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Italian Bilingual School

Annual School Report to the Community

2017

School Contact Details:

30-32 See St Meadowbank

info@ibs.nsw.edu.au

www.ibs.nsw.edu.au

Phone: (02) 9807 2272

Fax: (02) 9807 8020

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CONTENTS Page

About This Report 3

Message From Key School Bodies 4

School Features 5

School Curriculum 6 - 7

Value Added 7 - 11

Student Performance In Tests 11 - 12

Professional Learning And Teacher Standards 12

Teacher Attendance And Retention 13

School Policies 13 - 16

School Determined Improvement Targets 17 - 19

Initiatives Promoting Respect And Responsibility 20

Parent, Teacher And Student Satisfaction 20

Financial Statement 20 - 21

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS REPORT

ACER: Australian Council for Educational Research

ASISSA: All Suburbs Independent Schools Sports Association

NESA: NSW Educational Standards Authority

CIS: Combined Independent Schools

ICT: Information and Communication Technologies

IDEAS: Innovative Designs for Enhancing Achievements in Schools

KLA: Key Learning Area

NAPLAN: National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy

SMART: School Measurement Assessment and Reporting Toolkit

CLI-IBS: Competenza Linguistica Lingua Italiana-Italian Bilingual school

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ABOUT THIS REPORT

The Italian Bilingual School is registered by the Board of Studies (NSW) and managed by Italian Association

of Assistance, Sydney (“Co.As.It.”) the ‘approved authority’ for the Registration System formed under Section

39 of the NSW Education Act 1990.

The Annual Report to the School Community for this year provides the school community with fair, reliable and

objective information about school performance measures and policies, as determined by the Minister for

Education.

The Report also outlines information about initiatives and developments of major interest and importance to

the school community during the year.

Accordingly, the Report demonstrates accountability to regulatory bodies, the school community and the

Co.As.It. Board of Directors.

This Report complements and is supplementary to school newsletters and other regular communications. The

Report will be available on the school’s website by 30 June 2018 following its submission to the Board of

Studies (BOSTES).

Further information about the school or this Report may be obtained by contacting the school on 9807 2272 or

by visiting the website at www.ibs.nsw.edu.au.

PRINCIPAL: Silvia Onorati

DATE: 26/06/2018

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MESSAGE FROM KEY SCHOOL BODIES

President of Co.As.It. – Mr Lorenzo Fazzini

The Italian Bilingual School is well established at the Co.As.It. Meadowbank Campus (CMC). The School

continues to experience a growth in enrolments as a result of the quality of its curriculum.

2017 marked the 15th year of the Italian Bilingual School. It has been a significant year with many highlights.

The School received the official visit from Italian Ministry for Education, MIUR. The delegation was headed by

a Director of MIUR and included a group of Italian Principals. They visited the School’s Innovation Centre and

were interviewed by the senior students the students. The delegation was impressed by the level and the

calibre of student engagement.

The new School Hall was also completed and officially opened by Senator Concetta Fierravanti Wells.

I am proud to acknowledge the extraordinary work of our teaching staff and for their ongoing commitment to

ensuring the best education for our students. I congratulate Ms Silvia Onorati on her achievements as Principal

for 2017.

Principal’s Message – Ms Silvia Onorati

In 2017, a number of initiatives undertaken in 2016 were consolidated. These included the implementation of a new School Curriculum; the introduction of a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Program; the introduction of a program to develop writing skills ‘Seven Steps to Writing Success’ and the IBS Educational Tour to Italy. In addition, a range of initiatives were developed to meet teaching and learning objectives. These included the implementation and evaluation of the Italian Benchmark Project (CLI-IBS), the introduction of an online platform for Mathematics and a Homework Club. To facilitate communication and interaction with parents, the Italian Bilingual School has introduced an online app and a Blog where parents can see the work of students in the classroom. Renovation works were also completed to improve the School’s courtyard and the Preps playground I thank my colleagues in the Management Team, Ms Sara Villella and Mr Thomas Camporeale, who have supported me in leading the School. I wish to thank the Board of Directors for giving me the wonderful opportunity to lead the Italian Bilingual School. This report is also an opportunity for me to express my gratitude to all who have contributed to IBS community in the last 12 months, our wonderful P&F Committee lead by Ms Nadine Di Moro, all the parents who have tirelessly helped the School with many tasks, from reading to canteen, the garden and in our Innovation Centre. We had such a great number of parents involved in the school life, which is undoubtedly sign of a healthy and vibrant community.

