alearning environment which is positive, purposeful and stimulating. Learning intentions andsuccess criteria for each lesson based on mandated syllabus outcomes are used to differentiateand guide learning. Students are guided through the gradual release of responsibility modelbeginning at each student's zone of proximal development (ZPD).

The Religious Education program, Sharing Our Story, and gospel values permeate the curriculum.Catholic values are reinforced throughout the school day as we encourage the children to live theschool's motto: In Christ We Love and Serve.

At Bethany Catholic Primary School, we strongly believe that:Learning is meaningful and effective when gospel values are central to all of ourrelationships.Christ is the model teacher to guide our learning and teaching.Individual differences are normal, are valued and are catered for daily in the learning.The spiritual, academic, physical, social and emotional needs of each child will be met.All children are unique and bring to their learning particular skills, gifts and talents.Children learn best when their learning experiences are designed to meet their individualneeds.The school environment is a positive, happy place where mutual respect by allstakeholders is obvious and evident.

This Annual School Report reflects:the achievements of the studentsthe commitment and professionalism of Bethany Catholic Primary School's teaching andsupport staffthe support and involvement of an active, dedicated and generous parent community

I am proud to present to you the 2017 Annual School Report of Bethany Catholic Primary School,Glenmore Park.

ParentParents had an active involvement in the life of Bethany Catholic Primary School. Two thousandand seventeen was yet another successful one for the Parents and Friends Association (P&F). Theevents in which the P&F were involved included the welcome barbecue at the commencement ofthe school year, Mothers and Fathers Day stalls, discos, Grandparents Day, Munch and Crunchstalls, the annual Fun Fair and mufti days.

Parents were continually invited to participate in the daily life of our Bethany Catholic PrimarySchool community inside the classroom, on excursions and sporting events, and through socialmedia, including the establishment of a school Facebook account and continuation of gradeTwitter accounts. Parents were also kept informed about pedagogical practices related to visiblelearning in the classroom through P&F meetings.

We are a vibrant school with a strong sense of identity, where relationships are treasured andembraced.

Incoming parents were involved in an extended transition process where they were familiarisedwith the daily functioning of the school as well as the rigour around learning programs. ParentsBethany Catholic Primary School, Glenmore Park Page 2

with the daily functioning of the school as well as the rigour around learning programs. Parentswere provided with information about agreed practice, expectations and resources in order toensure a smooth transition to school for incoming Kindergarten students. Parents were alsoinvited to write a letter to the principal about their child in order to develop positive rapportwith the principal.

A 'Cuppa with the Principal', was held in term 4 and parents were open and honest in relation toestablishing an agenda for directions they would like the school to take.

The achievements of 2017 would not have been possible without the help and dedication of theparents and friends of the school, who generously volunteered their time and energy to makingthe school community the wonderful place that it is.

Thank you to all the people who have contributed so much to the community spirit at BethanyCatholic Primary School.

StudentThe 2017 school year provided an opportunity for all Year 6 students to display leadership andresponsibility. All of our students participated in leadership roles and, through the WedderburnLeadership Camp, they learnt how to work together effectively as a team. The buddy system alsocontinued to work very well to the delight of the Kindergarten students and their families. Twothousand and seventeen was a very successful one for all students across the school: in sport,academics and learning in general.

All Year 6 students had a role in modelling leadership, good example and responsibility to therest of the school. They earnestly applied themselves to this role and strived to live up to thehigh expectations placed on them. The students had wonderful facilities, lovely learning spacesand plenty of technology resources to help them with their learning.

Bethany Catholic Primary School is an exceptional school with supportive teachers. The teachersare very caring and dedicated to the learning. Our school is a safe environment and we worktogether as a school to ensure students are happy and safe at school.

Throughout 2017 teachers were given high visibility vests so students were able to identify wherethe teacher was when they required reassurance or assistance.

Students regularly attended Padre Pio Church to celebrate mass, Sacraments or to participate inliturgies. During June we held a pyjama mufti day for students. The day continued to be apositive experience culminating with the Vinnie's Winter Sleep Out. Students were addressed bythe coordinator of the St Vincent De Paul and were able to understand the need to assist thevulnerable in our community.

