From the Head Girl As a Christ centred and nurturing environment, Tara’s genuine care and dedication encourages each girl to strive for excellence, consistently applying herself both in and out of the classroom. The support of staff and students alike are invaluable towards the learning and growth of each girl, as we constantly celebrate the diversity of talent and interests of Tara women.
Message from key school bodies From the Principal Tara Anglican School for Girls is a school with a great sense of purpose - a Christian learning community, characterised by excellence, which encourages and empowers girls to achieve and serve in a dynamic world. This purpose is supported by four distinctive values: Affirmation, Service for Others, Opportunity and Integrity, which our strong and proud traditions, our Christian beliefs, and our commitment to providing an inspirational learning environment for every Tara girl.
Affirmation Service for Others Opportunity Integrity
In 2019, we have continued our pursuit of providing the best research based learning environment for our students. The Junior School achieved an outstanding rating for our Primary Years Programme with the International Baccalaureate Organisation earlier in the year. We are impressed with the focus on learning which sees girls really understanding the purpose of their learning and the relationships between the different subjects as they learn to understand and solve real world issues. In the Senior School, we have completed the first four years of the Middle Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate and we are pleased and impressed with the standard of achievement of the cohort. Our aim in introducing the framework, was to allow Tara girls to develop the skills to learn how to think, analyse, evaluate, reflect and respond to complex issues to strengthen them as learners for the HSC years. They have done this and in fact, our expectations of them as learners, have been greatly exceeded and we feel that they are very well prepared to tackle the rigour of the HSC. As part of the current strategic plan we have also been investigating the best learning approach for our most senior girls to support them in attaining excellent HSC results and just as importantly, preparing them to be successful tertiary students and for life beyond. We have decided that the best way forward in our context is a Tara developed approach and we will begin trialling this in 2020. Our focus on the way girls learn best has required significant commitment by well qualified and successful teachers who have worked collaboratively to enrich their programs. I am very grateful for their willingness to grow and learn themselves. To not just be satisfied with what they know but to also ask, how can we do this even better for our students? We were once again, thrilled with the HSC results for Tara girls in 2019. The results, summarised in this report, arise from a strong and supportive learning culture and students and staff committed to academic excellence. We congratulate them and wish them well as they move on to life beyond our School gates. Mrs Susan Middlebrook, Principal
The key Tara values of Affirmation, Service for Others, Opportunity and Integrity, aim to embody the actions of all girls. This is applied not only throughout our enriched academic and cocurricular endeavours, but within the ordinary interactions of School life that unite each girl, creating a shared identity as a proud woman of Tara. More than a stepping stone into the next chapter of our lives, the Tara Community fosters strong and confident women, offering each girl friendships, experiences and opportunities that extend beyond the gates! Prisca Lam, Head Girl (2019/2020)
