A MESSAGE FROM KEY SCHOOL BODIES My last annual report described 2020 as the most challenging year in my experience as a Board Director and Chair: 2021 was a very close second. I wish to sincerely thank my Co-Directors of Hunter Valley Grammar School, Dr Ken Dobler, Mr Tony Dockrill, Mrs Heather McLaren OAM, Mrs Michelle McPherson, Rev Dr George Garnsey, Ms Jodi Stapleton and Ms Gillian Geraghty who worked tirelessly and selflessly for the School on a large range of challenges and responsibilities. In addition to the scheduled monthly Board and committee meetings for the year, directors met at least weekly, sometimes more frequently, either in person, virtually or via email, to Mrs Kristine Littlewood Board Chair
fulfil their governance duties. Without a doubt the single most important business for the School Board during the first half of 2021 was the recruitment of our new Principal, Ms. Rebecca Butterworth. She comes to our School as an experienced educator with a proven leadership record in diverse schools in Europe, Asia and Australia having graduated from the University of Tasmania completing a Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours and a double major in English, with minors in History and Psychology. Rebecca is a human-centred leader with the capacity to create strong, connected communities, foster openness and transparency, and build capacity in others. She hit the ground running in Term 1 2022 and we are very happy to welcome Rebecca
and her family into the HVGS community. Second in importance only to the Principal’s recruitment, was providing support and resources for the interim leadership of the School by the Senior Executive Team, comprising of Mr Daniel McClintock, Mrs Xanthe Fallins, Mr Nick Jolliffe and led by Mrs Fiona Devlin as Acting Principal. I thank them and all those who bravely stepped up into leadership roles in 2021.
The last year presented many curve balls for all staff, including being in and out of lockdown, remote
learning, all the pressures of mandatory vaccinations and masks and a myriad of COVID-19 rules and compliance issues, quite apart from the “normal” challenges of working in a School the size and complexity of Hunter Valley Grammar School. Their resilience is a credit to their professionalism. The transition to an interim leadership model during 2021 presented the Board with the opportunity to identify and examine a range of operational issues crucial to the effective management of the School. These included the engagement of an external Human Resources (HR) provider, a comprehensive overhaul of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure and cyber-security systems, the appointment of a new Compliance Manager, the introduction of a comprehensive policy database and the trialling of a new wellbeing framework to better serve the needs of the students, together with the recruitment and appointment of key personnel. Many difficult decisions had to be made by the
Board over 2021; the staff, students and parents have all had to cope with the significant challenges of the last year, and relationships were definitely tested. However, we are now looking forward, and determined, with the collaboration of the whole School family, to take Hunter Valley Grammar School to a new level of excellence.
Member of the HVGS Cattle Team 3
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL & CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STUDENT BODY Hunter Valley Grammar School is the region’s own
Two percent of HVGS students identify as Indigenous
premier independent, coeducational school for students
and seven percent have a language background other
from Preschool to Year 12. Centrally located in East
than English. Of the 1113 students at HVGS in 2021, 644
Maitland, we serve families of the Hunter Valley, Newcastle and beyond.
were in secondary school and 469 in junior school. The Early Learning Centre had 102 enrolments, is
At Hunter Valley Grammar School parents are our
licensed for 60 students per day and has 11 permanent
partners and children are safe to be themselves, in an optimistic, healthy learning environment. We
educators.
unashamedly believe that students benefit from striving
Hunter Valley Grammar is an International
for high standards and from an education that is
Baccalaureate (IB) school offering the Primary Years
anchored in our School’s Values for Life.
Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Career-related Programme (CYP). This supports
HVGS students enjoy outstanding facilities on 13
our values in action and fosters global citizenship,
hectares of beautifully landscaped, tree-studded
service learning in action and a culture of care across
grounds. They benefit from the commitment and care of professional staff. Students can choose from a wide
the school community. HVGS students strive to embody the IB Learner profile in all their endeavours.
range of region-leading academic and co-curricular programs for their personal development and growth.
Despite the challenges of COVID-19 in 2021 and the
Our teaching and learning programs are designed to
move to online learning in Term 3, a strong focus on student-wellbeing meant HVGS students were
prepare young people for a life beyond school,
supported to realise their potential across their studies.
equipping them with a mindset of lifelong learning and the attributes they will need for the workplaces of the future. In an increasingly global economy, greater value
HVGS students experience a balanced education. As a teaching and learning community that encourages the
will be placed on ‘entrepreneurial’ skills. Young people
pursuit of excellence in all areas, our exhaustive and
will need to be flexible, think critically and creatively,
extensive range of co-curricular activities challenge,
collaborate, innovate and communicate.
broaden and develop our students beyond the classroom.
