2011 Annual School Report - Catholic Schools Office Maitland ...

2011 Annual School ReportSt Catherine’s Catholic College, Singleton30-40 Combo LaneSINGLETON NSW 2330www.singleton.catholic.edu.au

Messages from Key School BodiesPrincipal“Upon the foundation of Mercy, we will build the future”.Over the last three years the College has been focusing on our school motto – Harmony, Faith and Integrity. In 2008 theCollege community reflected on Harmony – the Stewardship of the Earth. This was followed by the focus on Faith – A Living Storyand in 2010 the community considered how we live Integrity – Justice for All. In accordance with the St Catherine’s CatholicCollege Faith and Spirituality Plan our focus for 2011 was to reflect on our mercy traditions, in particular the charism and spirit ofCatherine McAuley, whilst also acknowledging the imminent changes the College was preparing for. This theme recognised that2011 was going to be an historic year for St Catherine’s in that while we reflect on our mercy heritage we also prepare for thecompletion of the building program and the transition of the Kindergarten to Year 4 and junior library to the senior site. This wasthe vision of the Parish when the amalgamation took place in 2002 that all students and staff from Kinder to Year 12 be housed onthe one site. In 2012, some fourteen years after the parish vision and plan was first considered, all students will be situated on onesite.During 2010 the College community prepared for the School Evaluation and Development (SEVDEV) Process that wasconducted early in Term 1 2011. This SEVDEV involved a comprehensive process of review and evaluation to ensure that StCatherine’s is complying with the various levels of government and system legislation and policy required for Catholic schools inthe Maitland Newcastle Diocese. Following a very thorough and rigorous process of review and development I am pleased toreport that the College received a very good ‘report card’ from the SEVDEV panel. Now that this formal element of evaluation andreview is complete the College will continue the process of school evaluation, development and improvement through theimplementation of the College Strategic Plan. While we may be tempted to sit back and bathe in the glory of our manyachievements and successes at St Catherine’s we, as students, parents, staff and clergy, must firmly keep our focus on striving forcontinuous improvement as a Catholic school.Even though our attention in Term 1 was with SEVDEV, we were honoured to welcome to the College former Wallaby legend andWorld Cup winning Captain, Mr John Eales. The students were interested in learning more about John’s rugby exploits, but it washis experiences attending a Catholic school, and, in particular, the strong value he places on his own faith that touched thestudents and staff. John challenged the students to nurture and protect the wonderful gift of faith they have been given. He alsoreminded the students, about some valuable and important advice he often received from his dad, that no matter what sport youplay and at what level – it is only a game.Once again the College was supported in 2011 by strong enrolment growth across all grades. This year we commenced with threekindergarten classes with continued enrolment demands in other grades but most importantly, for Year 7 and Year 11.The SEVDEV process this year acknowledged the work staff have been doing to help prepare our students to be competent andconfident members of society. Our attention in recent years has been to further explore and understand how our children will besuccessful 21 st century learners. The College has invested considerable resources to ensure our students have access to thetechnology and models of learning and teaching that prepare them to be skilled and valued members of a more dynamic andinteresting global community. At the beginning of 2012, all students entering Year 10 and Year 11 will receive a laptop computerunder the Commonwealth Government’s Digital Education Revolution. In the next few years, we expect to see our students moveaway from using the single desktop computer, to utilising more mobile ‘wireless’ devices like ipads, tablets and laptops. These areexciting and challenging times for students, parents and teachers alike as we work together to provide a stimulating learningenvironment that will enable our young people to achieve at the highest levels.During this year, the staff have continued to evaluate our results in the Higher School Certificate, School Certificate and NationalAssessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests to ensure that we are striving to achieve the high standards andgoals we are setting for our students and staff.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 2

