YVCS Annual Report 2022

FROM THE BOARD CHAIRMAN

The Board seeks to serve the community of the School by providing authentic and healthy governance and strategic oversight. We are supported in this work by our Principal and staff of the School. It’s been a great year to see Christian education impact the lives of so many students and their families.

During 2022 the company joined the Melos Foundation. Melos is the Greek word for the human body. It is used by the Apostle Paul to reference the body life of a community of Christian Schools supporting each other to assist each other to take their governance and management quality to the next level of excellence and sustainability. We have seen significant benefits already in being able to access resources offered by Melos to support the School, as well being encouraged by the opportunity for our School to join and contribute to a bigger vision with other Melos Schools. We believe that our membership with Melos will ensure the on-going strength and vision of Christian Education provided by our School to a changing community.

Thanks go to the previous Board of Directors who finished their terms as directors during the year. Their faithful service has been a significant contributor to the strength of our School.

On behalf of the Board, I also would like to thank all of the staff under the leadership our Principal for their ongoing commitment to their calling at the School. It’s been a very challenging few years and the staff have been worn thin navigating the challenges that seemed to be endless at times. We are excited to see what 2023 brings, and yet choose to be grateful for the many opportunities the challenges have brought us through 2022.

As 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reminds us, we choose to “rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus”.

In His service,

David Bartlett BOARD CHAIR

On behalf of the Board

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

2022 was the initial year of Yattalunga Valley Christian School and after almost 12 months of planning, it was exciting to be able to open the doors to our foundation staff, students and families.

The school began in a converted classroom at the top of the Green Point Christian College campus. Several modifications were undertaken to ensure that the facilities were fit for purpose. This included installation of fencing, addition of a staff toilet block, repainting and installation of dimmable lights and interactive whiteboards and flexible seating and furniture. The top grass playground also received a concrete play area and installation of two all-weather umbrella’s allowing for it to be better utilised during wet weather. Ettalong Men’s shed were engaged to construct four timber garden beds to enhance the outdoor learning opportunities for our students.

Following a comprehensive enrolment process and transition to school program, the year began with a combined K-2 class of 10 students (two girls and eight boys) and four staff (1.4 FTE teachers and 1.4 FTE SLSO’s). Change is challenging for neurotypical students and for our students much of the first term was spent establishing routines, learning about each other’s strengths and areas for growth and setting learning goals. Several of our students came to us from failed mainstream settings, with several only attending school for two hours each day. The adjustment to attending five full days was considerable and focus was on remaining at school.

Teachers navigated the complex and challenging behaviours associated with such extensive changes with wisdom and patience. In Term 2, one of our female students withdrew to return to the mainstream Catholic sector.

Several events enriched our learning throughout the inaugural year of the school including the official opening on 31 March 2022, attended by State MP, Mr Adam Crouch, Board members and Executive Principal Mr Phillip Nash.

The students also participated in the GPCC school musical – Disney’s Jungle Book, Book Week festivities, Athletics carnivals, an excursion to Bulgandry Aboriginal rock art site, combined easter Service, Teddy Bears’ Picnic and 100 Days of School celebrations and weekly swimming lessons in Term 4.

Nicole Smith PRINCIPAL

SCHOOL OVERVIEW _________

CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION

Yattalunga Valley Christian School established in 2022, began with a vision to offer Christ centred education to students with a primary diagnosis of Autism. As a Christian school, our values and beliefs are founded in the person of Jesus Christ and we aim to be obedient to His revealed Word, the Bible. YVCS opens its doors to families from any or no religious background, who desire a Christian education for their child and who feel that the smaller class sizes, heavily adjusted programs, and higher teacher child ratio will assist their child in reaching their learning potential.

In partnership with parents, we are determined to equip our students for a flourishing life of service as a fulfilment of the call to all humankind to be the stewards of the earth, to build society and to worship God. As we act as one of the agencies of Christian nurture for our students and their families, it is a place where we seek to reflect the love of God in all we do and say.

The Christian Scriptures remain the benchmark against which we critique our lives and our work as we seek to turn students’ attention towards the person of Jesus Christ, the One who remains the same, yesterday and today and forever.

YVCS encourages the fullest possible development of the spiritual, social, intellectual and physical potential of each student.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STUDENT BODY

Yattalunga Valley Christian School is predominantly an Anglo Saxon demographic mix made up of 10 students (two girls and eight boys). We serve students from families mainly from the lower portion of the Central Coast, seeking to keep our fees affordable for middle-income earners.