Contextual information about the School About Tara Anglican School for Girls Tara Anglican School for Girls is a specialist in girls’ education. Tara is an independent, Anglican day and boarding school for girls located on 12 hectares of beautiful grounds in North Parramatta. Established in 1897, Tara has a rich heritage of more than 123 years, an active School community, and a bright and exciting future. Under Principal, Mrs Susan Middlebrook, our purpose is to be a Christian learning community, characterised by excellence, which encourages and empowers girls to achieve and serve in a dynamic world. Tara is an inspirational learning environment for students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 for both day girls and boarders. Tara has a strong and proud tradition as a non selective school for girls which nurtures its students academically, as well as provides wonderful opportunities in the cocurricular arenas of the performing and creative arts, sports and the service of others. It is a school filled with energy and vitality and the students enjoy impressive facilities and excellent teaching by passionate and dedicated staff. The Strategic Plan 2016-2020 provides the impetus and direction for the development of the School. Our aim is to build a future that optimises each girl’s ability to learn and develop as a strong, resilient young woman who leaves Tara well prepared to embrace life’s adventures. Our vision in our current plan is that by the end of 2020, Tara will be a leader in girls’ Christian education: research informed teaching and learning with an emphasis on the holistic development of each student, and where every student is cared for, challenged and equipped to live out the distinctive values of the School. Tara will continue to promote excellence in all aspects of School life. The relational aspects of connection and support will continue to be key defining aspects of the School’s culture and the Christian faith will continue to form our foundation. 1
Student outcomes in NAPLAN Junior School NAPLAN 2019 Our NAPLAN results in Years 3 and 5 remain consistently strong, as evidenced in the comparison tables. In 2019, the Junior School completed NAPLAN online, except Year 3 writing, which was a paper test. By completing the tests online, we are able to ascertain a more detailed understanding of our students. Previously, the Year 3 scale finished at Band 6. It now goes to Band 10. In Year 3, 50% of the cohort was in Band 6 (the highest band allocated to Year 3 on parent reports) or above. In Year 5, 32% of the cohort was in Band 8 (the highest band allocated to Year 5 on parent reports) or above. 53% of the cohort was in Band 7 or above. In unpacking the results, it is important to note that it is not just where the girls sit at the top or bottom of the scale, but the students who have moved in the middle due to Junior School’s targeted programs (before school ‘boost groups’ and targeted in class support). Year 3 2019 is the first Kindergarten year group to complete NAPLAN since we implemented our Literacy Project with the AIS. In Reading, 75% of girls in Year 3 achieved Band 5 or higher, with three students achieving Band 10. In 2019, the Junior School began a two year focus on writing. We diagnosed five areas for growth: in writing for an audience, text structure, ideas, sentence structure and paragraphing. All staff undertook professional learning and completed NESA’s online training courses in NAPLAN marking. In Year 5 in 2018, we had no students in Band 8 or above. In 2019 we had 7 students, and more than doubled the gap between the School and Stage average. In Year 5 Reading we increased the gap between the School and State average by over 20 scale scores. Gains were also made in Grammar and Numeracy.
YEAR 3 READING %
WRITING %
SPELLING %
GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION %
NUMERACY %
BAND
Tara
1
0.0
2.2
0.5
0.0
1.2
0.2
0.0
4.6
1.1
2.5
3.5
2
5.0
9.0
2.2
0.0
0.4
0.9
0.0
6.6
2.7
0.0
3
5.0 13.1
5.6
2.5
11.3
5.3
5.0
14.3
8.7
2.5
4