With 1113 students in 2021 and a teaching staff of 111 (K12), HVGS students enjoy a student teacher ratio of 10:1.
The opportunities cut across a broad range of interests:
This enables a personalised learning experience and strong student-teacher relationships. Dedicated support
academic challenge, gifted and talented programs, the creative and performing arts, sport, debating and public
and operational staff know students equally as well as
speaking, STEAM, agricultural clubs and associations.
teachers and HVGS prides itself on ensuring every child is nurtured and supported to achieve their potential.
Contextual information about the School is available on the My School website at http://www.myschool.edu.au
STUDENT OUTCOMES IN STANDARDISED NATIONAL LITERACY AND NUMERACY TESTING
NATIONAL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FOR LITERACY AND NUMERACY (NAPLAN) Hunter Valley Grammar School participated in the 2021 National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Achievement for students in each year group was reported on a five band scale across specified skill categories in
numeracy, reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation. A common scale divides NAPLAN attainment levels into 10 bands: Bands 1-6 for Year 3; Bands 3-8 for Year 5; Bands 4-9 for Year 7; Bands 5-10 for Year 9.
The national minimum standard was defined by ACARA as attaining results in: Band 2 (Year 3), Band 4 (Year 5), Band 5 (Year 7), and Band 6 (Year 9). Further detail, in addition to the following tables, regarding the performance of Hunter Valley Grammar School in the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy may be found on the My School website at http://www.myschool.edu.au
JUNIOR SCHOOL YEAR 3
In 2021, 53 students in Year 3 sat their first NAPLAN tests.
YEAR 5
In 2021, 64 students in Year 5 participated in the NAPLAN tests.
TABLE 1 Compares the percentage of Junior School students at HVGS achieving above the National Minimum Standard for Literacy and Numeracy with State data across Years 3 and 5
Year 3
Year 5
% Achieving Above National Minimum Standard (Band 3 and above)
% Achieving Above National Minimum Standard (Band 5 and above)
HVGS
State
HVGS
State
Reading
98
90
97
89
Writing
100
94
95
86
Spelling
98
89
94
87
Grammar and Punctuation
96
89
97
85
Numeracy
96
87
94
87
TABLE 2 Compares the percentage of Junior School students at HVGS achieving in the top three reported performance Bands compared with State attainment across Years 3 and 5
Year 3
Year 5
% Achieving in the Top Three Reported Performance Bands (Bands 4,5,6+)
% Achieving in the Top Three Reported Performance Bands (Bands 6,7,8+)
HVGS
State
HVGS
State
Reading
91
77
87
71
Writing
96
85
78
59
Spelling
88
76
77
70
Grammar and Punctuation
87
79
89
66
Numeracy
76
69
81
63
SENIOR SCHOOL YEAR 7
In 2021, 111 students in Year 7 participated in the NAPLAN tests.
YEAR 9
In 2021, 105 students in Year 9 completed their final NAPLAN tests.
Year 7
Year 9
% Achieving Above National Minimum Standard (Band 6 and above)
% Achieving Above National Minimum Standard (Band 7 and above)
HVGS
State
HVGS
State
Reading
95
83
81
75
Writing
91
78
71
66
Spelling
91
86
85
79
Grammar and Punctuation
91
79
83
74
Numeracy
96
84
92
83
TABLE 3 Compares the percentage of Secondary School students at HVGS achieving above the National Minimum Standard for Literacy and Numeracy with State data across Years 7 and 9
Year 7
Year 9
% Achieving in the Top Three Reported Performance Bands (Bands 7,8,9+)
% Achieving in the Top Three Reported Performance Bands (Bands 8,9,10)
HVGS
State
HVGS
State
Reading
74
59
54
51
Writing
68
51
48
42
Spelling
77
68
64
56
Grammar and Punctuation
65
53
65
51
Numeracy
78
63
58
55
TABLE 4 Compares the percentage of Secondary School students at HVGS achieving in the top
three reported performance Bands compared with State attainment across Years 7 and 9.
