Firstly, open SPaRO and choose the self-assessment section to view the situational analysis headings and fields.
Secondly, open Scout at the School dashboard to view the 5 focus areas for your review and analysis.
Note: there is no set length for a situational analysis, as it is a school-based decision and should include as much information as needed to inform future strategic directions.
Focus area and analysis - Enrolment
- total school enrolment - 333 students
- K-6: 187 and 7-12: 146 (47% Aboriginal, 11% EAL/D)
- student enrolment declined by 5% since 2016
- FOEI is currently 153 and has been increasing in recent years.
The ongoing drought has impacted on student enrolment and the level of disadvantage experienced.
Focus area and analysis - Student performance
Performance in NAPLAN 2019
Top 2 bands:
- Year 3: Reading 37% Numeracy 18%
- Year 5: Reading 8% Numeracy 4%
- Year 7: Reading 8% Numeracy 4%
- Year 9: Reading 8% Numeracy 7%
The number of students in the top 2 NAPLAN bands in all years is significantly below state level.
2022 System negotiated targets:
- 28% of Year 3 and Year 5 (2022) students achieving in the top 2 bands in Reading (UB)
- 18% of Year 7 and Year 9 (2022) students achieving in the top 2 bands in Reading (LB)
- 21% of Year 3 and Year 5 (2022) students achieving in the top 2 bands in Numeracy (LB)
- 16% of Year 7 and Year 9 (2022) students achieving in the top two bands in Numeracy (LB).
2023 System negotiated targets:
- 52% of Year 5 students (2022) will achieve or exceed expected growth in NAPLAN Reading (2019 – 40% baseline)
- 52% of Year 9 students (2022) will achieve or exceed expected growth in NAPLAN Reading (2019 – 47% baseline)
- 47% of Year 5 students (2022) will achieve or exceed expected growth in NAPLAN Numeracy (2019 – 35% baseline)
- 63% of Year 9 students (2022) will achieve or exceed expected growth in NAPLAN Numeracy (2019 – 63% baseline).
Analysis:
- Year 5 Reading and Writing performance is consistent with SSSG but still well below state average.
- Year 5 Numeracy performance is below SSSG and state performance.
- Year 7 Reading, Writing and Numeracy performance demonstrated a slight improvement in 2019 against SSSG but was still well below state.
- Year 9 Reading performance is generally outperforming SSSG, but below state average.
- Year 9 Numeracy performance is similar to SSSG but below state average.
- Year 9 Writing performance is trending below SSSG and state average.
- Years 3, 5 and 7 Aboriginal student performance in Reading and Writing has shown a positive trend over several years, is outperforming similar schools and just below state average.
No students achieved in the top 2 bands in the HSC. Five students achieved one band for each in the 2019 HSC. Student performance in all HSC subjects has consistently been below state. Ongoing, inconsistent student performance indicates the need for a whole school targeted HSC strategy to move students beyond the lower bands in every subject. The school’s self-assessment against the SEF places Value Added as Delivering. A whole school approach to the development and implementation of effective strategies to improve students’ literacy and numeracy skills need to remain a school priority in 2021 and beyond.
Focus area and analysis - Wellbeing
TTFM (Tell Them From Me):
- 80% of students surveyed indicated the school had expectations of success, however only 70% of students indicated positive advocacy, and only 60% of students felt a sense of belonging. These results sit below the state average.
- Wellbeing measures indicate a decline from baseline 62% (2018) to 50% (2019).
Suspension:
- Trend data (2017-2019) indicates that the largest percentage of days lost to suspension occur in Year 7 and 8. 69% of students suspended are male, however there has been a steady increase in the number of female students (and the days lost) since 2015. There has been an increase in the number of long suspensions.
- Aboriginal students account for 70% of all suspensions.
Attendance:
- K–12 rates have consistently been below state average for a number of years and are significantly below the attendance benchmark of 90% attendance for a large percentage of the students.
- The attendance of Aboriginal students falls below that of non-Aboriginal students at the school. The decline in attendance for Aboriginal students is apparent from Year 3 and becomes a more significant issue from Year 7 and beyond, particularly when compared to non-Aboriginal students - for example, in Term 4 2019 the percentage of Aboriginal students attending more than 90% was at 24% which was less than half of the 50% of non-Aboriginal students attending 90% and above.
- The majority of all student absences are accepted and recorded as ‘unexplained’.
The strengthening of the Learning Support Team and the application of consistent policies, processes and supporting documents, for example, Attendance policy, Bullying & Harassment Policy, Anti-Racism Policy & ARCO needs to continue to be a school priority to enhance student wellbeing, attendance and engagement in learning.
Focus area and analysis - Human resources
There are currently 39 teaching and 25 non-teaching staff.
In addition to the principal the school has 2 deputy principals (one primary, one secondary), 4 assistant principals, 4 head teachers. The school funds 2 additional executive positions (1 AP K-6 Literacy and Numeracy and 1 HT Teaching and Learning 7-12) through literacy and numeracy (initiative funding), per capita (operational) and flexible socio-economic background and English language proficiency (equity loadings) funding.
The school has one full time Aboriginal Language Nest Teacher.
The majority of the classroom teachers are in their first 5 years of teaching. Our Central School is the first school at their current promotion level for all executive staff members, including the principal.
A significant number of teaching and executive staff activate their incentives after 3 years. Staff mobility is high, with a 57% teaching staff changeover since 2016.
Drought relief supplementation currently provides 3.8 FTE classroom teachers which is utilised to decrease class sizes and operate an individualised learning program to address the increasing suspension rate. There is uncertainty around when this supplementation will conclude.
Additional Teaching Staff:
The school engages a Home School Liaison officer to target student attendance and engagement through socio-economic background and Aboriginal background funding (equity loadings).
Non -Teaching Staff:
10 FTE permanent school administration and support staff have been at the school for an extended period and there is only limited movement within this group.
Additional support staff, including School Learning Support Officers and a Youth Outreach Worker, are employed on a temporary basis each year through integration (targeted funding), low level adjustment for disability and socio-economic background (equity loadings) to support student learning within and beyond the classroom.
Focus area and analysis - Finance
6100 - consolidated funds
- School budget allocation $7,651,092 + opening balance carried forward from 2019 $290,540 = $7,941,632 total funds available for 2020
- $8,570,322 (96%) of funds were budgeted, leaving $371,310 unplanned. Of the budgeted funds, $126,940 was unspent.
- Total unspent funds to be carried over to 2021 opening balance = $498,290.
6100 – funded programs
- Professional Learning – spent 2020. SBAR allocation 2021 – $32,234
- Beginning Teacher Support – $34,000 received. Funding fully expended.
- Equity – 2020 funding fully expended. The 2019 unspent funds ($80,608) will be carried forward to 2021. These funds will be targeted to support students achieve expected growth in numeracy.
- SBAR equity allocation 2021 – $373,320.
Governance mechanism – School Resourcing committee.