As principal I would like to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to our Parish Priest, Fr Bill for his continued and unwaveringsupport. We are most fortunate to have a Parish Priest, who takes a personal and committed interest in the needs of the College.Fr Bill often talks from the altar to the wider parish community, about what is happening at St Catherine’s making sure thatparishioners have an ownership and appreciation of the strong relationship the College has with the parish and wider community.Fr Bill’s counsel and experience has certainly helped me during the year. Like the staff, Fr Bill wants St Catherine’s to be anoutstanding Catholic school and will provide whatever support is required to help us achieve this goal. In thanking Fr Bill, I wouldalso like to thank and acknowledge the support both the College and I, have received from Fr Andrew. Fr Andrew’s knowledge ofliturgy and theology, his enthusiasm and commitment to the College, is very much appreciated by the students and staff. TheCollege continues to enjoy recognition as an integral part of our parish life and community.One of the key commendations presented by the SEVDEV panel in March was the dedicated and experienced staff at StCatherine’s. We are most fortunate to have committed and hard-working staff, who value and strive to provide high quality learningand teaching opportunities for the students. Our staff are fortunate to be led by an experienced and dedicated Executive Team.This executive team provides leadership and support to ensure that the staff are able to provide a quality education for thestudents. I would like to extend my personal thanks to the Executive Team and the College Leadership Team, for their generousand tireless efforts in further developing the excellent learning and teaching programs we have at St Catherine’s. All staff atSt Catherine’s and the Parish are supported by a wonderful group of diligent ladies who manage the various offices, thank you foryour tireless, and often thankless, dedication to the College.Again, our staff are supported by a generous, enthusiastic and hard-working group of parents, who comprise the College Parentsand Friends Association. Thank you for your on-going support of the College and for your efforts in improving resources and thelearning environment for the students and staff.Our task as parents and staff is made all the more easy when, each day, we are greeted by students who are proud to bemembers of this College community. These students approach their studies with enthusiasm, they are prepared to work andachieve at a high standard and they are willing to learn more about their own faith traditions. At the end of 2011 we farewelled agroup of Year 12 students who are very talented, committed and who have high aspirations for their life beyond school. Our Year12 of 2011 achieved the best HSC results from a graduating class in recent years. We were honoured to have receivednominations for On Stage in Drama, Encore for Music and ArtExpress for Art. Of the Year 12 cohort 7 students achieved an ATARabove 90. An outstanding result from a wonderful group of young people. On behalf of the College, I would like to offer a blessingto our graduating class and pray that they will remember with fondness and love, the many friends and experiences they had atSt Catherine’s Catholic College.At the end of 2011 we officially closed the doors for the last time on the Junior Site (formerly known as St Francis Xavier InfantsSchool and Singleton Catholic Junior School). This was both a sad and happy time for the parish as we prepared for the studentsto start 2012 in the new classrooms on the senior site – 40 years after the Junior School was opened. We are grateful to theAustralian Government for the provision of funds through the Building Education Revolution to build the Kinder to Year 4classrooms, Primary Library and to undertake refurbishment of the Old Dormitory building.Mr Brian LaceyCollege PrincipalP & FSt Catherine’s Catholic College P&F Association continue to meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 6.00pm in the SeniorLibrary. We come together at these meetings to discuss issues of relevance to our school community.The P&F Executive is voted on at our AGM held at the commencement of the school year. I thank you all for your support and hardwork in 2011.Our College Principal, Brian Lacey, continues to attend each of our meetings to keep us up-to-date with progress within the schooland consult with us on various issues. We thank Brian for his ongoing support of our parents at St Catherine’s and the dedicationhe shows to our students each and every day.During 2011 we helped organise a very popular dance party for the senior site students, discos for the junior students, and ourpopular end of year event – Carols at the College. This was a wonderful way to celebrate the end of another school year.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 3

The P&F have again organised our Mother’s Day and Father’s Day stalls. We love the excitement the stalls bring to the children, asthey select that ‘special’ gift just for you!Our bi-annual Parents & Friends’ Dinner was held in August and, once again, was a fabulously supported event. Everyone enjoyedthe opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones, all while enjoying fabulous entertainment and great food! To top.off a great night socially, we also managed to raise nearly $4000 to go towards our fundraising efforts for 2011.Much of our fundraising, this year, will go towards resourcing the new classrooms as well as equipping our current classrooms –we see this as a vital investment in our children’s future at St Catherine’s.The P&F continue to support students by providing resources, where needed, in several departments and will again provide a$1000 bursary to a student continuing their Year 11 studies at St Catherine’s. We also approved the introduction of a $500 Year 7bursary for child continuing their studies in Year 7 from Year 6.Several of us were fortunate to attend the P&F Federation Conference at Shoal Bay and have reported back to the general monthlymeeting about the quality of the guest speakers involved – we hope to recruit these amazing men and women to come to ourCollege in future years so parents of our school can benefit from their wisdom.We would like to thank the students and families of St Catherine’s Catholic College for YOUR support in 2011 and wish you all asuccessful and exciting 2012 as we head into a new chapter of our College history.Emma DanielPresidentStudent Leaders/SRCIt was an honour to be elected as leaders of St Catherine’s Catholic College for 2011. It has been an enriching experience, full ofmemorable and highly rewarding moments. We have enjoyed working together, with the College Executive, Staff and the widercommunity. It has been a pleasure to represent the College in both the Diocese and the local community.We believe the role of College Leader isn’t to be taken lightly. We endeavoured to be active members of the school and very muchenjoyed the responsibilities and opportunities which we received throughout the year due to this role. It can be challenging and, attimes, a stressful position of responsibility.One of the more interesting aspects of our role was being asked to take part in the organisation of the Singleton Professions’Forum. The purpose of this event was to encourage a greater interaction between local high schools, and the many diversecareers on offer, within the district. From this experience, we have forged friendships, made influential connections, and developedour leadership, communication and organisational skills. It was a very successful and worthwhile opportunity.We had the opportunity to attend the School Leader Retreat, where all the school leaders from the Maitland-Newcastle Diocesespent three days at Riverwood Downs. We believe this was one of the most fulfilling experiences for us as leaders, as it allowed forthe development of one’s self and the development of new relationships and existing relationships with others.In June we visited NSW Parliament House where we were addressed by Members of Parliament about their entry into publicservice. At Government House, we listened to the Governor, Professor Marie Bashir, speak about her experience of leadership andthe importance of effective leaders within society. The day exposed us to the opportunities for leadership which exist within widersociety, and helped us develop our understanding of the parliamentary processes which occur on a state level.Other highlights of the year included representing at the Remembrance Day and Anzac Day Services, organising a College Disco,which had not occurred for quite a while, and the Flood Appeal. This appeal was organised to support a school in Queensland thathad lost resources in the severe floods which had inundated Queensland. We were ‘blown away’ by the generosity of our schoolcommunity. We were able to donate an enormous amount of stationery and sporting equipment to a small school in Grantham.What we loved about this experience, was that we were able to speak to the Principal directly, and as a result, received herpersonal thanks on behalf of the school. Such a small contribution, from each of us here at St Catherine’s, has made such a bigdifference to those students who lost everything. It has really made us very proud to be a part of St Catherine’s College communityand everything for which it stands.The sense of pride that has come from our time as College Leaders will remain with us throughout our lives.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 4

