REPORTS

Over the last several weeks teaching staff have been working very hard together to moderate and report on each students’ learning and growth during Semester One. Each staff  member who is reporting to each parent regarding their child’s learning during this period of time has also sat with members of the leadership team who have also provided both moderation of grades and comments and who have worked together with each staff member to develop a true picture of the learning that has occurred for each child during 2019.

We must also acknowledge other teaching staff who have assisted the process through their own professional judgement, assistance and critical friend to each reporting teacher as someone who has been able to independently look at comments to ensure that they are clear in describing the learning during Semester One.

When viewing the reports it is always easy to look at the overall score, the A-E result for the learning area. What I would ask you to do is to start at the general comment on the very back page and read your child’s overall comment that attempts to sum up the general disposition of your child, how they operate with others and their own work ethic.

I would then work my way through the report looking at the overall grade and the subsections that may comprise this, the effort result and the comment that will detail how well your child has met the expected outcomes of the learning area. And when you look at the overall grade and the subsections please keep the following in mind if your child has received a C grade.

What does a C grade mean

For a student to receive a C grade, they need to demonstrate skills and knowledge consistently and not just as a one-off. The child who receives a C grade needs to perform the task or express the knowledge largely on their own, without a lot of teacher guidance or direction at the appropriate level and that the student can demonstrate their learning in different ways but always in a form that appropriately demonstrates their learning. The Pre Primary reports perhaps demonstrates the grading best.

As you look at each learning area use the above chart if you are in Year 1- Year 6 to help explain the results.  This year we are also offering parent meetings if you require further clarification or understanding of the reports. These report slots are available from the below link.

Please also note that the grade reports the learning that has been demonstrated during this period of time. This may mean that your child's result may be different from last year and may look different in Semester Two as the learning will be different as will the expectation that is required to be demonstrated to meet that learning in the classroom.

We expect that the report comments and results will not be a surprise to any parent or guardian and that this provides a true reflection of the learning demonstrated in the first part of 2019.

NCCD

CHANGE OF INTIMATE IMAGE LAW

Recent changes in the law in Western Australia makes it extremely important for parents to be suitably informed of what their children are doing online out of school. In school, we have implemented the SECURLY platform, together with the CEWA filtering that puts into place a number of measures that mitigate the risks associated with online use. This together with teaching students about how they can be safe both in the online space and also in all aspects of their lives is part of our Keeping Safe and Digital technologies curriculum.

Earlier this year the new intimate image laws came into effect following the commencement of the Criminal Law Amendment (Intimate Images) Act 2018 (WA) 

The key messages for young people are:

• It is against the law to take, keep, send or ask for an intimate image of a person under the age of 18
• It is against the law to share an intimate image of a person of any age without their consent. 

In the case of someone under 16, the law says they cannot legally consent to an image of themselves being shared. The law aims to strike a balance between protecting young people from this harmful behaviour, and not unduly criminalising them. Unfortunately, children will and do share inappropriate images, even at an early age without understanding the possible ramifications of their actions.

This message is not meant to alarm or scare but more to inform.

The key message is to remain informed and to ask if you need assistance. We will do our best to assist or direct you to where you can receive the help that you are seeking regarding online and IT related usage.

Please feel free to contact one of the school leadership team if you require any further clarification or assistance.

SCHOOL CYCLIC REVIEW (SCR)  

The SCR occurs every 5 years and is part of the re-registration process for the school.

WHY THE REVIEW?

The School Cyclic Review (SCR) provides an opportunity for a panel of educators, external to the school, to affirm, challenge and report on the improvement journey at the school.  The SCR also contributes to the school’s re-registration process.

WHAT IS REVIEWED?

At first, the SCR focuses on the school’s improvement journey over the previous three years.  However, in order to create a shared vision for the future, it is necessary to also identify and agree on some of the key school improvement strategies that will ensure the realisation of this focus in the next period of time (usually the next three-year period).

PANEL COMPOSITION?

The SCR panel, which conducts the review, is comprised of a panel chair, the school’s School Improvement Advisor/Regional Officer, and either a peer principal or a CEWA consultant.

HOW DOES THE REVIEW HAPPEN?

The SCR panel receives and reviews data collated by CEWA and the school including information relating to student results and progress, the demographics and finances of the school, strategic planning, cultural survey data, and other plans including the Evangelisation Plan and Aboriginal Education Plan, prior to a visit to the school. 

The school leadership team completes a self-review statement which forms the basis for the school visit.  During the school visit, the panel meets with members of the school’s staff, students and community, following up on their review of the data. 

The discussions throughout the SCR process are guided by the system’s Strategic Direction (LEAD) and supported by the OECD report, What makes a school a learning organisation and the Quality Catholic Schooling(QCS) reviews undertaken by the school.

DATA SOURCES

Documentation:         

The school produces the school self-review statement with a template provided by CEWA. Other documentation used in the SCR includes demographic and enrolment data, financial information, performance data (e.g. WACE, NAPLAN and Bishops’ Religious Literacy Assessment), program data (e.g. Curriculum Plan, School Improvement Plan) and perception data (surveys).

Groups/Individuals:    

Principal, leadership team, students, parents, School Board, P&F, and Parish Priest.

HOW IS VERBAL INFORMATION COLLECTED?

Verbal information is collected during the SCR school visit as per the following process:

• The SCR panel visits the school to conduct conversations with school community members. These conversations involve the principal, leadership team, teaching and non-teaching staff, students, parents, School Board members, P&F members and the Parish Priest.  
• The Parish Priest is interviewed individually; all other data sources are interviewed in groups.

WHEN IS THE REVIEW?

• The SCR will take place on 12/13 August 2019

REPORT AND FEEDBACK TO SCHOOL

• At the completion of the school visit, the SCR panel prepares a report based on the data and their findings during the interviews. The report provides the school not only with feedback about the improvement journey over the past three years but also identifies new challenges and directions as the school works towards implementing its next approach to improvement.
• The Principal is responsible for sharing relevant aspects of the SCR report with the staff and school community.
• The School Improvement Advisor/Regional Officer discusses the SCR report with the Principal and works with the Principal in acting on the recommendations made in the report.