15.0 19.9 14.0 27.5 25.5 19.4 12.5 20.2 17.3 15.0 16.4 10.1 27.5 25.9 21.4
5
30.0 24.5 25.1 35.0 38.6 42.4 25.0 24.8 25.8 27.5 21.8 20.3 25.0 23.4 28.4
6
0.0 22.7 36.6 35.0 19.4 31.8 35.0 23.2 34.7 20.0 27.9 41.9 17.5 15.3 28.2
7
7.5
5.3
8.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
7.5
4.9
7.5
10.0
5.7
8.9
7.5
3.1
6.6
8
7.5
2.0
3.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
7.5
0.9
1.1
2.5
3.0
6.2
7.5
1.0
2.1
9
2.5
0.9
2.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
7.5
0.5
1.1
12.5
1.4
2.7
2.5
0.2
0.6
10
7.5
0.4
1.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
7.5
0.5
1.2
0.0
0.1
0.6
State SSSG
Tara
State SSSG
Tara
State SSSG
Tara
State SSSG
Tara
State
SSSG
0.8
0.0
2.8
0.4
6.8
1.7
5.0
9.5
3.0
12.9
6.4
7.5
18.6
8.7
YEAR 5 READING %
WRITING %
SPELLING %
GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION %
NUMERACY %
BAND
Tara
1
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.3
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
2
0.0
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.8
0.0
0.0
1.0
0.1
0.0
3
0.0
3.8
0.4
0.0
4.4
0.7
0.0
3.5
0.6
4
0.0
9.1
2.4
6.7
10.9
3.8
2.2
7.5
2.4
5
11.1 18.4
8.5
28.9 31.9 22.3 11.1 20.8 13.0 22.2 20.1 12.0 11.1 25.3 12.2
6
24.4 28.2 22.8 33.3 32.2 38.4 42.2 27.0 26.4 24.4 21.5 19.0 35.6 28.5 27.2
7
22.2 22.8 29.5 15.6 13.4 23.0 11.1 25.2 32.7 17.8 22.0 30.6 28.9 19.3 31.2
8
28.9 15.0 30.9 11.1
5.6
10.4 26.7 13.1 21.7 17.8 13.9 25.5 15.6 10.5 21.4
9
11.1 1.9
4.6
4.4
0.4
1.0
4.4
1.5
2.4
6.7
3.0
5.2
4.4
1.9
4.1
10
2.2
0.7
0.0
0.1
0.3
2.2
0.5
0.7
11.1
1.8
3.4
2.2
0.6
1.1
State SSSG
0.3
Tara
State SSSG
Tara
State SSSG
Tara
State SSSG
Tara
State
SSSG
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.0
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
5.7
0.8
0.0
2.7
0.4
0.0
10.9
3.4
2.2
11.0
2.4
2
Student outcomes in NAPLAN Senior School NAPLAN 2019
YEAR 7
Year 7 Overall, the 2019 Year 7 cohort results compare extremely well with the State and SSSG. The results in all domains include many impressive results, with more students achieving the top bands than both State and SSSG. Numeracy is an area of strength with 24.7% of students achieving Band 10. The average NAPLAN score for Year 7 is consistent with the average score over the last 7 years. Year 9 2019 Year 9 results are an improvement on any cohort since 2013. This cohort far exceeded state and SSSG scores in all areas. As such, there is no area of weakness for this group. In comparison to previous cohorts, these are the strongest results for any group over the last 7 years. The difference in average score between Tara and SSSG is also the largest it has ever been in the last 7 years.
READING %
WRITING %
SPELLING %
GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION %
NUMERACY %
BAND
Tara
1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.4
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
3
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.0
1.2
0.1
0.0
1.2
0.1
4
0.0
4.0
0.5
1.4
6.2
1.5
0.0
3.7
5
1.4 11.3
2.7
12.3 18.4
7.9
2.7
8.9
6
9.6 22.3 10.4 16.4 31.0 25.1
9.6
7
21.9 29.9 28.5 19.2 23.4 30.2 20.5 29.4 30.0 27.4 26.6 28.6 20.5 26.2 22.8
8
32.9 20.4 32.2 31.5 14.7 25.5 35.6 21.6 30.2 23.3 17.1 25.3 28.8 19.7 29.2
9
20.5 10.2 20.7 13.7
3.8
7.7
15.1 12.1 18.4 20.5 13.6 23.5 15.1 14.6 27.0
10
13.7 1.5
0.5
1.1
16.4
State SSSG
5.1
Tara
5.5
State SSSG
Tara
State SSSG
Tara
State
SSSG
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.8
0.1
0.0
0.3
0.0
0.6
0.0
6.2
1.1
1.4
3.6
0.5
3.5
4.1
14.5
4.2
2.7
10.9
1.8
21.6 13.6
9.6
19.1 12.0
6.8
21.3
8.1
1.5
3.6
Tara
15.1
State SSSG
2.0
5.3
24.7
3.4
10.7
YEAR 9 READING %
WRITING %
SPELLING %
GRAMMAR & PUNCTUATION %
NUMERACY %
BAND
Tara
1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.5
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
3
0.0
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.6
0.1
0.0
0.5
0.1
4
0.0
0.8
0.1
0.0
1.3
0.3
0.0
0.9
5
0.0
5.7