Values (including Social Justice Initiatives)As St Catherine‟s Catholic College is aligned to the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, it is likewise important that we promote theGospel values of love, compassion, respect, tolerance and justice. Over the last few years the College faith and Spirituality Planhas enabled us to focus on our motto of Harmony, Faith, Integrity. In 2011 the College focussed on the theme of, “On thefoundations of Mercy we will build our Future”.The journey is never easy, as so often the values promoted and seen as acceptable within the community overall promotematerialism, consumerism and personal status determined by wealth. The College is very keen to promote the values of respectand responsibility. This may be recognised in a number of ways. Pastoral Care in the College places a strong emphasis on usingrestorative practices for managing conflicts that arise between students and between students and staff. This approach suits aCollege proclaiming Gospel values which includes seeking and receiving forgiveness.The House Representative Council promotes the value of belonging to a community and working for the good of that communityrather than out of a position of self-interest.The students’ participation in the local community ANZAC march reinforces for our students that sacrifice, loyalty and mateshipshould be remembered. It also encourages the students to show respect for themselves, their school and their community. The factthat the number of students participating grows each year is a strong indicator that they do value these things. In 2011representatives of the College were guests of the Australian Government at the ANZAC Day Service at Vilers-Bretonneux inFrance.An essential component of the work we do is to raise the social consciousness of our students to the plight of others, particularly indeveloping countries. Given the wealth of the Upper Hunter, this is seen to be important to the development of our students’ socialeducation. In 2011 students engaged in collections to support Caritas, Project Compassion as well as the local St Vincent de Paulconference, Red Cross, Red Shield, Legacy, 40 Hour Famine, as well as learning about the needs of others in our world.PoliciesEnrolment PolicySt Catherine’s Catholic College follows the guidelines provided by the Catholic Schools Office Policy Enrolment (Amended 2008).The Policy has been devised to accommodate, as far as is possible, the needs of families seeking a Catholic education. Insituations where enrolments have to be restricted because of limitations on capacity, preference may need to be given to childrenof Catholic families, as defined in the Policy. Implementation of the Policy is via our local school Enrolment Committee which hasdiscretionary authority in keeping with Diocesan guidelines. Copies of the Policy are available from the school, or from the CatholicSchools Office website (cf end of Report). Parents concerned about school fees should ensure they make contact with the school.Diocesan provisions (including standard discounts for those with a Health Card) exist to help in this area, and the Principal can alsoexercise discretion where genuine need exists.St Catherine's Catholic College has created its own College Enrolment Handbook which is available to all prospective parents uponrequest from the College Office. This Handbook details our enrolment process i.e. from initial enquiry to final acceptance, then tothe follow up interview conducted a month into the initial enrolment period if required. The College Enrolment Handbook alsoincludes the following information: details of our New Parent Information Evenings held during Term 2, or as required, details of ourCollege/Parish structure and contact personnel, enrolment applications, a checklist to ensure that all necessary documentation hasbeen provided, Catholic Schools Office documentation, policies – including Privacy and Welfare and details regarding opportunitiesfor parental involvement. For possible enrolment, an interview is conducted by the College Principal, Assistant Principals or Coordinator.A follow up interview may be required with other College or CSO personnel if there are educational concerns e.g. specialneeds. Our enrolment period essentially commences from the opening weeks of Term 2, yet given the location of the College andits proximity to the mining industry, the months of February and March can often be demanding.Being a K-12 College, enrolment from Year 6 into Year 7 is automatic, therefore we do not enter into a phase of re-enrolment nordo we enter a similar phase for re-enrolment from Year 10 into Year 11. We do, however, have a structured interview with parentsand the prospective students to discuss suitability and, importantly, subject selection.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 7

Student WelfareBoth Student Welfare and Behaviour Management policies are contained in the College’s Pastoral Care Policy and Procedures.This document was completed in 2006. The document is due for review in 2012.The essential aim of the Pastoral Care Policy is to develop structures, policies and practices which support the individual studentsand all members of the College community, in the context of our vision statement and motto.“Teachers support students at St Catherine’s Catholic College to become people who value:• faith, with an awareness and openness to spiritual formation in a Catholic School context,• relationships that reflect understanding of Gospel values,• their community, and show a sense of belonging and commitment to the community, to be supportive and inclusive,• learning to build confidence, resilience and independence.”(from College Pastoral Care Policy)Pastoral Care Procedures are broken down into the following headings:1. Affirmation of Students2. Behaviour Management Policy3. Support for Staff and Students4. Bullying and Teasing Prevention Policy (to be retitled Anti-Bullying Policy in 2012)5. Uniform and Jewellery Policy6. Roles of PersonnelThe full text of the Pastoral Care Policy and Procedures document can be obtained upon request from the College Office and isfound in our College Enrolment Handbook and the Student Handbooks (completed and distributed early in 2011). Attention isdrawn to this document at Parent Information Evenings in Term 1.The Policy is firmly based in procedural fairness principles.DisciplineContained in the Policy outlined above - Pastoral Care Policy and Procedures.Complaints and GrievancesSt Catherine's Catholic College manages issues of complaint/grievance in an open and transparent manner in accordance with theideals of the College Vision Statement. Central to the management of the complaint is to ensure that respect be demonstrated andthe integrity of individuals and of the process is fundamental. The College adheres to and follows the procedural fairness guidelinesdetailed within the Diocesan Pastoral Care Policy.St Catherine's Catholic College has adopted the Catholic Schools Office Complaints Management Policy. This policy outlines thesteps to be followed when a complaint or grievance has been received from a parent, student or member of staff. It stresses theimportance of procedural fairness provisions in addressing the complaint. A copy of the policy can be obtained from the College orfrom the Catholic Schools Office.We encourage concerns to be attended to prior to becoming issues. Upon the commencement of the 2011 school year, astatement was issued to all parents detailing the initial points of reference for concerns.Early Stage 1 – Stage 3i) Class Teacherii) Appropriate Coordinator (REC, Curriculum or Welfare).Stages 4 – 6i) Class Teacherii) Studies Coordinator for in class concernsiii) Student Co-ordinators for out of class concernsIssues of a more serious nature and/or referred by the respective Co-ordinator, are attended to by the Assistant Principals and, orCollege Principal. Issues that come under the jurisdiction of Child Protection Legislation are attended to by the College Principal orAssistant Principals in liaison with the Diocesan Child Protection and Professional Conduct Unit located at Zimmerman Services.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 8

