CCGS Headmasters Report 2011

HEADMASTER’S REPORT 2011

04 Headmaster

06 Performance

08 Leaders

09 Academic

11 Cocurricular

14 Teaching

15 Wellbeing

17 Community

18 Environment

20 Management

22 Tributes

CONTENTS

HEADMASTER’S REPORT 2011

The Headmaster’s Report 2011 is a digital publication. The document addresses key goals identifi ed in Future Directions 2009-2014.

CCGSCentral Coast Grammar School is a leading independent, K-12, coeducati onal, nondenominati onal school. Located on a single 17 hectare campus overlooking the Matcham Valley close to the heart of Erina, 1.5 hours north of Sydney, our school enjoys a magnifi cent setti ng and fi rst class faciliti es.

MISSIONStriving for excellence in all endeavours in a happy, caring and supporti ve environment

ASPIRATIONOur graduates will be mature and arti culate global citi zens. They will have been encouraged to maximise their academic potenti al and have been exposed to a wide variety of cocurricular acti viti es. They will have developed into confi dent, caring and well balanced young adults. Our graduates will be able to thrive in a rapidly changing world through their collaborati ve skills, technological competence, enterprising spirit and capacity for innovati on.

02 / HEADMASTER’S REPORT 2011

Arundel RoadErina Heights NSW 2260 Australiat: +61 2 4367 6766e: [email protected]

4

6 7

1ACADEMIC• 27% achieved an ATAR over 90• 60% achieved an ATAR over 80

2COCURRICULAR• Back-to-back wins for ISA Girls Hockey• New skills program for horse riders

3TEACHING• Two department reviews undertaken• New Teaching/Learning appointment

WELLBEING• Wellbeing program introduced to Y7• K-6 Student Support team established

COMMUNITY• CCGS parents received 2 state awards• Fathers launched ‘Innovati on Challenge’

ENVIRONMENT• Erina Creek Rehabilitati on underway• Science facility upgrade commenced

MANAGEMENT• CCGS website wins gold award• Open Morning att endance increased

HEADMASTER’S REPORT 2011 / 03

GOALSAs outlined in Future Directions 2009-2014

1 Maximised Academic Achievement

2 Balanced and Enterprising Individuals

3 Demonstrated Teaching Excellence

4 Nurtured Student Wellbeing

5 Supporti ve and Cohesive School Community

6 Improved Environmental Credenti als

7 Sustainable Management Practi ces

5

2011 has seen a transiti on point in the life of our school with the appointment of Ken Jolly AM, one of the Central Coast’s most respected leaders, as the new Chair of the School Board. Ken is the Chairman of Scholasti c Australia and New Zealand. He is well known nati onally and internati onally for his work in children’s literature, business, educati on and philanthropy. Under his leadership, the School Board will conti nue to embed a culture of high expectati ons and to provide the best possible opportuniti es for students.

Schools, like other complex organisati ons, have ups and downs. What we aim for is to understand the peaks and troughs and ensure we are cognisant of variati ons from the expected performance. We remain committ ed to reviewing all aspects of our provision in line with our strategic plan, Future Directi ons 2009-2014. Since its introducti on, signifi cant changes have been made across teaching, learning and operati ons. This report provides a summary of the development which has occurred during 2011.

While CCGS off ers a broad educati onal provision, we remain focused on academic excellence. Strong Y12 performances in 2009 and 2010 were further enhanced in 2011 with over 50% of students receiving an ATAR of 85 or above.

The dedicati on of teachers in K-9 led to signifi cant improvements in NAPLAN performance with Central Coast Grammar School comparing more than favourably with local and Sydney based independent schools. The results were very positi ve in some areas at Y7 and Y9 level. I believe implementati on of the recommendati ons of the Mathemati cs review, undertaken in 2010/11, was instrumental in bringing about this improvement.


The single most important factor in excellent schools is the quality of teaching staff . When staff are engaged in professional learning and collaborati on the impact on teacher quality is direct and positi ve. To support teachers in their professional development, within the framework of a changing curriculum and increasing community expectati ons, a Director of Teaching and Learning has been appointed commencing in 2012.

A number of staff have parti cipated in Nati onal Curriculum workshops with some of these being conducted through our video conferencing facility. An increasing number of teachers are progressing to formal accreditati on under the Insti tute of Teachers Professional Standards Framework. A record number of staff were engaged as HSC markers, always an excellent professional development opportunity.

Student engagement in cocurricular acti viti es conti nues to increase. To further enrich students’ experience we added Boys Football, a skills program for horse riders and Drama for junior students to our cocurricular off ering.

Parti cular eff ort was made in 2011 to engage parents as partners in their child’s learning. Parent informati on evenings were held across the school to highlight the importance of parents as a key factor in successful learning and development.

Faciliti es and grounds development conti nued at a pace in 2011. Work commenced on a signifi cant refurbishment and extension to upgrade our Science faciliti es to the highest standard.

The School Board gave considerati on to the need for a new Performing Arts Precinct and performance theatre. Architects have been engaged to progress this concept to the Development Applicati on stage.

The upgrade to the school’s Carlton Road entry and associated landscaping has drawn much positi ve response. The rehabilitati on work undertaken on Erina Creek has been signifi cant and enhances not only the school but the environment of this important creek.

To strengthen our environmental aspirati ons, we installed a 31.64kW Solar Power Generati on system. This installati on is one of the largest in a school in Australia.

All schools have their unique characteristi cs. Ours is characterised by a real sense of community – K-12 students in a three school model mixing together in structured acti vity weekly, a strong Wellbeing program focused at the developmental stage of students and teachers who want the best outcomes for their students. In additi on an engaged, proud and supporti ve parent community and P&F provide perfect conditi ons for the focused, respectf ul and high achieving school that is CCGS.

It is parti cularly pleasing to see everyone playing their part with energy and commitment to enable our school to fulfi l the aspirati ons as arti culated in Future Directi ons 2009-2014. We have enormous momentum and every reason to be opti misti c for the future.

The Headmaster’s Report provides a summary insight into the operati ons of Central Coast Grammar School during the 2011 school year. This report addresses directly the seven key goals of our strategic plan, Future Directi ons 2009-2014.

FROM THE HEADMASTER

William Low


Charlott e Alexander, Dux 2011, achieved an ATAR rank of 99.55

Billy Briggs OnSTAGE & ENCORE nominati ons [HSC Drama & Music]

Gabi Donoghue ARTEXPRESS nominati on [HSC Visual Arts]

Jack Tuckerman InTech Expo nominati on [HSC Industrial Technology]

RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE


Class of 2011

The charts below indicate the areas of study and the universities and colleges chosen by 91 students from the Class of 2011. [Component: number of students]

HSC/IB Highlights

PERFORMANCE

• Charlott e Alexander achieved the highest ATAR Rank of 99.55 and was named Dux 2011

• Three students received nominati ons from HSC examiners for inclusion in programs showcasing outstanding Bodies of Work: Billy Briggs for OnSTAGE [Drama] and ENCORE [Music], Gabi Donoghue for ARTEXPRESS [Visual Arts] and Jack Tuckerman for the InTech Expo [Industrial Technology]

UNIVERSITIES 2012

28 UNCLE

16 USYD

14 UNSW

11 UTS

8 MACQ

5 OTHERS

4 CSU

3 PRIVATE COLLEGE

2 BOND

TERTIARY COURSES 2012

19 APPLIED SCIENCES

16 ARTS

14 ENGINEERING

8 BUSINESS

7 TECHNOLOGY

3 EDUCATION

24 OTHER

POST SCHOOL DESTINATIONS

Higher School Certi fi cate candidates: 81Internati onal Baccalaureate candidates: 27

• 27% of CCGS students achieved an ATAR of 90 or above

• 50% of CCGS students achieved an ATAR of 85 or above [top 15%]

• 61% of CCGS students achieved an ATAR of 80 or above [top 20%]

• 55% of CCGS students scored over 90%, achieving Band 6 HSC / IB in one or more subjects

• 43% of our HSC cohort [35 students] achieved a mark of at least 90 in a HSC course, representi ng Band 6 or equivalent in an Extension Course.