0.8
0.0
12.3
3.1
0.0
6
2.5 12.7
3.7
3.8
21.3 11.9
7.5
7
10.0 25.9 15.9 17.5 25.3 24.1 11.3 27.6 19.9 13.8 27.4 22.4 10.0 28.6 13.7
8
27.5 29.4 33.9 35.0 24.7 34.5 17.5 30.2 34.4 21.3 24.6 29.5 22.5 27.2 29.7
9
31.3 18.4 30.3 28.8
9.4
16.6 23.8 17.9 28.5 31.3 14.6 24.6 30.0 17.2 29.6
10
28.8 7.1
4.4
9.2
State SSSG
Tara
15.1 15.0
State SSSG
Tara
40.0
State SSSG
Tara
State
SSSG
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.2
0.0
1.2
0.3
0.0
0.0
0.0
4.5
0.9
0.0
7.1
1.0
0.0
1.3
0.2
10.6
3.9
3.8
17.3
7.8
0.0
14.0
2.5
7.8
Tara
12.3 30.0
State SSSG
7.5
14.4 37.5 11.5 24.3 3
HSC results 2019
HSC Longitudinal Band Comparison (Bands 5 and 6 from 2017 to 2019)
Combined Band 5 and 6 HSC results in comparison to the state. SUBJECT STATE % TARA %
• • • •
SUBJECT
% OF TARA CANDIDATES IN BANDS 5 & 6 IN 2019
% OF STATE CANDIDATES IN BANDS 5 & 6 IN 2019
% OF TARA CANDIDATES IN BANDS 5 & 6 IN 2018
% OF STATE CANDIDATES IN BANDS 5 & 6 IN 2018
% OF TARA CANDIDATES IN BANDS 5 & 6 IN 2017
% OF STATE CANDIDATES IN BANDS 5 & 6 IN 2017
Biology
31
77
Business Studies
32
79
Biology
77
31
56
37
52
40
Chemistry
46
76
Design and Technology
47
60
Business Studies
79
32
48
37
68
36
Drama
43
100
Chemistry
76
46
65
42
58
43
Economics
52
20
Design and Technology
60
47
57
46
60
43
English Extension 1
94
100
Drama
100
43
100
42
91
42
English Extension 2
79
66
Economics
20
52
43
46
80
49
English Advanced
62
76
English Extension 1
100
94
100
96
94
93
English Standard
79
n/a
English Extension 2
66
79
66
70
100
78
ESL/EALD
23
100
English Advanced
76
62
74
61
67
64
Food Technology
33
81
English Standard
n/a
79
0
15
0
16
French Continuers
64
50
ESL/EALD
100
23
40
25
25
25
Geography
43
87
Food Technology
81
33
80
32
75
30
German Continuers
n/a
n/a
French Continuers
50
64
100
64
67
66
History - Ancient
35
69
Geography
87
43
90
43
40
42
History - Extension
77
81
German Continuers
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
14
59
History - Modern
40
81
History - Ancient
69
35
84
36
76
36
Hospitality
28
95
History - Extension
81
77
88
78
89
80
Industrial Technology
21
100
History - Modern
81
40
71
42
71
39
Japanese Continuers
n/a
n/a
Hospitality
95
28
54
17
79
21
Japanese Extension
n/a
n/a
Industrial Technology
100
21
100
22
n/a
n/a
Legal Studies
41
55
Japanese Continuers
n/a
n/a
100
61
100
61
Mathematics Advanced
49
44
Japanese Extension
n/a
n/a
100
89
100
90
Mathematics Extension 1
80
87
Legal Studies
55
41
83
44
70
43
Mathematics Extension 2
85
100
Mathematics Advanced
44
49
67
52
45
53
Mathematics General
24
52
Mathematics Extension 1
87
80
95
79
64
82
Music 1
66
100
Mathematics Extension 2
100
85
80
85
67
84
Music 2
90
100
Mathematics General
52
24
48
26
63
25
Music Extension
66
100
Music 1
100
66
100
20%
100
65
PDHPE
31
100
Music 2
100
90
100
90
100
89
Physics
37
100
Music Extension
100
66
100
66
100
95
Science Extension
69
100
PDHPE
100
31
53
33
75
30
SDD
44
100
Physics
100
37
66
34
13
34
Senior Science
n/a
n/a
Science Extension
100
69
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Studies of Religion
46
86
SDD
100
44
83
36
75
35
Visual Arts
62
100
Senior Science
n/a
n/a
66
21
0
24
Studies of Religion
86
46
54
37
79
50
Visual Arts
100
62
100
52
86
54
2 All Rounders 2 students on the Top Achievers List 120 Band 6 results from 65 candidates 13 courses with 100% of students achieving at Band 5 or 6 level • 28% of students achieved an ATAR over 95 and 45% of students achieved an ATAR over 90 • 42 students on the HSC Distinguished Achievers List
Please Note: • This data is not longitudinal i.e. it does not attempt to map the students’ progress through School Certificate, NAPLAN and Allwell • The proportion of Band 6 results awarded across the state for different courses varies. The proportion of Band 6 results across years also varies. There is greater stability across Bands 5 and 6 thus making comparisons across these bands, across courses and years more valid.