Students were able to live out the school motto, 'In Christ we Love and Serve' ,at the conclusionof Mission units by organising a Busking and Stall day. Students raised over $2500 for localcharities assisting the vulnerable and marginalised in our community.

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Who we are

History of the schoolBethany Catholic Primary School, Glenmore Park, opened in 1996 and is situated in the suburb ofGlenmore Park, within the Diocese of Parramatta.

The school commenced with 92 students and presently we have an enrolment of 618 studentsfrom Kindergarten to Year 6. We are part of the Padre Pio Parish and celebrated the opening ofour new church in 2010.

The school has developed a strong relationship with the parish and works closely with the parishpriest and various ministries to strengthen ties between the school and parish communities. Children's masses, led by students, are held each month at weekend mass, giving students anopportunity to understand the link between school, home and community.

In 2015, we celebrated 20 years as a school and gave thanks for all of those before us whopioneered and sacrificed so much to provide the wonderful facilities we now enjoy.

Location/drawing areaBethany Catholic Primary School is located in Glenmore Park and draws on students fromGlenmore Park, Mulgoa Rise and the surrounding areas.

We are closely associated with many local Catholic secondary schools and our students arewelcomed into these schools upon completion of Year 6. The schools which take the vastmajority of our students in Year 7 are:

Caroline Chisholm College in Glenmore Park (girls only)St Dominic's College at Kingswood (boys only)McCarthy Catholic College, Emu Plains (coeducational)

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Workforce Composition

Category Numberof Staff

Number of teachers who hold teaching qualification from a higher educationinstitution within Australia or as recognised within the National Office of OverseasSkills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) guidelines

34

Number of teachers who have a bachelor degree from a higher education institutionwithin Australia or within AEI-NOOSR guidelines but lacking formal teacherqualifications

0

Number of teachers accreditated to teach Religious Education 33

Number of teachers currently undertaking accreditation to teach Religious Education 2

Number of non-teaching staff (includes teachers' aides) 9

Percentage of teachers who are indigenous 1

The average teacher attendance for 2017 95

Percentage of 2017 teaching staff who were retained from 2016 91

Catholic Identity and Religious Education

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Catholic Identity and Religious Education

Prayer, Liturgical Life and Faith ExperiencesBethany Catholic Primary School's Formation goal in 2017 was for all students to demonstrate animproved understanding of the scriptural message evidenced by improved classroom assessmentdata. We intended to make our students more aware and understanding of the rich traditions,teachings, stories and knowledge of Jesus and our faith.

The diocesan Religious Literacy Assessment, undertaken each year with students from Years 4and 6, reflected our effort to deepen students' knowledge and understanding in these areas.

The liturgical life and faith experiences at Bethany Catholic Primary School engaged all students,parents and teachers. We planned rich experiences in these areas, for example, many specialoccasions such as Grandparents, Mothers, and Fathers Days being celebrated with enormousnumbers and participation. Holy Week, especially, was a chance to have varied and engagingceremonies to enliven our faith and knowledge of Jesus.

The students and grades rotated throughout the term in attending masses with the parish andparent community. Whole-school masses were held regularly and parents were always invited toattend.

The parish priest regularly joined us in celebrating our faith. He also visited the students inclasses and worked collaboratively with all teachers to ensure the Catholic life of BethanyCatholic Primary School was a lived experience. At Spiritual Formation Days, staff prayers, schoolfunctions, special masses and liturgies, the Year 6 Farewell and on other occasions, we joinedwith our local priest to pray, worship and celebrate.

Social JusticeIn 2017, Bethany Catholic Primary School continued to participate in a number of social justiceinitiatives.

Catholic-based charities like St Vincent de Paul, Mama Lana's Community Foundation, andCaritas particularly enjoyed our support. Food hampers, fundraising, parental involvement andstaff/student participation in related events were evident throughout the year.