• 18 IB students achieved a perfect score of 7/7 in a subject [equates to HSC Disti nguished Achievers]

• 7 IB students achieved Grade A for either Theory of Knowledge or Extended Essay [4000 words]


Candidature: 118 students[The table below does not include the 17 students who were on outbound exchange]

School Certifi cate

SUBJECT CCGS % BAND 5-6

NSW%BAND 5-6

English Literacy 62.73 38.93

Mathematics 41.58 26.04

Science 49.5 33.68

Australian History 53.46 26.58

Australian Geography 50.49 27.07

NAPLAN

YEAR 3

In Y3 there are 6 achievement bands. The bands start at Band 1. Band 6 is the top band.


NSW %BAND 5-6

Reading 75 47

Spelling 55 51

Overall Numeracy 58 40

Writing 72 61

Grammar and Punctuation 68 50

The National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy tracks the progress of students in Y3, 5, 7 and 9. The tables below show the percentage of CCGS students compared to state school students in Literacy and Numeracy. [Percentages for the components may not add to 100 due to rounding]

YEAR 5



NSW % BAND 7-8

Reading 63 35

Spelling 53 36


Writing 47 26


YEAR 7


SUBJECT CCGS %BAND 8-9

NSW %BAND 8-9

Reading 56 31

Spelling 49 33


Writing 48 24


YEAR 9


SUBJECT CCGS %BAND 9-10

NSW % BAND 9-10

Reading 48 25

Spelling 40 28


Writing 54 22


PERFORMANCE

External competitions

ICAS Writing Y4 & Y67 Distinction | 26 Credit

ICAS English Y4 & Y64 High Distinction | 12 Distinction | 25 Credit

ICAS Mathematics Y4 & Y61 High Distinction | 9 Distinction | 29 Credit

ICAS Computer Skills Y3 - Y6: 2 High Distinction | 12 Distinction | 32 CreditY7: 1 DistinctionY9: 2 Distinction | 4 CreditY10: 3 Distinction | 3 Credit

Newcastle Permanent Mathematics Competition (Y5 & Y6 + 4 Y4)47 CCGS participations2 Major Awards: 3rd in Region | 2nd in Gosford District12 High Distinction | 33 Distinction | 2 Merit

Australian Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians Y5 & Y63660 students from 278 schools 12 Distinction | 18 Credit

National Computer Science School Computing Challenge Y7-Y12Intermediate: 3 High Distinction [incl.1 perfect score]Beginners: 2 Distinction | 1 Credit

Australian Geography Competition Y7-Y10 26 High Distinction29 Distinction

Australian Economics & Business Studies CompetitionsY12: 1 High Distinction [Economics Senior Div.]

Assessment of Language Competence Examination Y10High Distinction: 2 Indonesian | 1 Japanese Distinction: 2 French | 7 Indonesian | 2 Japanese

LEADERSSCHOOL BOARDFollowing the AGM April 2011

Chairman Ken Jolly Deputy Chair Alan WilliamsTreasurer Tim Cullen Secretary Christian Hobbs

Board Members Stephen Brahams Ashley Fill Anne Garlick Margaret Haseltine John Taylor

Linda WebbHEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Denise McDonoughHEAD OF SENIOR COLLEGE

Steven BennettHEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

Charlotte Alexander and Brendan MillsHEAD PREFECTS

Stefanie Christian and Samuel BlooreACACIA HOUSE CAPTAINS

Olivia Puglisi and Matthew TarrantIRONBARK HOUSE CAPTAINS

Kate Cranney and Benjamin CarterGREVILLEA HOUSE CAPTAINS

Andrew Woods and Melanie DillonNICHOLII HOUSE CAPTAINS

Walter Hopkins BUSINESS MANAGER

PREFECTS

JUNIOR HOUSE LEADERS

Acacia

Charlott e Alexander, Samuel Bloore, Eloise Boughton, William Briggs, Jenaed Brodell, Jorgia Brown, Stefanie Christi an, Dylan Colman, Aaron Darling, Jordan Harrold, Nathan Hopkins, Courtney Hughes, Christopher King, Christi an McLaughlan, Hannah Morton, Madeline Riley, Annie Robson, Joshua Sauter, Scott Smith, Sophie Webb, Matt hew Williams

Grevillea

Declan Carrier, Benjamin Carter, Kate Cranney, Donalee Delahunty, Christopher Dennis, Gabriella Donoghue, Rohan Fleming, Kelly King, Roger Lee, Katherine Levis, Madison Manning, Brendan Mills, Henry Olgers, Tayla-Jane Riley, Liam Robillard, Dylan Russell, Jack Tuckerman, Chase Lily Whitf ield

Ironbark

Julia Doukakis, Philippa Dudley, Fiona Ewing, Angus Farquhar, Maia Fung, William Hunt, Dale Jones, Samuel Judd, Greta Kernan, Andrew Knowles, Tiff any Langton, Cameron Litt le, Callum MacPhillamy, Christopher McPherson, Claudia Meere, Madon Parsons, Olivia Puglisi, Matt hew Tarrant, Christopher Totonjian, Adam Wardle, Sophie Worthing

Nicholii

Jordan Bauer, Elizabeth Booth, Harrison Carr, Valeria Codrington, Ryan Colthorpe, Shae Cott erell, Sophie Cox, Melanie Dillon, Jasmine Frankel, Sasha Frankel, Isabella Gillam, Alexis Hutchinson, Sydney Phan, Jessica Robinson, Emily-Kate Rowe, Andrew Woods

AcaciaCaptains: Amelia Andrews, Thomas Mull-Mathers, Georgia Comans, Conor Tomlin

Vice Captains: Rebecca Hockey, Luke Thomson, Phoebe Marsden, Kross Brennan

GrevilleaCaptains: Jessica Nicholson, Benjamin Ursino, Erika Brewin-Higgins, Ethan Moore

Vice Captains: Aimee Ball, James Husband, Isabella Salvo, Thomas Leslie

IronbarkCaptains: Hannah Sterling, Nicholas Baines, Rebekah Holohan-Hill, Robert Stott

Vice Captains: Lindsay Thomson, John de Marti n, Maya Soni, Thomas Moff att

NicholiiCaptain: Jemma Smith, William Gornall, Ashleigh Robson, Andrew OakVice Captains: Alexandra Jennings, Wilson Medcalf, Claire Jones, Tasman Lillioja


1. ACADEMICMAXIMISED ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

In educating our students, academic outcomes are the highest priority. The results achieved in 2011 refl ect the rigorous efforts of staff to not only engage students in the learning process, but to provide practical skills to ensure ‘life and knowledge’ form a positive partnership in their lives.

NAPLAN analysedNAPLAN remains important in its provision of snapshots of student learning and school performance. This year’s data was analysed at macro level, and while there were some areas for focus and improvement, the overall results were impressive. In some areas growth has been remarkable and comparisons with state and other independent schools are positi ve. Teachers acti vely engaged with the NAPLAN data, taking ownership of results and mapping future directi ons for their teaching programs, based on diagnosti c assessments.