SENIOR SECONDARY OUTCOMES (STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT) RECORD OF SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT (RoSA) The Record of School Achievement (RoSA) credential recognises course completion and attainment levels for students who may leave school after Year 10 and before they receive their Higher School Certificate (HSC). Information on the RoSA is available on the NESA website: www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au In 2021, 111 students completed Year 10 and were awarded their (Years 7 to 10) Mandatory Curriculum Requirements RoSA and Stage 5 100/200hr course RoSA Grade results. Of these, two students withdrew from education and one transferred to another school at the conclusion of the academic
year. In addition, 95 students completed their Year 11 course requirements for the award of a Preliminary HSC RoSA. One Year 11 student withdrew from education at the end of their Preliminary HSC year, and a further two students withdrew from education to pursue other avenues and were not awarded RoSA grades for Year 11. HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE In 2021, 94 students sat examinations for the HSC at HVGS. Of these, 91 students were eligible for the award of the Higher School Certificate. HSC HIGHLIGHTS
There were 53 mentions on the Distinguished Achievers List, with 26 different students awarded the distinction (approx. 28% of the cohort). Student achievement at Band 5/6 level (or equivalent) reflects 48% of all HSC results across all courses, whilst student achievement at Band 4+ (or equivalent) reflects 86% of all results achieved across all HSC courses; a result considerably better than equivalent State (average) attainment. ADDITIONAL CREDENTIALS In addition to the awarded HSC credentials, eight students (9% of graduating cohort) undertook vocational or trade training. Two students attained Certificate III qualifications in Health Services Assistance, one student gained a Certificate III qualification in Retail Services, four students attained Certificate II credentials in Hospitality (Kitchen Operations and Cookery), and one student received a Certificate II qualification in Electrotechnology.
HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE ACHIEVEMENT
HSC Subject
TABLE 5 Higher School Certificate Achievement over the past three years.
Agriculture
Ancient History
*Where an asterix replaces a number the course didn’t run that year.
Biology
**Marks not shown for small candidature (<10) are marked with a dash to protect individual's privacy.
Business Studies
Chemistry
Community and Family Studies
Design and Technology
Drama
Earth and Environmental Science
Economics
Engineering Studies
English (Standard)
Year
No. of students
Performance achievement by % in Bands 5 and 6 HVGS
State
2021
14
50
34
2020
24
71
38
2019
18
33
31
2021
12
50
34
2020
11
46
33
2019
15
39
35
2021
31
29
31
2020
33
61
31
2019
34
44
31
2021
31
45
36
2020
34
32
35
2019
38
45
33
2021
14
21
40
2020
21
43
43
2019
14
64
46
2021
12
58
32
2020
16
50
33
2019
13
62
45
2021
6
-
54
2020
8
-
47
2019
13
54
47
2021
6
-
46
2020
10
-
47
2019
13
54
44
2021
8
-
28
2020
8
-
29
2019
6
-
31
2021
8
-
50
2020
4
-
51
2019
13
15
52
2021
8
-
36
2020
10
-
34
2019
8
-
32
2021
15
7
16
2020
32
3
11
2019
24
4
12
English (Advanced)
Food Technology
Geography
Information Processes & Technology Legal Studies
Mathematics (Standard)
Mathematics (Advanced)
Modern History
Music 1
Music 2
PDHPE
Physics
Society and Culture
Software Design and Development
Studies of Religion 2
Textiles and Design
Visual Arts
2021
78
57
69
2020
71
65
63
2019
80
60
62
2021
3
-
36
2020
10
-
29
2019
8
-
33
2021
10
-
44
2020
5
-
42
2019
9
-
43
2021
*
*
*
2020
5
-
32
2019
*
*
*
2021
19
74
42
2020
20
85
39
2019
23
78
41
2021
48
35
24
2020
49
45
25
2019
45
47
24
2021
27
30
50
2020
34
62
52
2019
29
66
49
2021
20
30
37
2020
3
-
37
2019
13
54
39
2021
9
-
64
2020
16
88
64
2019
15
80
66
2021
2
-
88
2020
4
-
88
2019
3
-
91
2021
29
31
30
2020
35
51
34
2019
33
48
31
2021
6
-
40
2020
18
33
40
2019
17
29
37
2021
9
-
46
2020
9
-
44
2019
*
*
*
2021
5
-
36
2020
3
-
37
2019
6
-
44
2021
9
-
46
2020
7
-
44
2019
9
-
45
2021
5
-
56
2020
4
-
57
2019
4
-
53
2021
11
100
63
2020
5
-
65
2019
6
-
63
French (Continuers)
Japanese (Continuers)
VET Hospitality Examination
2021
6
-
63
2020
1
-
64
2019
2
-
65
2021
*
*
*
2020
3
-
56
2019
2
-
60
2021
4
-
29
2020
13
31
32
2019
14
23
29
HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE – 1 UNIT EXTENSION COURSES Subject
English (Ext 1)
English (Ext 2)
Mathematics (Ext 1)
