College Census

In planning for this year, we anticipated a student enrolment of around 1080 students and felt that as in previous years, this would be a reasonably accurate reflection of where the College numbers would be at around census time at the end of February. Unfortunately, awkward planning is only as good as the outcomes that flow from it. This year, our planning has fallen well short of the reality that we find ourselves in. At census day on 28 February, we were approximately 60 students above our targeted projection and this experience has continued, with enrolment enquiries being received at the College on a daily basis.

When planning each year for the anticipated number of students predicted to be enrolled at the College, we establishes the number of home groups at each year level that we believe will both accommodate the anticipated enrolment at each year level and allow for some growth that historically we have found will occur throughout the year. In our case in particular, we know for example that a number of students will come to us from the English Language School located on site at the College. While it is not possible to predict the exact number of students to come to us out of the Noble Park English Language School on site, historically, we have had between 5 and 30 students in each of Terms 2 and 3 each year. While obviously this makes it difficult to plan, to this point in time, our predictions have fallen very much exactly as we had anticipated and the inflow from the Language School had not caused concerns for us.

This year, however, has seen a very different experience for us. Whilst the Language School, through negotiations between the Department and ourselves, were provided with additional accommodation to take account of an expected increase in enrolment projected for them, this additional facilitation for additional rooms, has proven totally inadequate for the enrolment intake this year. Currently, there are 55 students on a waiting list for enrolment in the Language School. The students span across all year levels and while they remain on the waiting list for a place in the Language School, they are enrolled in local schools with several of them being directed to Hampton Park Secondary College.

This, of course, is in addition to the large number of enrolments that have come into the College so far this year. The impact of these factors has meant that at Year 8 and Year 10 in particular, we have run out of space to enrol any additional students who come to us. Whilst we are taking action to redirect students away from the College wherever possible, students who arrive to us who are resident's in Hampton Park are guaranteed enrolment at the college under government policy.

Over the last two weeks, this situation is at a critical level where drastic action is now required of us. At the commencement of next term, it is highly likely that we will need to add an additional Home Group at Years 8 and 10. This will mean that some students across each of the two Year levels will need to be reallocated across home groups. Whilst every effort will be made to ensure continuity of teaching and learning for our students, it must be recognised that this will not necessarily be entirely possible and that some alteration to student’s individual programs may be necessary as a consequence of the changes.

The increased enrolment at the college this year has been unprecedented and whilst this in the long-term will be positive for the college, it is undeniable that in the short term, it will pose some difficulties for us.

School Council AGM

As counsellors are no doubt aware, the March meeting of Council normally is the annual general meeting. In consultation with our president, Kerry Baker, it was felt that with both Imelda Kavanagh, our Business Manager, and I absent from the college for this meeting, it was best that we postpone the AGM to our next meeting. Normally, with the term holiday occurring at the start of April each year, there is no meeting scheduled for April. It will be necessary, however, to schedule a meeting for the first Tuesday of Term 2 in order for us to meet our statutory requirements with regard to our annual general meeting and to the declaration the poll for elections of Councillors.

Given this situation, the term of office of the current council will expire at the commencement of the April meeting of the Council on our first Tuesday back. I appreciate Council having agreed to this occurring.

School Strategic Plan and Annual Implementation Plan

Members of the School Council will recall that the College undertook our Peer Review in mid-November of last year. This has meant that the normal timeline for preparation of the Annual Implementation Plan that flows out the School Strategic Plan has been markedly impacted, as our Annual Implementation Plan is usually in place well before the commencement of the year.

I am pleased to report that the processes of preparation of the new School Strategic Plan that will guide the College in achieving our goals over the next four years, has now been completed and is with our Regional officers for consideration. I would hope that at the April meeting of Council I’m able to table both the School Strategic Plan and the Annual Implementation Plan that flows from it. This will enable us to immediately begin the processes of striving to achieve the goals that we have established for ourselves this year.

Information Regarding Classes

I am writing to provide you with some information that involves all schools across the state of Victoria, following the acceptance by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, of the Agreement struck between the Department of Education and those Unions who represent employees in government schools. (The Victorian government schools agreement – 2017 - 2021)

Part of this agreement establishes a right for teachers to allocate one day per term in each of the 4 school terms, for the purposes of undertaking professional development that supports either Departmental and Government initiatives, or school policies and priorities.

The agreement nominates these days as staff Professional Practice Days (PPD). When undertaking their professional practice days, staff must be in attendance at the school for the whole of the day nominated each term and must be working on an agreed priority for each day that they take is a PPD. The only exception to this is where staff are participating in an organised professional development activity that has been scheduled away from the College.

Such a change to the organisation of teacher responsibilities can potentially be disruptive of the teaching and learning program in place at schools across the state. At Hampton Park Secondary College we recognise this possibility and, therefore, we are taking steps to ensure the extent of any potential disruption is minimised for our students and our community. Wherever possible, staff will allocate their PPD in learning teams and will work together on a common priority that will be of benefit to both the school and to our students.

I do believe that the end result of staff being allocated one dedicated day each Term to build their capacity in regard to their knowledge and understanding of teaching and learning practice, can only be a benefit to our students. Through their participation in professional practice days our teachers will continue to remain very much up-to-date in their content knowledge, their classroom practice and in the best ways in which students are able to be supported in their learning.

As the allocation of professional practice days is a right that has been established as part of a legally binding industrial Agreement, the College must facilitate teaching staff accessing professional learning in this way. I do acknowledge that staff undertaking learning through their professional practice days will involve some disruption to the learning program for our students, however, I do assure our parents and caregivers that the College is taking every step possible to ensure such disruption is minimal and that the benefit to flow to students in the long-term will assist their learning.

David Finnerty

Principal

Important Dates

MARCH

APRIL

MAY