St Vincent De Paul Winter Sleep Out was organised for students from Year 3 to Year 6 facilitatedby teaching staff. A guest speaker from the St Vincent De Paul Association was also invited to talkto the students.

We had an underlying goal to have children and staff become more compassionate and involvedwith those in need, in order to increase empathy and have these experiences really touch thehearts of those participating. We discussed how we could involve staff, parents and studentsbetter in experiencing the hardship realities of the world around us.

Our Mini Vinnies group drove a number of social justice initiatives across Kindergarten to Year 6(K-6) and encouraged us to be more empathetic and compassionate.

School home and parish partnershipsBethany Catholic Primary School has strong links with Padre Pio Parish.

The parish priest and principal worked closely in partnership to build the Catholic community asthe church is physically close to the school, which allowed easy interaction and communication.Many liturgical celebrations were organised to celebrate our Catholic faith and enhance theconnections between the school, home and parish.

Bethany Catholic Primary School recognised and valued the partnership with parents whoselected the school to assist them with the education of their child. We welcomed them into theschool and readily invited all to any school functions or forums. The Parents and FriendsAssociation was an active and vibrant group of parents who worked very hard for the wellbeingof everyone in the community.

In 2017, the Bethany Catholic Primary School community was engaged in the annual Quality

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In 2017, the Bethany Catholic Primary School community was engaged in the annual QualityCatholic Schools (QCS) survey where all staff, 60 families and all students in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6were surveyed to evaluate relationships, the quality of the learning and overall culture of theschool. It was a successful initiative that gave rise to deep discussion and some changedpractices. A strong community spirit and learning culture was very evident from the QCS data.

We are very thankful for the support and generosity of our parent community as we continue toimprove the learning and welfare of all the students in our care.

Religious EducationBethany Catholic Primary School followed the Parramatta Diocesan Religious Education (RE)syllabus, Sharing Our Story. It is a Kindergarten to Year 12 (K-12) document followed by all theCatholic systemic schools in the Diocese of Parramatta.

The Religious Education program enabled teachers and students to learn about the richtraditions, teachings and practices of our faith.

The Pastoral Care program responded to the many needs of our Bethany Catholic Primary Schoolchildren. It was based on the gospel values of respect, acceptance and reconciliation.

We supported children and their families through their daily lives by giving access to a counselloror support programs where appropriate.

The parish Sacramental program was closely linked to the Religious Education units for thevarious grades which were involved in the Sacraments. Staff worked closely with parish ministriesin all aspects of the program.

Professional Learning of staff in Religious EducationStaff were given professional development in the area of Religious Education through theProfessional Learning Circle (PLC) comprised of a staff member from each grade and led by theReligious Education Coordinator (REC). Staff who attended external in-service opportunities wereinvited to feedback to the whole staff during professional learning meetings.

Staff were able to consolidate their understanding of the craft of teaching Religious Education byengaging in a Curriculum Leader Workshop where the REC introduced staff to a collaborativeonline planning tool related to the senses of Scripture.

Resources related to the understanding and application of our Catholic faith were centralised toensure ease of access. New resources were purchased in order to ensure that staff were wellprepared to teach students according to best practice.

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Learning and Teaching

National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)Students in Year 3, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 9 across Australia participated in National AssessmentProgram – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in May 2017. The purpose of this test is to provideinformation to parents and teachers about the achievements of students in aspects of Literacyand Numeracy. The test provides a measure of the student’s performance against establishedstandards and against other students in Australia. Each year the results are analysed by theschool to inform teaching and learning with a view to improving student performance.

The Commonwealth Government sets minimum acceptable standards for literacy, numeracy,reading, writing, grammar, punctuation and spelling at particular ages. These are referred to asnational minimum standards. Student performance in NAPLAN in our school is compared tothese standards. The percentages of students achieving at or above these national minimumstandards, and the percentages of students in the top three bands are reported in the tablebelow.

