Annual Report 2023

Overview

The Annual Report for 2023 is provided to the community of St George’s Anglican Grammar School with the aim of meeting the requirements of the Schools Education Act 2013 and the School Education Regulations 2014 Subsection H. Assistance Act of 2008.

It highlights a range of performance indicators, our outstanding academic results from the Class of 2023 as well as within NAPLAN and OLNA, our wide-ranging achievements both inside and outside of the classroom, and the future direction, development, and growth areas for St George’s Anglican Grammar School. The most exciting next step for us is our move to our new permanent home at 441 Murray Street which will commence in Stage One from July 2025 allowing us to grow to a four-stream school across Years 7 - 12.

The 2023 Annual Report provides a snapshot of the dynamic nature of our school, our ongoing commitment to excellence and our relentless pursuit of our core values of Wisdom, Grace, and Service.

A more detailed summary of what a St George’s Anglican Grammar School education looks like and feels like can be found amongst the pages of our newly designed website as well as across the multiple social media platforms that are regularly updated to showcase the myriad of offerings available to St George’s Anglican Grammar School students.

We are a proud member of the Anglican Schools Commission network of schools and adore the vibrancy of our vertical campus found in the heart of the City of Perth. At St George’s, we do things a little bit differently – we are a small school with a big heart and the city remains a crucial part of our campus with which we interact on a daily basis.

Our School History

St George’s Anglican Grammar School is one of 15 schools of the Anglican Schools Commission Inc. It commenced operation on 1 January 2015 and is a coeducational day school with approximately 500 students across Year 7 – Year 12.

We are extremely proud of our Anglican ethos, and it is our Anglican faith which underpins our educational focus, philosophy, and beliefs.

Our core values of Wisdom, Grace and Service are integral to how the school continues to build a caring and connected community for all members of the St George’s Anglican Grammar School Community - students, parents, staff, and alumni.

Crucial to the ongoing success of St George’s Anglican Grammar School is the pastoral care and positive wellbeing of our students. At St George’s, a student’s wellbeing is seen as being at the heart of their learning journey. We actively support students to realise their full potential, to learn to manage their own personal successes as well as the array of challenges that they may face as adolescents in today’s modern world. Our aim is to give them the skills to engage positively and productively in their life both inside and outside of school.

Every student matters to us. Their story is important, their family is important and as educators we seek to find an opportunity for all St George’s students to shine and display their brilliance at least once during their time as students here. It is the interconnected combination of academic care and pastoral care that makes our school so special and a crucial component of its ongoing success.

The School caters for children across a wide range of abilities. This is demonstrated through our academic extension and learning support programs provided through our Inclusive Education Centre under the guidance of our Coordinator of Inclusive Education.

Our co-curricular activities allow our students to be immersed in a diverse and varied curriculum outside of the classroom and our specialised camp programs give our students the opportunity to learn in a unique outdoor environment supporting them to develop a strong appreciation of the natural environment as well as a sense of adventure and fun.

St George’s Anglican Grammar School enrols both local and international students.

We have a close relationship with ASCi who are the international arm of the Anglican Schools Commission and are located in close proximity to St George’s Anglican Grammar School at 10 William Street.

The St George’s Anglican Grammar School Community continues to be well supported by ASC Head Office and the network of friendships, collegiality and professional learnings provided through the Anglican Schools Commission.

In 2023 our school theme was ‘Let’s G.R.O.W Together’

The theme called staff and students alike to be intentional in pursuing ‘growth’ in their lives. This ‘GROWTH’ centred around four key themes for the school year using G.R.O.W. as an acronym for Grateful, Resilient, Optimistic and Welcoming.

Each characteristic provided a focus for all within the St George’s school community during each of the four school terms of the 2023 school year.

Our School Council

The School Council in 2023 was ably led by Mr Tom Carmody supported by the Deputy Chair, Mrs Anna Heavey. Mr Winton Willesee continued in the role of Treasurer for the 2023 school year.

Other members of School Council for 2023 included The Very Reverend Chris Chataway, Ms Antonia Hodby and Mr Michael Jensen.

Dr Bill Allen and Ms Kat Mead added their expertise and experience to our School Council in 2023.

All members of School Council give generously of their time to ensure the good governance of the School.

As a School, we sincerely thank them for their enormous commitment as members of the St George’s Anglican Grammar School Council.