Since 2004, the College has adopted the Restorative Justice, or Real Justice, process of mediation towards conflict resolution. Thisprocess is carefully aligned to the policy and practices as detailed in the guidelines for Procedural Fairness.Special Provisions (Secondary Schools Only)St Catherine’s Catholic College provides students who have a disability or an identified learning difficulty with Special Provisions forthe HSC, School Certificate, NAPLAN tests (as permitted) and school based exams. Special Provisions can be in the form ofproviding a reader for those students identified with a reading difficulty, a writer for those who show difficulties in putting pen topaper or have injured their writing hand or arm. We also provide extra time for some students to complete the exams, along withsmall breaks during the exam. For a student to be eligible for Special Provisions a series of tasks are required to be completed bythe student and the results are then collated. From these results it is determined the type of provisions that a student may beallowed.Final approval of Special Provisions for HSC and School Certificate exams is given by the Board of Studies.Student AchievementsAcademic AchievementsSt Catherine’s Catholic College values and supports the pursuit of academic excellence within a caring and supportiveenvironment. Teachers are committed to optimising the conditions for learning within the classroom, using real world experiencesto promote authentic learning. This dedication to quality teaching has resulted in pleasing results in external examinations. TheHSC class of 2011 achieved excellent results, with seven students gaining ATAR scores in the 90’s, with the highest being 96.5.Students achieved Band 6 in Ancient History, Community and Family Studies, Design and Technology, Drama, Advanced English,General Mathematics, Maths Extension 2, Modern History, Music 1 and Visual Art, making 2011 the College’s most successfulyear at HSC level in some time. One student was awarded a Diocesan medal for the highest mark in the Diocese for ModernHistory. Over 45% of candidates’ examination results were Band 5 or 6. School Certificate results continued to see studentsscoring Band 4 and higher, above the State average.The NAPLAN results, as well as School Certificate and HSC, continued to inform our curriculum planning and revision across allyear groups.At the age of 87, Michaelangelo declared “Ancora imparo”, which translates as ‘Still I learn’. The focus in 2011 has been onSt Catherine’s developing and promoting itself as a learning community, a community where diverse opportunities for learning areoffered to students and staff for the betterment of learning and teaching at the College.Significant academic initiatives carried out across K-12 have enhanced the academic achievements for students.The “Dad’s Home Reading Program”, supported by Integra Coal, continued in 2011. The program now extends from Kindergartento Year 2. It provides the school with the funding to purchase a range of high interest texts for students to take home and read withtheir father or significant male. The program continues to facilitate positive role modelling in terms of literacy development andinterest in reading.Students have taken the opportunity to become involved in various challenging extra-curricular activities, notably the Science andEngineering Challenge and Tournament of Minds. Both provide valuable experience in creative problem-solving and presentationin a public forum. Stage 3’s Tournament of Minds team, and the secondary students in the Science and Engineering Challenge,are to be congratulated on their commitment. Notably, the 2011 Science and Engineering Challenge team distinguishedthemselves with a third place in the National Championships Gold division at Wangaratta in October.Our Teacher Librarian - Primary and our Teacher Librarian - Secondary have worked to make our Junior and Senior libraries morevibrant places for both student enquiry and recreation. Term 3 Book Week celebrations, visiting authors to both libraries, and aSenior Library breakfast, all contributed to students taking greater interest in the life of their libraries.The Learning Support Team continued to provide students with special learning needs, and their teachers, with support to ensureall students are able to reach their potential. The College sees its commitment to an inclusive approach to special needs as part ofliving out our motto, “Faith, Harmony and Integrity”.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 9