Parent and Friends President – Ms Nadine Di Moro

The IBS Parents and Friend Association organised many events during 2017, which included a Tombola Night, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day stalls, Ferragosto Walkathon, Dinner Dance. Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea and Father’s Day breakfast. The P&F Association also contributed to the renovation of the Preps playground, to purchase teaching resources and sports equipment. On behalf of the School community, we thank the P&F for the organisation of the successful events and for all the fundraising efforts. The P&F funded:

Tombola Night

Welcome BBQ

Sports Equipment

OSMO Program

Educational Resources

New books

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Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea

Father’s Day Breakfast

SCHOOL FEATURES

The Italian Bilingual School is an independent, non-denominational and co-educational school located in Meadowbank. The school caters for students in Years K-6 and has a current enrolment of 106 students. Our Preps (Pre-Kindergarten) program brings the number of students currently enrolled to 140. The School experienced a growth in enrolments as a result of a strong educational program, a nurturing environment and community events that were held throughout the year. The school employs 15 staff comprising 12 teachers (some part time) and 3 non-teaching staff, the latter being employed in a variety of capacities including office administrator and teacher aide.

Link to MySchool website

http://www.myschool.edu.au The Italian Bilingual Schools vision is Excellence through Bilingualism (Il bilinguismo per eccellere), IBS

delivers the NSW Curriculum in two languages in order to provide a program of study which targets the needs

of all students. The development of bilingualism is fostered to strengthen the intellectual, analytical and

reflective capabilities of students. Strong emphasis is placed on developing mathematical skills to be used

across all learning areas and more broadly in students’ lives.

The Italian Bilingual School enables children from all cultural backgrounds to discover the interconnectedness

of languages and cultures, and develop intercultural capability. Our bilingual curriculum enables students to

become literate as they develop the knowledge and skills for communicating confidently and effectively in two

languages.

Through a bilingual model, students gain social, cultural, historical and geographical knowledge of Australia

and Italy. The Italian Bilingual School empowers students through the added benefits of a broader education

by offering a curriculum that is consistently of the highest standard.

The Italian Bilingual School offers the students a unique educational opportunity to achieve excellence through

bilingualism. The study of Italian offers students a window into a culture of beauty, a vehicle for creative

individuality, an appreciation of language and deepens their understanding of cultural diversity.

The Italian Bilingual School also offers a School canteen with tasty nutritious and healthy food including popular Italian menus. Other programs offered include music, dance, and instrumental tuition and Chess Club. We participate in the ASISSA Sport Carnivals and students who qualify will represent the school at the CIS Sport Carnivals.

SCHOOL CURRICULUM

The new Australian Curriculum has radically changed the nature of teaching in schools. In 2017 the initiatives undertaken in 2016 were consolidated in response to the NESA guidelines. Emphasis was placed on creating a new vertical curriculum and ensuring program continuity; initiatives which generated differentiated learning and teaching programs. This has been done to maximise opportunities for success for each student at the Italian Bilingual School. To achieve this, it was necessary to reorganise the whole approach to learning and to developing student abilities. This led inevitably to a cultural shift and a change in thinking for the staff who worked on putting in place individual learning plans within a context of general integration in class and in groups. Teachers planned a regular screening process to conduct assessments similar to standardised tests such as NAPLAN, to increase opportunities for students to achieve success.