New focus in Literacy Our programs are a focus of conti nual development. The Y2-10 Literacy program, introduced in 2010, targets key concept areas, over a fortnightly rotati on. In 2011, to compliment this program and at the same ti me improve the overall spelling standards from Y1-9, we implemented a program that teaches phonics, vocabulary, and spelling and provides a plan for vocabulary growth and spelling development. We found the program was very eff ecti ve in the Junior School with many students in Y6 reaching the upper level. However, for Middle School we felt more content specifi c vocabulary focus would bett er meet students’ needs. Consequently,

students were introduced to spelling components of technical vocabulary in each of the subject areas. This directly correlates with the experiences students are exposed to in NAPLAN style testi ng.

Our Book Standards practi ce which focuses on expectati ons for students’ bookwork and organisati on was reviewed resulti ng in books being collected each term in K-10 and feedback provided to students.

The Peer Reading program between Junior School and Middle School conti nued in 2011.

A teacher initi ated writi ng competi ti on was introduced for K-6 in Term 4, off ering prizes for 1st, 2nd and ‘most improved’ entries from each class. The competi ti on proved to be a good outlet for students to demonstrate their writi ng skills – and they didn’t disappoint, producing some wonderful work.

Successful learning We aim for our students to become independent learners and take an acti ve role in the learning process. We provide many levels of support to achieve this outcome.

Students in Y7-12 were acti vely involved in setti ng goals, and made aware of processes and structures available to assist them to reach their goals and complete set learning tasks. The academic goals were recorded in diaries and academic reports each semester.

There is no doubt that skilful ti me management is a key to successful learning. To assist senior students to adopt good strategies to balance work and play, study skills were taught across Y7-12, both online and through a series of workshops.

In Y10, a comprehensive Assessment program is used to build a profi le of what each student knows, understands and can do. An informati on evening for Y10 students and parents was held in Term 1 to outline assessment expectati ons and assist students with forward planning. Throughout the year, students were made aware of the network of support available to them to assist their transiti on into Stage 6 learning in Y11-12.

Y11 students att ended formal study skills lessons each fortnight which highlighted organisati on and ti me management and introduced methods to help fi ght procrasti nati on and maintain balance.

Identi fi ed Middle School students att ended an aft er school Organisati on program to develop their skills in managing study ti me, goal setti ng and planning assessments.

We encouraged Y12 students to take a proacti ve approach to personal assessment of learning and refl ecti on on outcomes, in preparati on for terti ary studies. There was an increase in the use of small study groups and students took advantage of the supervised aft er school homework sessions.

Keeping parents informedAnother element to success in student learning is reinforcing at home the skills learnt at school. To assist this, we held a Mathemati cs workshop for Y6 parents to introduce the elements of the Y7 syllabus. Over 50 parents with students in Y1-4 and Y5-9 att ended the Literacy workshops, conducted by an external consultant. These workshops explained the features of the persuasive text type, which forms the marking criteria for NAPLAN.


GOALS 2012-13

• Conti nual improvement in all aspects of NAPLAN at Y3, 5, 7 & 9

• An increase in the number of students achieving at Band 5/6 in the HSC results

• Maintenance and/or improvement in the number of students achieving an ATAR over 80

Gifted and talentedProvision of opportuniti es for gift ed and talented students is a priority at CCGS. A new initi ati ve to challenge student learning for identi fi ed students in Y7-8 was introduced; Independent Learning Projects (ILP). These projects provided the students with an extended opportunity to investi gate a topic of their choice.

Linked to the Stage 4 English Syllabus, the school component of the project was delivered during English lessons, with an expectati on that for every hour at school, students were expected to put in two hours at home. Over the year, this equated to roughly 60 hours of project ti me.

Students chose a topic, researched it, wrote about it, discussed it and constructed a display. The 22 projects covered an array of topics including: Eti quett e, Mysti cal Creatures, Teenage Health, Organised Crime and The Cupcake, to name a few.

The most valuable learning occurred during the creati on of the projects. The decision making, conversati ons and problem solving surrounding the tasks has been powerful.

Out of class enrichmentTwo teachers launched new initi ati ves this year, taking the curriculum out of the classroom.

In September, our specialist Junior School Indonesian teacher organised a cultural evening for parents to showcase the language skills their children had mastered. This was a wonderful evening of singing, dancing and music by Y3-4 and Y9 students studying Indonesian. We were pleased to welcome special guests from the Indonesian Consulate in Sydney to this event.

Our specialist PDHPE teacher took advantage of our school’s proximity to the ocean, organising a series of Surf Fun days for Y3-6. Run in conjuncti on with Surf Lifesaving Central Coast, this initi ati ve proved to be a fun and informati ve way of teaching students the safety aspects of swimming in the surf.

Both of these initi ati ves added excitement to the curriculum and we received much positi ve feedback from parents and students.

Skill sharingThe Numeracy Transiti on program, fi rst trialled in 2010, was fully adopted this year. The program aims to enrich the mathemati cal skills of Y6 students before they enter Middle School. Each week, the Head of Mathemati cs and 3 senior teachers joined with Y6 staff which enabled the teachers to split their classes on a needs basis. While the top students were being extended, the skills of all Y6 were consolidated. Survey feedback from parents and students was very positi ve, rati ng the program highly successful in regards to its eff ecti veness and method of delivery.

In a staff skill-share initi ati ve, between Y6 and Y3, the older students used their Notebooks to assist the younger students with the publicati on of Space poems, with some excellent results.

A diverse range of picture books were created by Y7 with the assistance of Y1-3 who became the central characters of the stories.

These cross-learning situati ons are of benefi t to all, helping build confi dence in applying skills learnt as well as making personal connecti ons across age groups.

Future planningDuring 2011, Y10 students received a copy of the Job Guide and completed an online Careers and Occupati ons fact fi nding program on the ‘My Future’ site.

Y10 students choosing subjects for their future HSC studies received one to one support from individual curriculum advisors across various faculti es to ensure students could make informed choices, within their capability and interest.

Students in Y10 att ended a seminar on applying and interviewing for a job. This culminated in the students having to apply for 1 of 9 occupati ons and presenti ng at an interview that was conducted by CCGS parents. All students received professional feedback from their interviewer.

Y12 students att ended an informati on session, ‘Where to from here’? This session included speakers representi ng universiti es, private colleges and TAFE, as well as work and GAP year opti ons.


Students performing on Indonesian Night Y7 created picture books for Y1-3 Y11 study skills

Left : Independent Learning Project display

BALANCED AND ENTERPRISING INDIVIDUALS

2. COCURRICULAR

While it is important our students advance academically and become confi dent learners, we are committ ed to the development of the whole student. We provide myriad opportuniti es for students to develop their personality and advance their capabiliti es across a wide fi eld of interests outside the classroom.

This year, we increased our cocurricular off ering in sport and held clinics and workshops in Basketball, Debati ng, Equestrian and Flute. We introduced a lunchti me Y5-11 Computer Club and aft er school Drama classes for Y1-4. Overseas cultural opportuniti es for senior students included a sports tour to New Zealand and Hawaii and a humanitarian/adventure tour to Cambodia and Vietnam.

Debating / Public SpeakingWe constantly seek new opportuniti es for our students to represent their school. In 2011, we hosted the inaugural regional fi nal of the United Nati ons Youth Associati on (UNYA) Evatt NSW Trophy and the inaugural Gosford round of the UNYA Junior Public Speaking Competi ti on. This is the fi rst ti me these competi ti ons have been open to students on the Central Coast. Twenty students from 9 regional high schools parti cipated in both events. The level of competi ti on was high and we were pleased to have 2 CCGS speakers progress to the semi fi nal.

Our Year 8 debaters were undefeated in the junior HICES competi ti on and brought home the Chapman Cup. Team Best Speaker and Runner Up for the Years 8 and 10 series and grand fi nal Best Speaker went to CCGS. This was an outstanding achievement as the

awards link to points scored across all HICES schools in NSW and the ACT. In additi on, Year 8 completed the competi ti on undefeated.