Mathematics (Ext 2)
History (Ext)
Music (Ext 1)
Science (Ext)
Year
No. of students
Performance achievement by % in Bands E3 & E4 HVGS
State
2021
13
85
93
2020
14
100
93
2019
7
-
94
2021
7
-
84
2020
4
-
82
2019
6
-
80
2021
10
-
74
2020
6
-
74
2019
12
92
80
2021
1
-
86
2020
1
-
84
2019
1
-
86
2021
14
50
77
2020
8
-
76
2019
8
-
77
2021
2
-
95
2020
3
-
97
2019
3
-
98
2021
7
-
72
2020
3
-
74
2019
5
-
68
TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, ACCREDITATION & QUALIFICATIONS Professional Learning at HVGS during 2021 continued to be paramount for the upskilling of our staff. Senior School staff continued to focus on professional learning for the final stages of implementation of the MYP and MYP Personal Projects, where the Junior School staff focused on AIS lead Inquiry Learning. Senior School staff also undertook a day of learning from Andrew Douch, specifically designed for the HVGS context – ‘Turbocharged Teaching’. This focused on the finding of cognitive science and educational research and was designed to give teachers new insights into effective teaching methods and practical strategies to facilitate implementation in the classroom. During professional learning days and dedicated staff meetings, staff attended sessions on a variety of areas including, Aboriginal Education, IB programs of the MYP and PYP, Child Protection and mandatory compliance training. Staff continue to work collaboratively in scheduled meetings discussing teaching, differentiation and assessment techniques. Given COVID-19 restrictions, staff continued to participate in a range of external professional learning courses, mostly online.
TABLE 6 Summary of teacher professional learning in 2021. (Note: numbers were impacted due to COVID-19)
TABLE 7 Teacher accreditation status.
TABLE 8 Teacher qualifications *Note that the number of teachers falling within these two categories may not sum to the total number of teachers as reported in the previous accreditation table as some teachers with Conditional accreditation may not be included.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
NUMBER OF STAFF PARTICIPANTS
IB PYP/MYP/CP/DP
42
Leadership
8 + all senior and middle leaders
Pastoral Care/Wellbeing
8
Teaching and Learning
48
ICT
5
All teaching staff: WHS/Compliance
111
All teaching staff: Child Protection/CPR/Risk Management
111
LEVEL OF ACCREDITATION
NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Conditional
0
Provisional
4
Proficient Teacher
11 part-time staff 95 full-time/ permanent staff
Highly Accomplished
1
Lead Teacher
0
CATEGORY
NUMBER OF TEACHERS
Teachers having teacher education qualifications from a higher education institution within Australia or recognised within the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) guidelines
99 full-time staff 12 part-time staff
Teachers lacking formal qualifications
0
WORKFORCE COMPOSITION The staff at Hunter Valley Grammar School are committed to providing an effective learning environment for all students and are highly qualified to fulfil their designated roles. HVGS chooses not to invite staff to disclose their indigenous origin to the School, staff can voluntarily disclose their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status. There are three Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff members at HVGS.
TABLE 9 HVGS workforce composition
CATEGORY
NUMBER OF STAFF
Teaching Staff Full-time equivalent teaching staff Non-teaching staff Full-time equivalent non-teaching staff
111 106 68 60
STUDENT ATTENDANCE, RETENTION RATES & POST SCHOOL DESTINATIONS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL TABLE 10 Student attendance rates in 2021, Year 1– Year 10
YEAR
%
1
95.70
2
96.92
3
96.99
4
97.30
5
94.84
6
97.96
7
95.54
8
96.45
9
96.42
10
93.51
Overall
96%
MANAGING STUDENT NON-ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES The School records and retains the daily attendance and absence of all students enrolled in the School by maintaining a daily register for each class. Student absences from classes or school are identified and recorded in a consistent manner by the staff member responsible. Unexplained absences from classes or school are followed up in an appropriate manner with the student and/or their parent or carer. The School notifies parents and/or carers in an appropriate manner where a student has a poor record of school or class attendance. Where unsatisfactory class or school attendance is identified, the attendance issue and any action taken is recorded, as appropriate, on the student file.
