5748

Ajuga School provides an integration program for
49 students from Kindergarten to Year 12 who have a severe emotional disturbance. Currently there are four primary and three high school classes in operation. Classes are organised according to Stage groups. Each class has a teacher and a school learning support officer.
Students usually attend Ajuga for six school terms. During this time students continue to attend their mainstream school (home school), initially for one day a week and then gradually increasing to full-time over the enrolment period.
The program has an emphasis on working closely with home schools to facilitate students’ attendance with minimal difficulties.
We provide a range of services including individual educational and behavioral programs and the opportunity for high school students to access subjects through Sydney Distance
Education High School.
This year also saw all staff involved in the creation of our school’s ‘Shared Vision’, we had number of visits from relieving Director Jan
Dolstra and Director Maria Serafim, and students enjoyed a visit from Sydney FC players. All staff completed intensive literacy professional learning, while SRC raised funds by running a school canteen. These events contribute to the positive and successful integration model that
Ajuga School offers in a high quality teaching and learning environment, enriched with extracurricular activities and support from a dedicated and highly experienced team.
I certify that the information in this report is the result of a rigorous school self-evaluation process and is a balanced and genuine account of the school’s achievements and areas for development.
Natalie Armstrong
2013 saw another year of opportunities and challenges for the community of Ajuga School. It was a year to implement, evaluate and fine tune all the great initiatives and practices introduced or developed over the past few years. Such things included our Assessment Matrix, Reporting and
Programming, Literacy, Teacher Assessment and
Review Schedule, Individual Learning Plans, Every
Student Every School project, Stephanie
Alexander Kitchen and Garden classes,
Environmental Education and gardening, four whole school sporting events, Steps2Success, teacher Professional Learning Plans, integration and home school support, Learning Management and Business Reform and Empowering Local
Schools National Partnership!
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2013 was a busy year for all students at Ajuga
School. There were a lot of activities for all students to participate in and enjoy, students helped to run all four of our whole school sporting events and for the first time this year assisted with the whole school Science Day. In
2013 we had two meetings every term where we discussed how we could help all the students to enjoy their time at school. Staff assisted one SRC representative to make an announcement at our whole school assembly each week - this was hard for some but it gave students the opportunity to practice speaking in public. The SRC was also involved in fundraising throughout the year. We raised money by selling ice creams and wearing our football colours to school on footy Fridays.
With the funds raised we will be purchasing new equipment for indoor play during wet weather.
The SRC is a great asset to Ajuga School because it gives students the opportunity to speak about what we would like to see happening in our school. We are looking forward to growing the
SRC in readiness for 2014.
Amanda Kowalczyk SRC Coordinator

It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all students be consistent with privacy and personal information policies.
From 2007 to 2010 Ajuga School was staffed to enroll 42 students across K-12. In 2011 our enrolment capacity increased to 49 with the introduction of a new class. Ajuga has been at full capacity since 2000, however this is not accurately reflected in the graph below as it only shows recorded student numbers at a certain census point in 2013. Student enrolment constantly fluctuates due to the integration model, which sees students enter and exit at various times throughout the school year.
60
40
20
Enrolments
0
Year
Male Female
In 2013 the majority of our students were provided special transport to Ajuga School.
Students became eligible for Assisted School
Travel following an application made by their parent or carer. This service assists students to attend on a regular basis.
Ajuga School monitors and expects regular student attendance in line with the Department of Education and Communities School
Attendance Policy. Student absences are followed up by executive staff and ongoing issues of attendance are referred to the Home School
Liaison Officer.
Two of our students completed Year 10 in 2013.
Both students have enrolled in Sydney Distance
Education High School subjects and will be returning to Ajuga to do their Preliminary Higher
School Certificate (HSC) year in 2014. One student completed the preliminary HSC year
(Year 11) and has returned to complete her final
2 year of her HSC studies (Year 12). Ajuga School will also see the return of one of our Year 9 and two Year 10 students into Year 10 in 2014. A number of our students participated in work experience in 2013 as part of their post school transition plan, and all participated in Work
Education.
Workforce information
It is a requirement that the reporting of information for all staff must be consistent with privacy and personal information policies.
Ajuga had 10.088 teaching positions allocated in
2012. This included staffing allocated to the
Glenfield Suspension Centre.
In 2013 we used a combination of our supplementary staffing and our staffing allocation to employ a teacher to support literacy, and a music therapist.
Our teaching staff were supported by eight
School Learning Support Officers including one at the Glenfield Suspension Centre, a full time
School Administration manager, a School
Administration Officer and a General Assistant.
Position
Principal
Assistant Principal(s)
Head Teachers
Teacher of Emotional Disabilities
Teacher of Autism
Teacher RFF
Teacher Librarian
School Counsellor
School Administrative & Support Staff
Total
Number
1
2
1
4
1
0.588
0.2
0.4
8.926
19.114
The Australian Education Regulation, 2013 requires schools to report on Aboriginal composition of their workforce.
There is one indigenous staff member at Ajuga
School.