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With the implementation of the new curriculum, teaching necessarily focused on developing students skills through activities in which students play an active role in the learning process. Activities focused on developing problem solving skills, and assessment rubrics were used to enhance learning. Assessment rubrics list the specific criteria for each subject assuring students understand and work towards achieving all the criteria necessary to succeed. Brief summary of the most important initiatives of 2017: • Implemented and evaluated all the new units of work created in 2016 • Implemented and evaluated the new benchmarking system for Italian literacy • Support program for students in need • STEAM Program for students in Primary • Coding Program for Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 • Seven Steps to Writing Success • Homework Club • IBS Educational Tour to Italy • Developed a School Blog • Introduced Mathletics

VALUE ADDED

STEAM Program In 2017 a STEAM Program was introduced for Year Three to Six. The objective of our STEAM Program is to develop skills by integrating subjects and exploring links between technical-scientific disciplines and humanities. Our students are encouraged to solve complex problems collaboratively utilising the different tools available to them. This leaded to the breaking down of the traditional barriers between theoretical and practical skills. SEVEN STEPS to WRITING SUCCESS This program was introduced to facilitate the writing process in all subjects areas. This program enables teachers to inspire students writing and rapidly improve their narrative skills through writing and communication activities. The concepts taught can be applied to any language and all forms of writing including narrative, persuasive and informative texts. The program was implemented in all year levels and in English and Italian, with exceptional results.

IBS Educational Tour to Italy Every two years IBS students have the opportunity to take part in an educational experience in Italy. In 2017 a record number of students participated in this program. Thirty one students and their families participated in this unique educational experience. The students were involved in cultural activities such as visiting the Gladiators’ school in Rome and the medieval town of Bevagna in Umbria. The students also enjoyed an excursion to an excavation site in the ancient city of Ostia where they participated in an archaeological dig. This extended their studies of Ancient Rome which had begun in Sydney with a visit to the Escape from Pompeii at the National Maritime Museum exhibition. As part of the educational experience, IBS students attended classes for three weeks at Lombardo Radice Primary School, our sister school in Magione. Thanks to the well-established relationship between Co.As.It. and the University for Foreigners in Perugia, students had the opportunity to attend classes specifically developed for them by Professor Franco Romano. CLI-IBS Language Skills The Italian Bilingual School has created an Italian test similar to standardised tests such as NAPLAN. Teachers plan regular screening activities to evaluate progress towards learning objectives. The aim of these tests is to provide a comprehensive picture of the skills of each student and compare these skills with those in the NAPLAN Tests in English. IBS is the first Bilingual school in Australia to use such a testing system, making the school a leader in bilingual education at a national level. Below is an example of the results achieved by a student in the CLI-IBS tests.

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Educational Achievements

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS AND ASSESSMENT FOR SCHOOLS (ICAS)

ICAS is a comprehensive skill-based educational assessment that is administered independently and is based on academic competencies with an added competitive element. The students of the Italian Bilingual Schools took part in ICAS competitions and achieved good results. 2017 ALC Results – Assessment of Language Competence (ALC) These certificates measure linguistic competence in a second language. The test consists of multiple choice responses to listening extracts based on socio-cultural, cognitive and grammatical competencies with a particular focus on syntax. The assessment of linguistic competence contributes to: • The promotion of language learning in Australia • The possibility of tracking the development of student’s language learning throughout their school years • An overall picture of our students’ linguistic competency. Italian Bilingual School students passed all ALC tests with excellent results.

Communication and parental involvement Research demonstrates that parental involvement in their children’s schooling is of critical importance to good school results. The Italian Bilingual School encourages parent involvement in the education of children to ensure educational success and regularly communicates with parents through a range of forums. The most important initiative of 2017 was a range of Workshops which provided parents with ideas to directly assist and support their child’s learning. Parents’ engagement extends beyond parent involvement in volunteering at the school, to having a deliberate focus on influencing and improving learning outcomes. Each Workshop provided them with

