School Overview

Bairnsdale Primary School (known locally as '754' after its school number) is situated on the Princes Highway in Bairnsdale, a rural city with a population of 11,000. It has a fine tradition of scholarship, community involvement and a caring environment that has been built up since the school was established in 1864. In 2006 the school had 271 students on Census Day but finished the year with 261.

The Principal, Miss Helen Lanigan, has been at the school since 1995 and Assistant Principal, Mrs. Anne Tucker, has been in this role for four years. In 2006 the school had one leading teacher, eleven teachers in the expert teacher classification, two teachers in the accomplished teacher category and two graduate teachers. There were seven aides employed as part of the Program for Students with Disabilities. The school had a Koorie Educator employed at a .7 time fraction. In the area of Teaching Support the year began with two members of staff employed full time in the administration area but the year ended with 1.6. A technology assistant was employed at .5 time fraction to provide specialised instruction in Information and Communication Technology and as Library Technician.

The school is organised and co-ordinated in three levels - Junior, Middle and Senior. In 2006 the following class structures operated: 1 x Prep; 1 x Prep/Year 1; 3 x Years 1/2; 4 x Years 3/4; 1 x Year 5; 1 x Years 5/6; 1 x Year 6.

Programs were offered in all Areas of Learning with specialist teachers taking Art, Library, Information and Communication Technology and LOTE (Japanese). The school also offered instrumental music to students in Years 4, 5 and 6 through the employment of specialist tutors. Students participated in RACV Energy Breakthrough, Tournament of Minds, Maths Talent Quest, Rotary Junior Community Award, daily Huff ‘n’ Puff sessions, School Orchestra and Choir, Athletic, Swimming and Tabloid Sports and a Fun Run.

There are many Koorie students in the school and special programs are taken to raise the level of understanding of Koorie culture for all students. Close links are maintained with the local Koorie organisations with Koorie cultural activities being a feature of the school.

Demographics

Changing demographics in the Bairnsdale Township continue to impact on the school’s enrolment. The establishment of two new independent primary schools in the town has also contributed to this.

General Information

Parent satisfaction is on the higher end of the scale but using the information gained from the total results of the parent opinion survey we need to work on the following areas: Behaviour Management, Student Safety and Classroom Behaviour. The parent response to Reporting also shows that there is some need for improvement.

Teacher Satisfaction – The average score for teacher satisfaction at this school was 65.5 on a scale from 1 to 100 where 100 is the best possible score.

Teacher Absence – The average number of days absent per teacher was 4.57 days.

Teacher Retention – Of the 22 teaching staff at Bairnsdale Primary School in June 2005 (including those on leave without pay) 86% were still at the school in June 2006. This figure across all Government schools was 87%. Of the 19 ongoing teaching staff at Bairnsdale Primary School in June 2005 (including those on leave without pay) 100% were still at the school in June 2006. This figure across all Government schools was 91%.

Teacher Participation in Professional Learning – All teaching staff have participated in Professional Learning throughout the year, such as, Teacher Professional Leave program (Gippsland Literacy Intervention Strategy), Innovations and Excellence Cluster curriculum day, Reading Recovery Continuing Contact, Early Years Numeracy, Early Years Readers, LOTE workshops, Principles of Learning and Teaching, Dollars and Sense, Literacy and Numeracy Co-ordinators’ days, Using Data for School Improvement, Coaching for Experienced Principals, VELS workshops, K-2 Conference, APPA Conference, Gippsland Principals’ Conference, School Self Evaluation workshops, New Report Format training, Understanding Poverty workshop, Language Support Program curriculum day, The Big Day Out, Performance and Development Culture workshop, Dare to Lead workshop, SIT Assessment module, Literacy Experts workshops.

Teacher Qualifications – All teachers in Victorian Government schools, including those at Bairnsdale Primary School, are registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching. The requirements for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching can be found at: http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/content.asp?Document_ID=241.