All teaching staff meet the professional requirements for teaching in NSW public schools.
Qualifications
Degree or Diploma
Postgraduate
NSW Institute of Teachers Accreditation
% of staff
100
30
43
This summary covers funds for operating costs and does not involve expenditure areas such as permanent salaries, building and major maintenance.
Date of financial summary
Income
Balance brought forward
Global funds
Tied funds
School & community sources
Interest
Trust receipts
Canteen
Total income
Expenditure
Teaching & learning
Key learning areas
Excursions
Extracurricular dissections
Library
Training & development
Tied funds
Casual relief teachers
Administration & office
School-operated canteen
Utilities
Maintenance
Trust accounts
Capital programs
Total expenditure
Balance carried forward
Ajuga School holds the funds for a number of regional programs including Aboriginal Programs and the Glenfield Suspension Centre.
07/11/2013
$
360586.95
82619.86
113393.10
5770.27
10739.25
19474.52
0.00
592583.95
23986.46
483.86
17827.15
327.74
3476.03
113298.48
14317.20
30965.27
0.00
10073.24
17716.51
10555.71
0.00
243027.65
349556.30
A full copy of the school’s 2013 financial statement is tabled annually. Further details concerning the statement can be obtained by contacting the school.
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All students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 completed the
NAPLAN. Integrating students results will be reflected in their home school’s Annual School
Report.
This year we also saw our first student complete the HSC; while three students were enrolled in
Year 11 and 12 subjects through our partnership with Sydney Distance Education High School.
In 2013 two of our students successfully completed Year 10. As there were less than ten students results have not been published in this report.
Information and Communication Technology
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is embedded into teaching and learning programs across all KLAs at Ajuga School. Teachers have received training and are embedding ICT into every lesson with students using laptops, desktops and iPads to complete class work and access new and exciting software programs. All students are now benefiting from the
Department’s Digital Education revolution (DER) as we now have available 28 Lenovo laptops for student use.
Technology is used to enhance student learning in mathematics and literacy, with our whole school subscription to ‘Matheletics’ and ‘Reading
Eggs’ for all students K-10 continuing this year.

Ajuga School has now merged over to the new eT4L server. This was a seamless process as all documents including programs, assessments and resources were pushed over from our old server to the new within only a few days. Staff continue to benefit from having a central location to save and share reports, curriculum material and other resources relevant to students learning. This move has also streamlined the process for IT support as all new issues are now reported straight to a central location.
Our website continues to be updated with new and exciting news and photos from our school events and receives over a hundred hits on average per month. This year our Technology network continued to develop the Ajuga School
ICT Strategic Plan, this will help in succession planning of hardware, keeping up to date with software and ensuring we provide appropriate professional learning to all staff.
Creative and Performing Arts
The Arts is embedded in teaching and learning programs across every stage and includes our
Music Therapy program. The therapeutic nature of art is recognised as an essential part of education by the students, staff and community of Ajuga School.
We provide a diverse range of practical art experiences including practical lessons, demonstrations, performances and excursions.
The entire student population thoroughly enjoyed the performance by Musica Viva. The picture taken on the front cover of this report is a highlight from this years’ performance.
The program includes weekly sports activities such as swimming; ice skating, gym sessions, fundamental movement skills, and participation in the NSW Swim Scheme for our primary students.
One whole school sporting event is held each term. This year students participated in our
Swimming Carnival in Term 1, our interschool
‘School of Origin’ (modified league) against
Glenfield Park School in Term 2, Mini Olympics in
Term 3 and Ajuga 20-20 Cricket in Term 4.
These whole school events promote active lifestyles and student engagement with each other and the school community. We look forward to participating in these events again in
2014.
The Ajuga School PDHPE program plays a crucial part in the development of fundamental movement skills and social skills in our students.
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This year we provided two successful Indigenous learning programs. Norta Norta and
Steps2Success. The Norta Norta Program provided our Aboriginal students with one to one tuition within the classroom improving confidence and ability in the students.
This year we continued with the program
Steps2Success. The school employed an indigenous artist who involved Aboriginal students in the planning and development of a mural for our Stephanie Alexander Garden. The mural depicts Aboriginal culture and history and brought our students together to enjoy cultural diversity. Students also had the opportunity to participate in ‘Animals of the Dreaming’ a fantastic program that operates out of Sydney’s
Taronga Zoo and combines Australian animal encounters with Aboriginal Dreamtime stories.