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strategies to help their child at home. Parents were encouraged to attend two sessions according to their interests and the needs of their child/children. The Workshops were very practical and hands-on. Parents are also provided with the Term Pacing Guides and overviews. The School Newsletter has an extensive part devoted to focus on Curriculum. In 2017, the school adopted a School Stream App, an online application that streamlines communication in real time Student Welfare The Italian Bilingual School believes in the importance of developing leadership skills in all seniors’ students. All our Year Six students attended the GRIP Conference gaining an insight od what is expected from a School Leader. The students worked on a Peer Support Program, helping the younger students understand and implement the school rules of ‘Respect, Learning and Safety’ by planning and teaching mini lessons to the junior school students. This initiative has been run for the past two years and has a very positive impact on students’ behaviour. The school also offers a Buddies program to the Preps and Kindergarten pupils. Year Five and Six students follow the progress of their younger friends throughout the course of the year. The program has been active for many years and aims to help younger students settle into the school environment. The Buddies meet regularly during the year and participate in various activities together.

Mamma Lena and Dino Gustin Innovation Centre The Mamma Lena and Dino Gustin Innovation Centre has continued to provide students with a unique opportunity to develop skills in the application of multimedia platforms. Year Six students were involved in a series of interviews with prestigious guests such as the Consul General of Portugal, a delegation of Italian school principals and Professor Franco Romano from the University of Perugia. School improvements In 2017 a new outdoor play area for Preps was created in order to further enhance the youngest students’ developmental play. It comprises many features such as water and sand games, a shared reading area and a drawing space. The infants’ playground was protected by a new shade clothed area. Sport IBS students took part in numerous sports competitions: swimming, cross country running and track and field events. Students also represented the School at the All Suburbs Independent Schools Sport Association (ASISSA); with some students progressing to the competitions of the Combined Independent Schools. IBS also took part in the annual five-a-side soccer tournament held at the International German School involving three teams with the junior team winning the competition. The students also participated in the International Sports Day at the Japanese Bilingual School. Student activities

Students at the Italian Bilingual School receive positive motivation and stimulation through a variety of in

school and extra-curricular activities.

Book Week

The theme of the 2017 Book Week, “Escape to Everywhere”, inspired many teaching activities in the creative

writing program, Seven Steps to Writing Success. One of the activities was a writing competition with awards

being granted to the best work in each Year. A Book Parade was held with students wearing costumes imitating

their favourite literary characters.

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Multicultural Grandparents Day

The central theme of the Multicultural Grandparents Day was “Everyone belongs”. Students learnt traditional

songs, dances and instrumental melodies from different countries. A number of grandparents enjoyed their

grandchildren’s performance. A PhotoBooth was also set up to allow grandparents to take photos with their

grandchildren against scenic backdrops in the Mamma Lena and Dino Gustin Innovation Centre.

Carnevale

Students celebrated Carnevale through artistic, theatrical, photographic and creative educational activities

and performances and a mountain of crostoli!

Music

The IBS music program is appreciated by the whole school community as it offers a wide range of musical

experiences. The students learn to play music, sing and dance in an atmosphere of fun and entertainment.

Science Week

During Science Week students were involved in a number of activities in the Coding and STEAM programs.

A whole school excursion was also organised to the Sydney Observatory and the Australian Science

Museum.

Norton Street Festa, Ferragosto

2017 was an exciting year for our pupils because they participated in numerous events.

Students participated enthusiastically in a number of community events such as Norton Street Festa and

Ferragosto. These were great occasions for our students to showcase their musical and artistic talents.

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is an important initiative aimed at increasing students’ desire to read during

their school years. Students challenge themselves, as this is not a competition against others. The challenge

is to read as many books as possible during the allocated time. Like every other year, students at the school

participated with great enthusiasm. All students received a certificate of participation and a number of students

received a gold and platinum medal for participating four years in a row.

Oz El Kid

Opera Australia gave a live 50-minute performance for our students. The opera, El Kid is an “opera

buffa” based the music created Carmen, music composed by Bizet. The incursion has been a great succes and has involved the students thanks to the easy story line and the beautiful music.

End of year school concert

The end of year concert was an enormous success. Never before have the artistic talents of our students been

displayed as brilliantly as they were in 2017. The theme of the concert was the nature and its conservation. In

keeping with the theme, students wore costumes inspired by the colours of the nature, as they sang and

danced with great skill under the competent guidance of the music teacher.

