Child Parent Centre and Play Group          Reception to Year 7             Centre for Hearing Impaired  

SCHOOL CONTEXT STATEMENT      
Updated: 03/08

School number: 0948

School name:    Elizabeth Park Schools

1.         General information

Part A

School name:    Elizabeth Park Schools

School No.:      0948                Courier Kumangka Para

Principal:          Mr P Moran

Postal Address:            15  Turner road, Elizabeth Park 5113

Location Address:        15  Turner road, Elizabeth Park 5113

District: Kumangka Para

Distance from GPO:     30 kms

Phone No:        08 82551160

Fax No:            08 82870337

CPC attached:  Yes

February FTE  2005    2006    2007    2008

Primary Special  20.0     20.0     19.0     22.0

Year     R          21.0     14.0     23.0     34.0

Year     1          23.0     21.0     24.0     27.0

Year     2          16.0     26.0     23.0     25.0

Year     3          23.0     21.0     25.0     23.0

Year     4          29.0     26.0     22.0     26.0

Year     5          20.0     29.0     30.0     20.0

Year     6          31.0     22.0     32.0     27.0

Year     7          29.0     30.0     23.0     30.0

TOTAL          212.0   229.0   240.0   246.0

Part B

Deputy Principal's name

: Mr Michael Sims

School website address

:www.elizparkc7.sa.edu.au

School e-mail address

:principal@elizparkc7.sa.edu.au

Staffing numbers

:Tier 1 staffing

13.0 classroom teachers

1.1 Special class

2.0 Administration

1.0 CPC teacher

1.0 Health/Pe

0.7 Drama

Tier 2 staffing

0.6 Librarian

1.0School Counsellor

0.4 Aboriginal Education/ESL

0.8 Special Education

2.4 CHI (including CHI coordinator)

0.2 Cultural Studies

Ancillary

2 administration SSOs

1 CPC SSO

1 CHI SSO

6 classroom support SSOs

total allocation 150.0 hours per week

Aboriginal Community Education officer  18 hours per week

Grounds person 16 hours per week

Enrolment trends

:Student enrolments have gradually increased.

Year of opening

:The R-7 component of the school was opened on1st January 1961. The Child Parent Centre and the Centre for Hearing Impaired were added in 1976.

Public transport access

:Within 20 minutes walking distance there is a train service to Adelaide and Gawler. The Transadelaide  bus service connects most surrounding areas.

 Bus stops are 5 minutes from the school. The Elizabeth transport Interchange is ten minutes driving distance from the school.

2.         Students (and their welfare)

General characteristics

: Approximately  60% of students on school card

21 % Students on Negotiated Education Plans

14%  Aboriginal Students

(Pastoral) care programs

:A social education block with a specific focus is timetabled after each break.

Support offered

: The School Counsellor provides preventative and developmental programs to the students. 

Student management

: The school has a commitment to behaviour management and has made significant progress in improving students’ behaviour throughout the school.

Student behaviour management involves a Focus Room for yard behaviour, a written behaviour management policy with common

expectations reception to year 7, procedures and guidelines for implementation of the policy, teacher support mechanisms and parental support. 

Student government

: All students R-7 have a voice in the decision making process of the school  via regular class meetings and through Student Voice groups.

Special programmes

:All year levels have a set literacy block with extra SSO support.

3.         Key School Policies

Our Strategic Plan outlines our school vision, core business and directions.

Vision: A student who graduates from Elizabeth Park will be:

Highly literate and numerate

An independent inquisitive, life long learner

A socially responsible and active citizen

We value:

Care

Respect

Responsibility

Strategic Plan KRAs:

Continual Literacy Improvement

Enhanced Well-being

Smarter ICT Skills

Higher Quality Learning Programs

Recent key outcomes

:

~Accelerated Literacy embedded throughout the school

~Involvement in Kids Matter

~Computer suite completed

4.         Curriculum

Subject offerings

: Elizabeth Park Schools provides all students with learning opportunities in the eight areas of study. 

Special needs

: Special curriculum features, a small district Special Education class and the Centre for Hearing Impaired.  Students with special needs are supported through individual learning programs.

Teaching methodology

: Accelerated Literacy(AL) has been the major Curriculum focus for the past three years. All staff have been trained in Accelerated Literacy.  A considerable portion of external funding coming into the school is converted into SSO hours to support literacy and numeracy intervention.  SSOs work with students either 1:1 or in small groups to achieve the desired outcomes in the Targeted Student Support Program.

