Pacific Pines State School

Queensland State School Reporting

2014 School Annual Report

/ Postal address / PO Box 534 Helensvale 4212
Phone / (07) 5502 5333
Fax / (07) 5502 5300
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 / Mrs. Kathryn Edwards (Principal)

Principal’s foreword

Introduction

This report outlines this school’s profile, expenditure, attendance and key outcomes in the early and middle phases of schooling as well as students, staff and community levels of satisfaction with this school. It also outlines the journey that we have taken and the future pathways that we will be taking in order to continually improve student learning outcomes.

Pacific Pines Primary School is committed to providing quality educational experiences that are connected to real life and have a futures perspective through a supportive and creative learning environment. We believe that the values and characteristics of our families are reflected in the feeling of community and in productive partnerships between our school and its community. Our aim is to continue to provide a seamless educational journey for our students from Prep to Year 7 working in partnership with our local high school. Both of our schools provide a curriculum embedded in excellent explicit teaching based on current research. Our teachers are highly committed professionals who put students first. Our school is “united to achieve excellence.” We believe in the education of the whole child- academically, socially and emotionally.

Our school values:

Quality educational experiences that include high intellectual challenge / Evidenced by: 1. Deep engagement with work of high intellectual quality 2. The holistic development of our students
Academic excellence / Evidenced by: 1. The high achievements of our students 2. The number of students accessing the school’s STRIVE (students receiving intervention via extension) program
A curriculum connected to real life / Evidenced by: 1. Real life investigations 2. Real problem solving situations
A differentiated curriculum / Evidenced by: 1. Creative and flexible responses to the needs of students (individuals and groups) to build the social capital of students
The aspirations of individuals / Evidenced by: 1. Supporting the development of individual talents and capabilities
Teamwork / Evidenced by: 1. Sharing the load document 2. Team Collaboration Days
A skilled workforce / Evidenced by: 1. Ongoing professional development to meet the needs of the school improvement agenda, teams and individuals’ needs
A supportive and creative environment / Evidenced by: 1. High expectations for all students 2. Making explicit what is required for success 3. High levels of student ownership and motivation 4. Acknowledging self-regulatory student behavior 5. An atmosphere of mutual respect 6. Imagination, originality and risk taking
Building positive relationships / Evidenced by: 1. An atmosphere of respect and calm 2. Community partnerships
Difference / Evidenced by: 1. Differentiation in all levels of teaching and learning 2. Successful integration of students with special needs
Social responsibilities / Evidenced by: 1. Few incidences of high level behaviours 2. Number of students involved in leadership positions
A sense of community / Evidenced by: 1. The number of community members volunteering in the school 2. The results from the School Opinion Surveys
A futures perspective / Evidenced by: 1. Thinking with an explicit sense of possible alternatives 2. Acting with an explicit sense of a preferred future 3. Taking responsibility for actions and decisions
Celebration of success / Evidenced by: 1. The number of participants from the community attending Culminating Days 2. The number of students receiving awards

School progress towards its goals in 2014

Improvement Agenda / Priority Areas of Development / Progress Made
  • Reading Prep to Year 7
  • Numeracy Prep to Year 7
  • Data
/
  • Building staff capacity in effective teaching practices
  • Differentiation in curriculum delivery
  • Personalised learning
  • The language of learning
  • Instructional leadership
  • Use of data
  • Whole school assessment cycles
/
  • All staff were inserviced in the Marzano-based Explicit Teaching Model
  • School leaders observed explicit teaching lessons in classrooms and gave teachers feedback
  • All teachers demonstrated that they are differentiating for their students in their planning and in their teaching
  • All students have Learning for Life (L4L) books which contain their preferred way/s of learning and their Multiple Intelligence/s
  • The Heads of Curriculum have led in the implementation of whole school assessment cycles
  • All teachers enter their data onto One School and are taken offline at the end of each term to plan and discuss/analyse their class and cohort data
  • School leaders use instructional leadership to observe, coach and give feedback to classroom teachers

Future outlook

Key Initiatives for 2015:

Improvement Agenda

  • Reading-Improve Reading outcomes across all year levels with a specific focus on inferential comprehension, locating information directly from the text and vocabulary.
  • Writing- Improve Writing outcomes across all year levels with a specific focus on the 7 Steps of Writing.
  • Numeracy- Improve Numeracy outcomes across all year levels with a specific focus on at risk students for NMS and moving more students into the U2B’s
  • Science- Improve Science outcomes across all year levels with a specific focus on moving more students to A’s and B’s

Priority Areas of Development

  • School Pedagogical Framework
  • Building team capacity
  • Evidence-based teaching
  • Data collection and analysis
  • School moderation processes
  • School and community partnerships

Our school at a glance

School Profile

Coeducational or single sex: Coeducational

Year levels offered in 2014: Prep Year - Year 7

Total student enrolments for this school:

Total / Girls / Boys / Enrolment Continuity
(Feb – Nov)
2012 / 1109 / 520 / 589 / 96%
2013 / 1111 / 530 / 581 / 94%
2014 / 1078 / 508 / 570 / 94%

Student counts are based on the Census (August) enrolment collection.

Characteristics of the student body:

Pacific Pines Primary School is a satellite urban suburb servicing the areas of Pacific Pines and Gaven. The area was first developed by Stocklands approximately 17 years ago and has mushroomed into a large residential area comprising four primary schools and one high school. The area around the school is comprised mostly of houses. Four large rental complexes are located within walking distance from the school.

Many students emanate from New Zealand and there has been an influx of migrants from Great Britain. New enrolments are constant throughout the year. Continuity of enrolments is quite high. 2% of the student enrolment is comprised of indigenous students and less than 2% of students are classified as having English as a second language.

The Pacific Pines area is predominantly populated by families whose parents work in the trade or service industries. Most families have two parents with a significant number of those families having only one parent employed. The school has a number of parent and grandparent volunteers assisting with Home Readers and in classrooms.

Average class sizes

Phase / Average Class Size
2012 / 2013 / 2014
Prep – Year 3 / 23 / 22 / 21
Year 4 – Year 7 Primary / 26 / 25 / 26

School Disciplinary Absences

Disciplinary Absences / Count of Incidents
2012 / 2013 / 2014*
Short Suspensions - 1 to 5 days / 18 / 13 / 6
Long Suspensions - 6 to 20 days / 0 / 1 / 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

Dance

Robotics

Public Speaking

Readers’ Cup

Chess

Griffith University Science Competition

Homework Club before school

Higher Order Thinking Skills for the 21st Century

STRIVE for identified students working at a higher juncture in their learning

Extra curricula activities

After school Science Club at Pacific Pines High School

The Active After School Program catering for over 120 students throughout the year from Years 3 to 7

The Gold Coast City Council sponsors the Young Pacific Pines Primary School’s Writers of the Year Awards yearly

Students are encouraged to participate in ETC academic competitions

Chess Club after school

Before school tutorials

Before and after school sport’s training

Robotics Club before and after school

 iPAD Genius Bar at lunchtimes

Before and after school choir and band rehearsals

How Information and Communication Technologies are used to assist learning

Pacific Pines Primary School is fully networked. The school installed wireless throughout the whole school last year allowing network access in all areas of the school’s campus. In 2013 The Thinking Box Room was established through funds awarded to the school from Empowering Local Schools grant monies. Students visit this room to be taught thinking skills through access to 21st Century ICTs. The classes have their own EdStudios established in order for communication to occur between home and school. Students also work in the school’s two computer labs and there are computer pods throughout the school where students work online throughout the day in the different subject areas. Staff access The Learning Place as part of their resources and use many other web based sites to offer students real life learning situations in an interactive manner. Our school’s P&C sponsor Mathletics and Reading Eggs each year so that all students can equitably access these programs online both at school and at home. Teachers plan home tasks using these programs. Students complete Design Challenges throughout the year. Staff provide students with access to the Robotics Club which meet before and after school. Staff utilise their interactive whiteboards in their classrooms on a daily basis.