Other Activities

Year 4-6 Camp experience at Cambera

Observatory and Australian Museum visit

Mr Bill Auer guitar teaching during the school day

Buddies programme

Year 6 Graduation at Aqua Luna Restaurant.

Schools Remember ANZAC – Commemoration Service at Hyde Park

ANZAC Day Ceremony at School

Chess Club

Assemblies and performances

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Visit to the Italian Bilingual School in Canberra

International Sport Day at the Japanese School

Soccer Competition at the International German School

Music Lesson

Ferragosto Stall at Five Dock

Ferragosto Activities Day

Norton Street Festa

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Science and Book Week

Scripture Classes

Festa della Repubblica at school

Teddy’s Bear Picnic

Multicultural Day

Student’s Leaders GRIP Conference

Fire Safety Incursion

Kindergarten and Preps Orientation

The Preps and Kindergarten Orientation Day involved a variety of classroom experiences aimed at easing the transition into Preps or Kindergarten; students undertook a transition tests to evaluate their abilities prior the commencement of Kindergarten. Parents were provided a written report. It was a very exciting time for our students as they prepared for the next year. STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN TESTS

National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) The Italian Bilingual School achieved results over and above the state and national averages. Fourteen students from Year Three and ten students from Year Five sat for the NAPLAN literacy tests in May 2017. The NAPLAN Tests provide an indication of student competency. The comparison between the levels achieved by the school and the national levels provide an overview of the skills acquired based on the learning choices and the effectiveness of programs. http://www.myschool.edu.au

(www.naplan.edu.au)

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND TEACHER STANDARDS

Professional learning

All teachers have been involved in professional development activities during the year. These activities are designed to develop the skills and understandings of staff to improve student outcomes. Professional development can take many forms including whole school staff days, subject specific in-services, meetings and conferences.

Course Attended

Staff Development Days 15

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OHS Training 15

University of Perugia Conference 8

University of Perugia Full immersion course 2

First Five Minutes Fire Warden Training 14

NAPLAN TESTS ANALYSIS 12

NAPLAN SMART Briefing 12

Seven Steps of Writing Success 2

In House Seven Steps of Writing Success 15

Differentiated Learning In Languages: Online Module 1

ASISSA Meetings 2

Behaviour management in-service 1

Familiarisation: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum History K-6 Online 2017 1

Integrated Activities for Italian Learning Integrated Activities for Italian Learning 1

Contexts in Science and Technology 2

Integrated Activities for Italian Learning 1

Pedagogy in Practice: How NSW Accreditation Works 1

Positive Partnerships 2

Autism Spectrum Disorders 1

The Principles of Purposeful Programming 2

Personalised Learning Processes for Aboriginal Students 1

Planning and Programming: NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum History K-6 3

Disability Legislation Online Module 1

School Communities Working Together Online Module 2

NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum Geography K-6 Online 2

Effective Use of Interactive Whiteboards 1

Autism Awareness Part 1: Adapting your lessons and learning for the child who has Autism

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Great Teacher Give Great Feedback 1 Differentiated Learning in Languages: the next level 1

NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum English K-6 Online 2

In-service for Students that are hard of hearing 1

Building Resilience in students 1

Screen Play: Investigating Technology Solutions in Films Languages 1

The school also held afternoon Staff Meetings in 2017 once a week, that were specifically aimed at providing Professional Development in all the areas mentioned above. The teachers shared the expertise with the rest of the staff. We created a strong learning community.

Teacher Standards

The following table sets out the number of teachers on the school staff who fall into each of the three categories determined by the Board of Studies:

Teacher Qualifications Number of Teachers

1. Those having formal qualifications from a recognised higher education institution or equivalent.

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2. Those having graduate qualifications but not a formal teaching qualification from a recognised higher education institution or equivalent.

0

3. Those not having qualifications described in 1 or 2 above but having relevant successful teaching experience or appropriate relevant knowledge.