Many of our students travel to and from school with the support of assisted transport through the Department of Education.

In 2022, four of our students integrated with students from GPCC to participate in key learning areas that were identified as strength areas – for example: PE, Visual Art and Drama. These integration opportunities, alongside integrated play times, fostered the development of across school friendships and social development.

PARENT, TEACHER AND STUDENT SATISFACTION

Despite there being no formal survey of parents, students or teachers, anecdotally, we have been made aware of a growing and increasingly positive perception in the community about the school. This has been supported by an increasing number of enrolment enquiries for the 2023 school year. Many families commented on how it has been life changing as their child switched from limited and non-attendance to seeking to come to school and excited about spending a full day of learning, enabling them to hold down a full-time job.

The school operates a very open-door policy with families and communicates regularly via daily See Saw posts including descriptions of learning and whole school emails. Complaints or issues are dealt with promptly and followed up personally. Many parents commented on the regular and clear communication by the school. There has been no Staff turnover and satisfaction levels appear to be high despite the challenges of working with children with complex and challenging behaviours

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Area Priorities Achievements

Teaching and Learning

Establish a deep understanding of teaching literacy

Staff Development Evaluate the needs of individual students and look to provide training in this space

Facilities and Resources Curate playground space specific to the needs of students with Autism

Community Provide opportunity for development of YVCS community culture

Initial Lit training and purchase of Initial lit program.

Planned Professional development in complex and challenging behaviours with AIS 2023.

Contracted concrete play zone with shade umbrellas, to provide all weather outdoor play zone.

Establishment of several events including information sessions, musical, athletics carnival and thanks giving services.

Enrolments

Establish community partnerships

Continue to build foundation of enrolments for future years

Relationship established with Erina Mens Shed – Garden beds.

Presentation of information nights for interested community, speak at local preschools and liaIse with local allied health providers.

ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN TO PROMOTE RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY

Respect and responsibility are addressed in different ways throughout the School. Our staff are trained in the enactment of our Behaviour Management Policy and Code of Conduct to ensure that all students and staff are treated in a manner of mutual respect for each other. Students are spoken to regularly regarding expectations around social interactions and staff utilise many strategies including social stories, targeted lessons on prosocial behaviour and one on one conversations around interactions that are both respectful and honouring to others.

Our Maintenance team take care to keep the school environs clean and tidy to reinforce the importance of respect for the environment. Work is done regularly to ensure the school environment is clean, tidy and attractive.

STAFF

STAFF SUMMARY OF THE WORKFORCE

A Summary of the workforce composition for Yattalunga Valley Christian School taken from the Census dated 6 August 2022 is:

TEACHER ACCREDITATION

All teachers at Yattalunga Valley Christian School who are responsible for delivering the curriculum have accreditation with the NEW Educational Standards Authority (NESA) as defined by the Teacher Accreditation Act 2004:

TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS

SUMMARY OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING UNDERTAKEN BY TEACHERS

Throughout the 2022 School year, YVCS staff participated in both formal and informal activities designed to maintain and enhance the knowledge and skills of all our teachers and SLO’s. Teachers met weekly in a staff meeting conducted by the Principal covering areas of professional development including, wellbeing, team building, problem solving, WHS and planning. Throughout the year teachers participated in several professional development training sessions held on pupil free days both on and off site.

All Professional Development is designed with a holistic vision of the School at the forefront and is valued for the benefit it gives to the whole community. We maintain compliance with professional regulatory organisations and look at professional development as an opportunity to deepen and strengthen the commitment we have to maintaining the distinctives of Christian education in our community.

STUDENTS

STUDENT ATTENDANCE

Attendance rates:

Attendance register:

Yattalunga Valley Christian School has an electronic roll marking system named TASSWeb School Management System. Rolls are legal documents and can be inspected or subpoenaed in court at any time. Therefore, rolls must be accurate and up-to-date, and Attendance Registers should reflect the highest professional standards.

All details, eg registration numbers, addresses, names, birth dates, age as at 1 January of the current year must be recorded in the TASSWeb attendance record. Records of daily attendance are kept for seven years after the last entry. All attendance records are backed up electronically to multiple IT locations in association with the sister school – Green Point Christian College, whose IT system the School contracts to use.

All details including the following must be recorded in the TASSWeb database:

• Daily attendance of students which may be noted by recording absences;

• Absences;

• Reason for absence;

• Documentation to substantiate reason for absence;

• Common codes (approved by the Minister of Education) of registering absences must be used (refer: Section NSW Department of Education and Communities “Symbols for Electronic Attendance Registers”).

