It is a great privilege to present to you the 2010 Annual School Report for Xavier College, Llandilo.

Two thousand and ten saw the most successful Higher School Certificate (HSC) results in the history of the College. In 97% of all subjects students achieved in the top two bands, with approximately 90% of all subjects being above state average. The dux of the College was awarded an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 98.85, and achieved Band 6 in every subject. The entire class of Industrial Technology students were 16% above state average and in Visual Arts 100% of students achieved Band 5. In Mathematics, Band 6s were achieved in every Mathematics course. An increased number of students were selected for early admission to university based on school reports and College references.

A special mention should be made of our high support students who achieved their HSC in Life Skills after completing six years of secondary school.

In addition Year 9 students achieved above national average results in the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) and Year 10 students achieved the best results in the School Certificate (SC) to date. I believe that these results were achieved through an across the school literacy program that impacted upon every curriculum area. Literacy was one of our priorities in 2010 and will continue to be so in the future.

Success for Xavier College was reflected not only in results but as importantly in the many aspects of College life that contributed to the lives of our students. Through our students' involvement in community based activities such as the Vampire Shield (Red Cross blood donations) and catechetics (teaching basic Religious Education to students in state primary schools) our students made a difference. Through fundraising activities and concerts to support communities in need such as Haiti and Tibet, and participation in social justice initiatives such as 'Vinnies Van', Caritas and St Vincent de Paul, students of Xavier College are known to be young men and women of 'compassion, competence and conscience'.

In 2010 once again we were ably supported by our parents, our parish, and members of the wider community.

At various times during 2010, the parent body of Xavier College was invited to become involved in many of the activities organised by the College. These included sporting events such as swimming/athletics carnivals and the walkathon, special day masses and liturgies, information/open nights and cultural evenings.

A number of parents regularly volunteered in the canteen, and the second hand uniform shop was also run by volunteers. There is an active Parents and Friends Association (P&F) which met each month during school terms. Generally there were upwards of twelve parents present at these meetings, along with the College principal and the assistant principal. Sometimes other staff members were also in attendance. Parents valued highly the information gained at these meetings, as well as the opportunities given to raise issues, make suggestions, ask questions and form opinions. Although these meetings followed correct protocol, they were also quite relaxed, with all present willing to share their thoughts.

The College also valued the work done by the P&F which provided social occasions for students, parents and staff. Funds raised in 2010, through the trivia night, annual walkathon and warehouse barbeque enabled the P&F to donate to the Music department, purchase two portable sunshades for outdoor activities and contribute to the costs of air conditioning the Science block, which will occur in 2011.

The College kept parents informed of important meetings, parent/teacher interviews and P&F meetings through Short Message Service (SMS) messages to parents. This system was also used to remind parents that the fortnightly College newsletter 'The Companion' was available online. The newsletter contained much information about life at the College, as well as other information that was of interest to parents. Parents responded extremely well to these SMS messages.

Parents were encouraged to participate in the life of Xavier College whenever possible. The many positive comments that emanated from meetings, information nights and social occasions were indicative of the value that parents placed on the College, and the respect they had for the College, as well as the value the College placed on the parent body.

During 2010, the Xavier College Student Representative Council (SRC) played an integral role not only in the College itself but also within the wider community.

As a group, the SRC continued to facilitate the College assemblies, as well as assist with annual events including the walkathon, sports and swimming carnivals. SRC members organised a variety of events to raise money for various charities including Project Compassion. Collectively, the SRC raised over $2500 for causes like Harmony Day, Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, Bandana Day, Pink Ribbon Day and Jeans for Genes day.

As in previous years, Xavier College students ended the year on a high note by collecting items for the Corpus Christi Parish hampers.

The SRC has played a significant part in the life of Xavier College and will continue to do so in the future.

Xavier College was established in 1999 with foundation cohorts in Years 7 and 8. In 2003 the first Year 12 presented for the HSC. The college was located on a temporary setting in Cranebrook, moving to its permanent site in Llandilo in 2004. In 2008 the final stage of the College was completed with the building of the administration block, an open, interactive learning space and seven additional classrooms. 

The name of the College was chosen after community consultation and was ratified by the Bishop in 1998. Our crest and motto are the result of a consultative process with parents, students and the wider community. The motto, For The Greater Good, provides a challenge for our students to live out their lives in such a way that the 'greater good' is the key for making choices.

Two thousand and ten saw the recognition of educational leadership at Xavier College with the awarding of the Brother John Taylor Medal to the principal. 

