Queensland State School Reporting
2013 School Annual Report
. / Postal address / PO Box 319 Oakey 4401
Phone / (07) 4691 4100
Fax / (07) 4691 4123
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 / Greg Jones Acting Principal Oakey State High School
Principal’s foreword
Introduction
This report details Oakey State High School’s progress toward improved student engagement and achievement. This 2013 report details very specific data and school cultural gains achieved by students, staff and our community in 2013, the fourth year in our four year national partnership program. The main goal in this plan is improved literacy and numeracy student achievement that is comparable to national equivalence or better by 2014. This improvement agenda is funded by and part of the Low Socioeconomic Schools National Partnership.School progress towards its goals in 2013
Improvement Agenda· The school, its curriculum and students continue to improve individual literacy and numeracy skills.
· The school has made great progress towards developing a positive learning culture.
· The implementation of the Australian Curriculum in English, Maths and Science has been reviewed and refinements have been made where necessary. The Australian Curriculum in History has been successfully introduced in Year 8, 9 and 10.
· Students in Year 9 – 12 have access to laptops and online content.
· Teachers are developing digital pedagogies.
· A range of research based school-wide pedagogies to improve learning in the classroom, were developed by the Excellence in Teaching Committee in 2012. These were implemented across the school in 2013 and will continue to be refined in 2014.
Future outlook
The following list of long term goals remain central to our ongoing improvement journey.
· Students at this school will perform at the National average in NAPLAN tests.
· This school will develop a positive learning culture.
· Introduce the Australian Curriculum in English, Maths, Science, History and Geography.
· Implement the digital revolution to ensure transformation of student and school management and learning and teaching using laptops and digital content.
· Improve student attendance and engagement at our school.
· Develop a culture of teaching excellence at Oakey High.
· Implement a school wide pedagogical framework.
· Implement a Junior Secondary Philosophy including a student management, pedagogy and curriculum in 2014 to prepare for Year 7 in 2015.
Our school at a glanceSchool Profile
Coeducational or single sex: Co-educational
Year levels offered in 2013: Year 8 - Year 12
Total student enrolments for this school:
Total / Girls / Boys / Enrolment Continuity(Feb – Nov)
2011 / 390 / 185 / 205 / 86%
2012 / 386 / 195 / 191 / 86%
2013 / 419 / 204 / 215 / 87%
Student counts are based on the Census (August) enrolment collection.
Characteristics of the student body:
The students at Oakey High School are friendly, hardworking and a socially responsible young people, proud of themselves and their community. They live the school vision “Own It, Believe It, Achieve It” and enact our community values of Respect, Excellence, Personality, Participation and Safety. Oakey SHS students respond well to challenge and strive to achieve their personal best.Seventy-five percent of students will seek a future after school in the trades or work force. The remainder are well prepared to pursue academic programs which result in further learning or university qualifications.
Average Class sizesPhase / Average Class Size
2011 / 2012 / 2013
Prep – Year 3
Year 4 – Year 7 Primary
Year 7 Secondary – Year 10 / 19 / 18 / 23
Year 11 – Year 12 / 16 / 16 / 15
School Disciplinary Absences
Disciplinary Absences / Count of Incidents
2011 / 2012 / 2013
Short Suspensions - 1 to 5 days / 90 / 86 / 105
Long Suspensions - 6 to 20 days / 9 / 13 / 21
Exclusions / 3 / 3 / 4
Cancellations of Enrolment / 6 / 6 / 7
Curriculum offerings
Our distinctive curriculum offerings
Oakey State High School is the local district high school servicing a wide-spread rural community as well as the township of Oakey. Our curriculum meets the needs of the students who choose to be educated in a small semi-rural setting.Academic pursuits are very important and the school maintains all academic offerings including those offered by Virtual Schooling including Japanese, Mathematics C, Economics and Legal Studies. 20% of our students pursue a straight forward academic study program.
The school is a Gateway School for the Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy providing access to jobs in the coal seam gas industries of the Surat Basin.
Many of our students choose Vocational Education Pathways including Business, Engineering Construction, Hospitality, Industry Music, Information Technology and Furnishing. School Based Traineeships and Apprenticeships and Workplace Education provide other opportunities for many of our students. One significant initiative has been the introduction of whole day learning programs in Construction, Engineering and Furnishing.
Extra curricula activities
· After school tutorial programs in English, Mathematics are and Science offered to interested students.· Opportunities to seek representation in District, Regional and State Sporting teams.
· Arts and Musical Display Programs.
· Year 8 and 12 Camp Program along with end of term reward days.
· Leadership Program for Senior Students.
· Care and Careers Program (developing Social and Emotional competence).
· Work Experience, Structured Work Place Learning and extensive industry partnership providing work place education.
· NAIDOC Week and Sorry Day Celebrations.
· Interdenominational Religious Education program and a School Nurse and School Chaplain.
· The Inter Year Program where senior students mentor Year 8 students.
· Students participate in agricultural studies, show cattle, poultry and goats in local shows.
How Information and Communication Technologies are used to assist learning
An extensive and well maintained Information Technology Network supports learning in all classrooms. The school’s Resource Centre is an access point for a significant collection of digital content and well maintained up-to-date technology. Three internet able computer laboratories and another three pods of networked machines support small group learning and research approaches.Students in Year 9 – 12 are able to access the loan laptop program which provides access to a 3G enabled laptop computer for school and home use
Social climate
An extensive Social and Emotional Program is enacted each year through the Care and Career Program. All classes undertake exciting and highly relevant programs that not only develop responsible citizenship and social responsibility but also provides an environment which is learner friendly, yet supports individual difference.