Record of Student Achievement There were no Records of Student Achievement granted to Year 10 students in 2019. 4
Post school destinations - Number of University Offers
Teacher accreditation status 90 teachers with Australian or AEI-NOOSR teaching qualification from higher education.
Workforce composition Total number of staff - 322* Staff who identified themselves as indigenous - 1
0 teachers without formal teaching qualification.
*Total number of staff based on permanent and casual support and teaching staff, including cocurricular and coaching staff
Summary of professional learning undertaken by teachers Junior School • 94% of students received at least 1 offer from a university or college in the UAC Offer Round period from November 2019-February 2020 • 118 offers were made to students from UAC with approximately 55% being double degrees • 1 student received 5 offers, 1 student received 4 offers, 13 students received 3 offers, 20 students received 2 offers and 24 students received 1 offer • 63% of Year 12 students received at least one offer. Early offers were made directly to students by universities or private institutions, many of these were prior to the HSC
Senior secondary outcomes • 22 VET students who all achieved the VET qualification in Hospitality: Food and Beverage which represents 31% of the year group.
Retention 92% of Year 10 students in 2017 were retained through to Year 12 in 2019.
Student attendance rates and management of non-attendance YEAR LEVEL ATTENDANCE • Contact is made to parents each morning if a student is absent from School without notification • Letters are sent to parents requesting reasons for student absences in writing, if these have not been received within a reasonable time of the absence • A formal ‘Request for Leave’ form is required for absences of 3 days or more in succession • Extensive absences or absences of concern are followed up by the Year Coordinator or Class Teacher • Awards are presented to students with full attendance each term Junior School attendance for 2019 - 94% Senior School attendance for 2019 - 96%
ELC
93%
KINDERGARTEN
92.1%
YEAR 1
95.2%
YEAR 2
94.5%
YEAR 3
95.1%
YEAR 4
96%
YEAR 5
94.6%
YEAR 6
95%
YEAR 7
96.3%
YEAR 8
94.7%
YEAR 9
94.7%
YEAR 10
95.4%
YEAR 11
95.5%
YEAR 12
97%
Tara has offered Junior School teachers and staff internal professional learning opportunities through our fortnightly professional learning meetings, external workshops and personal professional reading. As an IB World School, through our participation in the NSW PYP Schools Network and North West Professional Development Network, and through our membership of the AIS and IPSHA, staff experience quality professional learning and networking. In 2019, the professional learning focus area for Junior School teachers was peer coaching: using the work of Jim Knight to video and reflect on our teaching practice within ‘coaching triplets’, using the Pedagogical Playbook written by the Junior School Leadership Team over the past two years in preparation for this project, develop individual learning plans for improvement of practice, measuring effects on student learning, and reporting back to colleagues in a reflection session. This process, while in its first iteration, demonstrated common themes amongst teachers regardless of their classroom or specialist status, such as student questioning, teacher talk time, student engagement, high potential students, and starting and finishing lessons well. We look forward to growing this highly individualised, needs-based approach to professional learning in 2020. Additionally, individual or small group professional learning included areas such as: the PYP Exhibition, an introduction to the PYP, implementing enhancements to the PYP, narrative and persuasive writing, the literacy block, literacy in the early years, using mentor texts when teaching writing, developing number sense, singing, playing and improvising in the music classroom, STEM, supporting the digital wellbeing of students implementing the new PDHPE syllabus, Dads and Daughters cricket, and turning anxiety into resilience.
Senior School Tara has offered Senior School teachers internal professional development sessions before and after school, during extended faculty times and staff development days. Throughout 2019 there was a particular focus on the authentic use of our Learning Management System, Canvas, to enrich the learning experiences of all students and ensure a flexible learning environment for students and teachers. Such Professional Development was delivered by suitably qualified Tara staff or external providers. In 2019, an average of $500.00 per Senior School staff member, per subject, was allocated to fund attendance at external courses. Many of Tara’s teachers have also had the opportunity to be involved with HSC Examination marking, HSC Examination committees and various NESA committees. These experiences along with Professional Development courses run by NESA facilitated the smooth implementation of new syllabi in many subject areas. Six teachers, who commenced their employment as a teacher in NSW after 1 October 2004 or returned to teaching after a five year break, are currently undergoing the processes to be accredited as a NESA Proficient Teacher. Ten teachers are also currently undergoing the process to be accredited at Experienced Teacher Level through ISTAA. Future directions identified for staff professional development included innovations in pedagogy (with an emphasis on girls’ education), pastoral care, curriculum differentiation, catering for students with autism, developing programs for high potential learners, International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, information technology including ‘one to one’ laptops and online learning.
