MLC Community Report 2021

MLC Community Report 2021 1

Principal’s Introduction MLC continues to lead and develop the next generation of empowered and resilient global citizens.

Through our commitment to excellence and innovation in education, combined with extensive wellbeing support and the size and scale of our resources, we offer enriched learning opportunities to our students, the breadth of which are unmatched in Melbourne’s education landscape.

2021 continued to present some extraordinary challenges for individuals, families, students and schools. We are proud of how MLC maintained exceptional learning and wellbeing experiences for students onsite and remotely throughout this year.

Our approach to online learning and wellbeing was designed to maintain student engagement and ensure the continuity of every student’s learning. In 2021 we built upon our experience from the delivery of remote learning in 2020 and were guided by the evidence of what was most useful for maximising student outcomes and learning experiences and supporting our student’s wellbeing. With the extension of

2 | MLC Community Report

the lockdowns, we evolved online learning to incorporate a further range of activities and flexible delivery. Of course, most importantly, we ensured the ongoing and meaningful teacher presence and support for students.

As additional support to parents, we offered the opportunity to access a bite-sized, onehour wellbeing course, ‘Creating Connection When Disconnected’.

Impressively, the year culminated in some of our most successful results for the graduating Class of 2021, proving, that regardless of the challenges of COVID, with sound academic foundations and learning support, students have the inner resources and resilience to thrive.

The lessons from the past 12 months have put us in good stead to rise to any future challenge. As a community, MLC is flexible, innovative, and prepared. We are proud of our staff’s work to bring us to this point and grateful to our parents and communities for their ongoing support.

We have been impressed by our students’ determined and creative responses and will continue to nurture and develop each and every MLC student so that they leave school with the skills, knowledge and values necessary to flourish in an ever-changing world. Our varied opportunities, extensive curriculum choice, innovative approach to education, and diverse community reflect this commitment.

We are excited about our ability to emerge stronger than ever as the state and nation recovers from the effects of COVID, and we look forward to the possibilities ahead.

Diana Vernon, Principal

Our Vision, Mission and Values “An MLC education inspires our students to be citizens the world needs.”

MLC students are empowered to be confident and engaged global citizens who possess the skills, knowledge and attitude to thrive in an ever-changing, globalised world.

Our unmatched breadth of learning, wellbeing experiences and environments aim to inspire students to find and nurture their individual interests and talents, forge their own path, and achieve their best.

Our commitment to providing excellence and innovation in education, combined with our size, scale and resources, offers enriched learning and wellbeing opportunities.

The MLC values articulate what we stand for and aspire to, guiding the culture we foster and the behaviours we expect of everyone within our community:

Engage with Respect Aspire with Responsibility Act with Compassion Explore with Courage

Principal Diana Vernon with Year 2 students on Founders’ Day 2021 3

Strategic Plan 2018 — 2023 We continue to deliver to MLC’s Strategic Plan - our roadmap to developing and adapting the College in an evolving world.

The Plan features six Strategic Pillars, fundamental to MLC’s commitment to successfully educating and preparing students to navigate their journeys independently and confidently beyond Year 12 and supporting them to make a valuable contribution to their local and global communities.

We are confident that our Strategic Plan will continue to position MLC at the forefront of ongoing innovation and achievement in education.

4 | MLC Community Report

Student Learning and Achievement MLC provides a broad and challenging academic curriculum that fosters a passion for learning and focuses on excellence, whilst developing independent, creative and adaptable thinkers.

Innovation and Resources MLC will continue to lead and innovate in developing resources, sites, programs and facilities that support our students in a vibrant learning environment.

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.

MLC Community The diverse and extensive MLC community provides a rich source of opportunity, personal growth and a sense of belonging for all members.

Excellence in Staff MLC is committed to recruiting highcalibre 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.

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.

Our Community MLC is an open-entry, non-selective school that welcomes students of all cultural, religious and economic backgrounds.