Our Students

2023 saw our largest enrolment numbers in the School’s history with the 500th student commencing their educational journey at St George’s in Semester Two 2023.

At the time of the August 2023 census St George’s Anglican Grammar School had a student population of 515 students across Years 7 – 12.

Our Staff

All teachers at St George’s Anglican Grammar School are appropriately qualified and registered with the Teacher Registration Board of Western Australia (TRBWA).

St George’s Anglican Grammar School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

When appointing staff, we do not discriminate based on gender, race, sexuality, or religion.

We are an Anglican School, however we welcome people of all faiths, as well as those with no faith. All staff remain supportive of the Christian ethos and values of the School.

The total staff at St George’s in 2023 comprised of 40 Academic Teaching Staff and 24 Administration and Support Staff.

No staff identified as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent during 2023.

Two members of academic staff took long service leave during the 2023 school year. Attendance rate at St George’s by academic staff is strong with the 2023 school year having an average of 94% attendance.

Staff Professional Learning

Professional Learning at St George’s Anglican Grammar School took many different forms in 2023.

Academic Staff attended several ASC and AISWA training sessions provided as a complement to school based professional development sessions delivered termly throughout the year via both face-to-face and online sessions.

St George’s Anglican Grammar School strongly supports the needs of each individual member of staff in providing a range of targeted Professional Learning opportunities. These include courses linked to maintaining professional standards, ongoing registration requirements, curriculum pedagogical courses and specific learning linked to each staff member’s career aspirations and ongoing professional development needs. To develop the leadership potential in our middle leaders, four staff were identified to participate in the ASC’s Aspiring Leaders Workshops during the 2023 academic school year.

2023 saw the school undertake the re-registration process with the Department of Education. We were successful in achieving full registration for a five-year period commencing in January 2024.

At the start of the 2023 academic school year, all staff undertook Senior First Aid training with a specific focus on CPR, Asthma and Anaphylaxis. All staff have been trained in their ability to comprehensively teach the Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum.

In 2023 we upskilled our Pastoral Care Leadership Team in the ‘Train the Trainer’ course which allows them the skills to further support all teachers tasked with delivering this important curriculum across Years 7 - 12.

All St George’s Anglican Grammar School staff who were employed at the school during the Term 3 Professional Development Day completed the AISWA “Child Abuse Reporting including Mandatory Reporting” training. School Council members also undertook training to understand the parameters of Mandatory Reporting as it pertains to their role as members of School Council.

Our Pastoral Care leaders undertook the Youth Mental Health First Aid Course and attended the annual Positive Schools Conference held in Perth which looks at new developments within the Pastoral Care domain.

A significant focus of Professional Learning throughout 2023 was related to curriculum matters, pedagogy, and the enhancement of subject-specific expertise for our academic teaching staff. In most Learning Areas, Heads of Learning Area and other senior staff attended New Syllabus Workshops.

Teaching staff participated in the CEWA and AISWA HOLA Network Days, with several staff engaged with their respective subject specific professional development provided by the SCSA, including Improving Student Performance Workshops, Meeting WACE Requirements Workshops and Consensus Moderation meetings.

Many of St George’s Academic Teaching Staff also undertook WACE marking which provides for outstanding professional learning and development at this level of the school curriculum.

St George’s Anglican Grammar School staff participated in the Drama West Conference, the Curtin English and Literature Conference, and the WAASA presentation on Aboriginal Spirituality, Deep Listening and Learning on Ancient Lands.

Overall, St George’s teaching and teaching support staff were involved in a wide range of different professional development and professional learning throughout the 2023 academic school year. PD

The average expenditure per staff member for Professional Learning during 2023 was $520.

Our School Houses

St George’s Anglican Grammar School has three houses – Gandhi, Lincoln and Mandela.

Interhouse Competition is fierce and there are a range of activities that run throughout the year to harness this positive interhouse rivalry.

• Term One – Interhouse Swimming and Sync Swim.

• Term Two – Interhouse Performing Arts Festival and Cross Country.

• Term Three – Interhouse Athletics and Battle of the Bands.

Week 7 of each term is a fun-filled ‘House Week’ where the Heads of House run an array of different lunchtime activities and competitions amongst the students.

Each term concludes with a House Charity Day where we come together as a whole school to finish the term positively and also raise funds for the nominated House Charity.

Throughout the year students can gain house tokens by contributing to school life both inside and outside of the classroom. These points contribute to the awarding of the House Cup which occurs annually at Presentation Night.