5
Enrolment policies and characteristics of the student body Tara is an Anglican, non-selective day and boarding school for girls, which maintains an inclusive approach to the enrolment of students, regardless of their religious or cultural backgrounds. The School aims to provide the best educational outcomes for all students who become part of the School community. Additional information regarding enrolment and compliance is available via the website: Full text by link for enrolment https://tara.nsw.edu.au/enrolments/how-apply/ Full text by link for international compliance https://tara.nsw.edu.au/enrolments/overseas-applications/
School policies During 2019 no changes were made to the policies for Student Welfare, Discipline or Anti-bullying.
Student Welfare Attention to student welfare is a central focus at Tara reflecting the Christian faith and values that underpin all aspects of the School culture. Student welfare programs concentrate on strengthening physical and mental health, as well as the development of skills used to promote lifelong personal growth. Such programs at Tara also focus on social and emotional learning as shown in the model below. For more details on our student welfare and pastoral care program see our Information Handbooks and website via the links below. Full text by link Information Handbooks https://issuu.com/taraanglicanschoolforgirls Full text by link - School Policies https://tara.nsw.edu.au/explore/governance-policies/
Discipline By their nature and developmental levels, children need boundaries within which to grow and assimilate into their environment. At Tara, it is recognised that the experience of children at School constitutes a major influence on their lives and provides a broader cultural context in preparation for entering society in general. Where it is necessary for student management to take the form of correction, this will be most effective if approached as a context for learning rather than as an essentially punitive experience. Personal restoration, reconciliation and a sense of moving forward from misdemeanours are the overriding goals when student management measures are required. Policies for discipline are published in a variety of publications including the Student Planner, Staff Handbook and Parent Orientation Material. For further information on these policies please see the links below. Full text by link - Information Handbooks https://issuu.com/taraanglicanschoolforgirls
Full text by link - School Policies https://www.tara.nsw.edu.au/school-policies
Anti-bullying At Tara, bullying or harassment is not acceptable in any form. Students have the right to expect that they will be free from the fear of bullying, harassment, intimidation and victimisation during the School day. Policies related to Anti-bullying are published in a variety of publications including the Student Planner, Staff Handbook and Parent Orientation Material. Presentations in Assembly, Chapel, Pastoral Care activities and within the curriculum (PDHPE) reinforce these policies. For further information on these policies please see the links below. Full text by link - School Policies https://tara.nsw.edu.au/explore/governance-policies/ Full text by link - Information Handbooks https://issuu.com/taraanglicanschoolforgirls
Complaints and Grievances ELC to Year 6: Students who have a complaint or grievance should go to their class teacher and from there the Deputy Head of Junior School. Years 7 to 12: Students who have a complaint or grievance should go to Student Reception and ask to see their relevant teacher or Head of Department, Dean of Learning or Mentor, Year Coordinator, Director of Student Wellbeing, Head of Senior School or the Principal. Parents: Parents or support people for the student who have a complaint or grievance should go to the Mentor, relevant teacher or Head of Department, Year Coordinator, Dean of Learning or Head of Senior School and this will be managed appropriately. Policies for Complaints and Grievances are published in a variety of publications including the website, Student Planner, Staff Handbook and Information Handbooks. Full text by link - Information Handbooks
https://issuu.com/taraanglicanschoolforgirls
Initiatives Promoting Respect and Responsibility Senior School Service for Others remains a key focus of the Pastoral Care Program at Tara. For students in Years 7–9 a third years of partnership with the House of Welcome, a non for profit organisation for refugees and asylum seekers allowed girls to learn about the challenges and experiences of these groups. Girls in Year 7 made Christmas individual boxes for a range of ages to be delivered to families. Year 8 knitted squares that were made into over 30 rugs and Year 9 ran the annual food drive. For the students in Year 10 the city-based service camp, partnering with Kids Giving Back, enabled them to participate in a variety of activities in central Sydney. Production of meals for Rough Edges in Darlinghurst, sorting clothing for Thread Together and visits to Nursing Homes all provided excellent opportunities for promoting respect and responsibility. The explicit teaching about respect and responsibility in younger years have led to student led initiatives amongst the older girls. The individual MYP Special Projects developed by Year 10 students featured many presentations promoting this theme. By way of example, ‘Who Stopped the Rain’ by Grace provided a personal insight into the impact of drought in country NSW. Publication of this book led to further promotion of this and raising of funds which were distributed to people experiencing drought. An initiative by Year 11 student Isabella saw girls collect and deliver dinner and 100s of socks to inner city refuges prior to the onset of winter. Year 12 Sign up and Serve Day, saw students volunteer time during their final week at School to contribute to the broader community by cooking meals for Dignity Homes, making sanitary pads for Days for Girls and 6 donating to Blood Bank.