Social Climate

Pacific Pines Primary School is the pride of its community and has established itself as a very desirable school to attend. This school has an excellent social climate where students, staff and the community are treated with mutual respect. Bullying is not tolerated and the school has a unique Bully Reporting System which empowers our students to speak up and stop any harassment which they may have been experiencing. We teach our junior students how to use the high five strategy which gives them specific steps to go through when dealing with other students in the playground. 92% of students feel that they are safe at this school. 92% of students feel that they are treated fairly at Pacific Pines Primary School. 96% of students like being at this school.

Parent, student and staff satisfaction with the school

Performance measure
Percentage of parent/caregivers who agree# that: / 2012 / 2013 / 2014
their child is getting a good education at school (S2016) / 100% / 97% / 92%
this is a good school (S2035) / 100% / 97% / 93%
their child likes being at this school* (S2001) / 97% / 97% / 98%
their child feels safe at this school* (S2002) / 97% / 97% / 97%
their child's learning needs are being met at this school* (S2003) / 94% / 97% / 88%
their child is making good progress at this school* (S2004) / 100% / 93% / 91%
teachers at this school expect their child to do his or her best* (S2005) / 100% / 100% / 94%
teachers at this school provide their child with useful feedback about his or her school work* (S2006) / 100% / 97% / 86%
teachers at this school motivate their child to learn* (S2007) / 97% / 97% / 90%
teachers at this school treat students fairly* (S2008) / 100% / 93% / 87%
they can talk to their child's teachers about their concerns* (S2009) / 100% / 100% / 95%
this school works with them to support their child's learning* (S2010) / 100% / 93% / 88%
this school takes parents' opinions seriously* (S2011) / 97% / 93% / 90%
student behaviour is well managed at this school* (S2012) / 97% / 93% / 88%
this school looks for ways to improve* (S2013) / 100% / 96% / 91%
this school is well maintained* (S2014) / 100% / 100% / 95%
Performance measure
Percentage of students who agree# that: / 2012 / 2013 / 2014
they are getting a good education at school (S2048) / 99% / 98% / 96%
they like being at their school* (S2036) / 97% / 98% / 96%
they feel safe at their school* (S2037) / 97% / 97% / 92%
their teachers motivate them to learn* (S2038) / 97% / 98% / 97%
their teachers expect them to do their best* (S2039) / 98% / 100% / 100%
their teachers provide them with useful feedback about their school work* (S2040) / 99% / 97% / 94%
teachers treat students fairly at their school* (S2041) / 96% / 98% / 92%
they can talk to their teachers about their concerns* (S2042) / 89% / 90% / 87%
their school takes students' opinions seriously* (S2043) / 94% / 94% / 88%
student behaviour is well managed at their school* (S2044) / 88% / 89% / 83%
their school looks for ways to improve* (S2045) / 97% / 99% / 97%
their school is well maintained* (S2046) / 96% / 97% / 97%
their school gives them opportunities to do interesting things* (S2047) / 97% / 98% / 94%
Performance measure
Percentage of school staff who agree# that: / 2012 / 2013 / 2014
they enjoy working at their school (S2069) / 95% / 98%
they feel that their school is a safe place in which to work (S2070) / 99% / 98%
they receive useful feedback about their work at their school (S2071) / 83% / 89%
students are encouraged to do their best at their school (S2072) / 100% / 98%
students are treated fairly at their school (S2073) / 96% / 98%
student behaviour is well managed at their school (S2074) / 96% / 96%
staff are well supported at their school (S2075) / 90% / 96%
their school takes staff opinions seriously (S2076) / 89% / 98%
their school looks for ways to improve (S2077) / 97% / 96%
their school is well maintained (S2078) / 99% / 96%
their school gives them opportunities to do interesting things (S2079) / 93% / 94%

* Nationally agreed student and parent/caregiver items were incorporated in the School Opinion Survey in 2012.

# ‘Agree’ represents the percentage of respondents who Somewhat Agree, Agree or Strongly Agree with the statement. Due to a major redevelopment of the surveys (parent/caregiver and student in 2012; staff in 2013), comparisons with results from previous years are not recommended.