Our Holistic Focus

St George’s Anglican Grammar School takes the view that students’ lives and their potential for ongoing success beyond school are significantly enhanced and enriched by the academic programs offered, as well as the comprehensive range of co-curricular activities available to our students.

We believe in the importance of a balanced education for all connected to the School. There are several peer support, mentoring and leadership programs and activities offered across a variety of year groups to support the development of these vital skills amongst all St George’s students. These include PCG Mentor, Student Representative Council, Anglicare Ambassadors, Peer Support Buddy and Year 12 Student Leadership positions.

Our pastoral care programs, tailored specifically for each year group, highlight our belief that school should be a place where young people feel safe, secure, and connected. They provide students the chance to build their resilience, growth mindset, confidence, sense of self-worth and self-esteem. They are updated regularly and cater to the needs of all students in our care.

Alongside the ongoing sporting, drama, music, service learning and outdoor education opportunities provided to our students in 2023 were a vast array of different co-curricular opportunities offering a chance for students to build friendships beyond the confines of their specific class and year group. These included Bicycle Club, Sailing Club, Lego Club, Jewellery Making, Origami, Mock Trials, Book Club, Chess Club, Archery, Commander Club, Candle Making and so much more. The life of a St George’s student is undoubtably a busy one.

Our Anglicare Ambassadors continued to work with Anglicare to support a range of initiatives including the Optus Stadium Sleepout for the homeless and our very own Sleepout under the Stars for our younger students. We also hold a number of different fund-raising initiatives including supporting All Saints Samoa which offers a service-learning opportunity to selected students on an annual basis to attend Samoa and support the local community and school at All Saints.

Our very own Legendary Learners sees The Laurence Library open after school with academic support provided to our senior students with targeted study sessions and revision seminars offered to support the various academic needs of our students in the lead up to their examinations.

Our students celebrated NAIDOC Week with a smoking ceremony held at St George’s Cathedral and are involved in the Walk for Reconciliation held at Kings Park each year.

Community Satisfaction

Supportive relationships between staff, parents and students are encouraged through a range of events including Principal Morning and Afternoon Teas, Parent Teacher Evenings and House Sundowners. Parents, Guardians and Carers are also encouraged to attend a variety of carnivals, festivals, performances, and productions to enhance their connection with the school.

Communication with our St George’s Families is key to all that we undertake.

We endeavour to communicate regularly with our parent body through The Dragon, our fortnightly school newsletter, our frequent social media posts across several platforms as well as through our semester reporting processes. Parents and Teachers also use SEQTA as a communication tool to ensure that the schooling journey of all students is a shared responsibility.

One of the indicators of community satisfaction is expressed by student and staff retention rates.

• T he average student retention rate in 2023 was 95%

• T he percentage of teaching staff retained in 2023 was 86%

In 2023, St George’s Anglican Grammar School conducted a detailed survey of Year 12 students which found that St George’s Anglican Grammar School was overwhelmingly considered a safe and secure learning environment that fostered positive relationships and strong academic progress.

Over 90% of students recognised specific members of staff for their support outside of the classroom and 94% of students believed that their teachers cared deeply about them as people as well as about their learning success. House activities, Charity Days, and whole school events such as the variety of interhouse and interschool carnivals were viewed as some of the most loved days within the school calendar by the Year 12 Class of 2023.

When asked what they enjoyed the most about their time at St George’s, the students’ comments included –‘the relationship between staff and students’; ‘the learning environment and buzz of the city’, ‘the interactions and use of city facilities’ and ‘the sense of family because we are a small school’. These continue to be priorities for us as a School for the future.

2023 Student Survey Results

The school environment has provided me with a safe and secure place to learn.

I have been respected as a person whilst at school.

Teachers know their subject areas and present the material in a way that is easy to understand.

If I did not understand a lesson, extra help was available to me from teachers outside of the classroom.

The variety of courses available have met my academic needs.

I enjoyed my school experience at St George’s.

Student Outcomes: Student Attendance

In 2023 the average attendance rates for each year group were as follows:

These attendance percentages reflect a similar attendance ratio from those recorded for St George’s Anglican Grammar School students in 2022.

The expectations of an average 90% attendance rate for all year groups continues to be promoted by St George’s Anglican Grammar School and discussed with students and their families. We acknowledge that attendance rates directly correlate with a student’s wellbeing and sense of achievement.

