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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

Burnett State College (2089)

Queensland State School Reporting

2012 School Annual Report

YPEOVER TO INSERT SCHOOL NAME

Postal address PO Box 111 Gayndah 4625

Phone (07) 4161 3888

Fax (07) 4161 3800

Email the.principal@burnettsc.eq.edu.au

Webpages Additional reporting information pertaining to Queensland state schools is located on the My School website and the Queensland Government data website.

Contact Person MR COREY MUNSON - Principal

Principal’s foreword

Introduction

The 2012 Annual report contains an overview of our school’s progress towards achieving its key priorities. Parents and Guardians have been informed through our weekly newsletter should they wish to view this report, but do not have access to the web. They can simply contact the College office and a hard copy will be made available to them.

The school positions itself as a high achieving academic school and one that reinforces a belief that students in all communities, large or small, have access to the very best opportunities for education and training.

Burnett State College services the three communities of Gayndah, Mundubbera and Biggenden, as well as the many feeder communities that surround the Gayndah campus. By using flexible learning strategies and by building effective, authentic partnerships, the aim is to develop the very best opportunities and most relevant pathways available for young people.

With a high percentage of its school leavers receiving a tertiary offer, Burnett State College has realised its vision to become a centralised regional centre for Senior Secondary learning. As a Registered Training Organisation, a partner with Wide Bay TAFE and a leader in the delivery of Vocational Education and Training, the College delivers and acts as a conduit for training throughout the Burnett region.

At an organisational level these shared deliveries of learning provide a leadership hub for education and training within the entire Burnett region and promotes the question: “Is this project, initiative, or challenge maximising the potential of our students, teachers, staff and the community”? Which links directly to our school vision of “Valuing Our Future – Maximising Potential”.

School progress towards its goals in 2012

The following Key School Priorities were established to guide the school towards its academic and social progress in 2012

1) Improved Literacy and Numeracy outcomes { A whole school approach to explicitly teaching Literacy and Numeracy, with an emphasis placed on improvements in Reading, Spelling and Math’s – significant improvements have been recorded in reading, due to the implementation of the “Fastforword” online program }

2) Improved Senior Pathway Opportunities { Expansion of student access to future pathway opportunities through enhanced tracking, monitoring and placement procedure has created an increase in School based Traineeship placements }

3) Improved Behaviour and Engagement { A recorded reduction of School Disciplinary Absences through the explicit teaching of the desired behaviours and a well-structured SWPBS reward process } 4) Improved Indigenous Outcomes { Ongoing increase in academic achievement, cultural and personal well-being, as well as leadership aspirations } 5) Improved Family and Community Engagement { Increased engagement and communication processes with parents/caregivers and community networks through media and organised programs held at the school } 6) Increased Staff Leadership Capacity

{ Leadership development through direct mentoring, coaching, dedicated whole school professional development plan and the use of Developing Performance Framework process }

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT

Queensland State School Reporting

2012 School Annual Report

Future outlook

An emphasis has been placed on the implementation of 6 key principles that provide explicit instruction within the classroom environment. These align with the school’s Implementation of the new Australian Curriculum and membership as a National Partnership school. Future plans continue to include improved Literacy and Numeracy outcomes (emphasis on improving reading and spelling by implementing such programs as FastForword, PATR testing and a whole school vocabulary program), a concentrated effort to improve Senior Pathway opportunities (emphasis on increasing traineeship opportunities) and a move to increase Academic Engagement of all Students. Increased application and use of Laptop machines will continue to enhance learning in line with societal demands and the design and implementation of the Junior Secondary initiative which will bring year 7 students into high school in 2015.

Our school at a glance

School Profile

Coeducational or single sex: Coeducational

Year levels offered in 2012: Year 8 - Year 12

Total student enrolments for this school:

Total Girls Boys

Enrolment Continuity

(Feb – Nov)

2010 198 100 98 93%

2011 211 114 97 89%

2012 222 115 107 92%

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

Characteristics of the student body:

Burnett State College is a progressive coeducational State Government learning institution, providing quality education and training for approximately 250 rural students in years 8 to 12. Located in the southern most vicinity of the Central Queensland Education Region, west of Maryborough and Bundaberg, the College has a long time reputation as a school that offers a personal environment with a futuristic approach to learning. Rated as one of the best rural secondary centres in Queensland, Burnett State College services the three main centres of Gayndah, Biggenden and Mundubbera, as well as a cluster of surrounding smaller rural communities. Established in 1963 as Gayndah State High School, the school will celebrate its 50 year anniversary in October of 2013. Officials at the school took the bold move in 2005 to rename the school to Burnett State College, which reflected its need to service youth in the wider central Burnett area and to reflect a unique partnership it had established at that time with Wide Bay TAFE. The College continues to meet the demands of industry by offering flexible training opportunities for many of its rural students by an ongoing arrangement with TAFE and utilisation of quality industrial facilities at the college that deliver a variety of industry-based options and certifications. As a complete Engineering and computing training centre, staffed and managed by the secondary school leadership team, this unique training initiative was the first of its kind in South East Queensland. It continues to allow the college to direct students and community members down relevant and sustainable training and employment pathways and established the college as a leadership hub for education and training in the rural and regional Burnett community. Students attending Burnett State College come from very diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Most students attend state primary schools in the district and continue their education at the College. Some enrolments in Year 11 come from the feeder P-10 school located in Mundubbera, however the College is experiencing a larger number now coming from the P-10 school at Biggenden and many transporting in from Coalstoun Lakes and Binjour Plateau State Schools. Over 50% of the student population at the College transport to our school by bus each day.

Average Class sizes

Phase

Average Class Size

2010 2011 2012

Year 8 – Year 10 17 20 19

Year 11 – Year 12 9 14 14

School Disciplinary Absences

Disciplinary Absences

Count of Incidents

2010 2011 2012

Short Suspensions - 1 to 5 days 15 20 36

Long Suspensions - 6 to 20 days 5 15 7

Exclusions <5 <5 <5

Cancellations of Enrolment 0 0 <5

Our school at a glance

Curriculum offerings

Our distinctive curriculum offerings

Burnett State College maintains a reputation for academic excellence through the delivery of high quality academic programs, which include the

Junior KLA focus areas: - English, Mathematics, Science, Health & Physical Education, Languages other than English, The Arts, Studies of Society & Environment, and Technology.

The Senior areas: - Boards subjects of Maths, English and Science - Vocational Education and Training (VET) subjects in conjunction with Wide Bay TAFE - Certification in the subjects of Hospitality, Tourism, Engineering, Manufacturing and Technology.

Curriculum offerings are also enhanced by the focus on the numerous School based Traineeships opportunities.

Extra curricula activities

The College participates in an Interschool Sport Program but remains challenged by the distance between schools. Rugby League participation continues to increase, along with Netball and Touch Football. The College has introduced a new school football jumper and sports shirt, as well as adopting the “Thunder” logo as a school mascot and identity.

Cross Country, Athletics and Swimming Sports Carnivals are held each year for the enjoyment and spirit of competing for your house. The school has 3 houses that have adopted new flags and names this year. The Allindarra “Rangers”, the Tarumbul “Tigers” and the Wandarang “Devils” all take to the sporting venues to compete for the coveted shield awarded at the end of the year.

The College remains committed to maintaining the growth of an Instrumental Music Program, but retention in the secondary program is a constant challenge.

The annual Gayndah Community Health Triathlon is always very successful with increased participation by students.

Defensive Driving Courses are arranged at Gympie for our Special Needs Students and those striving to become learner drivers in Year 11.

Each term the College holds a School Dance, generally at the town hall and with a theme attached.

How Information and Communication Technologies are used to assist learning

Burnett State College remains committed to being a state wide technology leader in like schools throughout Queensland. The College provides every student at the school with access to a computer, which are utilised each day through such avenues as Virtual schooling, Web design and research and various other forms of online learning. Burnett State College has been an early achiever of the one to one ratio for its students for some time now and will achieve total wireless connection throughout the school well ahead of the planned requirements. All computers in the school are less than 4 years old. Teaching staff utilise technology effectively in all subject areas with a model of curriculum and technology integration and students have the luxury of being in 24 hour contact with teaching staff to ask questions or send draft assignments outside normal school hours.

Interactive Whiteboards are becoming more frequent in the delivery of curriculum and even the tuckshop uses a cashless system with student swiping their debit cards to purchase food. The College employs two computer technicians and feeder schools remain committed to accessing our technician on a casual basis.

The College is into its 4th year of a One to One Laptop program for all students in years 9 to 12, giving them access to their own

laptop, which allows students to have more consistent contact with teaching staff outside school hours and continue with learning during lunch periods if so desired.