Principal's Report

Highlights and Achievements for 2006

v Students participated in Swimming and Athletics Sports at School, District, Zone and Regional levels, Cross County at School, District, Zone and State levels, Golf at Zone, Regional and State levels, Tabloid Sports, Inter School Sport, a Fun Run, the School Swimming Program conducted by the YMCA and daily Huff ‘n’ Puff sessions.

v The School Council operated effectively throughout the year with through a sub-committee structure and successfully reviewed and/or developed a number of school policies including Investment Policy, Canteen and Camping. Members of School Council also participated, with staff, in the Diagnostic Review of our school operations and developed a Strategic Plan for the future.

v Three teams were entered in Tournament of Minds. All three teams, Maths and Engineering, Language and Literature and Social Sciences, received Honours Awards at the Regional Level with the Maths Engineering and Social Sciences teams going on to represent the Region at State level.

v Students took part in the HPV section, the Pushcart section and the Innovations in Technology section of the RACV Energy Breakthrough in Maryborough in November. The Innovations in Technology team were State Champions, the HPV team finished seventeenth and the Pushcart team were ninth overall. Thirty-one students and a support party of more than fifty staff, parents and others made the trip to Maryborough.

v The Instrumental Music Program, which is offered to students in Years Four, Five and Six, continued successfully throughout the year. The ‘754’ Orchestra performed publicly a number of times including at Monday assemblies, the Years’ Three, Four and Five Awards Presentation and the Year Six Graduation.

v The ‘754’ School Choir continued to operate this year and performed at school assemblies, East Gippsland on Show, the Remembrance Day Church Service at St Johns’ Anglican Church and the Bairnsdale Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party.

v A Visual Arts’ Show took place in November with all students exhibiting work. This was a successful community event as well as a profitable fundraiser.

v The school’s camping program, which saw the Year Five students ride their bicycles to ‘Lakewood Park’ on the Banksia Peninsula as the culmination of their Bike Ed Program, the Year Six students visit Melbourne and the Year Three and Four students go to Camp Coolamatong, was once again a feature of the year. The Year Two students had a ‘sleepover’ at the school.

v ‘Back to School Day’ was celebrated with two former students visiting to tell students about their days at ‘754’.

v Students, staff and parents celebrated Literacy and Numeracy Week. During the week author, Gary Hurle, worked with the students throughout the school. On Thursday staff and students brought a book and dressed as the character to parade at Assembly.

v Twenty-two students participated in, and completed, the Rotary Junior Community Award.

v The Year 6 students completed a totem for our Koorie Garden, as a memento of their final year at ‘754’. They completed the work as part of the school’s Art program and worked with the Koorie Educator.

v Four entries, from Years 3 and 4, were entered, and received Encouragement Awards, in the Mathematics Talent Quest.

v The year finished with an entertaining Junior School Concert, an enjoyable Year Three, Four and Five Awards Presentation and an emotional Year Six Graduation.

v The Parents’ and Friends’ Association provided valuable support throughout the year with some $3500.00 being donated to support school programs. The Parents’ and Friends’ Association also continued to successfully operate the School Uniform Shop.

v Student School Council operated effectively, with support from Mrs. Tucker and School Council President, Mrs. Wendy Newcomen. They continued to raise money to sponsor a child – Moses - from Zimbabwe.

v The ‘House System’ operated effectively throughout the school with House Captains and Vice Captains taking on a role at Assemblies and on Sports Days.

v During the year our Koorie students were supported in their Literacy learning through our Koorie Literacy Intervention program and teacher, Mrs. Genevieve Newman.

v Year 6 students participated in the Bairnsdale Anzac Day March and Remembrance Day Service. Two Year 6 students read poems at the Bairnsdale Dawn Service on Anzac Day.

v The school continued to work as one of three in Gippsland region to participating in the Victorian Greenhouse Strategy Schools’ Project – Reducing the Barriers to Walking and Cycling to School. The successful construction of a ‘secure’ shed for the storage of students’ bicycles was the culmination of our ‘official’ participation in this program. The ‘Walking School Bus’ and ‘Riding School Bus’ continued with the support of the East Gippsland Shire.

v “A Taste of School” – our pre school transition program operated very successfully once again.

v Our school web page continued to receive many positive comments from former students and the parents of prospective students.

v All members of staff participated in Professional Development as part of the Bairnsdale Cluster Innovations and Excellence Strategy at a Curriculum Day in April. They also participated in a full day program on the Language Support Program.

v Most members of staff availed themselves of many opportunities as part of Gippsland Region Professional Learning Program.

v Members of staff participated in Professional Development through Schools Innovation in Teaching (Science) Program and implemented various strategies in their classroom programs as a result.

v More than 75% of our students successfully participated in the Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge.

Helen C. Lanigan

Student Progress & Achievements

Student Learning