Our senior public speakers advanced to regional fi nals in many competi ti ons with 1 student earning a grand fi nal place in the Legacy Public Speaking Competi ti on.

In the Junior School, 84 students had the opportunity to entertain their peers in the House Public Speaking Competi ti on. Two teams represented CCGS at the IPSHA Gala Debati ng Day and won their debates. We were successful in the local Stage 3 Public Speaking Competi ti on. Competi ng against 7 schools, CCGS placed 1st in Y6 and 2nd in Y5. It is very pleasing to see talent showing through at junior level.

PERFORMING ARTSSchool ProductionsTop-class performances from some very talented students ensured packed houses for this year’s producti on of Shaw’s witt y play, ‘Pygmalion’. Audiences were totally absorbed as they watched our young actors deliver fl awless dialogues, capturing perfectly the accents and mannerisms at both ends of the social scale in the play’s Victorian setti ng. The producti on team, ably led by a past student who had played many lead roles in school producti ons, presented a professional performance which exceeded expectati ons by a long way. Of the many comments received, this sums up the overall excellence of the play: ‘I was totally focused on the story and oblivious to the fact it was actually a school producti on – just so professional.’

An electricity blackout before the fi rst performance of the junior producti on, ‘Aladdin’ could not dampen the spirits of students and staff who quickly improvised by making use of car headlights to light the make-up rooms. Lights came on by 7pm and the show went on without a hitch. Creati ve and colourful set designs and costumes, coupled with high energy performers kept the audiences entertained.

For our junior producti ons we double and quadruple the lead roles to provide more opportuniti es for young performers. Overall, 57 students took part in the producti on, with many others working behind the scenes.


GOALS 2012-13

• Mapping the full provision of cocurricular opportuniti es and planning for future sustainability

• Review of the management and coaching program for ISA sports to ensure balance between staff experti se and professional coaches

• Review of the overseas tours program to establish a draft 5 year plan

Junior School Performing Arts [JSPA] producti on of ‘Aladdin’


DramaAlmost 70 students performed at the Electi ve Drama Entertainment Nights, held each semester. The standard of performance is improving each year as younger students take advantage of extracurricular classes to build up their dramati c abiliti es.

Students who showed strong commitment to the Y7 lunchti me Drama Club were invited to take part in the EDEN performance in Term 4. The performance was well supported by a warm and appreciati ve audience.

Forty students in Y10-11 parti cipated in the school level Shakespeare Festi val, with several entries for set and costume design. Ten students went on to represent CCGS at the regional competi ti on. Against tough competi ti on, the 2011 Captain of Drama won the solo category for his performance of Macbeth and progressed to the fi nal at the York Theatre, Sydney.

MusicMay was a busy month for our musicians with ensembles performing at Gosford Regional Show and competi ng in the Central Coast Eisteddfod. In August, 25 musicians took part in the Y5-8 HICES Music Festi val; an excellent opportunity for our students to perform with 250 students from independent schools across NSW. In September, all ensembles entertained thousands of visitors at our annual Spring Fair and the Junior Choir performed at the Flora Festi val.

The private music tuiti on and electi ve music students showcased their skills at year group concerts and at the 2 semester cocurricular concerts, described by a parent as ‘a great feast of music’. Y12 musicians gave very polished performances for parents and the public at Lizott e’s Central Coast. In November, our Stage Band performed a mix of big band swing pieces at the Pearl Beach ‘Jazz in the Arboretum’, sharing the bill with Australian arti st, Grace Knight.

The year ended with a spectacular performance on Speech Night of the

‘Hallelujah’ chorus from Handel’s ‘Messiah’, with the newly formed staff choir joining the senior and man choirs and senior orchestra.

Many individual Y12 musicians also made their mark. One student gained selecti on in the presti gious Australian Chamber Orchestra workshop. Our Head Prefect performed at the Sydney Opera House to celebrate her Level 8 Piano graduati on. The student rock band Sons of Alamo ¬ 3 Y12 students and 1 past student – won 2nd place nati onally and 1st in NSW in the fan-based MySchoolAct competi ti on, earning the band a performance spot at Sydney’s Big Day Out.

Billy Briggs received the highest accolade awarded by the Board of Studies to a Y12 performing arts student. He was nominated in the HSC best performance showcases, OnStage and ENCORE, for Drama and Music; a very rewarding outcome for a multi -talented student and for our able teachers who bring out the best in our students.

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS Cambodia/Vietnam tourIn the Term 3 holidays, 28 Y11 students headed to Asia on the annual 16-day humanitarian and adventure tour. They were lucky to evade some of the extreme weather that occurred around the region at the ti me. During their stay, in partnership with the Tabitha Foundati on, they built another 12 houses in the Kampong Chhnang Province in rural Cambodia with $20,000 in funds raised during the year.

Students also fundraised for the Sunrise Children’s Village in Phnom Penh. In additi on to a $3,000 cash donati on, the group collected pre-loved football equipment for the orphanage’s recently formed teams. We also had community support from Terrigal and Kincumber football clubs who donated a full kit each. The children were absolutely delighted with the gift s.

The remainder of the trip was dedicated to cultural acti viti es and sightseeing. A visit to

the Ho Chi Minh war museum was a vivid reminder about the destructi ve nature of war. While in Phnom Penh the group met with the Founder of the Tabitha Foundati on who commended our school’s conti nued support of this community project.

Pacifi c Sports TourDuring the Easter break, 37 Netball, Rugby and Tennis players embarked on a 15-day Pacifi c Sports Tour to New Zealand and Hawaii. The tour was an enriching and energeti c experience with an acti on packed schedule. In New Zealand, students were introduced to Maori culture, played matches against host schools, with some success, and took in the spectacular sights.

In Hawaii, memorable moments included a visit to Pearl Harbour, learning how to Hula dance and snorkelling with turtles. In a skill sharing acti vity at the Academy of the Pacifi c School, our students taught their hosts how to play Netball, while the Principal of the Academy taught our students Lacrosse. For the community service component of the tour, our students and staff took ti me out to weed and mulch fl ower beds at Waimea Valley, a task they completed in record ti me.

Student ExchangeOur Y10 Student Exchange program conti nues to off er students the opportunity to sample life in a variety of countries. In 2011, students went on exchange to Canada, USA, Japan, Wales, Ireland and Germany while our Year 10 cohort enjoyed a multi -cultural mix with students joining us from Japan, Germany and Wales. Exchange students from our sister schools in Japan att ended Y11 classes and ESL lessons.

At the end of April, we welcomed a visiti ng group from Ueda Nishi High School in Nagano, Japan. Their original visit was postponed due to the tragic events that occurred in Japan. Their trip came at a ti me when Australia too was recovering from natural disasters and our school community was able to share their sorrow and concern.

Lead actors in ‘Pygmalion’ Performing at the Leavers Service House building in Cambodia


OUTDOOR EDUCATIONThe Outdoor Educati on program conti nued for all students K-11. This program is under constant review to ensure we use every opportunity to foster students’ skills in teamwork, self discipline, and leadership and increase their capabiliti es across a broad range of acti viti es. In parti cular, resilience was tested to the full this year due to extreme wet weather conditi ons for some camps. Despite the excessive rain, everyone returned to school in high spirits. Students, staff and organisers who experienced the poor conditi ons deserve praise for their commitment to stay on track and deal with whatever challenges arose; fi ne examples of the ethos which underpins the program.

Y10-11 camp leaders compiled leadership reports on each student. These reports were helpful in monitoring students’ abiliti es in out of classroom situati ons.

For Y9-11 students, the stages of att ainment in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program are supported through the camp structure. In 2011, 24 students att ained their Bronze award, 4 students were awarded Silver and 3 students achieved their Gold award.