The School Chaplain, School Nurse, Community Education Counsellor, Guidance Officer and Student Support Services committee structure ensures individual students are supported through the turbulent adolescent years.
Our School Wide Positive Teaching and Learning Program systematically constructs the conditions for student success. This initiative is resulting in positive student behaviour and reduced disciplinary absence.
Parent, student and staff satisfaction with the school
/2013 has seen an exciting improvement in public confidence in the school and its culture. Positive Teaching and Learning and student success has improved overall satisfaction levels from staff and most pleasingly from our students.
Performance measure (Nationally agreed items shown*)
Percentage of parents/caregivers who agree that: / 2012 / 2013
their child is getting a good education at school (S2016) / 100% / 94%
this is a good school (S2035) / 100% / 100%
their child likes being at this school* (S2001) / 91% / 94%
their child feels safe at this school* (S2002) / 91% / 100%
their child's learning needs are being met at this school* (S2003) / 100% / 94%
their child is making good progress at this school* (S2004) / 100% / 94%
teachers at this school expect their child to do his or her best* (S2005) / 100% / 100%
teachers at this school provide their child with useful feedback about his or her school work* (S2006) / 100% / 100%
teachers at this school motivate their child to learn* (S2007) / 100% / 94%
teachers at this school treat students fairly* (S2008) / 90% / 88%
they can talk to their child's teachers about their concerns* (S2009) / 100% / 100%
this school works with them to support their child's learning* (S2010) / 100% / 93%
this school takes parents' opinions seriously* (S2011) / 100% / 93%
student behaviour is well managed at this school* (S2012) / 80% / 88%
this school looks for ways to improve* (S2013) / 100% / 94%
this school is well maintained* (S2014) / 100% / 100%
Performance measure (Nationally agreed items shown*)
Percentage of students who agree that: / 2012 / 2013
they are getting a good education at school (S2048) / 86% / 91%
they like being at their school* (S2036) / 83% / 92%
they feel safe at their school* (S2037) / 90% / 94%
their teachers motivate them to learn* (S2038) / 84% / 92%
their teachers expect them to do their best* (S2039) / 93% / 98%
their teachers provide them with useful feedback about their school work* (S2040) / 87% / 94%
teachers treat students fairly at their school* (S2041) / 78% / 83%
they can talk to their teachers about their concerns* (S2042) / 70% / 86%
their school takes students' opinions seriously* (S2043) / 80% / 87%
student behaviour is well managed at their school* (S2044) / 67% / 74%
their school looks for ways to improve* (S2045) / 88% / 99%
their school is well maintained* (S2046) / 85% / 93%
their school gives them opportunities to do interesting things* (S2047) / 87% / 95%
Performance measure
Percentage of school staff who agree that: / 2013
they enjoy working at their school (S2069) / 100%
they feel that their school is a safe place in which to work (S2070) / 100%
they receive useful feedback about their work at their school (S2071) / 98%
students are encouraged to do their best at their school (S2072) / 98%
students are treated fairly at their school (S2073) / 91%
student behaviour is well managed at their school (S2074) / 85%
staff are well supported at their school (S2075) / 93%
their school takes staff opinions seriously (S2076) / 91%
their school looks for ways to improve (S2077) / 100%
their school is well maintained (S2078) / 93%
their school gives them opportunities to do interesting things (S2079) / 95%
* Nationally agreed student and parent/caregiver items were incorporated in the School Opinion Survey in 2012.
# 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
Education of our young people is a partnership between parents, the school and the wider community. Our parents are involved in the school in a wide variety of active roles including the P.& C. Association, and as vocational tutors and mentors. Parents manage an award winning healthy tuckshop along with a uniform pool.Our community strongly supports the school through the Vocational Education Program and Work Experience, an active Chaplaincy Committee and the Oakey Reconciliation Committee which has strong links with all the schools in Oakey.
Parent representation in a range of forums gives direct input into the management and improvement strategies of Oakey SHS. An active Environment Committee and the Positive Teaching and Learning Committee work to create a positive learning environment.
The school holds get to know you evenings, a wide range of pertinent information evenings and parent teacher interviews and reporting session each semester.
Parents and community members are valued and equal contributors to any successful education process and we are proud of our success in creating great outcomes for our students.
Reducing the school’s environmental footprint
Data is sourced from school's annual utilities return and is reliant on the accuracy of these returns.The school’s solar energy generation system and eight rainwater tanks continue to reduce reliance on outside provided services.
Environmental footprint indicators
Electricity
kWh / Water kL
2010-2011 / 222,682 / 1,642
2011-2012 / 262,175 / 1,680
2012-2013 / 245,703 / 359
The consumption data is sourced from the validated utilities expenditure return which the school submits at the end of each financial year. The data provides an indication of the consumption trend in each of the utility categories which impact on the schools environmental footprint.
Our staff profileStaff composition, including Indigenous staff
2013 Workforce Composition / Teaching Staff * / Non-teaching Staff / Indigenous StaffHeadcounts / 42 / 30 / <5
Full-time equivalents / 39 / 22 / <5
Qualifications 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 2013 were $ 48 836.The major professional development initiatives are as follows:
· School-wide pedagogy
· Subject Area Knowledge
· Assessment and Reporting Practices
The proportion of the teaching staff involved in professional development activities during 2013 was 100 %.
Average staff attendance / 2011 / 2012 / 2013
Staff attendance for permanent and temporary staff and school leaders. / 96% / 95% / 96%
Proportion of staff retained from the previous school year