GRADUATING STUDENTS At the conclusion of 2021, 91 students graduated from the school at the end of Year 12. This represents a retention rate of 91% from end of Year 10. Whole school attendance rate data may be found on the My School website: http://www.myschool.edu.au
TABLE 11
STUDENT NUMBERS BY END OF TERM 4
STUDENT NUMBERS GRADUATED HVGS YEAR 12 2021
PERCENTAGE GRADUATED
Student attendance rates in 2021, Year 1– Year 10.
100
91
91%
POST SCHOOL DESTINATIONS Total students from the 2021 cohort eligible for an ATAR = 91. Total number of students offered a University place in NSW/ACT for Semester 1 intake 2022 = 80. The remaining students have either joined the workforce, gained an apprenticeship, taken a break from study for travel, accepted offers to study interstate, or have plans unconfirmed. The majority of our 2021 HVGS graduates have gone on to study degrees at the University of Newcastle in 2022. The Health Sciences, Law, Business, Construction Management and Engineering fields remain the most popular areas for further education.
TABLE 12 University selections of the Class of 2021
UNIVERSITY
APPROXIMATE % OF STUDENTS
University of Newcastle
67
Sydney University
6
Macquarie University
5
University of Technology Sydney
5
Charles Sturt University
5
University of New England
3
University of New South Wales
3
Other
6
2021 Senior School Drama Production. Kaleidoscope Reimagined
ENROLMENT POLICIES School enrolment policies are detailed on the following pages.
Policy Hunter Valley Grammar School consists of a Pre School for three- and four-year-olds and a K-12 school divided into a Junior School (K-6), and a Senior School (Years 7 – 12). Continuing enrolment is contingent upon compliance with the School’s Conditions of Enrolment and includes term fees being paid at the commencement of each term. The School reserves the right to exclude any student where fees are not paid in accordance with policy. Years K – 12 The optimum K class size will be 20 students and Year 1-2 class size 23 students. However, under some circumstances the Principal may vary these class sizes. The optimum class sizes for Years 3-12 will be 25 students per class. Enrolment is at the discretion of the School with regard to the date of application and the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Discrimination Amendment Act 2005. Places will be offered to students on a waiting list for a specific year level based on consideration of a variety of factors including the date of application, currently enrolled siblings, children of Old Scholars and gender balance. Pre School The Pre School is registered for 59 children per day. Children may be accepted for up to 5 days per week should vacancies exist. Pre School enrolment does not automatically ensure a place in Kindergarten. Reservations in the Pre School will be based upon NSW State Preschool Requirements (Priority Access). Hunter Valley Grammar School Early Learning Centre will follow the Priority of Access Guidelines at all times when enrolling children. The waiting list application will reflect these guidelines to ensure that access is provided to families using these priorities. The Early Learning Centre will use the Priority of Access Guidelines to prioritise the waiting list and to allocate available Preschool places to families. The Priority of Access Guidelines followed by all State funded Preschools are defined by NSW State Government funding Agreements. In no particular order, these are: • • • • • •
Children who are at risk of harm Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children Children from low income families Children with disabilities Children in their year before school (with highest priority given to children closest to school entry) Children who have attended the Pre School as a 3-year-old will be given priority for positions as a 4-year-old.
ENROLMENT POLICIES CONT.
Resources Infrastructure and human resources are in place to support the implementation of this policy. The Director of Enrolment is responsible for the implementation of this policy. Evaluation The Board is responsible for evaluating compliance with the policy. Evaluation will be facilitated by means of: Principal’s Report to every Board Meeting; and Minutes from Board Committee Meetings.
• •
Version
Date
Description
1
November 2005
New policy document endorsed by the Board
2
March 2010
Policy document reviewed and amended
3
June 2011
Policy document reviewed and amended
4
May 2015
Policy document reviewed and amended
5
June 2016
Policy document reviewed and amended
6
October 2018
Policy document reviewed and amended
7
May 2022
Updated ELC numbers from 40 to 60 as per NSW Education approval granted in letter dated 2 December 2020.