SPORTWe are fortunate to have excellent faciliti es, dedicated staff and committ ed students; a winning combinati on which saw CCGS produce some very pleasing results across a range of sports.

Many students played representati ve sport at a high level and earned places in development squads. We have many elite athletes at CCGS who strive hard to achieve in their chosen sport. CCGS girls and boys competed nati onally in Athleti cs, Basketball, Equestrian, Lifesaving, Snowsports, Swimming and Triathlon.

Three senior students received presti gious Combined Independent Schools Sports Council Blue Awards for their excepti onal performance in 2011 in Athleti cs, Basketball and Swimming.

Among our seniors, CCGS fi nished at the top of the ladder in Girls Basketball, Cross Country, Boys Football, Hockey and Swimming. Our junior athletes, rugby players and swimmers also did well; great to see such talent among our junior ranks.

In our strongest start to the season, 160 students registered to play Rugby for CCGS. We fi elded teams in every year group from Y3-12. There were 4 teams in Prep, with the Firsts enjoying a large squad of 21 players. All senior squads made it to semi fi nals with the 1st XV, 16s and 14s making the grand fi nal.

In Junior Basketball we fi elded 20 teams. Fourteen teams reached the semi fi nals, 4 teams won their division and 3 teams were runners-up. This was an outstanding result thanks to the eff orts of 19 parents and 12 senior students. We held Basketball camps at school for Y1-7 in January and K-6 in October.

New programsIn Equestrian, to enable horse riders to become more profi cient, the EA NSW Equi-Skills program was added to our cocurricular off ering. The course, delivered by an accredited Level One Equestrian Australian Coach, off ers horse riders pathways to nati onally recognised achievement certi fi cates. In 2011, many riders had outstanding personal successes, with 4 riders representi ng CCGS at nati onal level.

Boys now have another opportunity to represent their school in sport. For the fi rst ti me, CCGS fi elded an Open Boys Football team in the ISA competi ti on. In additi on, we fi elded two teams in the Bill Turner Cup for boys and girls aged 15 years and under. Our students played against local and regional schools, with the U15 girls reaching the regional fi nals.

VisitorsWe hosted 56 boys from Collingwood School in Vancouver, their 6th visit to CCGS. A highlight was the 1st XV and 16s rugby matches held aft er school and supported by a good crowd of parents, students and rugby fans from across the Central Coast.

SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

Athleti cs2nd | ISA Boys Div 23rd | ISA Girls Div 1

Basketball1st| ISA Girls Open A, Junior A , Junior B CCGS named champion school2nd | ISA Boys U13

Cross Country1st | Senior Girls ISA3rd | Senior Boys ISA 1st | Junior HICES

Football1st | ISA Open Boys

Hockey1st | ISA Open Girls2nd | Girls U11CCGS shared championship trophy

Netball1st | 10C [Junior]2nd | ISA Division 3, Intermediate B

Rugby2nd | 1st XV, U16, U14

Swimming1st | Girls ISA2nd | Junior HICES

Learning how to kayak at the Y4 camp Rugby 1st XV in acti on CCGS wins ISA Cross Country Trophy

In July, we played host to 58 students from Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, UK. Hockey, Netball and Rugby matches were held during scheduled House Family ti me and lunchti me. The overwhelming consensus was that the day was terrifi c for building school spirit.

The concept of having the whole school – K-12 and staff – parti cipate as spectators was a fi rst for us and something we aim to repeat.

Unfortunately, an inaugural visit by Hunter Valley Grammar School had to be cancelled due to poor weather. We hope to schedule this event into the calendar for 2012.


DEMONSTRATED TEACHING EXCELLENCE

3. TEACHING

Quality teachingTeacher development has conti nued strongly with staff availing themselves of signifi cant opportuniti es within the school and externally. Well informed, highly credible speakers and facilitators have led workshops for staff as well as staff sharing their experti se. Very pleasing is the highest number ever of our teachers undertaking HSC marking. Many Middle School and Junior School teachers have also been involved in intensive professional learning.

The nature of teaching conti nually changes. This year, there has been considerable media coverage on the issue of quality teachers and their importance in the educati on process.

What consti tutes ‘quality’ teaching has been the subject of debate for a long ti me. Almost a decade ago the NSW Government engaged Dr Gregor Ramsey to undertake a review of teacher educati on in NSW. Ramsey’s report ‘Quality Matt ers’ was comprehensive. Ramsey says, ‘Individual parents have always understood the criti cal signifi cance of good teaching to their children’s learning. This understanding is backed by an increasing body of research evidence that, of all the factors that produce diff erences in student outcomes, the quality of teaching is paramount.’ This research on what consti tutes quality teachers conti nues to grow.

Continuous improvement strategiesDuring 2011 we initi ated reviews of two aspects of learning, Mathemati cs 7-12 and Learning Support K-12, with the support of external experts. Heads of Departments and Heads of Schools were very involved and supporti ve of both reviews. The recommendati ons for Mathemati cs have been embraced by staff and have led to enhanced programs and initi ati ves. The recommendati ons of the Learning Support review will be progressively implemented throughout 2012 and 2013.

It is intended these department reviews will build our internal capacity for ongoing improvement and professional refl ecti on. The review process will enhance professional collaborati on between diff erent parts of the school and, over ti me, will build K-12 experti se within our staff . The professional development for staff will be signifi cant.

To further strengthen our focus on conti nually improving teacher quality, we have created the new positi on of Director of Teaching and Learning. This positi on will commence in Term 1 2012.

New staff We welcomed Linda Webb [Head of Junior School], Robyn Crowley [Head of Music], Paul Daly [Head of Economics] and David Soede [ICT Manager]. These staff bring with them a valuable body of knowledge and already their contributi ons have had a measurable impact within their departments.

Thank youOn [Australian] World Teachers Day at the end of October, we took the opportunity to acknowledge the contributi ons teachers make within our community and their eff orts as educators in today’s increasingly complex and technological society. Students presented teachers with a badge, a balloon and a hand-writt en note of thanks.

GOALS 2012-13

• Increase the number of teachers gaining accreditati on within the Teaching Standards Framework

• Increase the number of subjects represented in HSC marking

• Implement a new appraisal system for all teaching staff

• The provision of leadership and professional learning for middle management

Teachers reading their thank you cards on Teachers Day


4. WELLBEING

Leadership DiplomaLeadership skills are taught through a variety of programs from Y5-12. However, the focus becomes more apparent when a student reaches Y10 and begins setti ng goals for their senior years and beyond. With this in mind, in Term 4 2010, we introduced the Strive To Lead Leadership Diploma for Y10. Every Y10 student was invited to be the architect of their own development.

While the program is not compulsory, any Y10 student who wants to become a Prefect must be enrolled in the program and complete the requirements during Terms 1-3 of Y11. Our 2011-2012 Prefects were the fi rst group to complete the diploma and take up leadership roles.

During the year, several Senior College students att ended the Future Councils Seminar, a Business Leaders Breakfast and the Nati onal Leaders Conference. Two students completed the Max Potenti al leadership program.

Support team established for K-6A Student Support team commenced in 2011 to ensure a holisti c approach to student wellbeing and support across K-6. The team includes the Head of Junior School, Acti ng Deputy Head of Junior School, the Wellbeing Coordinator, the Head of Learning Support and our School Psychologists. This team met weekly to review and assist identi fi ed students in wellbeing and/or academic areas.

Wellbeing focus for Y7The ‘You Can Do It’ wellbeing program, introduced to the Junior School in 2010, was extended to include Y7. The program was launched at the Y7 Team Building Day in February. The program’s unique contributi on is in identi fying the social and emoti onal capabiliti es that young people need to acquire to be successful in school, experience wellbeing, and have positi ve relati onships including being good citi zens.