Initiatives Promoting Respect and Responsibility Junior School The Junior School Wellbeing and Restorative Action Policy uses an approach of restorative justice to build resilience and empathy. Central to this approach is the circle solutions model which is used to support and nurture students towards respect for self and others, personal integrity and responsibility, compassion and appropriate conduct. All students participate in service learning activities, raising awareness and enabling action in support of others. Service Learning in the Junior School: • Is an expression of the Christian values of our School – demonstrating God’s love to others • Is an outworking of our status as an IB World School, providing the opportunity to learn the elements of agency and action: by participating, supporting, standing up for others, designing something new, or making a lifestyle choice. • Helps us to develop empathy for others • Helps us to learn more about children and families whose lives are the same or different to our own • May be a planned annual commitment (such as Compassion and Toys n Tucker), an outworking of learning within a unit of inquiry (such as Year 4 selling 3D printed ‘collectibles’ for the CWA), or in response to a current local or global need (such as RMH and drought relief) • May be initiated by an individual student or group of students, and is part of a School-wide program of service implemented through the House system In 2019, under the banner Service for Others - hearts and minds in action, students led and participated in actions which supported: • Compassion (sponsoring a child in Mexico) • Ronald McDonald House (groceries for families staying at RMH, Westmead) • Parramatta Mission (donations of food and essential personal items like toiletries, nappies, socks and underwear) • Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children • Anglicare Toys n Tucker • Drought relief for farmers (Year 4 initiative as an outworking of their unit of inquiry) • Breadtags for Wheelchairs • Lids for Envision
Satisfaction data The School conducted a satisfaction survey for students, parents and staff which sought feedback on 11 aspects of Tara’s offering. The elements of the survey are used by many schools and allow us to benchmark the results against other schools across Australia. Students
Higher than Benchmark 7.5%
Parents
6.5%
Staff
7.2%
Aspects of Highest Satisfaction School Environment Learning Opportunities Technology and Reserves Parent Communication Leadership and Management In addition to students, identified high levels of satisfaction: Teacher Quality Guidance and Support School Environment Learning Opportunities Technology and Resources School Curriculum Teacher Quality Leadership and Management
Summary Financial Information
School-determined improvement targets
Income The Tara Experience • Embedding of Middle Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate as learning framework for years 7-10 • Tracking of integrated learning achievements for each student program implemented • Provision of STEM opportunities for students in dedicated programs E-12 • Extension of student wellbeing program with additional online resourcing and personnel
Christian Identity Note: 0% income obtained from government capital grants and other capital grants
• Involvement in Global Service Learning program with World Vision • Student voice in responding to social justice and need extended
Expenditure
Leaders of Learning • Investigation of approaches to learning for students in Years 11 and 12 • Student feedback survey used to inform staff professional development both individually and collective • Gifted and Talented program developed for students with dedicated resourcing
Resourcing Our Future • Continued refurbishment of learning spaces in both Junior and Senior School in line with researched best practice • New technology installed to monitor and improve energy efficiency across the School
Masons Drive North Parramatta NSW 2151
publications@tara.nsw.edu.au
Telephone: 02 9630 6655
www.tara.nsw.edu.au
CRICOS 02320A
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