The College provides time for one of its Head of Departments (Curriculum) to deliver the Pedagogical Licence to teachers throughout the Region as a Learning Place Mentor and our facilities are accessed by many teachers for training programs such as Illuminate and the One to One Laptop program.

Social climate

Burnett State College has continued to develop and enhance the unique and effective Learning Support initiative called the “Open Roads” Learning Support program. This program not only caters for academic deficiencies and behaviour modification issues, but through very direct link between our students and the school’s many support staff (including the School Chaplain, Youth Support Coordinator, School Nurse, Guidance Officer and Literacy and Numeracy staff), this is a major initiative that solves effectively any bullying issues that may arise through swift and effective counselling sessions.

This unique initiative helps to create a positive social atmosphere among students and with a very high success rate of problems solved and sustainable outcomes achieved. As well as Open Roads, the school continues to thrive under the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support initiative, which has set the tone for an emphasis being placed on positive behaviours within the whole school environment. With both the “Open Roads Learning Support Centre and the Positive Behaviour Initiative in place at the school the issue of bullying within the school is virtually non-existent. Burnett State College has a reputation as a very pleasant and safe environment in which to

Our school at a glance

teach and learn.

Also, each week a 70 minute lesson entitled “Crossroads” is devoted to providing students with enhanced knowledge on general life responsibilities, where a variety of Social and Emotional Learning aspects are addressed. The College has a variety of support staff that play a major role in both these Crossroads sessions and the school as a whole. With this support, students are subjected to appropriate outlooks on such areas as Peer Skilling, Leadership and Personal and Social Development. Pastoral care issues are well supported through the school’s Combined Schools Chaplaincy program, where such popular activities as the Chaplain’s Breakfast once a week and various morning teas and scrap booking sessions tend to create a real interest in those students who truly need support in some capacity. The well supported social climate in the school is not just limited to the support staff, but in a rural location students confide in many staff and this is reflected in the students’ high opinion of their school, with over 77% feeling that they can talk to their teachers about my concerns.

Parent, student and staff satisfaction with the school

The school Administration commands the respect of the student, parent bodies and staff through a school system that is based on ownership of a common sense decision making process by all members of the Burnett State College community. All aspects of the school, from curriculum to resources and the related successes and failures that accompany them are owned by all, not merely an autonomous decision making administrative body. In a rural community this is essential and is most certainly reflected in the resulting satisfaction of all involved measured in 2012.

Our school at a glance

Performance measure (Nationally agreed items shown*)

Percentage of parents/caregivers who agree that: 2012#

their child is getting a good education at school 96.8%

this is a good school 96.8%

their child likes being at this school* 93.5%

their child feels safe at this school* 93.5%

their child's learning needs are being met at this school* 87.1%

their child is making good progress at this school* 93.5%

teachers at this school expect their child to do his or her best* 93.3%

teachers at this school provide their child with useful feedback about his or her school work* 96.8%

teachers at this school motivate their child to learn* 90.0%

teachers at this school treat students fairly* 86.2%

they can talk to their child's teachers about their concerns* 90.3%

this school works with them to support their child's learning* 96.7%

this school takes parents' opinions seriously* 83.3%

student behaviour is well managed at this school* 86.2%

this school looks for ways to improve* 96.7%

this school is well maintained* 100.0%

Performance measure (Nationally agreed items shown*)

Percentage of students who agree that: 2012#

they are getting a good education at school 84.2%

they like being at their school* 70.3%

they feel safe at their school* 82.9%

their teachers motivate them to learn* 87.7%

their teachers expect them to do their best* 90.7%

their teachers provide them with useful feedback about their school work* 86.8%

teachers treat students fairly at their school* 69.3%

they can talk to their teachers about their concerns* 77.3%

their school takes students' opinions seriously* 60.8%

Our school at a glance

student behaviour is well managed at their school* 60.8%

their school looks for ways to improve* 84.0%

their school is well maintained* 93.4%

their school gives them opportunities to do interesting things* 77.6%

Performance measure (Nationally agreed items shown*)

Percentage of school staff who agree: 2012#

that they have good access to quality professional development 92.5%

with the individual staff morale items 100.0%

* 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 changes to the School Opinion Surveys in 2012,

comparisons with results for previous years are not recommended.

