2020 Community Report

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

PAGE 2

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

PAGE 6

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

PAGE 8

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