The students listened to Col Hardy tell stories and perform songs from the Dreamtime. Col Hardy, a highly respected Aboriginal elder, is an Aboriginal singer born and raised in outback NSW. He has a deep understanding of the Dreaming and
Aboriginal culture.
In 2013 we have continued to award the
Aboriginal Respect Award to students who have shown the capacity to respect themselves, their peers and staff. Sorry Day and Reconciliation
Week were remembered during an assembly with students. All students contributed to a combined artwork to celebrated NAIDOC Week.
At Ajuga we value the enrichment of our school culture from contributions made by students, parents, carers and staff from different cultural backgrounds. Teaching and learning programs are rich in the exploration of cultures from around the world. In 2013 our Aboriginal students participated in Steps2Success; and all students participated in Harmony Day activities in recognition of Australia’s diverse multicultural population. people live. They cooked a variety of foods including sushi (Japanese), pizza (Italian), meat pies (Australia) and cheese and feta triangles
(Greece).
Live Life Well @ School is a long-term program that aims to get more students, more active, more often, as well as focusing on healthy eating habits. The program aims to develop teachers’ knowledge, skills and confidence in teaching nutrition education and fundamental movement skills as part of the K - 6 Personal Development,
Health and Physical Education syllabus. As part of the program, the school received a $5000 grant to help purchase resources needed for implementation.
Ajuga School nominated a teacher to facilitate the project by developing and implementing a plan for initiating a sustainable change in the school based on the Health Promoting School
Framework (curriculum, culture and community).
The first phase of the program was improving the fundamental movement skills of students by changing the way that teachers taught Physical
Education (PE) lessons. Teachers were given more information about the importance of explicitly teaching students each of the 12 fundamental movement skills (FMS) and strategies to do so.
Each classroom teacher created fun and engaging
PE programs focusing on FMS and taught them during 2013. Over the year, there was a marked difference in the students’ skills across a wide range of sports. By improving their ability in sport, the students were more likely to want to participate in future activities that helped to improve their overall health and social skills.
Students and staff completed a flag to illustrate their country of origin. Each flag contributed to a whole school collage. Yellow class also learnt about communities and ways in which other
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Ajuga School used the $5000 grant to help teachers improve students’ fundamental movement skills by purchasing a new sporting

equipment shed. With the purchase of the new sporting equipment shed, staff and students have easy access to all our sporting equipment, now used daily.
The future implementation of the LLW@S program will include a focus on healthy eating habits and will aim to change the habits of the students and the school as a community.
Ajuga School is in the final stages of developing a
Manual to Assist the Development of Student
Support Plans as our contribution to the Every
Student Every School National Partnership. The final product will be an online resource that is designed as a professional learning manual to assist school staff to assess risk around student behaviour in schools and produce meaningful
Behaviour Support Plans. In developing the product Ajuga Staff network with our partner schools, Assistant Principals Learning and Support and regional staff to ensure a product is developed that enhances the work of Learning and Support Teachers in schools.
Ajuga School is participating in the Empowering
Local Schools reform and is part of the initial implementation of the Learning Management and Business Reform program. Ajuga School will receive a range of new processes and tools to support education and learning.
The Glenfield Suspension Centre
The Glenfield Suspension Centre enjoyed another successful year serving students of South
Western Sydney Region. Sixty-two student referrals were received over the course of 2013 from twenty- three high schools and three
6 primary schools. Staff at the centre supported the successful resolution of suspensions, with 100% of students attending returning to their mainstream school.
The centre also supports professional learning in the region by hosting various meetings and small conferences for our educational services team, while also operating as the hub for Ajuga School’s
ESES project.
In 2013 we continued to invite parents and carers to attend regular workshops as a part of our
Parent Group initiative. The Assistant Principal,
School Learning and Community Support Officer, and School Counsellor coordinated and attended each session. At the end of the session parents and carers attended our weekly assemblies and end of term family BBQs.
Our parent group initiative was revamped throughout the year. In 2014 connect:ed will see our parents and carers connecting with their child’s learning by participating in activities similar to those their children participate in during the school week. This new initiative will see parents establish their own garden and participate in Kitchen and Garden classes.
Three parents attended our annual Parent
Retreat a nurturing residential program for men and women at Quest for Life in Bundanoon. Staff, parents and carers raised funds during the year to support those who attended. Our School Learning and Community Support Officer attended.
Environmental Education aims to foster students’ understanding of the environment as an integrated system, and to develop attitudes and skills which are conducive to the achievement of ecologically sustainable development.
Teaching and learning programs actively involve students in projects which include maintaining a frog pond, caring for and maintaining chooks, an orchard and a vegetable garden. In 2013 we continued to develop our Stephanie Alexander
Garden and all students participated in fortnightly kitchen and garden class.