Retention of students:

Male/Female numbers (as at Census 5 August 2022)

• Male – 8

• Female – 1

• Whole School – 9

SCHOOL POLICIES

SCHOOL POLICIES

Enrolment Policy and Procedures

1. INTRODUCTION

Yattalunga Valley Christian School seeks to enrol children of families who wish to see Biblical principles and Christian values supported in their child’s learning. The School is founded on such principles and values and so encourages the fullest possible development of the spiritual, social, intellectual, cultural and physical potential of each student. The motto of Yattalunga Valley Christian School is Equipped for Life

The School is a ministry of Green Point Baptist Church. It is a Christian school for children on the autism spectrum from Kindergarten to Year 2.

While the School is primarily established to support Christian parents in the education of their children, the School welcomes enrolment applications for children from families who are supportive of the School’s purpose, principles and values, irrespective of the faith, race, sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status of the child or the child’s family.

The school is established to offer a specialised service to families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This policy gives guidance to those within the School community and to those who would join it concerning enrolment criteria and procedures. While the policy is as comprehensive as possible, there will inevitably be some situations which are not specifically covered. In such instances, it is the Principal’s responsibility to decide the appropriate course to take in the circumstances.

2. CHRISTIAN RATIONALE

God gives the care and raising of children to parents, with the support of the community. Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. (Proverbs 22:6, NIV).

A parent’s choice of Christian schooling for their child is in keeping with the State and Federal governments’ commitment to choice for parents in education. The Christian school provides an education grounded in a Biblical Christian worldview that recognises God as Creator and Sustainer of all and of Christ as our Redeemer. God’s Word to parents is that children should be well-trained in the commandments He gives. Impress (these commandments) on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:7)

The development of a Biblical Christian worldview in education is the School’s mandate to partner with parents in the formation of young people of Godly character who will be redemptive agents in their

Policies listed were current up to December 2022. All policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated.

community. The decision by parents to enrol their children in the School is to assist them to fulfil their duty in raising children who will love God and love their neighbours through applying themselves to make the most of their schooling experience. Scripture’s concern for children leads us to the provision of an education program that will support those who live with ASD.

3. PURPOSE

The School’s philosophy is grounded in Biblical principles, values and beliefs. The purpose of this document is to set out the policy and procedures of the School in relation to enrolment of students. It includes:

• the selection criteria for enrolling new students;

• the procedures to be followed to ensure procedural fairness in the assessment of enrolment applications;

• administrative procedures.

4. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK

The provisions described in this policy are informed by the constraints outlined in the following legislation:

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and the Disability Standards for Education (2005)

• Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)

• Race Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)

• Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)

This legislation makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the grounds of their disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or race by refusing to enrol them at the School. The School is committed to fulfilling its obligations under the law in this Policy.

5. TABLE OF RESPONSIBILITIES

This policy is to be read in conjunction with related Yattalunga Valley Christian School policies as stated in this policy.

Responsibilities

Executive Principal

Evidence of Compliance

Ensure the development of this policy within the School Enrolment Policy

Ensure compliance with procedures set out in this document

Executive Business Manager

Report to the School Board on enrolment trends

Principal

Ensure compliance with procedures set out in this document

Ensure all relevant people are aware of these processes and policies

Approve all student enrolments

Maintain Register of Enrolment

Enrolment records

Board reports

Enrolment records

Staff meetings; emails

Signed enrolment record

TASS.Web

Responsibilities

Registrar

Promotion of the school to potential enrolling families

Receive and process enrolment enquiries and applications

Co-ordinate enrolment interviews

Maintain enrolment documentation

Evidence of Compliance

Advertising materials and digital communications; Enquiries

Digistorm Funnel CRM (TASS.Web records)

Calendar

Digistorm Funnel CRM (TASS.Web records)

Advise administration and teaching staff in preparation for new enrolments to the School Email

Process new enrolments

Interview Panel

Assess enrolment applications:

• with regard to the criteria and priorities outlined in this policy and procedures document.

• equitably, to assist parents to make the best decision for their child’s schooling.

• make a decision about each application.