Xavier College is located in Llandilo and draws on students from Corpus Christi Primary School, Cranebrook; St Joseph's, Kingswood; St Nicholas of Myra, Penrith; Our Lady of the Way, Emu Plains and Mary Mackillop, South Penrith. It also draws on local state primary schools such as Llandilo, Samuel Terry, Henry Fulton, Cambridge Park, and Werrington. It is part of the parish of Corpus Christi at Cranebrook.

Xavier College, Llandilo follows the Parramatta Diocesan document Enrolment Procedures in Parramatta Catholic Systemic Schools, January 2002. This document is available on our website or the Catholic Education Office website.

Current and previous years' student enrolments

Despite the trend in the local area of falling numbers, Xavier College enrolments have continued to grow, showing that we have the support of our community. Year 7 classes are full, and there is a waiting list for students whose parents believe that an education at Xavier College would play a positive part in their child's development.  

Characteristics of the student body for 2010

The table below shows the number of students in each of the categories listed.

(LBOTE - Language Backgrounds Other Than English; SWD - Students With Disabilities)

At Xavier College we are very proud to have both the Gamarada and Kirinari units. These units are designed primarily for students with moderate intellectual disabilities and their concomitant physical disabilities. At the end of 2010 four students achieved the HSC in life skills after completing six years of secondary schooling.

We also have students with physical disabilities and/or mild intellectual disabilities who are in the mainstream of teaching and learning.

All of these students are helped by teachers and carers who have specific qualifications.

The annual school priorities for 2010 were identified by the College executive using information such as external examination results, discussions with staff and reports from parents. They were as follows:

• the development of strategies for numeracy in each faculty

In 2010 Xavier College staff continued with their work in literacy, embedding structures in programming, assessment and reporting. Each department determined a numeracy focus which followed a similar process to that of literacy. The 2010 NAPLAN results showed consistent improvement on 2009 results and provided positive feedback for staff in relation to our focus areas.

• to improve learning gain in the HSC through strategies implemented across Key Learning Areas (KLAs)

The focus on feedback for HSC students appeared to have been successful based on a significant improvement in results.

• to formalise the professional learning of teachers in the areas of teaching and learning, pastoral care, management and information technology through a professional development plan incorporating the work of Helen Timperley

Our focus on professional development of staff led to numerous initiatives being introduced particularly in the area of strategies to improve learning gain.

• to enable students to manage their learning, particularly through Stage 4 Companion Model classes

The review of the Companion Model for Year 7 and Year 8 showed that our students are becoming comfortable with technology, and that they are becoming flexible, adaptable learners who are learning to think logically, creatively, critically and independently.

In 2011 our priorities largely continue our priorities from 2010:

• to action our formation goals via our implementation plan
• to action our literacy goals via our implementation plan
• to continue our work on numeracy aiming at implementing initiatives in 2012
• to continue to work on improving learning gain in the HSC and NAPLAN through the use of feedback
• to continue our work on data analysis to provide feedback for each individual in Years 7 and Year 9 so as to improve learning gain.

Students in Year 7 and Year 9 across Australia participated in NAPLAN in May 2010. The purpose of this test was to provide information to parents and teachers about the achievements of students in aspects of literacy and aspects of numeracy. The test provided a measure of each student's performance against established standards and against other students in Australia. The results were analysed by the College to inform teachers with a view to improving student performance. 

The Commonwealth Government set minimum acceptable standards for literacy, numeracy, reading, writing, grammar, punctuation and spelling at particular ages. These are referred to as national minimum standards. Student performance in NAPLAN in our school was compared to these standards. The percentages of students achieving at or above these national minimum standards, and the percentages of students in the top three bands are reported in the table below.

In Year 7, our students are performing above the national minimum standards in most areas. Our performance in the top three bands, however, is not as robust as it could be. One reason for this could be that this test is administered early in the first half of the Year 7 school year. Students from several school communities have come together in a new school environment, and this could have affected their performance.

In contrast, Year 9 students who have been part of a cross curriculum literacy program, have shown that they are well above the national minimum standard, and are performing at better than average in the top three bands. Our focus on literacy and the initiatives implemented throughout 2009-10 assisted in achieving these robust results.

Our numeracy results, while comparable to those of other schools of a similar nature, still need a concerted effort to be made for improvement to be obvious.  

Our learning gain results were significant but there is still room for improvement. It is essential that the data is collated and that areas for improvement are identified and addressed in all KLAs.