In 2011, Stage 6 students have continued to benefit from greater opportunities to pursue Vocational Education courses, deliveredat school or through TAFE and OTEN. The number of students taking up VET courses continues to grow, and courses offeredthrough the TTC are expanding. In 2011, we had 12 students enrolled in Year 11 & 12 Primary Industries, 4 in Electrotechnology, 5in Automotive, and 6 in Hospitality. 8 students undertook Metals and Engineering at the College itself. In 2011, we also had 25students commence a formal VET course in Primary Industry while still in Year 10. The government agenda on VET is very clearand St Catherine’s is delighted to be providing students with a number of courses that support them in acquiring skills and whichlead to a dual accreditation. We were especially pleased when students gained apprenticeships largely as a result of their VETtraining in Stage 6.The Stage 6 VET students‟ participation in 70 hours of Work Placement per course and the Year 10 Work Experience program,have both been well supported by the community and the students benefited greatly from these opportunities.Stage 6 students continue to access a number of courses offered online or through other providers. Languages, EngineeringStudies, Software Design and Development, Ancient History, as well as numerous VET courses have been taken up by students.The staff have also been engaged in learning; taking opportunities this year to further their skills in the Information andCommunications Technology area, with Primary and Secondary focused IT Forums, as well as regular Interactive Whiteboardusers groups to support staff in the development of their own skills. Our Term 3 Staff Development Day focused on teachersdeveloping their ICT skills. As the College increases staff and student access to technology, supported by federal governmentfunding, this professional development becomes essential.Students have been involved in a range of co-curricula activities which have the potential to deepen their knowledge, developconfidence and enhance self-esteem.• Public speaking competitions• Debating competitions• Tournament of Minds• University of Newcastle Science and Engineering Challenge• University of New South Wales English, Maths and Science competitions• University of Wollongong Engineering Studies competition – with students being named as finalists in this competition• Cattle judging• Participation in Eisteddfods – Rock band, Swing band, Concert band, Choir and Vocal and Instrumental ensemble allrecognised in results.• Excursions from Kindergarten to Stage 6 that have direct connection to teaching programs – including visits tomuseums, art galleries, theatre performances, science expos, local environments and field days.• Homework Centre – supported by teachers after school in the Senior Library to provide a safe working environmentand assisted tuition one afternoon a week.• Upper Hunter Try-a-Trade and Professions forums.The diversity of opportunities provided to the students at St Catherine’s Catholic College demonstrates the ‘relevance’ of thelearning happening here. Learning should enable every child to become the best that they can be. It is what makes us fully human,and in discovering our humanity, we are better able to live in the world as children of the loving God who gives us life. At StCatherine’s Catholic College, the question, “Why do we learn?” is answered through the lens of our motto; For Faith, Harmony andIntegrity. The learning, in all its forms, strives “to bring faith and culture into peace and harmony”.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 10

Performance in National TestsBand 6 and AboveBand 5Band 4Band 3Band 2Band 1 (includesexempt)NAPLAN Program 2011 - Year 3Percentage in Skill BandReading SpellingGrammar &Punctuation Writing NumeracySt Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 31.1% 24.2% 32.3% 4.8% 16.4%National Performance 24.2% 18.1% 26.7% 15.9% 13.3%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 27.9% 30.6% 21.0% 53.2% 18.0%National Performance 20.8% 22.6% 21.6% 30.2% 19.9%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 24.6% 25.8% 27.4% 21.0% 34.4%National Performance 21.2% 24.7% 21.0% 29.1% 27.3%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 11.5% 14.5% 14.5% 16.1% 27.9%National Performance 17.3% 17.7% 15.0% 14.5% 23.8%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 4.9% 4.8% 4.8% 3.2% 3.3%National Performance 10.4% 9.7% 8.8% 5.3% 11.4%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1.6% 0.0%National Performance 6.1% 7.2% 7.0% 5.0% 4.3%Band 8 and AboveBand 7Band 6Band 5Band 4Band 3 (includesexempt)NAPLAN Program 2011 - Year 5Percentage in Skill BandReading SpellingGrammar &Punctuation Writing NumeracySt Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 19.0% 10.3% 8.6% 5.2% 1.8%National Performance 10.7% 8.1% 15.0% 6.6% 8.8%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 12.1% 17.2% 17.2% 19.0% 12.3%National Performance 18.1% 17.9% 20.1% 16.3% 16.1%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 27.6% 19.0% 29.3% 25.9% 40.4%National Performance 25.7% 28.0% 25.3% 30.7% 28.2%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 19.0% 31.0% 27.6% 34.5% 29.8%National Performance 23.2% 24.7% 20.5% 26.5% 27.8%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 15.5% 13.8% 13.8% 10.3% 15.8%National Performance 13.8% 12.7% 11.0% 11.9% 13.5%St Catherines Catholic College Primary Singleton 6.9% 8.6% 3.4% 5.2% 0.0%National Performance 8.5% 8.6% 8.1% 7.9% 5.6%Band 9 andAboveBand 8Band 7Band 6Band 5Band 4 andbelowNAPLAN Program 2011 - Year 7Percentage in Skill BandReading SpellingGrammar &Punctuation Writing NumeracySt Catherine's Catholic College 15.3% 11.3% 16.9% 7.0% 12.7%National Performance 8.4% 7.7% 6.9% 8.3% 12.0%St Catherine's Catholic College 22.2% 26.8% 15.5% 15.5% 18.3%National Performance 18.7% 18.3% 16.7% 14.8% 16.8%St Catherine's Catholic College 27.8% 28.2% 29.6% 32.4% 29.6%National Performance 27.3% 29.1% 27.3% 25.4% 25.8%St Catherine's Catholic College 19.4% 19.7% 21.1% 29.6% 25.4%National Performance 25.6% 24.5% 26.8% 27.4% 25.6%St Catherine's Catholic College 13.9% 14.1% 15.5% 14.1% 12.7%National Performance 14.7% 12.9% 15.0% 14.9% 14.1%St Catherine's Catholic College 1.4% 0.0% 1.4% 1.4% 1.4%National Performance 5.3% 7.6% 7.4% 9.3% 5.6%ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 11

