Year 12 students celebrating their fantastic VCE and IB results
2020 MLC Community Report
Principal’s Introduction MLC continues to lead in educating the next generation of young women by providing an unmatched breadth of learning and wellbeing experiences and environments. Throughout 2020, MLC successfully delivered the Prep to Years 12 College learning and wellbeing curriculum remotely, whilst Victoria was living and working through COVID-19 restrictions. In addition, our staff based at MLC Banksia and MLC Marshmead creatively developed online experiential programs whilst students were unable to travel from metropolitan Melbourne. Our long-standing and consistent investment in technology, specifically embracing Cloud technology, the Microsoft 365 suite of tools and Canvas (learning management system), ensured teachers and students were able to communicate, engage and learn effectively throughout this time. The effectiveness of our delivery and the support for our students contributed to outstanding VCE, VCE VET and IB results achieved by the MLC Class of 2020. To date, 2021 is also proving to be another year where flexibility and adaptability are required. MLC is well-positioned to respond. We have the systems and tools to continue to be nimble and agile while providing an exceptional education for our students, delivered by our committed and professional teachers and educational support staff.
We were particularly grateful to our parents and the Parents’ Association for their ongoing support throughout the year. Recognising the significant impact that COVID-19 and the lockdowns across Victoria had on many of our community members, MLC was pleased to offer support to individual families, as appropriate. The Parents’ Association also embraced the College’s ability to deliver remotely. It spearheaded a series of online events bringing interesting discussion topics (delivered by parents and old Collegians) to the wider community. We continue to nurture and develop each MLC student to leave school with the skills, knowledge and values necessary to shape their future and contribute meaningfully to the international community. Our extensive curriculum offerings, the many and varied co-curricular opportunities, our innovative education and cutting edge delivery, the range of age-appropriate wellbeing programs and our diverse community reflect this commitment. We are very excited about the opportunities that the future will bring. We are confident that our enhanced skills and our commitment to supporting our wider community will ensure our ability to emerge stronger than ever as our community recovers from the impact of COVID-19. Diana Vernon Principal
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Our Vision An MLC education inspires young women to be citizens the world needs. MLC focuses on developing confident and articulate young women who have the skills, knowledge and attitudes to shape their future and contribute meaningfully to the international community. We are committed to providing a challenging, enriching and supportive environment through our core values of responsibility, respect and compassion.
Principal, Diana Vernon with Prep class on Founders’ Day 2020
2020 MLC COMMUNITY REPORT
117 MLC Kindle students
Our Community
2019
MLC is an open-entry, non-selective school that welcomes students of all cultural, religious and economic backgrounds.
Prep-Year 12 students
Our community includes current staff, students and parents, our network of alumnae and past families, ‘friends of the College’, benefactors, volunteers, Board of Directors and Stakeholder Members.
67
The Board of Directors comprises volunteer members of our wider community who commit their time and expertise to support MLC. They have an ethical and financial obligation to act in the best interests of the College and its students.
Boarders
1800
Under the College Constitution, our Stakeholder Members are elected as representatives of our parent body and alumnae community that maintain an interest in the College’s operations.
Families Founders’ Day 2020
836 Staff full-time, part-time & casual
32,000+ Alumnae
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communit The first outdoor music rehearsals after Melbourne’s second lockdown, 2020
2020 MLC COMMUNITY REPORT
We continue to deliver to MLC’s Strategic Plan – our roadmap to develop, progress and enhance the College in an evolving world. The Plan features six strategic pillars, fundamental to MLC’s commitment to successfully educating and preparing young women to take their place and make a valuable contribution to our rapidly changing world. We are confident that our Strategic Plan will continue to position MLC at the forefront of ongoing innovation and achievement in education, preparing students for their lives as adults in a rapidly evolving world.
Year 11 and Year 7 students in the Big Sister program, 2020
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strategic plan
Strategic Plan 2018 – 2023
STUDENT LEARNING & ACHIEVEMENT MLC provides a broad and challenging academic curriculum that fosters a passion for learning and focuses on excellence while developing independent, creative and adaptable thinkers.
STUDENT WELLBEING The College offers age-appropriate, sequential and integrated programs within a responsive student wellbeing framework to develop resilient young women who are confident to make positive choices in life.
E X C E L L E N C E I N S TA F F MLC is committed to recruiting high-calibre staff and to providing valuable and relevant Staff Learning programs. We recognise that quality educational outcomes are driven by excellence in teaching and learning provided by the highest quality, motivated teaching and educational support staff.
I N N O VAT I O N A N D R E S O U R C E S MLC will continue to lead and innovate in developing resources, sites, programs and facilities that support our students in a vibrant learning environment.
MLC COMMUNITY The diverse and extensive MLC community provides a rich source of opportunity, personal growth and a sense of belonging for all members.
SECURE FUTURE MLC is committed to a secure and sustainable future that supports investment in facilities and resources which deliver a world-class education for MLC students.