Our community includes current parents, students and staff, our network of alumnae and past families, friends of the College, benefactors, volunteers, Board of Directors and Stakeholder Members.

The Board of Directors is comprised of members of our community who volunteer 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.

Our Stakeholder Members are comprised of a combination of parents, alumnae and additional member positions in accordance with the College Constitution and maintain an interest in the operations and governance of the College.

107

2018

63

1799

824

32,500+

MLC Kindle students

Boarders

Staff

including full-time, part-time and casual

Prep -Year 12 students

Families

Alumnae

5

Our Students The primary intake year levels are Prep, Year 5 and Year 7.

Attendance across all year levels increased compared to 2020.

The strong figures were pleasing as the average included extended periods of remote and continuous learning.

97 97 97 97 99 98 98 98 97 96 94 93 95

80 60 40

YR 11

YR 12

YR 9

YR 10

YR 7

YR 8

YR 6

YR 4

YR 5

YR 2

YR 3

0

YR 1

20

PREP

% Attendance

100

Year Level Table: Average 2021 attendance by year level

The College’s office follows up on non-attendance and records reasons for student absences.

6 | MLC Community Report

Our Staff

382

Excellence in staff is a core priority for MLC. We recognise that quality educational outcomes are driven by excellence in teaching, learning and wellbeing provided by the highest quality, motivated teaching and educational support staff.

As in 2020, we worked hard to support our staff across 2021, including retaining casual staff and keeping them engaged wherever possible in College activities.

We also retained staff in remote sites during the periods where 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 local regional communities.

Teachers/ESSTeachers/ESS

M/F/Non

M/F/Non

Number of Staff – Full-Time Equivalent Teachers/ESS Teachers/ESS Teachers/ESS

M/F/Non M/F/Non M/F/Non

Our teaching staff continued to adapt their approaches and innovate using the MLC tools like MS Teams, OneNote, Canvas, and Seesaw. MLC’s methodology enabled our staff to build a deep sense of connection with our 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.

62% Teachers

2 36% of staff held 2 qualifications Dr Rachael Rutkowski demonstrates colour-changing chemical reactions in her Year 12 IB Chemistry class

38% E ducational Support Staff

3 21% of staff held 3 qualifications

76% Female

24% Male

0% Non-Binary

4 10% of staff held 4 or more qualifications

1 staff member has indicated they are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent.

7

Student Outcomes Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks

Year 12 Results

MLC students continue to perform well against national benchmarks. The table below shows a breakdown of MLC students below (-), at (AT) and above (+) the National Minimum Standards based on NAPLAN results for 2021.

Our Year 12 outstanding results in 2021 included five Duces who achieved perfect ATAR scores of 99.95. A further nine students were our Duces Secundae achieving 99.85 (VCE) and 99.75 (IB).

Year Outcome

3 -

At

5 +

-

At

7 +

-

At

9 +

-

At

+

Grammar and Punctuation

0.0% 0.0% 98.0% 0.0% 0.0% 99.0% 2.6% 0.0% 96.3%

Numeracy

0.0% 0.0% 98.0% 0.0% 0.0% 100.0% 2.6% 0.0% 95.9% 2.8% 0.8% 94.5%

Reading

0.0% 0.0% 98.0% 0.0% 0.0% 100.0%

Spelling

0.0% 0.0% 96.0% 0.0% 0.0% 96.9% 2.6% 0.0% 96.3% 6.3% 1.2% 88.2%

Writing

5.1% 1.2% 90.2%

1.5% 0.0% 97.0% 2.4% 1.2% 94.5%

0.0% 0.0% 98.0% 0.0% 0.0% 100.0% 2.2% 0.0% 95.9% 2.8% 2.0% 87.8%

* Please note that due to rounding errors, data sets do not add up to 100% in all cases.