8
June 2022
Planned Review
OTHER SCHOOL POLICIES A summary of School Policies in the areas of student welfare, anti-bullying, student discipline and complaints is provided below. Details of the full policies can be obtained on the Hunter Valley Grammar School (HVGS) Parent Portal or from the School. STUDENT WELFARE Student welfare encompasses everything that HVGS does to enhance the wellbeing of students and to meet their personal, social and learning needs. It involves recognising, valuing and developing each student as a total and unique person, and fostering attitudes of mutual respect and confident participation. HVGS aims to develop a community in which all participants have the support and opportunities needed to grow physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually. At HVGS student wellbeing has the individual as its focus and is an integral part of the school philosophy and curriculum. It promotes respect for the rights of every person and is fostered by cooperation between all members of the School community.
Structure The School cares for each individual student through a well-developed wellbeing structure: • •
The sub-schools are managed by the Head of Senior School and the Head of Junior School In Junior School the classroom teacher is the primary wellbeing carer. The Heads of Stage advise and support classroom teachers and individual students, and they are responsible to the Head of Junior School
•
In Senior School (Years 7-12) HVGS revised the wellbeing structure in 2021 changing from Heads of House to Heads of Stage. Heads of Stage and Heads of Year have oversight of student wellbeing. Heads of Stage and Heads of Year are in turn supported in their work by a team of Mentors
•
The Student Wellbeing Program is in place across the whole School; and
•
Student wellbeing is supported by the Principal and School Psychologists.
The following policies support the School’s Student Wellbeing Program and incorporates the principles of procedural fairness and natural justice: •
Student Welfare Policy
• •
Student Wellbeing Policy Student Bullying Prevention Policy
•
Student Behaviour Management Policy
•
Anti-Discrimination Policy
• •
Critical Incident Policy Child Safe Policy
•
Student Services Policy
•
Student Attendance Policy
• •
Student Duty of Care Policy; and Complaints Management Policy and Procedures.
OTHER SCHOOL POLICIES CONT. The School’s behaviour management strategies include addressing issues such as behaviour management and discipline, bullying and harassment, student health and wellbeing, improved relationships and personal achievement. These strategies empower students to build social skills, resilience and responsibility. The policies incorporate, as
appropriate, principles of procedural fairness and natural justice, and expressly prohibits corporal punishment by both School and non-School persons. COMPLAINTS AND GRIEVANCES RESOLUTION HVGS is committed to the maintenance of a positive relationship with the school community, and to the timely resolution of any grievance of a parent or student. The School aims to provide a prompt response to all telephone and written enquiries, and subject to the need for any further investigation and evaluation in relation to a particular complaint, the complete resolution of an issue as soon as practicable. Enquiries should be directed to the appropriate staff member as per the procedure. If the grievance concerns that
staff member, or if it is believed that the issue has not been dealt with expeditiously by that staff member, a more senior person should be informed. The School will acknowledge each complaint; investigate and take appropriate action to address the complaint. The School will then advise the complainant of the findings and of what actions may have been taken to address the concerns. Complaints relating to behavioural issues are dealt with in line with HVGS’s Behaviour Management Policy. If the complaint is in relation to allegations of staff misconduct, or a reportable conduct matter, the handling of this complaint will be as per the School’s Child Safe Policy and investigation process.
TABLE 13 Summary of relevant policies in place at HVGS including any changes in 2021
POLICY
STUDENT WELFARE The School aims to support the mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of students through: • Creating a safe, secure, supportive and caring environment • Delivering effective teaching and learning • Provide early intervention programs for students at risk • Providing a positive climate and good discipline; and • Encouraging community participation. ANTI-BULLYING The Student Bullying Prevention Policy addresses issues involving bullying and harassment and student health and wellbeing. The policy clearly outlines the responsibilities of school staff, students and parents/carers.
CHANGES IN 2021
ACCESS TO FULL TEXT
No changes were made in 2021.
The full text of the Student Welfare Policy can be accessed by request from the Principal and from the Parent Portal (2021) and Parent Lounge from 2022.
No changes were made in 2021.
The full text of the Student Bullying Prevention Policy can be accessed by request from the Principal and from the Parent Portal (2021) and Parent Lounge from 2022. Excerpts are included in the Student Diary.
No changes were made in 2021.
The full text of the Behaviour Management and Discipline Policy can be accessed by request from the Principal and from the Parent Portal (2021) and Parent Lounge from 2022. Excerpts are included in the Student Diary.
The School provides procedures for responding and managing allegations of bullying. STUDENT DISCIPLINE The Behaviour Management and Discipline policy incorporates principles of procedural fairness and involve parents in the process of procedural fairness for suspension and expulsion. The School expressly prohibits corporal punishment and does not sanction the administering of corporal punishment by non-school persons, including parents, to enforce discipline at the School.