Band 10Band 9Band 8Band 7Band 6Band 5 andbelowNAPLAN Program 2011 - Year 9Percentage in Skill BandReading SpellingGrammar &Punctuation Writing NumeracySt Catherine's Catholic College 4.2% 0.0% 1.4% 5.6% 7.0%National Performance 5.3% 6.9% 4.9% 8.9% 8.9%St Catherine's Catholic College 7.0% 16.9% 11.3% 16.9% 7.0%National Performance 15.5% 16.1% 13.7% 13.4% 14.6%St Catherine's Catholic College 39.4% 31.0% 40.8% 22.5% 38.0%National Performance 27.0% 27.1% 25.8% 20.5% 23.8%St Catherine's Catholic College 35.2% 36.6% 31.0% 23.9% 33.8%National Performance 27.4% 25.5% 27.9% 23.2% 27.5%St Catherine's Catholic College 14.1% 12.7% 14.1% 25.4% 12.7%National Performance 17.2% 14.9% 17.7% 18.5% 18.4%St Catherine's Catholic College 0.0% 2.8% 1.4% 5.6% 1.4%National Performance 7.6% 9.5% 10.0% 15.4% 6.9%School Certificate Results 2011SUBJECTAVERAGEPERCENTAGEBands 4, 5 & 6EnglishSt Catherine’sState76.6377.3489.287.2MathematicsSt Catherine’sState66.0770.8826.649.2ScienceSt Catherine’sState74.5275.4471.971.5Australian HistorySt Catherine’sState70.0272.4246.959.6Australian GeographySt Catherine’sState72.0672.1557.859.4Computer SkillsSt Catherine’sState77.9779.2058.859.0Highly CompetentANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 12

A selection of the 2011 HSC results.Higher School Certificate results 2011SUBJECTAVERAGEPERCENTAGEBands 4, 5 & 6Studies of Religion 1St Catherine’sState35.0038.1171.4377.55Studies of Religion 2St Catherine’sState76.7973.4477.2776.52English AdvancedSt Catherine’sState82.8179.9395.4688.29English StandardSt Catherine’sState70.9665.0252.3939.06General MathematicsSt Catherine’sState77.8269.4169.5750.39MathematicsSt Catherine’sState73.7577.0281.8178.80BiologySt Catherine’sState74.8072.6564.2861.02ChemistrySt Catherine’sState80.4074.9910072.22PhysicsSt Catherine’sState72.2074.8562.5071.16PDHPESt Catherine’sState72.7673.9366.6768.13Community & FamilyStudiesSt Catherine’sState79.9873.8288.8867.29DramaSt Catherine’sState80,5077.4810081.89MusicSt Catherine’sState84.4079.8710087.92Visual ArtsSt Catherine’sState82.2778.1690.9185.96Food TechnologySt Catherine’sState71.3371.8050.0061.43ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 13

Cultural AchievementsSt Catherine’s Catholic College has a long established tradition of encouraging student participation in cultural pursuits; 2011 wasno exception. Our involvement in cultural activities occurred both within and external to the College.The College Band, open to students from Stage 2 to Stage 5, continued to grow and was actively involved in eisteddfods, wholeschool assemblies, presentation days, liturgies and Masses. A Swing Band, consisting of secondary students, participated atlunchtime concerts at the College and at the Senior Presentation Evening. The College is also fortunate to have a number ofstudents from the primary and secondary departments who are learning a string instrument and these students have presentedinformal concerts for the College at presentation assemblies and special occasions.St Catherine’s Catholic College took a very active role in local eisteddfods. Our participation included instrumental, violin ensembleand orchestra. Students also participated in several drama categories with excellent success. Parents were invited to watchstudents dance, sing, act and play musical instruments. Many of these presentations later appeared at Assemblies.Music students also participated in the Diocesan Music Concert – “Dio Sounds” with other secondary students from across thediocese. During Terms 1-3, Year 12 Music students were given several opportunities to perform their HSC repertoire for visitingHSC examiners, family, friends and peers to assist them in preparation for their final examinations.St Catherine’s achieved sound HSC results in 2011 with one student receiving nomination for “Encore”, which showcasesoutstanding works from HSC students. This nomination was for Music 1 Composition.The Primary students participated in Diocesan Debating and Public speaking Competitions once again in 2011.Secondary students, Years 7 to 10, had the opportunity to attend a presentation from the “Poetry in Action” company. Theyprovided two separate presentations focussing on poetry techniques for Years 7-9 and war poets and poetry techniques forYear 10. The Year 12 Advanced English students travelled to Sydney to view the stage performance of “Hamlet”.The after school Drama club, FIBS, continued in 2011. Students who attended these after school classes enjoyed the challenge ofdeveloping their improvisation skills in performance. The FIBS students participated in an Improvisation Enduro during the yearwith the topic of ‘Alphabet’.Drama students from Years 9, 10 and 11 participated in a Diocesan ‘On Your Feet’ Improvisation Day. Our Year 9 and 10 teamswere named champions for their respective years, and the Year 11 team was named runner–up for their year.Year 11 Drama students performed a self-devised play called “We Hate You Jim” as part of the local Law Week activities. Theplay was performed for students from the three local high schools and received high acclamation and positive feedback from theorganisers and students who attended.Drama students from Year 12 were involved in a performance evening which provided students the opportunity to present theirvarious performance items for a wider audience. This evening proved to be a valuable learning experience for Year 12 Dramastudents in preparation for their Higher School Certificate performances. In 2011, St Catherine’s received an “Onstage” nominationfor one of the Year 12 Group Performances, which was recognition of the hard work and effort from a very talented Year 12 Dramaclass.Significant attempts were made to ensure that students were presented with opportunities to view live performances. All seniorstudents in the College were provided with the opportunity to travel to Sydney to view a performance of “Ruby Moon”. Students inYears 7-12 were presented with the opportunity to attend an in-school performance from the Bell Shakespeare Company.Visual Arts students exhibited at “It’s Showtime”, along with the Drama and Music students. This evening was a Collegecelebration of the Creative and Performing Arts Faculties. The Senior Visual Arts students attended Artexpress which gave theminspiration for their own Higher School Certificate works. Later in the year Visual Art students visited “Sculpture by the Sea” atBondi. Year 12 also visited Watt Space Gallery and viewed university student exhibitions. All students were encouraged to enternumerous external art exhibitions and competitions, with success for some.The Art Faculty was extremely proud to receive a nomination for Artexpress from the 2011 HSC class. Artexpress is a travellingdisplay, which highlights exceptional works from HSC students.Students attending St Catherine’s Catholic College have many opportunities to develop their skills in the arts. It is pleasing that somany take up the opportunity to do so.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 14