Year 12 students Claire and Phoebe on Founders’ Day 2020
Our Staff We recognise that excellence in teaching, learning and wellbeing drive quality educational outcomes. These outcomes are only possible with the highest quality, motivated teaching and educational support staff. We worked hard to support our staff across 2020, keeping them engaged wherever possible in the College activities. We retained staff in remote sites while no ‘on-ground’ programs ran due to restrictions. As many staff live in regional locations, this provided the opportunity to support and invest in our regional communities. We also retained staff in MLC Kindle and the Boarding House even when these services were closed or unable to run at capacity. Our teaching staff took great pride in adapting their approaches and innovating, using tools such as MS Teams, OneNote, Canvas and Seesaw. Our methodology enabled our teachers to build and develop a deep sense of connection with students through their timetabled classes. Our students responded impressively by building greater agency in their learning, demonstrating independence and creativity, which will continue to prove useful now and in the future.
Dr Jennifer Bailey Smith commenced as the new Head of Senior School this year
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staf f 325
FULL-TIME STAFF
76% are female 23% are male
Ms Louise Peyton leads National Simultaneous Storytime, 2020
63% are teachers 37% educational support staff
2
30% of staff held 2 qualifications
3
23% of staff held 3 qualifications
4
20% of staff held 4 or more qualifications
One staff member has indicated they are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.
2020 MLC COMMUNITY REPORT
student ou
Student Outcomes Our outstanding Year 12 results in 2020 included seven students awarded Dux in achieving perfect ATAR scores of 99.95. Twenty-one perfect study scores were achieved in 14 subjects, ranging from Chemistry to Food Studies, reaffirming MLC’s academic depth and breadth.
7 STUDENTS SCORED 99.95 ATAR
Other notable results include: • 11% achieved an ATAR over 99 • 34% achieved an ATAR over 95 • Median ATAR score of 90.70
2020 Year 12 Results compared with National averages 99+
95+
90+
60%
11%
achieved an ATAR over 99
21 PERFECT STUDY SCORES ACHIEVED IN 14 VCE SUBJECTS
34% 54% 90.%
70
achieved an ATAR over 95
achieved an ATAR over 90
Median ATAR score was 90.70
50% 40%
67%
30% 20% 10% 0%
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MLC 2016
MLC 2017
MLC 2018
MLC 2019
MLC 2020
National 2020
OF THE TOTAL IB SUBJECT SCORES WERE EITHER A 6 OR 7, WITH 7 BEING THE TOP MARK POSSIBLE TO ATTAIN.
NOTE: NAPLAN and all associated testing events did not proceed for 2020 due to COVID-19. Previous NAPLAN results can be obtained at www.myschool.edu.au.
utcomes
Health Information Technology Management & Commerce Natural & Physical Sciences Society & Culture 0
Monash University 80 offers
AT T E N D A N C E
UNIVERSITY OFFERS
Attendance across all year levels increased compared to 2019. The strong figures were pleasing as the average included extended periods of remote and continuous learning.
Reinforcing the strength of our students’ academic achievements and the diversity of their interests and talents, we are delighted that 85 per cent of the cohort received their first or second preferences for university across a range of disciplines, including 44 per cent of STEM courses.
YEAR LEVEL
% ATTENDANCE
Prep
97%
Year 1
98%
Year 2
97%
Year 3
97%
Year 4
96%
Year 5
97%
Year 6
98%
Year 7
97%
Year 8
94%
Year 9
92%
Year 10
92%
Year 11
94%
Year 12
92%
Table: Average 2020 attendance by year level The College’s office follows up on non-attendance and records reasons for student absences.
10%
20%
30%
University of Melbourne 102 offers
Round 1 Tertiary Course Offers
In true ‘world-ready’ style, offers to overseas universities included the University of Edinburgh (UK), Regent’s University London (UK), King’s College London (UK), Columbia University (US) and Santa Clara University (US).
RMIT 35 offers
Others 21 offers Deakin University 25 offers
Agriculture, Environmental & Related
Swinburne University 7 offers
Architecture & Building Creative Arts Education Engineering & Related Technologies Health Information Technology Management & Commerce Natural & Physical Sciences Society & Culture 0
10%
20%
30%
2020 MLC COMMUNITY REPORT
Community Satisfaction We focus on providing a relevant and enriching education that equips students with the contemporary skills, essential knowledge and guiding values needed to shape their future and contribute meaningfully to local and global communities. This focus requires a continuous improvement approach and each year we survey parents, guardians, students and staff.
PA R E N T S A N D G U A R D I A N S
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ISV Mean
2020 MLC Results 10 9 8
Junior School Class 5M during their trip to
7
Banksia, 2020
6 5 4 3 2 Overall Satisfaction
Reccomend to Others
Year Transition
Resources
Parental Involvement
Discipline and Safety
Pastoral Care
Learning Outcomes
1 Quality of Teaching
Encouragingly, respondents noted an increase in satisfaction across all domains compared to 2019, despite the challenging year. The survey identified an area of focus on strengthening our communication with parents and guardians, specifically in academic performance. To provide parents and guardians more transparency on their child’s academic performance the College has commenced the implementation of our Continuous Reporting Framework. Student learning is too important to restrict reporting to once a term. Constructive, selective and focused feedback is one of the most important factors in improving learning. Parents and students in Years 7 – 12 now have access to an online portal for real-time results. The Framework will be expanded to our Junior School by the end of 2021.