DW = Data withheld to ensure confidentiality.

Involving parents in their child’s education

At Pacific Pines Primary School we encourage our parents to become involved in their child’s education through:

Membership of the P&C

Training parents to scan and change home readers

Training parents in Support A Reader, Support A Talker, Support A Prep Reader and Support A Maths Learner

Instructing parents on how to hear a student’s spelling

Encouraging parents to participate in special projects such as the fete

Providing parenting programs

Providing information to parents regarding oral language skills

Demonstrating story reading to parents

Having sessions available throughout the year on effective reading strategies

Encouraging parental and community attendance at Culminating Days

Inviting parents to assist on excursions

Involving parents when compiling Individual Needs Profiles

Encouraging parents to support fund raising initiatives

Placing relevant information on the school’s web site to inform the community

Communicating relevant school policies and expectations via the school newsletter

Reducing the school’s environmental footprint

During 2014 measures were taken to reduce the school’s environmental footprint. These measures were use of water tanks and all lights and fans turned off at each break. Computers are also shut down at the end of each day.

Environmental footprint indicators
Years / Electricity
kWh / Water kL
2011-2012 / 574,293 / 2,703
2012-2013 / 258,687 / 1,847
2013-2014 / 244,712 / 3,475

The consumption data is compiled from sources including ERM, Ergon reports and utilities data entered into OneSchool by each school. The data provides an indication of the consumption trend in each of the utility categories which impact on the school’s environmental footprint.

Our staff profile

Staff composition, including Indigenous staff

2014 Workforce Composition / Teaching Staff* / Non-teaching Staff / Indigenous Staff
Headcounts / 72 / 32 / 0
Full-time equivalents / 64 / 22 / 0

Qualification of all teachers

*Teaching staff includes School Leaders

**Graduate Diploma etc. includes Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours Degree, and Graduate Certificate.

Expenditure on and teacher participation in professional development

The total funds expended on teacher professional development in 2014 were $62922

The major professional development initiatives are as follows:

  • Early Start Program
  • Robotics
  • Data analyses
  • Curriculum
  • Literacy including Reading
  • Flying Start
  • Disabilities support
  • Nonviolent crisis intervention
  • Coaching
  • Marzano design principles
  • Seven Steps to Writing
  • Thinking and learning
  • Workplace Health and Training
  • Senior First Aid
  • Staff Team Planning and Data Collaboration Days

The proportion of the teaching staff involved in professional development activities during 2014 was 100%.

Average staff attendance / 2012 / 2013 / 2014
Staff attendance for permanent and temporary staff and school leaders. / 96% / 97% / 96%

Proportion of staff retained from the previous school year

From the end of the previous school year, 94% of staff was retained by the school for the entire 2014 school year.

School income broken down by funding source

School income broken down by funding source is available via the My School website at

To access our income details, click on the My School link above. You will then be taken to the My School website with the following ‘Find a school’ text box.

Where it says ‘Search by school name’, type in the name of the school you wish to view, and select <GO>. Read and follow the instructions on the next screen; you will be asked to accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy before being given access to the school’s My School entry webpage.

School financial information is available by selecting ‘School finances’ in the menu box in the top left corner of the school’s entry webpage. If you are unable to access the internet, please contact the school for a paper copy of income by funding source.

Performance of our students

Key student outcomes

Student attendance / 2012 / 2013 / 2014
The overall attendance rate for the students at this school (shown as a percentage). / 94% / 92% / 93%

The overall attendance rate in 2014 for all Queensland Primary schools was 92%.

Student attendance rate for each year level (shown as a percentage)
Year 1 / Year 2 / Year 3 / Year 4 / Year 5 / Year 6 / Year 7
2012 / 95% / 94% / 94% / 94% / 95% / 94% / 94%
2013 / 92% / 93% / 91% / 92% / 92% / 92% / 93%
2014 / 92% / 93% / 93% / 93% / 93% / 92% / 92%

DW = Data withheld to ensure confidentiality.