NAPLAN RESULTS 2017

% of students at or abovenational minimum

standard

% of students in top threebands

School Australia School Australia

Year3

Grammar and Punctuation 98 94 86 75

Literacy 100 95 90 73

Reading 98 95 84 74

Writing 100 96 91 74

Spelling 100 94 81 69

Numeracy 99 96 81 67

NAPLAN RESULTS 2017

% of students at or abovenational minimum

standard

% of students in top threebands

School Australia School Australia

Year5

Grammar and Punctuation 96 92 71 59

Literacy 98 93 68 57

Reading 97 94 61 63

Writing 98 92 52 48

Spelling 97 94 64 63

Numeracy 97 95 61 58

Bethany Catholic Primary School performed strongly in NAPLAN tests. The Year 3 and Year 5results were excellent with at least 98% of Year 3 students and 96% of Year 5 students meetingbenchmarks, while the school was above national average in every area. The Year 5 NAPLAN dataindicated that in grammar and punctuation, and spelling there was an increase in the number ofBethany Catholic Primary School, Glenmore Park Page 8

indicated that in grammar and punctuation, and spelling there was an increase in the number ofstudents in the top three bands compared to the previous years. The Year 3 NAPLAN dataindicated that in grammar and punctuation, literacy, reading, writing and numeracy there was anincrease in the number of students in the top three bands compared to the previous years.

There are agreed practices in both literacy and numeracy implemented across the school.Ongoing professional learning, focusing on reading comprehension and visualisation strategieshas resulted in improving teacher confidence and student learning outcomes in both literacy andnumeracy.

All learning in literacy and numeracy at Bethany Catholic Primary School followed the diocesanFOCUS 160 guidelines (minimum 100 minutes of literacy and 60 minutes of numeracy daily).Intensive intervention programs such as Reading Recovery and Extending MathematicsUnderstanding (EMU) ensured ongoing professional learning and collaboration amongst keystakeholders across the school in literacy and numeracy.

School curriculumBethany Catholic Primary School operates as a part of the Catholic Education Diocese ofParramatta (CEDP) system of schools. As such, all aspects of school compliance are reviewed,both internally and externally.

In 2017 an internal peer review process operated every term where every teaching program wasjustified against whole-school scope and sequence documents as well as New South Wales (NSW)syllabus documents for each Key Learning Area. An external peer review process monitoredcompliance in relation to timetables, scope and sequence documents, whole-school assessmentdocuments and teaching/learning sequences.

We had numerous enrichment activities each term, which extended students' learning andengagement in learning. These included Dance Fever, incursions, excursions, carnivals and specialevents. Specialist teachers in Italian, Personal Development and Health (PDH) and Music assistedstudents, while we had extensive learning support personnel and resources. Extra-curricularactivities included the introduction of a coding club for students from Kindergarten to Year 6,sporting carnivals, gymnastics, band, choir, guitar, Voice of Youth public speaking, and CatholicSchools Week activities.

In 2017, we were again involved in Read for Australia with students from Caroline ChisholmCollege, and there were playground library and numeracy focused activities. The library fosteredstudent creativity and curiosity with the introduction of Create-a-Daze workshops. The schoolcommunity engaged in the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge with a strong representation in theearly years, Kindergarten to Year 2 (K-2).

Initiatives to promote respect and responsibilityEvery opportunity was given to promote respect, responsibility and leadership within the school.Student management procedures outlined in the Parent Handbook and Pastoral Care policyencouraged students to excel and achieve their personal best in commitment to learning and intheir behaviour. Our weekly school assembly provided one such avenue to remind the schoolcommunity of our three ruling standards, being 'I am safe, I am respectful, I am a learner', andthese were displayed in all learning spaces. As a community we celebrated opportunities wherestudents exemplified these values and expectations in respecting themselves, respecting othersand respecting the environment. Award systems promoted these values and each term aprincipal's morning tea celebrated students' learning and respect for others.

The school community viewed all Year 6 students as leaders, beginning with their responsibilitiesas 'buddies' to our Kindergarten students. Programs such as the Buddy program, extended toinclude Year 5 and Year 1 buddies, engendered a spirit of respect amongst the studentcommunity. During special times in the liturgical year, such as Lent, students were invited toparticipate in social justice initiatives to raise awareness and funds for Caritas. The school MiniVinnies group continued its commitment to social justice initiatives throughout 2017.