Particular emphasis is placed on the development of social skills, problem solving and democratic classroom practices.  The student behaviour management policy builds on the development of these skills and the practice of responsible behaviour. 

Assessment procedures and reporting

: All staff assess students in the eight areas of study.  Assessment is ongoing and students are involved in the process.  Reporting practices include whole school Acquaintance Night, Parent/Teacher meetings and formal student reports.  Mid year Parent/Teacher interview are held and teachers work with parents and discuss learning outcomes through interviews. Students in Years 3,5 and 7 sit the NAPLaN tests in term2.

Joint programmes

:Elizabeth Park comprises an R-7 school , a Child Parent Centre, Centre for Hearing Impaired Children and a district based special education class.

5.         Sporting Activities

: The students are provided with a Daily Fitness program, organised School Sports Day and participate in SAPSASA activities including, netball, soccer, rugby, athletics and swimming.  A four day, whole of school, swimming program is conducted each year by swimming instructors at the Elizabeth Aquadome.  We offer an Active After School program each term.

6.         Other Co-Curricular Activities

General

:. Positive lunch time yard activities including board games, organised sports, computing, dancing and craft.  Book Week, Harmony Day and Aboriginal Culture week are celebrated.

7.         Staff (and their welfare)

Staff profile

: There has been very little staff turn over in the last few years.

Leadership structure

: There is a highly collaborative, shared leadership team comprising the principal a deputy principal, and school counsellor.

Staff support systems

: A member of the Leadership team is aligned to each teaching block.

The school has two accredited ALmentors to support staff with AL.

School Services Officers have access to training and development and the same performance management support as teaching staff.

 Leadership is shared with Key Teachers & CHI Coordinator, Principal, Deputy Principal & Counsellor forming the School Management Team.  Time is available for Collaborative Teams to work and plan together.R-7. Groups have been established to support collaboration in staff meetings. 

Performance Management

: Performance Management practices are negotiated with staff to further improve work practices and improve student learning outcomes.

Staff utilisation policies

: Staff at Elizabeth Park Schools demonstrate a commitment to the integration of students with disabilities, particularly hearing impaired students.  There is an understanding of Social Justice issues and the implications of poverty on students’ learning.  Collaborative learning methodologies are encouraged with a thorough knowledge of Student Behaviour Management policy and strategies.  Democratic decision making exists at all levels.  The staff have a commitment to increasing parent participation and strategies for reporting to parents.  All staff are now involved in the implementation of SACSA frameworks.

Access to special staff

: This school utilises the services of departmental guidance officers, speech pathologists hearing impairment services, attendance officers, the Behaviour Support Unit, and bi-lingual school support officers.   Assistance is sought from the visiting teacher service of Townsend House, the Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital and Family Life Association.

Other

: Special education support is provided

8.         Incentives, support and award conditions for Staff

Complexity placement points

: Complexity placement points now total 2.5

9.         School Facilities

Buildings and grounds

: A whole school redevelopment was completed in 2006.  The site includes a Child Parent Centre, Centre for Hearing Impaired, gymnasium, Family Learning Centre and the resource/library centre. The Grounds are well maintained and provide an attractive appearance. Students have sufficient play areas.

Cooling

: All buildings are air conditioned.  Administration offices have individual reverse cycle air-conditioning units.   Classroom blocks have split level airconditioning.  The Multi Purpose room and gymnasium have air-conditioning and heating.

Specialist facilities

: The school is set in 4.9 hectares including football and soccer ovals.  The oval irrigation system has been upgraded to an automatic system.  Basketball and netball courts are available.  There is an R-7 library, and Multi Purpose room for Choir and Drama activities.

Student facilities

: The school has a student canteen and gymnasium. Student Voice groups meet with the School Counsellor in the Multi Purpose room.

Staff facilities

: The school facilities provide for Learning Team Structures.  All classrooms have internet access in their classrooms. All staff and primary students have their own e-mail accounts through sa edu.

Access for students and staff with disabilities

: The campus has a disabled toilet in the Admin Block, gymnasium and outside the District Special class. Ramps for access to all buildings.

Access to bus transport

: Transadelaide public bus service is 5 minutes walk from the school, and the Adelaide to Gawler railway is 30 minutes walk from the schools.  The campus uses private bus companies for excursions.

Other

: Dental Clinic and Child Parent Centre.

10.       School Operations

Decision making structures

: Elizabeth Park School has a democratic decision making process involving all staff.