We offer consistent support and work closely alongside our students and their families for whom regular school attendance might be challenging for a wide range of complex reasons.

Maintaining our high attendance rates remains a priority for our Pastoral Care Leadership Team.

Management of attendance

The School manages all student attendance via SEQTA, our learning management platform.

Attendance is recorded every lesson by academic staff and followed up by the student's respective Pastoral Care Group (PCG) Tutor, Head of Year and ultimately the Head of Pastoral should there be ongoing concerns regarding a student’s regular attendance.

If a student is absent from school without prior notification from their parents/guardians and/or carers, then an SMS is sent to the parent/guardian and/or carer advising them of the student’s absence and asking them to contact the School at their earliest opportunity through our closely monitored Student Services Reception. If there is no response to the SMS, a follow up telephone call is made requesting an explanation for the absence before the end of the school day by our Student Services Officer.

A message is left should there be no response to this phone call.

Weekly attendance records are forwarded to the PCG Tutor who then follows up with the student and their family regarding any frequent or unexplained absences.

Frequent and/or regular absences are followed up by the Head of Year in the first instance for more detailed monitoring and management prior to being discussed with the Head of Pastoral or Principal.

The Head of Pastoral liaises with both staff, students and families for any longer-term absences due to prolonged illnesses or other significant issues or concerns which includes any absenteeism being managed by an external support agency. These are also discussed with the Principal.

The Head of Pastoral may create an attendance recovery plan with the families should this be deemed necessary in seeking to rectify any ongoing attendance concerns.

All term time requests for leave by families can only be approved by the Principal.

Management of non-attendance

When the attendance of any student falls below 90 per cent over the course of a term, the Head of Year will:

• Further investigate the reasons for the student’s absence to seek clarification from the parent/guardian and/or carer.

• Report the matter to the Head of Pastoral if the outcome of this contact cannot be satisfactorily managed for the benefit of both the School and the student or if the absenteeism is likely to be long term and/or require further action or support.

• Organise a parent teacher meeting and/or a case conference to begin an action plan for improved attendance including potentially the creation of an attendance recovery plan managed by the Head of Pastoral.

Persistent non-attendance

In the case of persistent non-attendance, the Head of Pastoral and/or Principal may

•Request a formal meeting with the parents/guardians and/or carers as well as work with the student individually to seek to find a solution to the reason behind their absence.

•Consult the Western Australian Education Department for local students or the ASCi for International Students to alert them to any student whose attendance is seen to be ‘at risk’ or without reason.

•Continue to revise any attendance recovery plan to assist with a gradual return to full attendance over the course of the term, semester, or year.

In managing all such attendance recovery plans the health and wellbeing of the student continues to be the number one priority of any outcome or decision regarding a student’s overall attendance.

The Head of Pastoral works closely with the relevant medical personnel as well as the student and their family to support a return to school as promptly as is both practical and possible.

Student Outcomes: NAPLAN

NAPLAN (National Assessment Programme – Literacy and Numeracy) assessments are standardised assessments, completed by all students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 across Australia.

The NAPLAN assessments are intended to provide parents and guardians with information about the progress of their child in relation to nationally agreed benchmarks.

Year 7

St George’s results are above the National Averages in all areas tested.

The school is also above the ASC schools average, with a particularly strong performance in the Reading assessment. An identified area of intervention is Writing and Grammar when compared to similar schools (according to ICSEA values). There is also a relatively high rate of students below the National Minimum Standard in Spelling and Punctuation.

Year 9

St George’s results are above the National Averages in all areas tested.

The school is also above the ASC schools average, with a particularly strong performance in the Reading, Writing and Grammar assessment.

An identified area of intervention is Numeracy when compared to similar schools (according to ICSEA values) and continues to be a focus for the School.

WACE Literacy and Numeracy Achievement

To ensure students are well-prepared for life beyond school, it is essential they continue to develop strong literacy and numeracy skills during their years of compulsory secondary education.

Recognising the importance of these foundational skills, students are required to meet a minimum standard in literacy and numeracy to achieve one of the four standards of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). This benchmark aligns with Level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework, ensuring consistency with nationally recognised standards.

Students have two avenues to meet this standard: achieving specific scores in the Year 9 NAPLAN or passing the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA).