Teaching Staff

Preparations for the incoming student

Parents and Students

Comply with the Terms of Enrolment

Provide to the school all information required

Inform of any changes to information

Maintain fee payments

6. DEFINITIONS

Throughout this policy, unless the context requires otherwise:

TASS.Web records

Interview Records

TASS.Web

Signed Enrolment and Fee agreements

Signed Student Code of Conduct

Signed Parent Code of Conduct

School records

Record of notice; updated files

Fee Statements

Application Register means the register of families who have applied for a place for a child in the school. They are awaiting an enrolment interview.

Disability, in relation to a child, means:

a. total or partial loss of the child’s bodily or mental functions; or

b. total or partial loss of a part of the body; or

c. the presence in the body of organisms causing disease or illness; or

d. the presence in the body of organisms capable of causing disease or illness; or

e. the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the child’s body; or

f. a disorder or malfunction that results in the child learning differently from a child without the disorder or malfunction; or

g. a disorder, illness or disease that affects a child’s thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgment or that results in disturbed behaviour. and includes a disability that:

a. presently exists; or

b. previously existed but no longer exists; or

c. may exist in the future (including because of a genetic predisposition to that disability); or

d. is imputed to a person.

Enrolment Register is the register a school is required by law to keep of all enrolled students. A child is placed on this register following an application, enrolment interview and the offer by the school and acceptance by the parents, of a place in the school.

Parents includes guardians or any other person who has applied to have a child enrolled at the School and, where the child has only one parent, means that parent.

Wait List means the list of students who have applied but for whom there is no current vacancy in the Year level applied for. They are waiting for a vacancy to occur and to be called for an enrolment interview.

7. POLICY

a) The School is established to cater primarily for children with autism spectrum disorder at the NCCD defined substantial and extensive levels.

b) When considering making offers of a place, the School may have regard to availability of places and, if places are limited, the priorities set out in this policy.

c) An application to enrol does not guarantee a place at the School.

d) The School will maintain an Enrolment Register.

e) The School collects information required by legislation, regulations and for the purpose of providing education to students.

f) The information collected, used and disclosed by the School is subject to the Privacy Act, and will be managed by the School in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

g) The School reserves the right to alter this policy from time to time.

8. ENROLMENT PROCESS

Parents may enquire about enrolment, visit School’s website, or attend Open Day or personal Tour

Parents submit an online application and provide requested documents

Application placed on Application Register

Child (parents/carers) interviewed if position available. If no position, child added to Waitlist until position available. Enrolment interview scheduled at that point School collects all relevant data Recommendation to Principal

Principal approves/declines an offer

School makes an offer. Parents accept or decline the offer

9. ENROLMENT PROCEDURES

9.1. New Enquiries

The School will make available on its website:

a) information about the School;

Child added to Enrolment List (or not)

b) general information about eligibility for enrolment based on this policy;

c) the procedure for applying to enrol a child at the School;

d) information about school fees and discounts;

e) the Enrolment Conditions.

9.2. Application Register and Waitlists

The Principal through the Registrar is responsible for the maintenance of the Application Register and Waitlists for entry to the School.

Entrance to the School is primarily in Kindergarten. Entrance at other Year levels (up to Year 2) is generally limited to vacancies which may occur from time to time. Entrance may be accommodated at any time throughout the school year depending on circumstances.

The name of a child will be entered on the Application Register when the child’s parents return:

• the Application Form;

• a non-refundable Application Fee of $75;

• a copy of the child’s birth certificate;

• a recent photo of the child (digital or hard copy);

• copies of the child’s last two school reports (for Years other than Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2) if applicable.

• the name and mobile number of two referees the School can contact to support the application for enrolment. If the family applying is involved or affiliated with a Church, please provide the name and mobile number of your pastor as one of the two referees being supplied;

• all medical, psychological or other reports about the child in their possession or control; and

• other information about the child which the School considers necessary.

If further information to support the enrolment application is required by the School, the Registrar will seek this information prior to an enrolment interview.

Should a Year level be full, the child will be entered on the Waitlist for that Year and an enrolment interview offered should a place become available.

Failure to provide all required information may result in the School declining to enter the child’s name on the Application Register or Waitlist or delaying such entry and may also result in the School declining or delaying the child’s enrolment.

9.3. Interview

The School will undertake an enrolment interview at a time decided by the School after a child’s name has been entered on the Application Register.

At the interview, among other things, the School’s representative will:

a) seek to establish that the expectations and commitments of the parents are consistent with the School’s Christian vision, values, and goals, and with the purpose, policies and resources of the School;

b) inform the parents of their responsibility to the School in relation to fees.

The parents must pay for any assessments or reports which are required from non-school personnel (if applicable).