Twenty-one perfect VCE study scores were achieved in 14 subjects, ranging from Chemistry to Food Studies, Business Management to Physical Education, reaffirming MLC’s academic depth and breadth.

Our combined VCE, VCE VET, and IB results continue the College’s long tradition of academic excellence:

5

16%

students achieved

were in the top 1% of the state

ATAR

ATAR

99+

99.95

Average Standardised Assessment Results for Year 9 The average standardised assessment results for Year 9 are based on NAPLAN results from 2021 and include international students for whom English is a second language.

The results indicate that the median achievement of MLC students is above state-wide median achievements in all areas assessed by the NAPLAN. This data is derived from the Five Year Trend Data Reports and indicates an improvement in all areas assessed.

8 | MLC Community Report

Outcome

School

State

National

Grammar and Punctuation

619.45

582.70

576.66

Numeracy

630.60

586.10

584.96

Reading

631.95

587.80

580.27

Spelling

612.35

592.10

582.65

Writing

609.00

560.20

556.25

40%

were in the top 5% of the state

ATAR

95+

The median ATAR was an outstanding

53%

were in the top 10% of the state

91.30

ATAR

90+

MLC results compared with national averages 60 50 % of cohort

“Along with their excellent results, their positivity, mutual support, and compassion for the wider community was impressive. These are qualities that are not reflected in an ATAR, but nevertheless equip them for life with strong leadership skills and qualities, including resilience and maturity.”

40 30

National (all years) MLC 2021

20

MLC 2020 MLC 2019

10 0

MLC 2018 MLC 2017

99+

95+

90+

ATAR/NATAR

Diana Vernon, Principal

Table: 2021 Year 12 Results compared with National averages

University Offers Reinforcing the strength of our student’s academic achievements and the diversity of their interests and talents, we are delighted that 88% of our 2021 cohort received their first or second preferences for university across a wide range of studies such as biomedicine, fashion, and business. This included offers at overseas universities such as the University of Manchester, the University of Edinburgh, and Durham University.

Congratulations are also extended to four students offered a place in the University of Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholars Program.

The University of Melbourne 108 Offers

Others 12 Offers Swinburne University 9 Offers

Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies

La Trobe University 10 Offers

Architecture and Building Creative Arts

Deakin University 22 Offers

Education Engineering and Related Technologies Food, Hospitality and Personal Services

RMIT 31 Offers

Health Information Technology Management and Commerce Natural and Physical Sciences

Monash University 73 Offers

Society and Culture 0

5

10

15

20

25

% Table: Round 1 Tertiary Course Offers 2021

9

Community Satisfaction Throughout this unprecedented year, MLC surveyed staff, students, and parents to better understand our school community and identify strengths and areas of opportunity.

This information informs our future plans and assists us in continuing to improve.

Students The Resilience Survey has been undertaken anonymously by MLC students in Years 5-12 over the past 6 years. In 2021 it was predominantly administered onsite in early to mid-May. Throughout 2021 it became evident that the cumulative impact of repeated lockdowns and restrictions led to an increase in mental health concerns in children and young people Australia-wide and particularly across Victoria, which was the most impacted state. These trends are reflected in the 2021 MLC data as well as the comparative data. The 2021 results need to be considered together with the pandemic’s impact on student’s mental health.

10 | MLC Community Report

Key Student Themes –P ositive results about student connection to their support network. MLC students felt safe at school and at home, and reporting on bullying rates is consistently lower than the Australian Norm.

–S ome decline in how students felt MLC staff cared for and encouraged them, but this varied across different year levels.

Though staff strived to remain connected to students through periods of Continuous Learning and Wellbeing, this was challenging in the online environment.

–S tudents consistently reported in most situations that ‘I am doing pretty well’.

However, of concern is the increase in the small number of students who have indicated ‘some of the time’.