COMPLAINTS MANAGEMENT POLICY The Complaints Management Policy and associated Procedures endeavour to provide a prompt response to all complaints and grievances to resolve issues as soon as practicable. The policy uses procedural fairness in dealing with complaints and grievances. The processes incorporate how parents can raise complaints and grievances and how the School will respond.
This policy was reviewed and updated in 2021. Changes in this review ensured that the complaint relating to reportable conduct was specifically highlighted and information provided as to how these complaints would be managed.
The full text of the Complaints Management Policy and procedures can be accessed by request from the Principal and from the Parent Portal (2021) and Parent Lounge from 2022.
SCHOOL DETERMINED PRIORITY AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
TABLE 14 2021 Priority Areas
AREA
School culture
PRIORITIES
ACHIEVEMENTS
Maintain stability and continuity with significant leadership change
Interim School Principal in place and Executive Team ownership of school-wide decision-making.
Open and clear communications regarding COVID-19. Ensure ease of access Employment of a full-time Compliance Manager to relevant school through a rigorous recruitment process and with policies for all significant experience in child protection and stakeholders and a related fields. sustainable cycle of review for policies. Adoption of “PolicyConnect” as a virtual and dynamic space in which to “house” school policies. This included having access to policies already Risk and Compliance provided by “Complispace” to facilitate the review of HVGS policies in alignment with best practice. Implementation of “CompiLearn” for mandatory staff training and to track this training.
ICT
Staffing and staff development
Engage external consultant to review areas of strength and risk in ICT to ensure robust ICT systems and an organisational structure that matches future needs. Move to a fit for purpose student information system that facilitates a seamless experience and effective communication for all stakeholders. Training in how to sustain a strong organisational culture. Review Human Resources support. Increasing leadership capacity in Junior School leadership team.
Audit of policies and creation of policy review/development project by the Compliance Manager. Cyber-security report created by Diamond IT. Creation of ICT Workforce Plan and new organisational structure that ensures sufficient human resources to support growth in ICT. Phishing tests conducted to identify areas of weaknesses and create a targeted training plan. Decision to adopt The Alpha School System (TASS) and creation of implantation plan. Training of key staff in the TASS. Migration of data ready for launch in 2022.
Training with Skildare, HR consultants, on high functioning teams and building school culture Appointment of Human Resources assistant to provide operational support to the Executive Team in recruitment and other matters. Development of shared frameworks for thinking among the Junior School leadership team by working with Simon Breakspear’s Agile School Leadership Program.
Review student wellbeing structure in Senior School. Wellbeing
Ensure continuity of learning when remote.
The creation of Heads of Stage roles, reworking of Heads of Year and mentor roles, and the removal of the Head of House role. This facilitates more targeted learning experiences for students by enabling the wellbeing leaders in the Senior School to develop their expertise in one key stage of adolescent development. The new wellbeing structure was finalised in 2021 ready for implementation in 2022. Clear protocols and expectations around remote learning for staff and students. Effective communication and maintenance of a strong culture of care whilst on remote learning.
Teaching and Learning IB Career-Related Programme Launch. Embed PYP and MYP practices.
Operations
Development of Inquirybased Learning in the Junior School. Review of bus services to ensure fit for purpose. Migration of finance procedures from manual, paper-based processes to an automated online system.
Agility in adopting innovative practices to ensure students meet NESA requirements, including the use of online exam software so Year 12 students could undertake practice examinations. Full implementation of IBCP with Year 11 cohort. Successful launch of personal project in Year 10. Ongoing review of PYP and MYP unit of works and adapting them according to feedback and evidence of student learning. Implementation of year-long partnership with AISNSW and instructional coaching provided by them. Addition of bus route funded by HVGS. Preparation of financial processes and procedures for migration to TASS. Training of finance team in TASS.
INITIATIVES PROMOTING RESPECT & RESPONSIBILITY HVGS’ strong culture of care was consolidated in 2021. In the ELC the Regio Emilia and play-based philosophy centres
rules in the Senior School to ensure equity for students while retaining a sense of pride in the uniform and what it
student experience and supports an emerging sense of self. The IB Learner Profile, concept-based teaching and learning,
represents.
inquiry methodology as well as approaches to learning across K – 10 ensures a student-centred approach to classroom
The review of the Wellbeing Team structure in the Senior School to create Heads of Stage and Heads of Year (and
practice. The Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes, as well as the IB Career-related Programme, foster a global
dissolve the Head of House role) promoted respect and responsibility by focusing on the developmental needs of
mindset that encourages students to speak and act from a place of respect and compassion. By engaging students in
students. It also enabled staff in positions of responsibility to become experts in adolescent development at each stage. At
robust lines of inquiry, driven by age-appropriate issues and students' own curiosity, we guide our young people towards
the end of 2021 the new structure was formed ready for implementation in 2022.
becoming active, compassionate life-long learners who can apply our School Values to the pursuit of a better world.