In November, we held the Y7 Getti ng to Know You Day, aimed at helping students and parents make the transiti on from Junior to Middle School as smooth as possible. New students joined with the current Y6 cohort in a range of acti viti es, culminati ng in the ‘Greatest Race’. A guest speaker from Human Connecti ons addressed Y7 2012 parents, providing advice on ways to ease their child’s journey into Y7.

Y8 Guardian AngelsThe Guardian Angel program introduced in 2011 provided an opportunity for Y8 students to off er their support and guidance to the younger members of our school community. In Term 2, interested students were rostered on junior playground areas to assist with supervision during recess and lunch. The program was aimed at encouraging Y8 to display leadership, contribute positi vely to our school community and act as role models for the younger students.

CybersafetyCybersafety remains an important wellbeing issue both at school and at home. In June, students from Y6-12 parti cipated in the Cybersafety program. A parent informati on evening was held to highlight the issues and inform parents of the part they can play in monitoring their children’s online presence.

This year, as a consequence of an upgrade to our fi rewall and web fi ltering systems, we were able to off er an additi onal service to our families with students in Y5-9 who are part of the Notebook program. The NetboxBlue SecurED Laptop Agent enables schools and parents to provide a safer online environment for students with school notebooks, inside and outside the classroom.

NURTURED STUDENT WELLBEING

GOALS 2012-13

• Senior School to review the roles of House Coordinators, Heads of Department and Dean of Studies with regard to wellbeing and academic counselling

• Investi gate the feasibility / benefi ts of an academic mentoring model for Y12

• Conti nue to enhance transiti on from Y6 to Y7 and Y9 to Y10

• Conti nue the development of Learning Support teams K-6

• Review the Prefect system including selecti on, number of Prefects and the role of Prefects

K-12 House Family acti vity


Wellbeing Y10-12In our eff orts to educate the whole student, we provide informati on sessions to increase awareness on issues which may impact on our students’ lives.

During the Y12 ‘O’ camp, our school psychologists presented a talk on ‘Staying Safe in Year 12’. The session encouraged students to look aft er themselves by balancing work, rest and play. Y11 att ended the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness program. In May, representati ves from Alcoholics Anonymous presented a very moving seminar to Y10. The seminar focused on the Recovery program and was aimed at raising students’ awareness of alcohol related issues.

All Y10-12 att ended a performance of ‘Wired’, which looked at the physiology and causes of stress and depression associated with the pressure of exams, relati onships and everyday life.

Community Service Y11 students who work towards the Strive To Lead Leadership Diploma are required to complete 20 hours Community Service. ‘Fashion Swap’ was one such project which saw students, parents, teachers, musicians and Cerebral Palsy Alliance clients come together in a fun, upbeat atmosphere to raise funds for the charity.

In Y10, students work in a small group to plan a project that benefi ts others. For example, some groups visited the children’s ward at the hospital where they assisted with toy making for the children.

Y9 students parti cipate in 20 hours of Community Service, defi ned as an unpaid task that will be of benefi t to others beyond their family group. Students assisted local sporti ng teams, taught children to swim, helped out in aged care faciliti es and with surfi ng for the disabled. Comments such as ‘sounded boring at fi rst, but it ended up being great’, ‘it was a challenge, but a positi ve experience’ are reassuring and an indicati on that we are on the right track to creati ng good citi zens.

Community response to needOur community responded generously to the Queensland Floods Relief Appeal and the Japanese Disaster Relief. In additi on to the funds raised to build houses in Cambodia, our community also supported a variety of worthy causes including Camp Breakaway (a local charity), Children’s Medical Research Insti tute, Cancer Council, Riding for the Disabled and the Smith Family Christmas Appeal.

Our annual Foundati on Day Coin Line for Save the Children exceeded expectati ons. The record for the longest line was broken and the amount raised was $2408.05 which set a new record.

The annual 40-hour Famine was organised by students in Y10-11 who att ended the Global Leadership Conventi on. They did a superb job encouraging 250 senior students to become involved, raising over $10,000 for World Vision.

Some creati ve individual fundraising eff orts included 4 Y12 boys who shaved their heads in support of the Leukaemia Foundati on and a staff member who, to the delight of students, organised a ‘Wet Sponge Throw’ in aid of the Movember Foundati on.

Eighteen Y11 students parti cipated in the Red Cross Youth Ambassador training program and students from Y7-11 braved wet conditi ons to fundraise for the Salvati on Army Red Shield Appeal.

Our community was most generous when it came to donati ng blood. The results for the Red Cross Vampire Shield (2010-11) saw CCGS take out second place. This is our best result ever with 160 successful donati ons and the potenti al to save up to 480 lives.

Fashion Swap [Ceberal Palsy Alliance]

Smith Family Christmas Appeal

Wet Sponge Throw [Movember]

Head Shave [Lukaemia Foundati on]


5. COMMUNITY

Parent community recognisedThis year the invaluable contributi on to the success of our school made by our very engaged parent community has been recognised in a number of ways, refl ecti ng a dynamic resurgence of community spirit. Recogniti on came in the form of a clean sweep of the parent awards from the NSW Parent Council. P&F President 2005-10, Kristi ne Riley, was presented with the Parent Individual Award and our Fathers Group received the Parent Group Award.

Kristi ne has been abundantly generous with her ti me and talents. She helped out in the classroom, managed sports teams and supported many school fundraising initi ati ves. Never shy of a challenge, Kristi ne took on the task of organising the Spring Fair and other business and family events, bringing our community together.

The Fathers Group clearly demonstrate what a special part dads play in the lives of their children and our school community. The Fathers Camp, now in its 11th year, was booked out by 300 parti cipants within hours of the noti ce being posted. In 2011, the group launched the ‘Innovati on Challenge’, promoti ng environmental sustainability. House Family groups from K-12 united in a spirit of teamwork, creati vity and competi ti on to develop practi cal projects around the themes of Energy, Conservati on, Community and Environment.

It is a constant source of joy to witness the huge number of parents who answer the call for help and put their hand up to say ‘count me in’. There are those who year aft er year give hundreds and in some cases thousands

of hours of service to our school. In 2011, we bid farewell to Pat Williams who gave 23 years of service to the Clothing Pool and the P&F recognised Ann Leason and Julie Garnham for their outstanding contributi ons.

The appearance of our grounds is a constant ‘thank you’ to our school community for their contributi ons over the years. In September, there was much excitement when it was announced that the P&F Vision Splendid gardens and pond project won the Best School Garden Secondary/Terti ary School category in the 2011 Gosford City Garden Competi ti on. Our gardens are very much a community project. While the maintenance staff does the day-to-day work, it has been the signifi cant input from our parents in the design, experti se and layout of the grounds which has seen our gardens take shape.

Opportunities for involvementThere were numerous events during the year providing opportuniti es to get involved, make and renew family friendships and networks that last beyond school years and contribute towards the success of our school. The Welcome Gathering and the New Parent Morning Tea ensured that new families and staff were welcomed to the community. 501 grandparents shared a special day with K-6, enjoying performances and lunch, visiti ng classrooms and donati ng books to the Library. There was huge community support for the P&F ‘Xmas in July’ trivia night, with themed tables and costumes adding to the festi ve atmosphere. It is testament to the strength of our parent community that 23 parents assisted with the Y12 camp and over 90 parents and grandparents parti cipated in running the K-2 camp.

Dads turned out in force for the Fathers and Children Breakfast and many stayed on to set up for the Spring Fair and Art Show. The Spring Fair built on much loved traditi ons with some new organisati on and innovati ve concepts and doubled its takings. The Art Show conti nued to evolve, introducing a student arti st category for the fi rst ti me.