In 2023, significant changes were introduced to NAPLAN reporting by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), shifting from traditional bands and minimum standards to new proficiency levels. These changes aim to set a challenging yet attainable benchmark, reflecting the curriculum taught up to that point.

For the class of 2026, these alterations modify the OLNA prequalification criteria from the previous requirement of Band 8 or higher in NAPLAN to a more flexible cutoff within the ‘Strong’ Achievement scale.

This adjustment ensures that our assessment methods remain relevant and reflective of current educational standards, thereby reinforcing the necessity of the OLNA for WACE eligibility.

Student Outcomes: OLNA Results (Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment)

*The Year 9 (class of 2026) cohort is the first cohort of students undertaking the new iteration of NAPLAN testing introduced in 2023.

Student Outcomes: Year 12 Results

WACE

The Class of 2023 had 77 students.

73 students completed the Western Australia Certificate of Education (WACE) and 4 students completed the Western Australian Universities Foundation Program (WAUFP).

Of the 73 full-time WACE-eligible students, 92% passed WACE.

30 students completed 4 or more

Year 12 ATAR courses leading them to achieve University entrance.

St George’s Anglican Grammar School achieved a median Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking (ATAR) score of 85.83.

The following Year 12 students received special recognition from the SCSA for their outstanding WACE results:

SCSA Certificate of Distinction

Greta Bushell (ATAR)

SCSA Certificate of Merit

Shishir Athreya (ATAR)

Niamh Bingham (ATAR)

Milla Howard (ATAR)

Ethan Lane (ATAR)

Ella Moss (ATAR)

Suzy Parker-Griffin (ATAR)

Emily Ross (ATAR)

Sienna Ryan (APEx)

SCSA Subject Certificate of Excellence

Tom Sweeney (ATAR AIT)

Ethan Lane (ATAR Maths Applications)

The school also received SCSA recognition for ATAR Mathematics Applications which achieved results in the top 15% of all students in that course throughout Western Australia.

We are particularly proud of the fact that the Class of 2023 achieved the highest median ATAR of all Anglican Schools Commission (ASC) Schools in Western Australia in 2023.

In addition to the terrific ATAR results, 25 students achieved an Australian Qualification Framework VET Certificate II or higher in Year 12, 47 students achieved completion of recognised Endorsed Programmes via the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, and 14 students successfully completed a University Pathway Preparation Program to enable direct entry to University via our Murdoch FlexiTrack High programme.

The myriad of different and diverse pathway opportunities provided to St George’s Anglican Grammar School students allow each and every student to reach their potential by the end of Year 12.

The information contained in Tables 1, 2 and 3, provide further explanation and comparison of the Year 12 2023 ATAR results.

Table 1

Mean ATAR Comparison 2016 – 2022

Table 2

Median Comparison of Spread of ATAR Scores 2018 - 2023

Table 3

Comparison of ATAR Scores – ASC Schools (No. eligible students over 20)

Table 4

Vocational Education and Training - participation and achievement

WAUFP

4 of the 77 students of Year 12 2023 completed the WAUFP with the tables below showing their results in these modified ATAR Examinations which cater to their needs as international students.

Table 1

Spread of St George’s Anglican Grammar School ATAR Equivalent (Using ATAR equivalents provided by TISC (Tertiary Institutions’ Services Centre)

Table 2

St George’s WAUFP ATAR Equivalent Comparison 2018 – 2023 (All WAUFP Students)

Post School Destinations

At the conclusion of the academic school year, we surveyed our graduating class of 2023 to determine the next steps in their journey beyond school.

Table

School Funding

Conclusion

As a School we continue to celebrate the many wonderful achievements and accomplishments of all connected with St George’s Anglican Grammar School. We are excited for our future move to 441 Murray Street which will provide us with a permanent home in the heart of the CBD and allow us to grow to a four-stream entry school of approximately 120 students per year group across Years 7 - 12. This transition will commence in Stage One from Semester Two 2025.

We are incredibly proud of the outstanding academic achievements of the Class of 2023 and look forward to seeing our future cohorts build on these results for the future. Being part of the St George’s Family is truly something very special - we are a small school with a big heart.

We have high standards and expectations for students and staff alike and work together to strive for ongoing excellence in all that we undertake.

The 2024 School Theme of ‘RESPECT’ with a focus on Respect for oneself, Respect for others, Respect for Learning and Respect for the environment clearly sets the next stage of our journey for everyone connected with St George’s Anglican Grammar School.