0

http://www.myschool.edu.au

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TEACHER ATTENDANCE AND RETENTION

The average teacher attendance rate during 2017 was 100%. This figure does not include teachers on planned leave. The teacher retention rate was 100%.

STUDENT ATTENDANCE

The average student attendance rate for the school during 2016 was 95% in Semester 1 and 89% in Semester 2. SCHOOL POLICIES

Attendance Policy Procedures All attendances are recorded as an ‘absence only’ method in a class roll on a daily basis and in PC Schools Data Base Where extended absences have occurred or no explanation note is provided, teachers will ask for an explanation note from the parents within three weeks of the absence. Procedure

Each individual class teacher has access to PC Schools data base for an electronic roll.

Class rolls are marked using the exception method.

A note from the student’s parents or caregiver is required for every absence or partial absence. Parents can contact the school via email or use the School App to notify absences

Explanation notes are to be kept with the class folder.

If explanation notes are not provided within seven school days, the classroom teacher will send home a school letter requesting the reason for absence in writing.

If parents do not respond to this letter within a week, the Principal will contact the parents for further clarification.

PC Schools maintains all records of absences as a backup. Attendance Monitoring Class teachers:

monitor attendance patterns - absences and lateness.

remind students, and if possible their parents, that explanatory notes are required if the note is overdue (ie if the note has not been received within seven school days).

record the category of absence (A,E,L,P ,M or S).

refer attendance patterns causing concern or unexplained absences (within three days of the absence becoming unexplained) to the Principal.

inform the Principal when a student has been absent for three days or more for any reason. The Principal will monitor all rolls once a term to ensure that: the rolls are marked in accordance with policy.

monitoring of attendance is effective.

all necessary roll statistics have been calculated.

explanatory notes, late notes and a record of verbal explanations are accurate and kept with the class roll and filed at the end of each school year.

requests are made for medical certificates detailing the nature and duration of the sickness if there are concerns about notes provided by the parents or caregivers or the sickness is over an extended period.

the parent/caregiver is contacted when an unexplained absence occurs.

parents are contacted personally if an explanation of absence letter does not follow

parents submit a written request if students are taking extended educational leaves; e.g. attending school in Italy for a number of weeks.

http://www.myschool.edu.au

Enrolment Policy

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Rationale The Italian Bilingual School is a non-denominational primary school providing a bilingual education in English and Italian. The criteria for enrolment at the School are equitable, open and non discriminatory. Geographic boundaries are not taken into consideration in the enrolment process of the Italian Bilingual School. All applications are processed in order of receipt; consideration may be given to siblings already attending the school and other criteria determined by the school from time to time. General Policy Language competence in either English or Italian is not a prerequisite for students enrolling at IBS. Children who turn five years of age on or before 30th June on the year of enrolment are eligible to enrol in Kindergarten, provided the teachers attest to the child’s readiness to commence formal schooling. The School may also contact the child’s previous school/pre-school and consult with the primary caregivers to further ascertain school readiness and suitability of a bilingual learning environment such as that of IBS for the individual student. Non-Australian citizens holding a valid visa, meeting Commonwealth Government regulations, and the minimum age requirement of the School, are welcome to enrol. Procedures

A copy of the child’s birth certificate and, where applicable, visa number, will need to accompany the enrolment form. A completed copy of the enrolment form and a signed copy of the Media Consent form, the Acceptable User Policy, Outings and Library Permission are to be placed in the student’s file at the beginning of enrolment (once these forms are on file, there is no need to complete these forms every year).

Enrolments must be accompanied by documented evidence of immunisation status.

Where parents elect not to immunise their child, the School, under the Public Health (Amendment) Act 1992, will require that unimmunised children remain at home in the event and for the duration of an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease.

Enrolment may be refused on the grounds of previously documented violent behaviour.

Relevant enrolment forms must be completed and accompanied by due payment of applicable fees.

An Open Day will be held at the beginning of Term 2 (end of April) to promote the school to the community. During the first two weeks of May, enrolment opportunities are advertised and interviews organised. The enrolment process usually entails an interview with the Principal and a preliminary assessment by the teachers if needed to ascertain questions such as school readiness and/or suitability of a bilingual learning environment such as that of IBS for the individual student. Parents are expected to enrol their students for Kindergarten at this time.