Alumni reconnectThe Class of 2001 enjoyed an evening of barefoot bowls for their 10 year reunion, organised by Laura Hood and Jon Stokes. Natasha Kett and David Watt s brought their cohort back together for a 20 year reunion. Alumni ranging from the Class of 1992-2010 joined forces for the Old Girls Cup Hockey fi xture which ended in a draw.

The relati onship fl ows on with 26 students of Alumni currently enrolled and a further 45 on our waiti ng lists for future years. Kate Beresford-Banks [1989] addressed Y12 2011 about the benefi ts of keeping in touch with the Past Students Associati on. Guest speaker, David Barrow [2003], inspired and energised our Speech Night audience with his thought provoking address, ‘Striving for Excellence – Why Bother?’

Community portal updatedThe community portal website, [email protected], was relaunched in March. New features include an image gallery, and news secti on on the home page and additi onal informati on about cocurricular acti viti es and contacts was also added.

SUPPORTIVE AND COHESIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

GOALS 2012-13

• Conti nue to lift the profi le of CCGS within the Central Coast community

• Further entrench community service programs at Y9 and Y11 as part of the educati onal experience for students

• Support Business2Business functi on at CCGS during 2012

Fathers Group lunch with the House Family winners of the ‘Innovati on Challenge’

IMPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS

6. ENVIRONMENT

Science block upgradeRefurbishment and extension to the Science faciliti es began in October. The new facility will provide 7 laboratories and 3 new classrooms, a considerable upgrade from the original facility opened in 1986 which housed 5 laboratories and 0.5 classrooms. The new extension will provide 2 additi onal laboratories, a general classroom upstairs and 2 general learning areas downstairs. The staff room and preparati on areas are being expanded and the building will have a lift , new access ramps and steps.

The development has been designed to achieve a Green Star – ‘Educati on Design v1’ rati ng, representi ng best practi ce, in line with our school’s environmental goals. The refurbished laboratories will open in Term 1 2012, with the enti re upgrade to be completed by May 2012.

168 solar panels for libraryCCGS has undertaken an innovati ve climate change project with the installati on of a 31.64 kWp Solar Power Generati on system. The 168 solar panels installed on the roof of the Library make the system one of the largest in operati on in schools in Australia. It is esti mated that this renewable energy system will generate suffi cient electricity to power nearly 9 average Australian homes annually. The installati on will generate about 5% of our school’s usage, creati ng signifi cant cost savings. The system’s data and daily energy capture graphs can be viewed online. The solar system was funded by both the Federal Government and CCGS.

Faster communicationsWe conti nue to move with the ti mes, installing a 22m communicati ons tower on site to provide a new internet/video conferencing/telecommunicati ons link-up facility. This enabled high speed video conferencing equipment to be installed in the seminar room of the Library. The equipment was used for the fi rst ti me in a linkup between 10 independent schools around the state for the purposes of consulti ng on the proposed Nati onal Curriculum. This led to signifi cantly enhanced professional learning opportuniti es for our staff and other teachers in the Central Coast region.

Erina Creek rehabilitationSignifi cant rehabilitati on work to the banks of Erina Creek on the Northern boundary adjacent to Carlton Road occurred in 2011. There were several camphor laurels growing along the banks of the creek. While these serve as a shade tree, they weaken river banks, are destructi ve to natural fl ora and fauna and are classifi ed as a noxious weed. As part of the bush land regenerati on along the creek, all invasive exoti c species including the camphor laurel, privet and lantana were removed. This area has been transformed thanks to numerous community working bees, led by parent Brian O’Neil. This is phase 1 of a 5 phase 5 year program, for the benefi t of the environment and the educati onal value of our community.

Much work has been done to ensure our trees stay healthy. Expert advice was sought to identi fy trees that posed a danger to students, staff , building or retaining walls and required parti al or full removal. Some trees suff ered from overcrowding and were successfully transplanted between the Rugby and Cricket ovals. Signifi cant rainfall has helped with their growth and they will, in ti me, provide a nice shady area for our supporters during matches.

In an initi ati ve organised by of one of our Junior School teachers to improve our environmental credenti als, students from K-6 were involved in a range of acti viti es on the theme ‘Life is Bett er with Trees’. A competi ti on was held as part of this educati onal project, with the winners across each age group coming together to plant vegetati on along the banks of the creek.

RecyclingCCGS recycling procedures are conti nually monitored for improvement and further implementati on. During 2011, recycling stati ons were placed in a number of key areas around the school. As a result 6m3 of recycling was collected each week compared with 4.5m3 prior to implementi ng the stati ons. In additi on, we chose recycled plasti c for the mail out sleeve of the Bundara magazine.


GOALS 2012-13

• Achieve 3 star environmental rati ng for the Science building

• Further develop Fathers’ Group environmental challenge

• Further develop the grounds to model of excellence for NSW schools

• Enhancements to the signage and landscaping to Central Coast Highway and Arundel Road

• Undertake electricity audit and implement fi ndings

Students on the banks of Erina Creek

Buildings and grounds Each school assisted in reviewing their learning environments and developing a cycle of acti on to coincide with each school holiday period. Tasks completed in 2011 included re-roofi ng of 2 classroom blocks, re-surfacing of the RLC courts, a facelift to the Y12 rooms, landscaping and paving in areas around Infants, Senior College and the RLC carpark and restorati on of wooden pavilions and barriers in Middle School.

The Carlton Road school entrance now has a signifi cant street presence following an upgrade which began in 2010. The work included widening the concrete apron to allow a deeper turning sweep for buses. A dry pack stone wall, displaying a bronze sculpture of our logo, and a country style post-and-rail fence were constructed. CCGS parent and garden designer Michael Cooke led the planti ng work which surrounds the entrance.

RTA work on the Arundel Road intersecti on conti nued through the year. The installati on of traffi c lights will greatly improve traffi c fl ow to the school and we look forward to this work being completed early in 2012. A 2.4m sound and visual barrier was constructed along our boundary in front of the RLC and K-2 buildings to provide protecti on from traffi c on the Central Coast Highway. New signage will be erected in 2012 when the road works have been completed.

We hosted a variety of events which att racted hundreds of visitors to CCGS throughout the year. We organised and hosted the AHISA Directors of Studies Conference for NSW curriculum leaders and welcomed a delegati on of headmasters and sportsmasters from schools involved in the Independent Sports Associati on. The RLC was the venue for the inaugural Central Coast Home Show with over 100 displays. We welcomed 130 Central Coast students to the THINKFEST enrichment weekend which was held at various locati ons around the school. The Lecture Theatre hosted a series of debati ng and public speaking competi ti ons and the Library and RLC were the venues for our 500 visitors on Grandparents Day.

Headmaster, parent Brian O’Neil and Wal Hopkins [Erina Creek Rehabilitati on]

Carlton Road entrance upgrade

Science block upgrade and extension


SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

7. MANAGEMENT


Enrolments hold steadyEnrolments remained strong in an uncertain economic climate with a 1.5% increase in our total starti ng numbers compared to the previous year. Enrolments reached capacity in key entry points to each sub school (Kindergarten, Y7 and Y10). We welcomed more new students, 170 across K-12, sustaining additi onal classes in Y5, 6 and 7. During the year some students left due to relocati on and fi nancial reasons. This was off set by a good fl ow of new students interested in all CCGS has to off er.

There was a signifi cant improvement in retenti on of students from Y6 2011 to Y7 2012, with the number of students leaving at a quarter of our normal level. The Y7 Informati on Morning has been a successful event to engage new families and assist with the transiti on of current Y6 families. Retenti on of students from Y10 to Y11 has also been trending upwards.

Termly Open Morning att endance has conti nued to increase with 112 families taking the opportunity to explore our school with student guides, meet key staff and obtain enrolment informati on. Scholarships conti nue to be a key tool to promote the school to new students

New website launchedA new website introduced a high level of convenience for prospecti ve families. Features include the facility to register and pay to join a waiti ng list online, request a prospectus or read the document online, book an Open Morning visit, or log an enquiry to the Registrar.