NSW public schools conduct evaluations to support the effective implementation of the school plan.
Literacy and Numeracy
Strengthened literacy and numeracy learning
Evidence of progress towards outcomes in 2013:

To improve the Reading Age of each student by 12 months as measured by pre (on enrolment) and post (prior to exit) Waddington assessment
On average primary students Reading
Age’s increased by 11 months as measured by pre ad post assessments during 2013.

To improve the Spelling Age of each student by 12 months as measured by pre (on enrolment) and post (prior to exit) Waddington assessments
On average primary students Spelling
Age’s increased by 9 months as measured by pre and post assessments during 2013

To improve Numeracy results of each student by 12 months as measured by pre (on enrolment) and post (prior to exit) Waddington and Go Math assessments
At the time of writing this report there was no reliable data available to measure this outcome. Measurement of numeracy performance will be a focus for 2014.
Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014

Develop a strategic and systematic literacy program focusing on individual student outcomes and explicit teaching of literacy skills; and purchase appropriate literacy material for effective teaching of skills

Source a more appropriate Numeracy tool for assessing high school Numeracy, to include in assessment matrix; and provide PL learning to new CTs as required for use of assessment matrix

Develop teachers understanding of teaching Reading Text and
Comprehension by providing professional learning for use of the literacy continuum
Student engagement and attainment
Improve student engagement and attainment in school
Evidence of progress towards outcomes in 2013:

To increase percentage of students with
85% or better attendance by 10% from
55% to 65%
From 30 January to 22 November 52% of students had 85% or better attendance.
Improving attendance of our student population will continue to be a focus in
2014.

To decrease days lost due to suspension by 67 days from 407 to 340
In 2013 as at 6 December Ajuga School days lost due to suspension equated to
343 days

100% of exiting students to successfully integrate into an appropriate setting
(excludes students withdrawn from the
NSW DEC system)
In 2013 95% of exiting students integrated into an appropriate setting.
Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:

Whole school professional learning on educating boys: workshops, Behaviour
Conference with Celia Lashlie

Introduce a reward to celebrate 100% student attendance for Ajuga days per term or semester

Teachers to trial Ajuga School MADSPP as a professional learning activity to conduct
Risk Assessments around student behaviour and develop Behaviour
Support Plans
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Leadership and management.
Strengthened leadership and management capacity of school staff, executive and principal
Evidence of progress towards outcomes in 2013:

Classroom teachers and executive staff to demonstrate a greater leadership capacity by guiding and managing resultsfocused whole school improvement
Indicators achieved during 2013 include: school improvement driven by our executive team to target the areas outlined in our school plan and reported on in this report; all classroom teachers have the responsibility of leading one whole school network to actively drive school improvement in key learning areas; and as result, leadership is distributed and collaborative with teams working together to accomplish the vision and aims of the school

Teachers achieve the key professional learning goals described in their
Professional Learning plans as measured through teacher surveys and TARS processes
Indicators achieved in 2013 include:
Teachers and Executive have Professional
Learning Plans; and, classroom teachers participate in annual TARS including professional discussion with supervisors.
Teachers reported a progress in those goals reflected in their professional learnings plans. Feedback by teachers includes: ‘The goal that I wished to improve upon in my teaching practice…has improved significantly over
2013…the rates of suspension have decreased over the year for most students as I am now able to predict, manage or eliminate their behaviour’.
Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:

Teachers and APs to complete next module of Professional Learning and
Leadership Development Directorate
Classroom Teacher Program