Sporting AchievementsIn 2011, St Catherine’s Catholic College continued to see participation in a broad range of activities, with students experiencingsuccess at various levels of representation.At school level, the College conducted two major carnivals (swimming and athletics), with Xavier house claiming the SwimmingShield and McAuley the Athletics Shield. The winner of each shield is determined after combining the points from the primary andsecondary carnivals.There are many sports in which our primary students participate including swimming, cross country, athletics, rugby league,soccer, touch football, netball and rugby union. In 2011 St Catherine’s students represented at Upper Hunter, Diocesan and Statelevel in a wide variety of sports.Once again St Catherine's Catholic College organised a Primary Netball Gala Day for in excess of 80 girls, boys and mixed teamsfrom Catholic, State and Independent schools in the Upper and Lower Hunter areas.Secondary school sport, aside from the carnivals, was dominated by rugby league, rugby union, cricket and soccer. Althoughteams did not always win, students represented at various competitions with great success. The secondary department had twostudents attain National representation for Swimming and one student representing at National level for Athletics.There were many outstanding individual performances with a number of students representing state level especially in swimming,cross country and athletics. We also recognised a number of students achieving representative honours in rugby league, rugbyunion and golf.Other Highlights for 2011In addition to the academic, cultural and sporting achievements detailed, St Catherine’s Catholic College engaged in a number ofactivities which provided our students with valuable experiences of community.Staff• ANZAC Day March, Vietnam Veteran’s Day and Remembrance Day Service• Inaugural Tour to Europe for students, parents and staff – including being guests of the Australian Government at theAnzac Day Service at Vilers-Bretonneux• Catholic Schools Week• Diocesan Palm Sunday “Way of the Cross‟ at Kilaben Bay• Mother’s Day liturgy, assembly and morning tea• Visit to Parliament House, Government House and meeting NSW State Governor by Year 12 Student Leaders.• Father’s Day breakfast (We fed over 350)• Year 12 Final LiturgyStaff QualificationsQualifications and ExperienceNumber of StaffI. Teachers with teaching qualifications from a higher education institution within Australia or asrecognised by National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR). 62II. Teachers with qualifications from a higher education institution within Australia or asrecognised by NOOSR but lacking formal teaching qualifications 0III. (a) Teachers not having qualifications as described in I or II above but having relevantsuccessful teaching experience or appropriate knowledge relevant to the teaching contextIII. (b) Of these which are New Scheme Teachers.(a)0(b)0ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 15

Professional Learning Undertaken2011 provided the opportunity to build upon a revised foundation of Professional Development for the staff of St Catherine’s. Thefocus of this work was through our Professional Learning Workshops conducted twice per term, staff inservice days and clustermeetings.During 2011 the Professional Learning Workshops (PLW’s) focused on the following; quality learning and quality teaching, learningsupport provided to students with special needs, Child Protection, Changes to the New Roman Missal, Linda Darling-Hammond –Creating Positive Learning Environments, SEVDEV Recommendations, transition of K-4 to Senior Site, Developing a StrategicPlan, teacher feedback on individual professional development opportunities and Child Protection updating.With reference to staff inservice days, programs focused on faculty and Stage programming, using ICT to enhance learning,initiatives directed towards increasing staff skills in managing children with special needs, especially behavioural needs. Theseincluded NAPLAN, School Certificate and Higher School Certificate marking, involvement in the Educational Leadership Program,Count Me In Too, NSW Institute of Teachers Program, Service Learning programmes, Studies of Religion and Key Learning AreasNetwork Support meetings.A number of staff continue to undertake Masters of Educational Leadership studies through Australian Catholic University.Teacher AttendanceThe average teacher attendance rate for this school is 95%.Teacher RetentionThe teacher retention rate from 2010 to 2011 was 100%.This can be explained by the following:Permanent Full Time: 3Transfer within Diocese – 2, On Leave – 0, Secondment – 1,Permanent Part Time: 0Retired – 0Temporary Full Time: 1Transfer within Diocese - 1Temporary Part Time: 3End of Appointment - 3EnrolmentsActual Enrolments 2011Scholastic Year Number of Students Attendance Rate %Kindergarten 71 93%Year 1 62 92%Year 2 59 94%Year 3 64 93%Year 4 58 94%Year 5 60 94%Year 6 65 93%Year 7 74 93%Year 8 91 91%Year 9 71 92%Year 10 65 91%ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 16