The website won the Gold Award from the Centre for Marketi ng Schools in the open website category, in competi ti on against internati onal entries.

In additi on to online enrolment features the website off ers: a virtual tour to showcase our magnifi cent grounds and faciliti es; videos (webisodes) featuring students, parents and teachers talking about their experiences of CCGS; improved viewing interface for school publicati ons; frequently updated news secti on ensuring new content for returning visitors and promoti onal panels to focus visitors on key events/campaigns.

Since its launch in March the website has received 22,000 unique visitors (47% new visitors) and our webisodes were viewed 6300 ti mes. Key metrics are monitored to evaluate the eff ecti veness of marketi ng campaigns. Our school’s enhanced web presence established this year will provide a platf orm to increase digital marketi ng initi ati ves in 2012.

Telling our storyA new prospectus was introduced, featuring appealing images and text to tell our story. The prospectus includes a USB web key connecti ng families to a welcome video from the Registrar, informati on about the applicati on process and online enrolment features.

The school brand and logo was refreshed to ensure that our identi ty is up to date and clearly defi ned in an increasingly competi ti ve environment. A subtle evoluti on of the school logo was developed that connects visually to our history and values.

GOALS 2012-13

• Research new marketi ng opportuniti es• Implement revamped school newslett er• Implement Risk Register• Implement policies to ensure

compliance with new Work Health and Safety Regulati ons

• Hold several internal audits in preparati on for 2014 Board of Studies Registrati on process

• Further enhance budget control strategies

• Develop / endorse School Master Plan

Brand identi ty guidelines were established to ensure consistent applicati on and the new logo was introduced gradually to minimize cost on stati onery, signage, publicati ons and marketi ng collateral during the year, with school uniform to follow next year.

A new adverti sing style was developed, featuring bold use of engaging photography and parent/student testi monials, and extended to a new light box site at Erina Fair shopping centre. A school bus was decorated with student images as a moving billboard. A range of promoti onal merchandise was acquired for Open Morning and school visitors.

In the public domainA great mix of news, youth, family, educati on and business editorial placement on television, in both local and metro print and online, raised our profi le with diverse target audiences. Highlights included: consistent presence in local print media promoti ng student achievements and service; local publicati ons aimed at families including Kidz on the Coast, Sunny Days and Get Ahead Kidz covering developments at the school; Sydney Morning Herald coverage of community engagement and K-12 learning; television and online coverage of successful school band Sons of Alamo in the MySchoolAct competi ti on; Student Exchange program featured in AHISA Independence magazine; coverage of award winning website in the Central Coast Business Review and a parent interviewed on ABC local radio about the NSW Parents Council Awards.

Y12 Leavers Service

Fees and private income $15,904,241

Commonwealth recurrent grants $5,810,659

State recurrent grants $1,763,911

Other Capital Income $129,500

Salaries, allowances & related expenses $16,113,497

Teaching and administrati on $3,346,141

Depreciati on$1,042,989

Property expenses$1,154,071

Operati ng leases$521,923

Interest$343,978


INCOME

TOTAL INCOME $23,608,311

EXPENDITURE

TOTAL EXPENDITURE $22,522,599

NET SURPLUS

Income$23,608,311

Expenditure$22,522,599

Net Surplus$1,085,712

NET SURPLUS $1,085,712

Financial management

The School conti nues to manage costs very closely in order to keep fee increases to a minimum, and at the same achieve a reasonable surplus.

Fees were increased by 3.5% in 2011, which was in line with cost increases and lower than the average fee increase for comparati ve independent schools.

CCGS must achieve a reasonable surplus each year so as to conti nue upgrading faciliti es and equipment, and to be able to service its loans.

During 2011, the school repaid bank loans of $1,011,000.

TRIBUTES


SERVICE TO SCHOOLIt is a tradi on at CCGS to recognise long serving staff on Speech Night. We paid tribute to the following staff for their excep onal contribu on.

25th anniversary plaque

Steve Gill [Head of History]Jill Robinson [Head of Mathema cs]

20 years service

Kerry Armstrong-Smith[SS Teacher]Cheryl Cameron [SS Languages Teacher]Steve Dunstan [JS Teacher]

15 years service

Sonja Holden [JS Teacher] Sally Keaney [JS Language Teacher]Kim Cannan, Hilary Day, Svetlana Vokurka [Music Tutors]

SCHOOL BOARD AWARDS

The 2011 annual School Board Awards in recogni on of demonstrated excellence were presented to the following recipients.

Samantha Marker [JS Teacher]Nereida Ryan [SS Mathema cs Teacher]John Horsley [Deputy Head of Senior College]Chris ne Hodgkinson [Manager Development & Community Rela ons]

Good schools are not independently a product of competent staff , suppor ve parents, enthusias c students or a balanced school board. They are a product of all of these ac ng in harmony, driving the school from strength to strength, interac ng like an ecosystem. There are mes when factors coalesce to build posi ve momentum. Central Coast Grammar School is enjoying that momentum right now.

In April, Ken Jolly assumed the role of Chair from John Taylor as part of the Board’s succession plan. I thank John for his outstanding contribu on to CCGS. John served on the Board for 9 years, 4 as Chair. John has had a signifi cant impact on the current posi oning of CCGS. His passion for educa onal excellence and balance is refl ected in Future Direc ons which is well into the implementa on phase. His excep onal skills in project management and building have seen him involved in construc on of the Judy Stokes Infants Building, the Richard Lornie Centre, the Mul purpose Sports Field, the Library and the current Science block upgrade.

I also thank re ring Board member Prof Stephen Crump for his valuable contribu on to the governance and strategic direc on of the school. My thanks to Business Manager Wal Hopkins and the Heads of Schools – Denise McDonough, Steven Benne and Linda Webb – for their support and good leadership throughout 2011. The P&F Associa on, Fathers Group and Parent Reps deserve our thanks for the work they have done in strengthening community spirit.

We had a wonderful group of dedicated student leaders, who led with dis nc on and upheld the tradi ons and camaraderie that binds our school as one. I thank Head Prefects Charlo e Alexander and Brendan Mills for the fi ne example they set for the en re student body.

I acknowledge the work of academic, specialist, coaching and support staff during this year. They have met the demands of a busy metable and con nued to strengthen their individual programs to add to the success of all that CCGS off ers.

I pay special tribute to long serving staff who have embarked on a new stage in their lives: Denise Nordstrom [Head of Languages], Marilyn Spence [Director of Staff Administra on], Ronelle Moore [JS Teacher], Kerrie McInerney [Recep onist] and Robyn Tisshaw [Learning Support].

The achievement of excellence is an ongoing journey and we are travelling well. We are enjoying success and prosperity because we are in accord. I thank everyone for that; students, parents, the broader community and our dedicated, talented staff . We have shared aspira ons and importantly each knows how to contribute to posi ve outcomes.

Founda on Day 2011: Heads of Schools and the Headmaster with Founda on staff John Boesenberg [front le ] and Gary Glenn [front right]

William LowHeadmaster


STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCEin all endeavours, in a happy, caringand supporti ve environment

Student band Sons of Alamo play Big Day Out CCGS wins HICES Cross Country trophy

Netball: Grammar Gismos win grand fi nal Boys Football tops ISA competi ti on

Celebrati ng Teachers Day House Family Assembly

Arundel Road, Erina Heights NSW 2260, AustraliaT: +61 2 4367 6766 F: +61 2 4365 1860W: www.ccgs.nsw.edu.au E: [email protected] 85 002 839 607 CRICOS Provider Code: 022619

Documents

CCGS Headmasters Report 2011