2020 ISV Parent Satisfaction Survey Key Results
Academic Program
In 2020, MLC again took part in the Independent Schools Victoria (ISV) parent satisfaction survey and excelled in all domains, exceeding Victorian Independent School mean satisfaction ratings.
STUDENTS
S TA F F
Delivered by Resilient Youth Australia, MLC students have participated in the Resilience Survey over the past five years. The survey is anonymous and is completed by Year 5 – 12 students in Term 2. The survey took place during Stage 3 COVID-19 lockdown, enabling insight into how our students were coping during home learning.
For the first time, staff participated in the ISV Staff Satisfaction Survey, enabling the College to benchmark against other independent schools.
9 8 7 6
• Junior Secondary School students felt less anxious or on edge and more cared about by teachers.
5
• Middle School students noted being more able to control worrying, and more significant numbers of students are taking greater responsibility for their actions.
3 2 Teaching Practice
Quality of Teaching and Learning
Parent Involvement
Pastoral Care
1 Learning Support
• More Senior School students reported getting eight hours of sleep. Generally, students demonstrated higher learning engagement, including improved results in the categories: ‘try hard at school’, ‘care about my school’ and ‘do my best.’
4
Discipline
• Junior School students (Year 5 – 6) demonstrated more positive relationships with teachers, parents and guardians.
ISV Mean
2020 MLC Results 10
Student Behaviour
Some key outcomes in 2020 compared to 2019 were:
2020 Crazy Hat Day, enjoyed over Microsoft Teams
2020 ISV Staff Satisfaction Survey Key Results
School Ethos/Values
This time was a challenge for some with increased anxiety, decreased motivation, isolation from friends and peers, and pre-existing issues were exacerbated for a smaller number of students.
Technology
Our students recounted a spectrum of experiences during this time. Some thrived or managed with minimal impact, and others gained more self-awareness into how they learn and operate. Improved relationships and a shift in the value they placed on quality family time was an interesting outcome of the remote learning experience.
Resources, Offerings
The 2020 results were very positive, with many areas sitting consistently above the national averages and improving on the MLC results from previous years.
Our staff shared a real sense of pride in the College and were happy to recommend the school to others and send their own children to the school. MLC excelled in all school domains, exceeding Victorian Independent School mean ratings and the ratings of similar independent schools. In terms of workplace domains, although sitting well above the mean for Victorian Independent School, our staff identified there is more opportunity for regular feedback from their managers.
2020 MLC COMMUNITY REPORT
college
College Operations Like many other schools, throughout 2020, MLC delivered a wide range of our educational services via remote learning, including many of our co-curricular activities. Throughout the year, we made many strategic educational and financial decisions to help our families and staff and to ensure that the College would remain financially sound for generations to come. In recognition of the difficult economic circumstances impacting our community, all families with students in Years Prep – 12 received a 15 per cent rebate on the June fee instalment. In addition, where we could not provide services, such as boarding, the associated fee was remitted. We provided additional support for individual families 11% significantly impacted financially16% as a result of COVID-19 and committed to holding the 2020 fee levels for 2021.
2% 8%
13%
2%
11%
2% 24%
4% 4%
7%
4%
6%
REVENUE
EXPENDITURE
Employee Benefits Expenses School & General Expense
unding grants
rating income ations)
PAGE 14
Fees
Finance Costs and Other Expenses 73%
Depreciation Expense
72%
9%
Government funding 10% grants Other non-operating income 10% (including donations)
23% 73%
Every 16%to the
MLC Senior School students on Founders’ Day 2020
EXPENDITURE ALLOCATION
2% 2% 13% 13%
8% 8%
2% 2%
2% 2%
24% 24%
4% 4%
operations 7% 7%
4% 4%
Education Outdoors Education Outdoors Technology Technology
6% 6%
Other Other Sports Sports
MLC Junior School students on Founders’ Day 2020
Finance Costs and Other Expenses Finance Costs and Other Expenses Depreciation Expense Depreciation Expense
Learning Support Learning Support Community Engagement Admissions Marketing Community && Engagement Admissions && Marketing
9% 9%
School General Expense School && General Expense
72% 72%
Learning Curriculum Learning && Curriculum Whole College Operations Whole of of College Operations
4% 4%
Employee Benefits Expenses Employee Benefits Expenses
Every $100 expenditure allocated College Every $100 in in expenditure is is allocated byby thethe College following areas to to thethe following areas
Music Music Boarding Boarding
10% 10%
23% 23% 10% 10%
Staff Development Research Staff Development && Research Parents' Assoc, Alumnae MLC Foundation Parents' Assoc, Alumnae && MLC Foundation
2020 MLC COMMUNITY REPORT
MLC 207 Barkers Road Kew Victoria 3101 Australia Telephone: +61 3 9274 6333 Facsimile: +61 3 9819 2345 Email: college@mlc.vic.edu.au
mlc.vic.edu.au Methodist Ladies’ College Limited ABN 55 006 036 979 CRICOS 00325A