The Wellbeing Program across the whole school focuses on
Engaging student voice was a growing focus in 2021 and
specific skills that assist students to strengthen their relationships, build positive emotions, enhance personal
demonstrated the value the School places on student perspectives in building a culture of care. Senior School
resilience, promote mindfulness and encourage a healthy lifestyle.
students were involved in focus groups to identify key areas of development for HVGS. This led to a review of the uniform
PARENT, TEACHERS AND STUDENT SATISFACTION Both quantitative and qualitative data is essential to school growth and development. While a survey was only conducted with Years 7 to 10 parents, staff and students, anecdotal data shows that all stakeholders in 2021 maintained a strong sense of connection and allegiance to HVGS despite a challenging year. 2021 was an extraordinary year with COVID-19 and significant leadership change and transition at HVGS. As a result, teachers and staff demonstrated great agility and resilience in the move to remote learning. At the same, staff were exhausted by the demands of remote learning. While working from home created flexibility for many staff, it also impacted the sense of connection within the community. Likewise, parents anecdotally shared a sense of disconnect because of not being able to come onto campus. This was a common impact of COVID-19 across schools and the rationale for this was well understood and accepted by most parents and staff. Below is a summary of key data points from the survey conducted by MMG with Years 7 to 10 staff, students and parents: In terms of the academic curriculum, parents’ overall satisfaction score is ‘high' (75%), with a ‘moderate' satisfaction score noted for Year 10 (69%). Students’ overall satisfaction score is ‘high' (71%), with ‘moderate' satisfaction scores
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noted for Years 9 and 10 (67%). By contrast, staff overall satisfaction score is ‘moderate' (67%). However, 56% of parents noted they are ‘not at all/somewhat' informed about the MYP in the survey. In terms of the open-ended responses in the survey, the following strengths of the Year 7 – 10 academic programme were
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identified: FOR STUDENTS Quality of education Dedicated teaching staff Access to extra help/assistance
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FOR STAFF Dedicated teaching staff Breadth of subject offering
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FOR PARENTS Dedicated and supportive teachers Breadth of subjects offered Well-rounded education
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In terms of the open-ended responses in the survey, the following areas of development for the Year 7 – 10 academic programme were identified: FOR STUDENTS • • •
Ability to choose subjects of interest Improved spread of assessments Quality of teaching
FOR STAFF • •
Greater choice in electives Evaluate effectiveness of the MYP on student learning
FOR PARENTS • • •
Improved communication to parents Clarity of IB MYP importance in school community Catering for individual needs
It is clear that high quality teaching and learning is part of the fabric of school life at HVGS and that all stakeholders value student choice and a diversity of course offerings. Looking ahead, HVGS will focus on more clearly communicating the “why, what and how” of the MYP as well as ensuring we constantly reflect on the impact on student learning of our programmes.
SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION INFORMATION TAKEN FROM FINANCIAL QUESTIONNAIRE
TOTAL INCOME
$28,948,101 Fees and Private Income
Fees and Private Income – 56% State Recurrent Funding - 9% Commonwealth Recurrent Funding - 35% Government Capital Grants – 0% Other Capital Income – 1%
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
Commonwealth Recurrent Funding
State Recurrent Funding Other Capital Income
$30,021,138 Salaries and On-Costs
Salaries and On Costs– 69% Non-Salary Expenses – 23% Capital Expenditure – 7% Debt Reduction – 0%
Capital Expenditure Non-Salary Expenses
Numbers may not total 100% exactly due to rounding
PUBLICATION REQUIREMENTS Hunter Valley Grammar School will maintain the relevant data and will comply with reporting requirements for NESA. The Annual Report will be provided to NESA via RANGS online and be available for public disclosure on the School’s website from June 30, 2022. Copies can be provided for those who cannot access the internet.
42 Norfolk Street, Ashtonfield NSW 2323, Australia T 02 4934 2444 F 02 4934 2404 W hvgs.nsw.edu.au E communityrelations@hvgs.nsw.edu.au