The school promoted respect and responsibility in the wider community during Mission Week byhosting a Busking and Stalls Day where all the money raised was donated to local charities andCatholic Mission. Project Compassion was strongly supported across all grades as a fund raisinginitiative as well.

Opportunities were provided for Stage 3 students to engage in relationship building initiatives

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Opportunities were provided for Stage 3 students to engage in relationship building initiativeswhich included a Resilience program and an introduction to the Bullying. No Way, safe Australianschools. The aim was to build the Year 5 students' leadership capacities in taking responsibility inpromoting respect.

Professional LearningWeekly professional learning meetings addressed the three main school goals related to studentachievement. Discussions around agreed practices and strategies to address the school goalsformed part of the professional learning at Bethany Catholic Primary School.

Professional learning during staff development days focused primarily on Hattie's Visible Learningfor Teachers and introduced staff to high yield strategies based on contemporary research baseddata to maximise achievement of all three of the whole school goals.

Staff engaged in a staff development day that ensured they understood the proceduralimportance of stating the learning intentions and success criteria based on syllabus outcomesacross all Key Learning Areas. The learning intentions and success criteria provided opportunitiesfor students to monitor their own and peer learning by reflecting upon success criteria tomonitor achievement. Five 'walk through questions' were discussed and made visible in thelearning spaces. Staff also learnt the importance of offering students timely feedback and feedforward based upon success criteria to allow students to improve their learning. This enabledteachers and students to develop personalised learning goals.

The final staff development day focused upon introducing the rationale for, and identification of,the three whole-school goals for 2018 based on the data evidence. Agreed practices on big andsmall data were identified in order to orient teachers as to the expectations for theimplementation of the 2018 action plan. Staff were reminded of the 'waterfall' effect within thelarger context of policies and system requirements.

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School Improvement

Annual school prioritiesPriority 1 For all students to demonstrate an improved understanding of the

scriptural message - evidenced by improved classroom assessment data

Reason for priority 1 Religious Literacy Assessment across the school provided evidence that6% of student classroom data responses demonstrated growth in adeeper understanding of the scriptural message by making connectionsabout the ways they were called to action in their everydaylives. Implementation of The Three Senses in late 2016 indicated thatfurther consolidation was required. New staff and/or early careerteachers in 2017 would benefit from professional learning related toThe Three Senses.

Steps taken to achievepriority 1

Professional reading and professional learning was explored by theProfessional Learning Community (PLC) inquiry questions. Catholicbiblical commentary was used to understand the background andintent of the biblical writers.

Teachers learnt how to connect the biblical passage with the literal,spiritual and student application level through a curriculum leaders'workshop led by the REC to introduce the collaborative Senses ofScripture online collaborative planning document.

Status of priority 1 Achieved

Priority 2 For all students to demonstrate growth in knowledge about language,with a focus on spelling strategies

Reason for priority 2 The NAPLAN and classroom assessment data indicated continuedgrowth in reading and maintenance of writing results.

Upon further analysis we identified a deficit in knowledge aboutlanguage and how words work at the sub-lexical level. Because'spelling is the engine that drives efficient reading and writing' (Daffern,MacKenzie and Hemmings), explicit instruction in spelling strategieswas utilised across literacy activities to enhance effectivecommunication: the focus on literacy.

Steps taken to achievepriority 2

Staff were introduced to a professional learning text Spelling itOut. This text assisted in shifting focus to a repertoire of strategiesbeyond visual recall, including orthography, etymology andmorphology to enhance comprehension and written communication,with appropriate feedback to students across all Key Learning Areas.

A curriculum leader workshop, led by the literacy coordinator,collaboratively identified a spelling goal for each grade.