Scholastic Year Number of Students Attendance Rate %Year 11 53 92%Year 12 43 95%TOTAL 836Student Attendance (Secondary)The average student attendance rate for secondary students at this school during 2011 was 92%.The average student attendance rate for primary students at this school during 2011 was 93%.The actual retention rate for students completing Year 12 in 2011 was 56%.SECONDARY ONLY: In the table below use “unknown” or add extra categories as required.Post School Destinations (Students aged < 17)Number of StudentsEducation (senior HS) 16Education (TAFE/apprenticeship) 3Education (university)Work forceTravelUnknown 1OtherTOTAL 20School PrioritiesAchievement of School PrioritiesIn 2009 the Executive Team developed an annual Education Management Plan for implementation in 2010. This plan was used toensure the school is responding to initiatives from the 2007 College Strategic Plan while also preparing for SEVDEV in 2011. TheSEVDEV held in March 2011 would provide the springboard from which the College would develop its Strategic and Annual Plansfor the next four years.Curriculum teams continued to focus on refining their programming and assessment procedures. The availability of data fromNAPLAN results, in addition to our internal assessment program, provided scope to better track student achievement. Closeattention was paid to how the College then reports on this information.During 2011 priority was given to the building of the K-4 classrooms and the primary library. The students, parents and staff alsoprepared for the imminent transition of the K-4 classes from the Junior Site to the main site.Grants available to schools through the National Secondary Schools Computer Fund allowed the College to purchase additionalcomputers for student use. As part of the application process the school was required to develop a Learning Technology StrategicPlan. This work will provide the College with a Strategic Plan for Learning Technology deployment, including the allocation towardsthe end of 2011, of laptop computers for all students in Years 10 and 11.St Catherine’s was also one of two Catholic schools in NSW awarded funding under the National Asian Languages SecondarySchools Project (NALSSP) for the introduction of Indonesian in 2011. Towards the end of 2011 St Catherine’s was also informedthat it had been selected as one of eight schools nation-wide to participate in the NALSSP ‘Bridge’ Project with a sister school inIndonesia.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 17

In terms of welfare, there was a continuing focus on programs on developing resilience, You Can Do It, our senior Retreat Programas well as initiatives focused on cyber bullying.Attention was also given to consolidating work on priorities identified in the SEVDEV, especially as they related to enhancing ourCatholic identity. The K-12 Assembly program, regular assembly and seasonal liturgies, House Representative Council andStudent Leadership programs, were also reviewed as part of this priority.FacilitiesImprovements continue to be made to the College site and facilities.Work commenced in late 2010 on the refurbishment of the Old Dormitory facing Queen St. The building of the K-4 classrooms andprimary library under the government’s BER program commenced in Term 1 2011. During 2011 the College invested considerableresources into the development of the infrastructure to support demand from the greater use of technology to support learning.The P&F Association continued to donate resources to support the installation of smartboards and data projectors into secondaryand primary classrooms. The P&F also generously donated funds towards the purchase of air-conditioners for primary classroomsand G Block.In 2011 the College was in the second year of a five year maintenance and painting program that resulted in the Quadrangle and GBlock facing Queen St being painted during 2010. The outside of the College Hall and back of F Block was painted at thebeginning of 2011.Community SatisfactionThere are a number of indicators offered below that suggest a high level of community satisfaction with St Catherine’s:High level of teacher retention. Stability of staff is recognised as a contributing factor to the consistent and high level of academicperformance and engagement of students at St Catherine’s.Student enrolment patterns. St Catherine’s is unique in the diocese in being the only Kindergarten to Year 12 College. Since theamalgamation of St Francis Xavier’s Primary School, St Catherine’s High School and St Francis Xavier’s Infants School theCollege has continued to attract enrolments from the wider Singleton community. Enrolments at the end of 2011 were stablearound the 840 mark with strong interest in Kindergarten, Year 7 and Year 11.Community support for school events. The College continues to enjoy strong support from the parent and wider Singletoncommunity. We have a number of parents, relatives and friends of the College who attend assemblies, liturgies, End-of-YearPresentations and other functions such as “It’s Showtime” and “Dio Sounds”.Active Parents and Friends Association. The St Catherine’s P&F meets on a monthly basis. These meetings are well attended andoffer much appreciated support to the provision of facilities at the school.Financial InformationThe following graphs represent the income and expenditure for St Catherine’s Catholic College, Singleton for the school yearending 31 January 2012 as aggregated from the annual returns to the Australian Government’s Department of Education, Scienceand Training.ANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 18

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Concluding Statement2011 was a year of significant change for St Catherine’s Catholic College. The College participated in the system SchoolDevelopment and Improvement Program (SEVDEV) which will lead to the development of a new Strategic Plan for the College. Atthe beginning of 2011 preparations were underway for the implementation of the Commonwealth Government’s Building EducationRevolution with the completion of the refurbishment of the Old Dormitory and the commencement of the building of the K-4 primaryclassrooms and primary library. This period of consolidation in 2011 enabled the community to refocus its vision, mission andpurpose before launching into a new year dominated by an emerging National Curriculum, the Building Education Revolution andthe Digital Education Revolution.Our emphasis has remained on bringing meaning to our motto, “Faith, Harmony and Integrity‟, embedded in the context of thecommunity that we serve and on providing quality education to the students in our care.Report Access and PublicationThis report is available to members of the school and wider communities. Copies will be supplied to the Catholic Schools Office,The Board of Studies, The Parents and Friends Association, the Parish Priest and to all parents.Copies of this school’s Annual School Report are available to the general public. Persons wishing to access a copy of the reportshould contact:Mr Brian LaceyPrincipalSt Catherine’s Catholic College30-40 Combo LaneSingleton NSW 2330(02) 6578-9600For further information relating to the Diocesan Policy please refer to: http://mn.catholic.edu.auANNUAL S C HOO L REP ORT 20 11 20