Heidelberg PS - Capers

Assistant Principals' Report

Dear HPS Community,

 

Welcome to our newsletter item for this week. 

 

We had such a lovely evening last night at our Summer Nights & Christmas Lights event. What a fabulous way to celebrate and come together as a community. We were delighted to see our students, staff and families smiling and celebrating together. A special thanks to the students, staff and community members who worked together to make it such a success. 

Student Focus Groups

 

This week Monique, Nicola and Helen led student focus groups with a sample of students from across the Years 4 and 5 level. Using an analysis of our 2024 Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS) data our discussion involved asking a series of questions with a particular focus on Sense of confidence and resilience, Student voice and agency and Managing bullying. By speaking to the students, we were keen to find out more information of what is in place at school and what we might be able to do to improve in these areas. 

 

All government schools must participate in AtoSS, providing the opportunity for students from Year 4 to Year 12 to complete the survey. The survey provides data that helps the department understand student perspectives of their school and to improve the schooling experience.

 

Data collected includes how students feel in relation to their school, their learning, peer relationships, resilience, bullying, health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general.

AtoSS is aligned with the department’s Framework for Improving Student Outcomes 2.0. Data from the survey are used to inform school improvement and planning to support student learning and wellbeing.

 

Here is snapshot of the broader Victorian data that has been analysed from those students completing the survey.

 

  • 2024 AtoSS shows a shift to positive trends across most survey factors, especially for secondary school students. 88% of survey factors improved for Years 10-12, and 81% for Years 7-9. There were gains across the board for effective teaching practice and teacher-student relations
  • This year saw significant improvements in all stages of schooling compared to 2023, with the largest improvements for health and wellbeing factors, many of which were the most positive results since health and wellbeing questions were added to AtoSS in 2021.
  • There were improvements across all year level groups for emotional awareness and regulation, peer relationships, and help seeking.
  • Since 2021, there have been improvements in key health and wellbeing factors, such as physical activity, resilience and life satisfaction. Secondary school students had the largest overall gains. This is in line with post-COVID-19 pandemic improvements in life satisfaction seen among Australian adults, which have coincided with decreasing levels of social isolation (Biddle and Gray 2023).
  • Most students report being in good or excellent physical health.
  • The majority of students report positive peer relationships.
  • Most students report that their teachers have high expectations for success and believe that they can do well at school
  • The majority of students do not experience bullying or racism at school

Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead!

Helen Thomas & Monique Rankin

Assistant Principals

Heidelberg Primary School