Heidi and friends enjoy lunchtime on the Junior School playgrounds

– I n the responses to the Cantrill Ladder, which measures life satisfaction and the Hope Scale measuring hopefulness, it appears that, unsurprisingly, the ability to maintain hope and optimism has been reduced for many throughout the past year. This has impacted the results of students who report not feeling good about themselves, criticising themselves and not being able to forgive themselves.

– I ncrease in the percentage of students experiencing anxiety, worry and low mood. The ability to manage worry and stress and remain confident has been most significantly affected by uncertainty and unpredictability around the future.

Maintaining a healthy routine (sleep, healthy diet, regular exercise) without their usual structured activities has been a challenge for some students.

Action plans in response to these themes and school-specific data were developed to ensure that our wellbeing programs address the identified issues. Implementation of these plans commenced in Term 4 2021 and will continue into 2022.

Following the adversity of the past 20 months, and as guided by the PROSPER framework, MLC will continue to promote resilience, strengths, positive relationships and a sense of hope and purpose in 2022.

Parents

Staff

In 2021, MLC continued to use the LEAD Parents’ Survey from Independent Schools Victoria (ISV). MLC excelled in all domains, across both junior and Secondary, exceeding Victorian Independent School mean satisfaction ratings and the overall satisfaction rating of similar independent schools. Most pleasingly, satisfaction had increased or been maintained across the majority of domains.

For the second year, staff participated in the ISV Staff Satisfaction Survey, enabling the College to benchmark against other independent schools.

2021 ISV Parent Satisfaction Survey Key Results

2021 ISV Staff Satisfaction Survey Key Results

Our staff continue to share a real sense of pride in the College and are happy to recommend the school to others. Staff in this school are dedicated to improving student learning outcomes and believe the school provides an excellent environment in which to learn. 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 Schools, our staff identified there is more opportunity for regular feedback from their managers and formal appraisal of their work performance.

MLC 2019

MLC 2021

MLC 2020

ISV Mean

MLC 2020

Teaching Practice

1.00 Quality of Teahcing and Learning

1.00 Parent Involvement

2.00

Pastoral Care

2.00

Learning Support

3.00

Discipline

3.00

Student Behaviour

4.00

School Ethos/Values

4.00

Technology

5.00

Resources, Offerings

5.00

Overall Satisfaction

6.00

Recommend to Others

6.00

Year Transitions

7.00

Resources

7.00

Parental Involvement

8.00

Discipline and Safety

8.00

Pastoral Care

9.00

Learning Outcomes

9.00

Quality of Teaching

10.00

Academic Program

10.00

MLC 2021 ISV Mean

11

College Operations 2021 proved to be another year where flexibility and adaptability were required.

MLC was 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.

In recognition of the continuing impact of COVID, we provided fee relief by freezing 2021 fees at the 2020 level.

Additionally, all families with students in Years Prep – 12 received a rebate of approximately 10% of the June 2021 invoice. We continued to provide direct support through targeted fee remission and fees credited back where we could not provide some specific services.

Revenue 81% Tuition Fees

Expenditure Allocation 13% Government Grants

6% Other Non-operating income (including donations)

Every $100 in expenditure is allocated by the College to the following areas: 18% Whole of College operations

29% Learning & Curriculum

7% Education Outdoors

Expenditure 69% Employee Benefits Expenses

10% School & General Expense

7% Technology 5% Other 5% Sports

13% Other Expenses (incl. finance costs) 8% Depreciation Expense

12 | MLC Community Report

16% Schools

3% L earning Support 3% C ommunity & Engagement

1% A dvancement (including Parent’s Association) 2% Staff Development & Research 2% Boarding 2% Music

Adele and Aisha enjoy making clay peacocks in their ceramics lesson 13

MLC 207 Barkers Road Kew Victoria 3101 Australia T: +61 3 9274 6333 E: college@mlc.vic.edu.au mlc.vic.edu.au 14 | MLC Community Report

Methodist Ladies’ College Limited ABN 55 006 036 979 CRICOS 00325A