In considering all prospective enrolments, the School may ask parents to authorise the Principal or the Principal’s delegate to contact:

a) the Principal of the child’s previous school to obtain or confirm information pertaining to the child or the child’s enrolment;

b) any medical or other specialist personnel considered significant for providing information pertaining to the child’s needs.

Where information obtained by the School suggests:

a) the family are willing to support the Christian character of the School and its policies and practices and

b) the child does not have a profile of wilful misconduct, illegal activities or strong anti-social behaviours that indicate that the child’s enrolment at the School is likely to be detrimental to other students, the staff or the School; and

c) the parents are able to meet the financial commitment required by having a child at the School,

The enrolment will normally proceed. Should any of these conditions not be met, the Principal may decline to offer enrolment notwithstanding that the child may be a sibling of a current student.

Following the enrolment interview and the collection of all relevant information, the child will be offered a position, placed on a waitlist, or declined a position.

9.4. School Reserves Rights

The School reserves the right not to offer any child a place at the School or to defer the offer of a place to any child in its discretion but particularly when the parents withhold any relevant information pertaining to their child.

9.5. School’s Considerations

When considering making an offer of a place at the School, the School gives preference to:

a) children of families attending Green Point Baptist Church;

b) siblings of students from church affiliated families already at the School;

c) children from Coast Christian School;

d) children from church affiliated families;

e) children of former students of the School;

f) siblings of students from non-church affiliated families already at the School;

g) others.

The School also considers:

a) evidence of a place at a similar Christian school elsewhere;

b) the date of lodgement of the Application for Enrolment.

9.6. Offer and Enrolment Register

At the satisfactory conclusion of the interview process, the School may make an offer to the parents to enrol the child. To accept the offer, the parents must within twenty-one days of receiving it deliver to the School:

a) the Acceptance Form which includes acceptance by the parents of the then current Conditions of Enrolment;

b) the non-refundable Enrolment Fee of $225;

c) Enrolment Information Form (as applicable).

Failure to reply within the required time may result in the position being re-offered where other children are waiting for entry to the School.

Once the offer is accepted through the Acceptance Form and the Enrolment Fee is paid the child is added to the Enrolment Register.

10. ENTRY AT THE START OF KINDERGARTEN

10.1.

Normal Entry

Students who turn five years of age on or before 30 April of the proposed year of entry are eligible to commence Kindergarten.

In respect of any prospective enrolment, the School reserves the right to have members of its staff visit the child’s preschool, early intervention centre or (with the parents’ agreement) the home, to more accurately assess the needs of the child.

10.2.

Early Entry

Early entry to Kindergarten for a 4-year-old whose 5th birthday falls after 30 April of the proposed year of entry, may be accepted, subject to:

a) a written application being addressed to the Principal;

b) there being vacancies after all other children, who will have attained the age of five years before 30 March, have been offered places;

Other Policies

Child Protection and Wellbeing Policy and Procedures

The School seeks to provide a safe and supportive environment to support the mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of students through programs that:

• meet the personal, social and learning needs of students

• provide early intervention programs for students at risk

• develop students’ sense of self-worth and foster personal development

New policy for 2022. The full text of YVCS’s Child Protection and Wellbeing Policy and Procedures can be accessed from the YVCS website and intranet.

Anti-Bullying Policy and Procedures

The School’s policy provides processes for responding and managing allegations of bullying including the contact information for the local Police School Liaison Officer.

New policy for 2022.

The full text of YVCS’s AntiBullying Policy and Procedures can be accessed from the YVCS website and intranet

Behaviour Management Policy and Procedures

The School expressly prohibits corporal punishment and does not explicitly or implicitly sanction the administering of corporate punishment by any persons, including parents, to enforce discipline at the School

All behaviour management actions are based on procedural fairness. Parents are involved in the processes of procedural fairness when sanctions result in suspension and expulsion of a student.

New policy for 2022.

The full text of YVCS’s Behaviour Management Policy and Procedures can be accessed from the YVCS website and intranet.

Grievance Policy and Procedures

The Grievance Policy and Procedures use as appropriate, procedural fairness in dealing with complaints and grievances, and includes processes for raising and responding to matters of concern identified by parents, and/or students. These processes incorporate how parents raised complaints and grievances and how the School will respond.

New policy for 2022. The full text of YVCS’s Grievance Policy and Procedures can be accessed from the YVCS website and intranet.

FINANCES

FINANCIAL INFORMATION SUMMARY