Where a waiting list applies, precedence may be given to students attending the IBS Preps program.

Siblings of students attending IBS will be given precedence.

New and continued enrolment is subject to acceptance of the policies, rules and regulations governing the Italian Bilingual School and willingness to support the philosophy underpinning the School.

Parents/primary caregivers will be notified of the outcome of their application in writing.

A Media Consent Form and an Acceptable User Form are to be completed at enrolment and stored in each student’s folder.

A Register of Enrolments will be retained by the School for a minimum period of five (5) years before archiving.

Enrolment of Students with Special Needs Each application will be considered individually by the Principal and the Co.As.It. Board of Directors. Factors which will influence any decision include: • Adequacy of support services and resources • Whether the student can be provided with an appropriate educational program • Welfare of other students

The full text of the Enrolment Policy and Procedures may be accessed via the:

School website www.ibs.nsw.edu.au

School administration office

Pastoral Care Policy

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Pastoral care at the Italian Bilingual School concerns the total welfare of individual students and the student population as a whole. It involves offering a framework for growth in a nurturing and caring environment and assisting in the formation of positive self-esteem and interpersonal skills. Related documents include:

Student Welfare and Discipline Policy and Procedures

Duty of Care and Supervision Policy and Procedures

Attendance Policy and Procedures

Anti-Bullying Policy and Procedures

Homework Policy and Procedures

Communication Policy and Procedures

Assessment and Reporting Policy and Procedures

Health, First Aid and Medication Policy and Procedures

Anaphylaxis Management Plan and Nut-free Policy and Procedures

Critical Incident Management Plan

Privacy Policy and Procedures

IBS School Rules The full text of the school’s Pastoral Care Policy may be accessed via the:

School website www.ibs.nsw.edu.au

School administration office

Student Welfare and Discipline Policy

The School is governed by a code of conduct aimed at teaching and fostering respect for self, for others and for property. The School aims to provide a learning environment that is safe, affirming and conducive to the development of responsible and caring individuals. Within this framework, the School’s welfare and discipline policy provides clear parameters within which students and staff operate. In compliance with Section 47 (f) of the Education Act, the School expressly prohibits corporal punishment of students. The Italian Bilingual School does not explicitly or implicitly sanction corporal punishment by non-school persons, including parents, to enforce discipline at the school. Related documents include:

Anti-Bullying Policy & Procedures

Assisting Students with Learning Difficulties

Attendance Policy & Procedures

Child Protection & the Role of the Ombudsman

Duty of Care and Supervision Policy & Procedures

First Aid Policy

Grievance Policy and Procedures

Homework Policy

School Policy & Anaphylaxis Management Plan

Pastoral Care Policy

Privacy Policy

Statement on Child Protection

Sun-safety & Hat Policy

Uniform Policy

Volunteers Policy

The full text of the Student Welfare and Discipline Policy may be accessed via the:

School website www.ibs.nsw.edu.au

School administration office

Complaints and Grievances Resolution Policy

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Parents and other members of the school community may, from time to time, wish to complain about a school matter. They may, for example, be unhappy with a school policy or with a particular staff member. The school must deal with such complaints sensitively, confidentially and effectively. The matter must be resolved as soon as possible and in a way which treats all parties with dignity and respect. It is important to note that anonymous complaints are not normally accepted or acted upon. The vast majority of the concerns which arise from parents, students and others need never take the form of a formal complaint. The Principal and teachers are available to discuss and resolve these concerns in more informal ways. These procedures set out ways for resolving complaints in those few instances where a solution has not been reached by informal means and the person with a grievance wishes to make a formal complaint.

The school policy is based on procedural fairness and recognises that parents and caregivers must have access to processes that allow them to resolve concerns in a supportive and conciliatory environment. Any concerns raised are responded to promptly and fairly and confidentiality is always maintained.