DW = Data withheld to ensure confidentiality.

Our school at a glance

Involving parents in their child’s education

Through the Parents’ and Citizens’ Association we encourage active parent involvement in our decision making forums. We strive to develop positive and caring interpersonal relationships between students, teachers and the community. The Parents’ and Citizens’ Association meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm in the school’s common room. In addition to normally scheduled Parent – Teacher interviews the college also puts on functions such as the “Fun Family Breakfast and the “Meet and Greet” evenings which have been very successful in allowing parents/carers to become familiar with our campus and to have an interactive conversation with our staff in a very social atmosphere. Our Parents were also a big part of the opinions and comments involved with our recent Triennial School Review process held at the College.

Parents are also involved with the decision making process of their child’s future pathways as they meet with school administration and their son or daughter in year 10 during the Senior Education and Training process. These plans initiate their entry into the senior phase of their compulsory years of learning.

Reducing the school’s environmental footprint

Data is sourced from school's annual utilities return and is reliant on the accuracy of these returns.

Burnett State College has implemented several programs this year to reduce its carbon footprint and become a more energy efficient institution. Installation and connection of Solar Panels onto the roof of “ A” Block has given the school the opportunity to not only save electricity through solar intake, but also allow students to monitor the savings by way of computer observation and reporting. A new 80,000 gallon water tank which was installed in 2010 to continues to provide ample water supplies and pressure specifically during future problem drought periods.

Environmental footprint indicators

Electricity kWh

Water kL

2009-2010 132,639 78,080

2010-2011 119,115 919

2011-2012 113,825 730

Performance of our students

Staff composition, including Indigenous staff

2012 Workforce Composition

Teaching Staff

Non-teaching Staff

Indigenous Staff

Headcounts 26 19 <5

Full-time equivalents 23.7 13.3 <5

Qualifications of all teachers

Highest level

of attainment

Number of

classroom

teachers and

school leaders

at the school

Doctorate 0

Masters 0

Bachelor degree 21

Diploma 5

Certif icate 0

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 0

21

5

0

Doctorate Mas ters

Bachelor degree Diploma

Cert if icate

Expenditure on and teacher participation in professional development

The total funds expended on teacher professional development in 2012 was $20,000.00.

The major professional development initiatives were undertaken through

The major professional development initiatives are as follows:

Literacy and Numeracy Development

VET and QSA

TAFE

Australian Curriculum

Behaviour management

Explicit Instruction development.

The proportion of the teaching staff involved in professional development activities during 2012 was 100%.

Performance of our students

Average staff attendance 2010 2011 2012

Staff attendance for permanent and temporary staff and school leaders. 97.8% 98% 97.6%

Proportion of staff retained from the previous school year

From the end of the previous school year, 91.6% of staff was retained by the school for the entire 2012 school year.

School income broken down by funding source

Net recurrent income 2011

$ Total

$ Per student

Australian Government recurrent funding 425,915

2,019

State/Territory Government recurrent funding 3,035,345

14,386

Fees, charges and parent contributions 96,621

458

Other private sources 157,288

745

Total gross income (excluding income from government capital grants) 3,715,169 17,607

Less Deductions 0

0

Total net recurrent income 3,715,169 17,607

Capital expenditure 2011 $ Total

$ Total 2009-2011

Australian Government capital expenditure 0

0

State/Territory Government capital expenditure 237,203

333,043

New school loans 0

0

Income allocated to current capital projects 0

0

Other 0

0

Total capital expenditure 237,203

333,043

Performance of our students

Key student outcomes

Student attendance 2010 2011 2012

The overall attendance rate for the students at this school (shown as a percentage). 91% 89% 91%

The overall attendance rate in 2012 for all Queensland state Secondary schools was 88%.

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

Year 8

Year 9

Year 10

Year 11

Year 12

2010 94% 90% 91% 90% 92%

2011 91% 88% 88% 90% 90%

2012 91% 90% 89% 92% 92%

DW = Data withheld to ensure confidentiality.

Student Attendance Distribution

The proportions of students by attendance range.

15

22

15

12

13

14

38

27

33

35

38

38

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2010

2011

2012

Proportion of Students

0% to <85% 85% to <90% 90% to <95% 95% to 100%Attendance:

Description of how non-attendance is managed by the school

Non-attendance is managed in state schools in line with the DET policies, SMS-PR-029: Managing Student Absences and SMS-PR-036: Roll Marking in State Schools, which outline processes for managing and recording student attendance and absenteeism.