School Certificate external test results (Year 10, 2010)

Percentage of students in performance bands 4, 5 and 6 compared to the state  

Positive results were achieved in English Literacy following the implementation of our literacy initiatives and the concomitant growth in NAPLAN results. Overall our students showed that they were above state average in most subjects. Areas of growth were identified in Mathematics, Australian History and Geography. The figure for Mathematics tended to indicate a need for change but, as Mathematics is listed as one subject, despite having three separate courses in it, this figure could be an indication that we had more students choosing to do the 5.1 course than the other two courses.

Computing Skills Assessment 2010

The Computing Skills test is a mandatory requirement for each candidate for the School Certificate, unless the student is studying one or more courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content. All schools completed the test online this year. Our school's results are summarised in the table below:

These results show that almost 6o% of Xavier College students were highly competent in computer skills at the end of Year 10. The remaining 40% of students showed that they were competent in this area. A concerted effort needs to be made to ensure that as many as possible of all Xavier College students finish Stage 5 being highly competent in these skills.

Higher School Certificate results (Year 12, 2010)

Percentage of students in performance bands 4, 5 and 6 compared to the state

Significant improvement was noted over results obtained in 2009. Initiatives implemented in relation to student feedback assisted in overall school results.

The Companion Model is a program which integrates different areas of the curriculum for the students, initially assisting in their transition from primary to secondary school and ultimately leading to the development of flexible, adaptable learners who are learning to think logically, creatively, critically and independently.

The curriculum is integrated in two main areas: Humanities (integrating Religious Education, History and Geography, and English) and Scientia (integrating Mathematics and Science).

Other subjects such as Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), Technological and Applied Studies (TAS), and Creative Arts are offered to Year 7and Year 8 students in the traditional model.

At the end of 2009, it was decided to extend the Companion Model and to carry it forward into Year 9, 2010, whilst continuing to run it for Year 7 and Year 8 students. As it was moving into a new stage (Stage 5), it was given the new title "The Quest".

Parents, students and staff responded positively to the Companion Model, which, although a challenging initiative for the College, has been very successful. Classes following the Companion Model use the Learning Common facility which houses state of the art educational technology. Learning and teaching pedagogies represent best practice standards in problem based learning, collaborative learning and independent inquiry.

Information Technology

The provision of laptops for school use was most beneficial, particularly (but not exclusively) in the Companion Model. From the beginning of its existence, Xavier College has seen the importance of making high quality Information Technology (IT) available to all students. When the laptop program began it was decided that the most beneficial use that could be made of them would be to give a specific number of laptops to each KLA. This has proven to be a wise decision as it has allowed many students to be able to access the laptops, rather than just a few.

Many additional teaching and learning programs were offered to assist students in maximising their potential. 2010 saw the introduction of our virtual learning site Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (MOODLE). We also rolled out Mahara which allowed students to create electronic portfolios of their work. Google Apps was also implemented  for our school domain which saw the provisioning of email addresses to each student. The virtual learning environment that we established allows both staff and students to access teaching and learning materials online 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world.

Special Assistance

Of particular note is the Drop In And Learn (DIAL) room where students from both the mainstream and special education were offered additional assistance with assessments and homework.

Many students were involved in Transition programs such as the Lighthouse project which targets Year 9 students. A number of students were involved in Vocational Education subjects and many found employment through their work placement experiences.

In term 4 selected students from Year 10 participated in the Fast Track program that prepared them for the work force. Throughout the year these students may have also been involved in a number of transition programs that enabled them to experience the workplace. 

At the College there are two high support classes, Kirinari and Gamarada, which cater for students with intellectual and physical disabilities. In 2010, four students completed Stage 6 courses and were awarded the Higher School Certificate in Life Skills.

Beginning different stages

All prospective Year 7 students participated in a transition program that helped them adjust to high school. Year 6 classes were visited and an information evening followed. Upon enrolment, all students participated in an orientation day at the College in November. On this day students worked with senior students in familiarising themselves with the College and participating in a variety of subject areas. Year 6 students with special needs attended the College for a week in term 4 to ensure that their needs would be adequately met.

Students moving on to the senior school were counselled and interviewed regarding subject choice and future options. Senior students also participated in an induction program.

Band 6 initiatives

In 2010, the College continued with the Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Framed (SMART) program in senior Mathematics. This course was specifically designed to accommodate talented Mathematics students with an accelerated rate of tuition, allowing them to sit for their HSC examination in Mathematics earlier than their cohort. At the end of 2010 six Year 11 students sat for the HSC in Mathematics, and five of these achieved high band 5 scores.