The full text of the school policy is available from the:

School website www.ibs.nsw.edu.au

School administration office

SCHOOL DETERMINED IMPROVEMENT TARGETS

Each year, the school develops an Annual Development Plan indicating the intended key improvements for student learning outcomes. The plan is drawn from the school’s Strategic Management Plan and informed by various areas such as teachers, parents and the Board of Co.As.It.

Achievement of priorities for 2016

Area

Priorities

Achievements

Programing

Programing

Assessment

Learning and Teaching

Develop a new Scope and Sequence for Science, History and Geography

Development of 8 New Units of work across all stages

Development of new assessment for Mathematics, Science, Geography and History tasks based on the Achievement Standards

Mathematics Exploration and Investigations

Ms Robyn Menkes guided the teaching staff in developing a new scope and sequence across these subjects

Ms Robyn Menkes guided the teaching staff in the development of the new units of work

The Italian Bilingual School developed new assessment tasks consistent with the Achievement Standards

Students worked in groups on

Open Ended and Problem Solving Mathematics Task in Italian developing their Italian Lexicon and incrising the time

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Learning and Teaching

Learning and Teaching

Students Welfare

The Italian Bilingual School developed a standardised test mirroring the format of NAPLAN Test for Literacy

Analysis of each student NAPLAN Tests

Senior students developed a peer support program based on our school rules Respect, Learning and Safety. The students created mini-lessons and short video clips to help the junior students understand and follow the school rules.

devoted to Mathematics

Students were benchmarked according to similar criteria used for NAPLAN Literacy Tests

The analysis enabled the teachers to develop a more individualized curriculum

Senior Students developed their leadership skills

Achievement of priorities for 2017

Area

Priorities

Achievements

Programing

Assessment

Assessment

Learning and Teaching

Learning and Teaching

Implementation of new Curriculum and Units of for English, Italian, History, Geography and Science

Implementation of new assessment for Mathematics, Science, Geography and History tasks based on the Achievement Standards and Stage Descriptors

Mathematics Exploration and Investigations

The Italian Bilingual School implemented and evaluated a standardised test mirroring the format of NAPLAN Test for Literacy (CLI_IBS)

Analysis of each student

New Units of Work implemented K-6

The Italian Bilingual School implemented new assessment tasks consistent with the Achievement Standards and Stage descriptors

Students worked in groups on

Open Ended and Problem Solving Mathematics Task in Italian developing their Italian Lexicon and increasing the time devoted to Mathematics

Students were benchmarked according to similar criteria used for NAPLAN Literacy Tests

The analysis enabled the

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Learning and Teaching

Learning and Teaching

Students Welfare

NAPLAN Tests

The Italian Bilingual School implemented Mathletics across K-6

The Italian Bilingual School implemented Seven Steps for Writing Success

Senior students developed a peer support program based on our school rules Respect, Learning and Safety. The students created mini-lessons to help the junior students understand and follow the school rules.

teachers to develop a more individualized curriculum

Teachers developed a differentiated curriculum for Mathematics

Students improved their writing skills dramatically

Senior Students developed their leadership skills

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PARENT, TEACHER AND STUDENT SATISFACTION

The Italian Bilingual School encourages parent’s involvement in the education of children to ensure educational outcomes are achieved. Parents are regularly surveyed on the initiatives taken by the School. The Parents and Friends Association meets once a month and provides one of a number of avenues for parents to express their level of satisfaction. There are many instances where the students are involved on School initiatives and are asked to express opinion throughout informal meetings. Teachers are an integral part of the School decision making as essential part of a learning community. . FINANCIAL STATEMENT

A summary of the income and expenditure reported to the Federal Government for 2017 is as follows:

YTD 2016

Income

Fees and Private Income $1,280,729 64%

State Government $ 214,666 11%

Federal Government $ 490,173 25%

BER Funding $ - 0%

Other Capital Grant $ 1,760 0.1%

Total $1,987,327

Expenses

Employee related $ 1,396,869 72%

Capital Expenditure $ 112,509 6%

Non employee expenses $ 436,727 22%

$ 1,946,106

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