Staff Meetings are held each Monday  

The Personnel Advisory Committee meets every fortnight. 

Committee representation is CPC-7 and the following committees are active within the school:

Occupational Health Safety and Welfare.

Literacy KRA

ICT KRA

Well Being KRA

Higher Quality Learning Programs KRA

Finance executive

Grounds committee

Regular publications

: Staff notices are written daily in the Day Book and a Staff Bulletin is published every Monday morning.  Staff are kept informed of events through committee meeting minutes and correspondence/circulars displayed on noticeboards.  The Teacher Information Handbook is published annually and forms part of the staff induction process.

The School Newsletter is published fortnightly throughout the year. 

Other communication

: Parent/teacher interviews and written reports, student communication books and school diaries.  Classroom newsletters and letters to parents.

School financial position

: The schools finances are well managed. As a locally managed site Elizabeth Park has utilised the Global Budget to support smaller class sizes and to improve resources CPC-7.

11.       Local Community

General characteristics

: Elizabeth Park, a small suburb of Elizabeth, is part of the City of Playford which covers a region of 364 square kilometres with a population of over 70,000 residents living in thirty five suburbs.  The region has a complementary array of urban and rural areas boasting retail, commercial, industrial, farming and horticulture as its primary industries.  General Motors Holden is the largest employer in the vicinity of Elizabeth.

The area immediately surrounding the school is currently going through a re -development. Housing SA in partnership with Playford Council are collaborating as part of the Elizabeth Park renewal project.

Parent and community involvement

: The school is working towards increased parent participation through the establishment of a Family Learning Network Currently parents support individual classrooms for reading and at sporting events.  School initiated camps and excursions have been very well attended by parents.  Fundraising has been successful with funds going into grounds development projects around the school supported by parents at working bees. 

Feeder schools

: Elizabeth Park is a feeder school to the district High Schools, Fremont Elizabeth City High, Craigmore High and Smithfield Plains High.  These schools are part of the Inbarendi College group of schools.

Other local care and educational facilities

: The area supports many government and six private schools, two of which are Trinity College and St Thomas More Parish School which is at Elizabeth Park.  A list of child care facilities, playschools, Kindergartens and Playgroups is available from the local council and is also contained in their publication Information Directory.

Commercial/industrial and shopping facilities

: In the Elizabeth town centre, five minutes drive from Elizabeth Park schools, there is a substantial shopping complex with Myer and Target department stores, speciality shops and supermarkets.  Government and commercial business surround the area including SGIC, a Motor Registration Office, the RAA, and fast food outlets including MacDonald’s, Hungry Jacks, Red Rooster and KFC.  The Elizabeth Aquadome is an under cover Olympic standard swimming centre, there is a public library adjacent to the shops and  the Central Districts football grounds and clubrooms are located two minutes from the city centre.  Each suburb of Elizabeth is catered for by a small shopping centre which usually includes a supermarket. 

Other local facilities

: Womma medical clinic is situated behind the Elizabeth Park shopping centre. There are many other medical clinics including a 24 hour clinic near the Elizabeth town centre.  The Lyell McEwin Hospital has a 24 hour casualty service and private hospitals are situated in Elizabeth Vale and Gawler.

The locality is well served with recreation areas, parks and sporting grounds.  Fremont Park, situated near Elizabeth Park, is a picturesque area with a waterfall, fountain and lake which attracted many ducks and geese for children to feed.  It has specially designed playgrounds and the cyclist track extends through the park, the Olive Grove, Jubilee Park and meanders through the hills to the east of the park.  Facilities include electric barbecues at no charge, picnic shelters and toilets.

Availability of staff housing

: Elizabeth has a large mix of housing trust and private rental homes and flats, homes for purchase and short term rental.  There are no high rise developments due to the statute forbidding any building higher than two storeys.

Local Government body

: The City of Playford Council consists of the Mayor and fifteen ward councillors representing six wards.  Telephone 8254 0222.

A free, comprehensive and informative publication Information Directory is available from the Council.  This Directory offers advice and information about building and home improvement, rubbish collection and recycling, library service, community information services, home assistance scheme, health matters and Justices of the Peace.

12.       Further Comments

: All teaching and ancillary staff are members of a collaborative team.  Our philosophy encourages staff to be learners and this is reflected in the training and development program.  There are many structures in place which support staff and students and we are committed to achieving success


             To Download the above in document format (.doc) CLICK HERE