Status of priority 2 Achieved

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Priority 3 For all students to improve the use of visualisation as a strategy tosolve mathematical problems - evidenced through the MathematicsAssessment Interview (MAI) visualisation assessment in term 2 and 4

Reason for priority 3 In numeracy our pedagogical content knowledge and insights from theMathematical Assessment Interview (MAI) and NAPLAN data analysisidentified the need to develop students' skills further in problem-solving strategies and visualisation.

Steps taken to achievepriority 3

Teachers implemented agreed practice to provide opportunities indaily warm-ups which focused on measurement, using NAPLAN stylequestions.

Teachers provided rich, open-ended mathematical learning tasks andteachable moments during lessons to develop students' understandingof visualisation as a problem-solving strategy, focusing on multi-steptasks. A curriculum leader workshop was led by the Mathematicscoordinator to discuss tracking strategies as assessment for learning.

Status of priority 3 Achieved

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Projected school prioritiesPriority 1 For all students to increase their existing knowledge of the spiritual

sense using Catholic teachings, practices and traditions through thesacred scriptures/senses of scripture with a focus on Sacraments andJesus

Reason for Priority 1 Overall the Year 4 data indicated projected results on a positivetrajectory. Year 4 results of the 2017 Religious Literacy Assessment(RLA) indicated a 3% growth from 2016 in relation to knowledge aboutJesus. There was also a marginal growth in Sacraments of 1%. Theoverall results demonstrated growth in a positive trajectory. It is worthnoting that Year 6 performed 12.2% above the overall diocesanRLA results.

Steps to be taken toachieve Priority 1

Senses of Scripture will be integrated into the teaching and learningassessment cycle and in all outcomes. Each grade will establish a gradegoal (as per 2017), aligned to teacher learning plans in order to engagein teacher inquiry around the school goal. Jesus and Sacrament focusedunits will be assessed each term using an RLA style assessment.

Priority 2 For all students to demonstrate improved comprehension with a focuson knowledge about language (grammar and punctuation, vocabulary,spelling)

Reason for Priority 2 Our big data results from 2017 indicated that comprehension continuesto be an area of need. Comprehension, particularly inferencing, hasbeen an area of focus in past years. In 2016 we used comprehensionclusters and in 2017 we worked towards development of spelling andincorporating knowledge about language. The phrasing within the goal‘knowledge about language’ incorporates the areas of spelling,vocabulary and grammar, all of which interlink and thus will continueour 2017 goal.

Steps to be taken toachieve Priority 2

During 2018, we will be digitally tracking and measuring comprehensionand vocabulary growth using the comprehension and vocabularyclusters from the Department of Education (DEC) literacy continuum,and focus in knowledge about language during our planning of sharedreading and writing programs (including guided sessions) to provide anadditional pathway for addressing comprehensiondevelopment. Adoption of visible learning strategies using theWaterfall framework will also be a strategy.

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Priority 3 For all students to improve their ability to solve multi-step problemsusing a variety of strategies that focus on communicating, problemsolving and reasoning

Reason for Priority 3 Data from NAPLAN indicated that students' comprehension ofproblems impacts upon their mathematical abilities, specifically inresponding to multi-step problems. It is evident from the data thatstudents have difficulty in comprehending and deconstructing thequestion and this hinders their ability to identify the Mathematicsrequired to efficiently answer the problem.

Steps to be taken toachieve Priority 3

Working mathematically outcomes need to be more evident in theteaching, learning and assessment cycle, particularly in relation to richtasks requiring students to become proficient at applying problem-solving skills and mathematical techniques, communication andreasoning in relation to multi-step/strand problems. We will useannual MAI assessments and strategies using problem of the week tomodel how to deconstruct the question and visible learning strategiesusing the Waterfall framework.

Community Satisfaction

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Community Satisfaction

Parent satisfactionDuring 2017, Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta engaged Insight SRC to conduct theQuality Catholic Schooling (QCS) survey to provide feedback from parents, students and staffabout our school. This survey is conducted annually.