In addition to the ordinary courses offered, extension programs were offered in Mathematics, English and History. 

Band 6 students were involved in the joint initiative between the Parramatta Catholic Education Office (CEO) and the Australian Catholic University called Step up into Teaching. Several students were successful in gaining places at Universities through this program.

All students had the opportunity to achieve in many co-curricular activities, some of which are written about in the following paragraphs.

The Performing Arts

These subjects allowed students to showcase their talents by being a part of one or more of choir, rock and concert bands, West African drumming, dramatic groups and dance ensembles.

Music students performed at school masses, and organised a concert to raise money for the people in Haiti and Tibet. 

A private tuition program allowed students to have individual lessons in various instruments including percussion and guitar. Students had ample opportunities to perform at College creative expos and performances.

2010 saw the highly successful production of Grease, the Musical, which was presented at five performances.

One student in Year 12 Entertainment was awarded a band 6 and a Vocational Education and Training (VET) community award for her efforts in the course.

Once again the year ended with a highly successful Christmas carols performance involving students from every year level and area of the Performing Arts.

The Creative Arts

Visual Arts was a strong aspect of the curriculum. Students were all given the opportunity to take part in extension classes. They also were invited to take part in the college exhibition and diocesan art show. HSC students performed at 8% above state average; 50% the class received 88% or more, and 100% were awarded Band 5s.

Sporting activities

There was a variety of both recreational and representative sports offered. Students represented the college in cross country, swimming and athletics. Team sports included: netball, basketball, softball, touch football, rugby union, soccer, volleyball and baseball. 

Other activities included debating and public speaking, mock trial, enrichment competitions, science club and Tournament of the Minds.

The SRC was established to build student leadership and responsibility within the College. In homegroup, senior students were also encouraged to mentor the junior students and forge strong relationships.

The homegroup model was integral in developing the values of respect and responsibility, as each homegroup functioned as a 'family' unit within the College. Homegroup teachers were supported by the pastoral care team and the members of the College executive.

Our strong Anti-bullying policy is based on the values of respect and regard for others as is the code of conduct that is set out as an exemplar for correct and appropriate behaviour for all members of the College community. Recently this policy has been updated to include cyber-bullying. Classes attended talks given by the police liaison officer from the local area. Years 7 and 8 also attended live performances on the same topic.

Parent Satisfaction

The main forum for parental voice was through the monthly meeting of the Parents and Friends Association (P&F). These meetings were strongly supported and parents felt free to bring issues to these forums. Throughout the year parents were asked their opinions on a range of issues including reporting, parent/teacher evenings, uniforms and fundraising activities. Parents have been surveyed and it was noted that they were appreciative of the excellent learning environment provided to the children. Parents also commented on the professionalism and caring nature of the staff. Overall there was high satisfaction with what is happening in the College, both academically and pastorally.

Student Satisfaction

Students were encouraged to voice their opinions through the Student Representative Council and through homegroup. The latter was a less formal forum, but effective nonetheless in contributing to the voice of the College. At the conclusion of Year 10 and Year 12, and whenever a student left the College, an exit survey was completed. There was overall high satisfaction from the students as to how they saw the College. In particular, senior students were appreciative of the efforts made by staff to encourage and guide them.

Teacher Satisfaction

Staff reviewed the year in terms of learning, pastoral and administrative structures in a formal way at the conclusion of the annual staff retreat, as well as regularly on a faculty basis. It is interesting to note that 95% of staff chose to remain at Xavier College. This in itself indicated a high level of teacher satisfaction with the College, its policies and their implementation.

Teacher standards

 *Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition

Religious Education Accreditation

Workforce composition

Professional Learning

Professional learning undertaken by staff in 2010 included the staff retreat at the end of term 2, and in-service talks on Information Technology themes such as the use of Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (MOODLE) in the classroom. Weekly in-services were offered to staff, many of which were run by other staff members. This was an affirming procedure as it allowed staff members to share their expertise with their peers, and also allowed staff members to see that what they were doing was up to date and professionally sound.

Teacher attendance

The average teacher attendance for 2010 was 93.7%.

Teacher retention

Of the 2009 teaching staff 94.7% were retained in 2010. This high retention rate implies that teachers at Xavier College were happy in what they did, felt included in decision making, and found that curriculum initiatives were up to date and challenging both to their own professional development and to the academic development of their students.