At Burnett State College all absences from school must be explained by letter, Fax, email or phone call at the time of the absence. If students are absent in excess of three days without prior notification, an Absentee Letter may be sent from the school requesting an explanation. Class rolls are cross checked daily, beginning with the Home Group sessions in the morning and at the beginning of each class session during the day. Absentee notes should be taken to the Home Group teacher or the office. Student attendance is then double checked through a new initiative of electronic transmission informing parents that their child has not attended school on the day, which is received via the parents’ mobile phones later in the day. Students may be given permission to leave school during the day to attend doctor, dentist appointments, funeral, etc. provided a note is sent from home explaining the situation. Students arriving late for school or wishing to leave early must report to the office. Students will then be asked to sign in and/or out in the registers kept at the office.

Performance of our students

National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results – our reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy results for the Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Our reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy results for the Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are available via the My School website at http://www.myschool.edu.au/.

To access our NAPLAN results, 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 whose NAPLAN results 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 able to access NAPLAN data.

If you are unable to access the internet, please contact the school for a paper copy of our school’s NAPLAN results.

Achievement – Closing the Gap

Indigenous enrolments have increased by 9 students in 2012 as a result of thorough tracking and monitoring processes. The implementation of various indigenous programs has created interesting and relevant learning experiences for Indigenous students, which is reflected in attendance rates showing an increase of 3.0% from the 2009 school year. Indigenous retention rates continue to be among the state’s best, however the gap between Indigenous and Non indigenous students continues to be a focus.

Performance of our students

Apparent retention rates Year 10 to Year 12 2010 2011 2012

Year 12 student enrolment as a percentage of the Year 10 student cohort. 114% 111% 95%

Outcomes for our Year 12 cohorts 2010 2011 2012

Number of students receiving a Senior Statement. 31 30 36

Number of students awarded a Queensland Certificate Individual Achievement. 3 2 1

Number of students receiving an Overall Position (OP). 14 15 20

Number of students who are completing/continuing a School-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship (SAT).

3 4 6

Number of students awarded one or more Vocational Educational Training (VET) qualifications

(incl. SAT). 21 27 31

Number of students awarded an Australian Qualification Framework Certificate II or above. 18 23 29

Number of students awarded a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) at the end of Year 12. 22 25 33

Number of students awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBD). 0 0 0

Percentage of OP/IBD eligible students with OP 1-15 or an IBD. 93% 53% 60%

Percentage of Year 12 students who are completing or completed a SAT or were awarded one or more of the following: QCE, IBD, VET qualification.

94% 90% 97%

Percentage of Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) applicants receiving an offer. 82% 86% 90%

As at 2 May 2013. The above values exclude VISA students.

Overall Position Bands (OP)

Number of students in each Band for OP 1 to 25.

OP 1-5 OP 6-10 OP 11-15 OP 16-20 OP 21-25

2010 1 4 8 0 1

2011 2 2 4 7 0

2012 5 1 6 6 2

As at 2 May 2013. The above values exclude VISA students.

Performance of our students

Vocational Educational Training qualification (VET)

Number of students awarded certificates under the Australian Qualification Framework (AQF).

Certificate I Certificate II Certificate III or above

2010 10 18 1

2011 21 23 1

2012 19 29 11

As at 2 May 2013. The above values exclude VISA students.

Cert 1 - Business class

Post-school destination information

At the time of publishing this School Annual Report, the results of the 2012 Year 12 cohort's post-school destinations survey, Next Step – Student Destination Report for the school were not available. Information about these post-school destinations of our students will be incorporated into this Report in September.

Early leavers information

The destinations of young people who left the school in Years 10, 11 and prior to completing Year 12. A very small percentage of year 11 or 12 students (less than 2%) are considered “School Leavers” from Burnett State College. Students who leave the school are generally those who have moved from the vicinity and continue schooling elsewhere, have secured full time employment, or have future pathways in industry-supported traineeships or Apprenticeships. Of the entering year 11 students who have come into the school from nearby P-10 schools who initially decide to move into full time employment, approximately 80% return to school to finish off their senior years. Senior students are thoroughly monitored and tracked and are encouraged to attain future pathway qualification by completing a QCE, entering School-Based Traineeships, or achieve VET qualifications