The QCS data collected and reported showed that parents were our strongest supporters and thereputation of Bethany Catholic Primary School in the local community was very high. TheBethany Catholic Primary School Parents and Friends Association continued to build a strongsense of community spirit and provided funds for student welfare and resources for theirlearning. The Bethany Catholic Primary School parent community were well represented at thenumerous community gatherings throughout 2017. Special family celebrations, such asGrandparents Day, Fathers Day and Mothers Day, were also big community occasions. Parentswere generous in their support throughout the year. The annual Quality Catholic Schools (QCS)survey responses from families rated the school highly. School improvement and the learningfocus were highly rated by parent opinions, as well as parents perceiving teachers as beingenthusiastic and passionate about their work.

Student satisfactionBethany Catholic Primary School students engaged and responded enthusiastically to thelearning culture within the school.

The annual QCS data provided insights into the relationships and culture of the school,highlighting the strong teacher/student relationships and student connectedness to the schoolcommunity. The students also identified how much they enjoyed being engaged in the simulatinglearning, provided by teaching staff. Student motivation was also rated highly by all. Studentswere provided with a range of extra-curricular activities which catered for a wide diversity oftalents and gifts. The sense of identity and belonging enjoyed by students made BethanyCatholic Primary School a unique environment in which to live and learn. Students highly ratedemotional wellbeing and teacher empathy, and perceived purposeful teaching and stimulatinglearning as fundamental to their engagement when accessing all Key Learning Areas.

Teacher satisfactionAll staff at Bethany Catholic Primary School were truly dedicated and committed to the studentsand their learning. The generosity of time and expertise to maximise learning outcomescontinued to be evident each day at the school. We had a 91% retention rate of teachers, whichreflected the staff promotions to other schools. Teacher responses to the QCS survey indicatedstrong team-based practice among all staff, with working collaboratively in planning andprogramming enabling greater cooperation and sharing of expertise. The staff strived to improvethe way they did their work and achieved high standards. Professional learning communities(PLCs) were across grade teams which drove the professional learning and goal achievement. Theteachers owned the goals, the professional learning, the processes of implementation and thesuccesses. The teaching community highly rated Team Based Practices indicating a positiveteaching climate. This enriched their work and sense of common vision, which correlated withparents' perception of staff satisfaction in their work.

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Student Profile

Enrolment PolicyBethany Catholic Primary School follows the Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta (CEDP)Enrolment Policy and Procedures. This document can be obtained from the school office or can beaccessed on the CEDP website http://www.parra.catholic.edu.au/policy-central

Current and previous years' student enrolmentYear Boys Girls Total

2015 258 364 622

2016 249 352 601

2017 256 355 611

Bethany Catholic Primary School continued to be a popular school in the community. There hasalso been an increase in enrolments owing to the further residential development of Mulgoa Riseand increased resident settlement in the Penrith City area. Another contributing factor was theinitiative to hold an 'Open Day' during school hours for prospective families.

Student attendance ratesThe table below shows the percentage of student attendance by Year level and school average.

Kindergarten 94

Year 1 93

Year 2 84

Year 3 84

Year 4 79

Year 5 82

Year 6 84

School Average 86

Characteristics of the student bodyThe table below shows the number of students in each of the categories listed.

Language background other than English (LBOTE) 75

Students with disablities (SWD) 23

Indigenous 13

Managing Student Non-attendanceRegular attendance at school is essential if students are to maximise their potential. Schools inpartnership with parents and guardians, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance ofstudents. The compulsory schooling age is 6-17. Parents and guardians are legally responsible forthe regular attendance of their children, explaining the absences of their children in writingwithin several days to the school, and taking measures to resolve attendance issues involvingBethany Catholic Primary School, Glenmore Park Page 16

within several days to the school, and taking measures to resolve attendance issues involvingtheir children. School staff as part of their duty of care, monitor part or whole day absences.

They maintain accurate records of students' attendance, follow up unexplained absencesthrough written and verbal communication, implement programs and practices to addressattendance issues when they arise, and provide clear information to students and parentsregarding attendance requirements and the consequences of unsatisfactory attendance. Theprincipal or their delegate, may grant permission for late arrival or early departure from school,leave or exemption from attendance only in individual cases, on written request from parentsand guardians.