Student attendance rates

The average student attendance for 2010 for the whole school was 92.5%. The average attendance for each Year level appears in the table below expressed as a percentage:

The attendance of our students was comparable across all year groups. There is no year group where there was a discrepancy in numbers. On the whole, students were happy to come to school. Absences were due to illness, specialist appointments or family reasons.

Managing non-attendance

Regular attendance at school is essential if students are to maximise their potential. Schools, in partnership with parents and guardians, are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students. The compulsory schooling age is between 6 and 17 years old. Parents and guardians are legally responsible for the regular attendance of their children, explaining the absences of their children from school promptly and within seven days to the school, and taking measures to resolve attendance issues involving their children. School staff, as part of their duty of care, monitor part or whole day absences. They maintain accurate records of student attendance, follow-up unexplained absences through written and verbal communication, implement programs and practices to address attendance issues when they arise, and provide clear information to students and parents regarding attendance requirements and the consequences of unsatisfactory attendance. The principal may grant permission for late arrival at school or early departure from school, only in individual cases, on written request from parents and guardians. The principal or delegate will undertake all reasonable measures to contact parents promptly if an unexplained absence occurs. If truancy is suspected, the principal will contact the parents/guardians to ascertain the reason for the absence. If a satisfactory response is not received, the matter will be referred to Catholic Education Office staff for follow-up.

Student retention rates

The retention rate of students from Year 10, 2008 to Year 12, 2010 was 50%. Although this sounds low, the majority of students who left the college during this time did so to attend Technical and Further Education (TAFE) or to take up apprenticeships or full-time employment.

Senior secondary outcomes

The following table shows the percentage of Year 12 students who undertook vocational training or training in a trade while at school, and the percentage that attained a Year 12 certificate or equivalent vocational education and training qualification.

Post-school destinations

All of the students who attended Xavier College gained either a HSC or a Certificate in Vocational Education and Training. This included students with intellectual disabilities who qualified for the HSC in Life Skills, having completed six years of secondary school.

Pastoral Care Initiatives included

• program offered to Year 11 which included modules on driver safety, safe partying and managing finances
• study skills and motivational talks for Year 11
• relationship seminar for Year 11
• social night for Year 10  
• three day camp for Year 9 at Tea Gardens
• two pastoral activity days for Year 7
• cyber bullying presentations to Years 7 and 8
• police talks to all years with an emphasis on cyber bullying
• vaccination - varicella, Human papilloma virus (HPV) and hepatitis B

Pastoral care is integral to every aspect of learning and is based on the belief that good relationships are at the heart of good education. The value of the individual, irrespective of ability, status, position or cultural background is uppermost at all times. We believe that pastoral care is ongoing and operates throughout the entire school day, and is made effective by each member of staff in his/her responsibilities.

A key pastoral care structure is that of the homegroup. The homegroup teacher's role in the student's life is integral. Each of the 44 homegroups consist of 20-25 students from Year 7 to Year 12 and each homegroup teacher is responsible for the well being of his/her students. This structure is supported by the pastoral learning coordinators and the members of the executive who support homegroup teachers and students, especially those students who are experiencing problems which may be behavioural, emotional, learning, physical, social or a combination of these factors.

The basic premise underpinning discipline at Xavier College is self discipline, a discipline that emphasises student accountability. Students are challenged to take responsibility for their own decision making and to learn to accept the consequences of their actions. In basic terms students have rights balanced by responsibilities. For example the right to feel safe and be safe is countered by the responsibility to act in a sensible manner at all times.

Six pastoral learning coordinators (PLCs) are aligned to each Year group. Each of the PLCs in Years 7 to 10 is aligned to a house and supports the homegroup teachers and all students in that house, regardless of the Year. Student management/welfare covers the areas of:

• Student Code of Behaviour

• preferred classroom practices

• intervention model for classroom discipline

• incident and management approach: levels, responsibilities and consequences

These policies have remained the same as for 2009, with the inclusion of information on cyber-bullying.

A full description of student management policies and procedures may be obtained from the School Prospectus and College Handbook.

In the Information Booklet distributed each year to new parents, parents are informed about whom they should contact if they have a concern or a complaint.

The school has formal written protocols in place to address complaints and grievances. These protocols are in line with the CEO Complaint Handling policy. A copy of the school policy is available on the College website. There were no changes to this policy during 2010.

School Recurrent and Capital Income

School Recurrent and Capital Expenditure