Executive and teachers implement and review Professional Learning Plans in
TARS, EARS and PARS meeting

Executive to conduct professional learning with all staff for current educational reforms that impact on our setting – ELS, ESES, LMBR; staff to access online training as required
Curriculum and assessment
Evidence of progress towards outcomes in 2013:

To build staff capacity to implement the new syllabus
Indicators achieved during 2013 include: all staff report the capacity to successfully implement the new syllabus; teaching and learning programs address individual students learning needs and relevant BOSTES curriculum; and teaching and learning programs use assessment to inform teaching and learning.
Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:

Professional Learning for all staff regarding the implementation of the
NSW syllabuses for the Australian
Curriculum as per DEC guideline

Develop and implement an ICT Strategic
Plan 2014-2017 to align with teaching and learning programs and the school plan

Review the implementation of the assessment matrix to collect data and provide PL for teachers to ensure data collection meets standards required for reporting to parents and reporting against targets in the school plan
In 2013 our leadership attended a school conference which focused on the evaluation and review of our School Plan 2012-2014. The conference allowed active participation, evaluation of data, development of executive
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staff, and provided an opportunity to enhance our school plan and set directions for 2014.
All staff engaged regularly in professional learning by participating in school workshops, online learning, video conferences, attendance at regional conferences, and attendance at training and workshops across the state.
In 2013 all staff participated in extensive literacy professional learning and attended the Special
Education Conference. Other professional learning opportunities included the Australian
Curriculum, behaviour management and First Aid.
In 2013, the school sought the opinions of parents, students and teachers about learning at the school.
Their responses are presented below.
We had positive responses from our students, staff and parents. 100% of staff believes that our school community has high expectations of students. 100% of students believe the school expects them to do their best, while 100% of parents believe the school expects students to achieve to the best of their ability.
Background
Community and Engagement: Parent Group
Ajuga School offered parents and carers support through an organised Parent Group which was run on Tuesdays prior to assembly. Sessions were either social meetings or planned workshops.
Workshops included ‘Helping my child at home’ and ‘Computer literacy’. Parent Group was promoted as a friendly non-threatening and noninvasive way to get to know other parents and carers with whom they may have much in common with and able to share your experiences and ideas.
Findings and conclusions
On evaluating our Parent Group in terms of how it was valued across the school and therefore how successful we were in engaging and up skilling our parents, we found that: our traditional parent group was not providing a desired service to the majority of our community; and parents and caregivers were not readily
9 engaging in their child’s education or connecting with the school.
In 2013 our executive team reviewed and enhanced our traditional Parent Group. Our goal was connecting parents and caregivers with their child’s education, so the new model started with a name change – connect:ed. The new model also brought a fresh approach to involving parents in the school away from the traditional methods of
‘support’. connect:ed is a network of parents and carers who meet regularly and who work with school personnel on programs and projects that will benefit the students. The role of connect:ed includes serving as a communication channel for parents and carers to provide constructive feedback on school policies and programs to assist with school improvement.
Our new message to parents is: ‘Your involvement in their school sends a clear message to your child of your interest in their education, which will encourage them to adopt a more positive attitude towards learning’.
Future directions
In 2014 we will promote connect:ed within our school community. Information booklets including meeting times and session focus will be mailed to all existing parents. The information will be provided to new families during the enrolment process. All parents and caregivers will receive regular reminders. A flier will be sent home to promote all connect:ed sessions, along with other school activities including assemblies and whole school sporting events. Success of
connect:ed will be measured on parent and caregiver attendance, student engagement and progress.
In preparing this report, the self-evaluation committee has gathered information from evaluations conducted during the year and analysed other information about the school's practices and student learning outcomes. The self-evaluation committee and school planning committee have determined targets for the school's future development.
Natalie Armstrong
Chris White
Principal
Assistant Principal
Fred Burley Head Teacher Welfare
Amanda Kowalczyk Assistant Principal (Rel.)
Allison Davitt Classroom Teacher

Ajuga School
Quarter Sessions Road Glenfield 2167
Ph: 9829 1050
Fax: 9829 1768
Email: Ajuga-s.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Web: http://www.ajuga-s.schools.nsw.edu.au/
School Code: 5748
Parents can find more information about Annual
School Reports, how to interpret information in the report and have the opportunity to provide feedback about the report at: https://detwww.det.nsw.edu.au/highperformanc e/annual-school-reports
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