The principal/delegate will undertake all reasonable measures to contact parents promptly if anunexplained absence occurs. If truancy is suspected, the principal will contact theparents/guardians to ascertain the reason for the absence. If a satisfactory response is notreceived, the matter will be referred to the relevant staff at the Catholic Education Office,Diocese of Parramatta who will follow up unexplained absences as per legislative requirements.

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Student wellbeing

Student welfare, discipline and anti-bullying policies and pastoral careBethany Catholic Primary School has policies to address student welfare areas which arecontinually evaluated to maximise the wellbeing and learning of our students. Student welfarewas enhanced through regular celebrations and a variety of events to make school life morestimulating and enjoyable. Students were rewarded through the principal's morning tea eachterm and often acknowledged at assemblies and in the school newsletter.

Anti-bullying policies were in place to ensure every child felt safe and secure at all times.Preventative strategies were in place to encourage students to take responsibility for theirbehaviour and wellbeing. Incentive systems, in class and school-wide, enabled us to create aclimate whereby students identified with our school expectations and were very compliant withour rules and expected responsibilities.

Pastoral care was a high priority as we have increasingly more families in crisis and childrensuffering from anxieties and mental health issues. Many strategies, including access to the schoolcounsellor, support for families and children in distress, along with utilising the principles ofrestorative justice, promoted the culture of care and wellbeing that is prominent at BethanyCatholic Primary School. Buddy systems were utilised extensively to build relationships andleadership by students.

These policies are evaluated and changed when necessary to update information and can befound on the school's website, or you are welcome to call Bethany Catholic Primary School andrequest a copy.

There were no changes to our policies in 2017.

Complaints and grievances policyBethany Catholic Primary School has policies to address any complaints or grievances that mightbe addressed to the school. These are consistent and aligned with Catholic Education Diocese ofParramatta (CEDP) policies.

Concerns are logged and addressed in a timely manner to resolve any perceivedmisunderstandings or issues. Parents are usually well informed by follow up discussions andclarification of areas of concern. If major issues arise parent conferences can be quickly organisedto address the problem and assist resolution. We place a priority on addressing grievances if theyshould arise.

These policies are evaluated and changed when necessary to update information and can befound on the school's website or you are welcome to call Bethany Primary School and request acopy.

There were no changes to our policies in 2017.

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Section Eleven: Financial Statement

Income Expenditure

Commonwealth (59.8%)Capital (0%)State (18.2%)Fees (20.3%)Other (1.7%)

Capital (0.8%)Salary (76.4%)Non-Salary (22.8%)

RECURRENT and CAPITAL INCOME

Commonwealth Recurrent Grants1 $3,881,417

Government Capital Grants 2 $0

State Recurrent Grants 3 $1,179,838

Fees and Private Income 4 $1,317,895

Other Capital Income 5 $107,295

Total Income $6,486,445

RECURRENT and CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

Capital Expenditure 6 $44,005

Salaries and Related Expenses 7 $4,437,392

Non-Salary Expenses 8 $1,325,062

Total Expenditure $5,806,459

1. Commonwealth relates to Commonwealth Recurrent Grants including per capita fundingand special purpose grants.

2. Capital relates to Government Capital Grants.3. State relates to State Recurrent Grants including per capita funding, interest subsidy and

special purpose grants.4. Fees relates to diocesan and school based fees, excursions and other private income from

parents.5. Other refers to Other Capital Income including drawdowns from the Diocesan School

Building Fund to fund Capital Expenditure.6. Capital refers to Capital Expenditure including School Buildings, Furniture and Equipment.7. Salaries refers to the total of all Salaries, allowances and related expenses such as

superannuation, workers compensation and leave.8. Non-Salary refers to all other Non-Salary Recurrent Expenses.

20.3%

18.2% 59.8%

■■■■■

22.8%

76.4%

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Bethany Catholic Primary School, Glenmore Park Page 19

Bethany Catholic Primary School, Glenmore Park Page 20