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Botany Bay EEC
Annual School Report 2014
5741
[school code]
School context statement
Visitor profile
The centre provides professional learning for
teachers and learning activities for students in
many different modes, including excursions,
incursions, workshops and video conferences. A
total of 7104 students were supported by the
Centre this year.
Botany Bay Environmental Education Centre
(EEC) is one of 25 environmental education and
zoo education centres run by the NSW
Department of Education and Communities
(DEC).
EECs provide authentic contexts for exploring,
investigating and understanding values, concepts
and systems in the natural and made
environments and equip students to design
solutions to real world sustainability problems.
Botany Bay EEC is located within Kamay Botany
Bay National Park, Kurnell. It offers programs to
support schools and their communities with
environmental, curriculum and sustainability
education. Programs are conducted on site or at
other sites such as local reserves, in school
grounds or via connected classrooms using video
conferencing technology.
The centre also provides support, advice,
professional learning and resources for teachers.
Stage 5
Tertiary
Adults
Stage 1
Stage 4
Stage 3
Stage 2
Visitors to the Centre
Student visitation by terms
Principal Message
Following the retirement of John Atkins after
23 years at Botany Bay EEC, the Centre is in a
strong position to continue to serve NSW
school students and teachers. A team of
dedicated casual teachers ensured that the
programs continued to be delivered following
his retirement.
3000
2000
1000
0
Term 1
The Centre is well known for its history and
Aboriginal focused programs as the site is listed
on the National Heritage List. In 2014 the Centre
offered a new video conference experience to
rural and remote students across NSW focusing
on the first contact made between the local
Aboriginal people and James Cook.
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.
Jan Rasborsek
Term 2
Term 3
Term 4
Workforce information
The EEC is supported by a team of dedicated,
long term casual teachers, a school
administrative manager and a general assistant.
This variety of staff provides a deep pool of
knowledge, experience and ensures the
consistent delivery of programs.
Workforce composition
Principal
Principal
School Administrative & Support Staff
Total
Supporting students through
Video
Conferencing
997
Stage 6
Numbers
1
1
2
At this time there are no Indigenous persons
employed at Botany Bay Environmental
Education Centre.
DEC
International
70
Teacher qualifications
All teaching staff meet the professional
requirements for teaching in NSW public schools.
Fieldwork
6037
1
Qualifications
Degree or Diploma
Professional
accreditation
Financial summary
% of staff
100%
learning
and
This summary covers funds for operating costs
and does not involve expenditure areas such as
permanent salaries, building and major
maintenance.
teacher
Professional Learning was undertaken by the
Principal through attendance at:
Date of financial summary
Income
Balance brought forward
Global funds
Tied funds
School & community sources
Interest
Trust receipts
Canteen
Total income
Expenditure
Teaching & learning
• Annual EEC Conference
• Annual EEC Principals Conference
• Principal Induction Conference
• 7Cs Conference
• Building trust and working in effective teams
• NPPPD project Showcase Conference
• Port Hacking and Woronora River Principal
Professional Learning
• Strategic Financial Management for NSW
Public Schools
• Syllabus PLUS K-6 History
• Syllabus PLUS K-6 Science and Technology
Key learning areas
Teacher casual salaries
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
Other staff PL
• Building trust and working in effective teams
• Strategic Financial Management for NSW
Public Schools
• Syllabus PLUS K-6 History
• Aboriginal History and Culture Fieldwork with
Les Bursill and Dean Kelly
• Fieldwork with Professor Albani University of
NSW
The EEC offered a range of Professional Learning
courses to support teachers using the Centre
Fieldwork Primary teachers
hours
45
Video Conference training
64
Sustainability Networks
42
Teacher workshops
Total PL hours
797.37
60590.33
795.27
447.18
1078.24
5158.99
800.41
4805.29
0.00
643.92
450.40
0.00
0.00
75567.40
79759.93
School performance 2014
690
Fieldwork Secondary teachers
$
75343.43
28812.55
6475.72
42587.73
2107.90
0.00
0.00
155327.33
A full copy of the school’s 2014 financial
statement is tabled at the annual general
meetings of the School Council and/or the parent
body. Further details concerning the statement
can be obtained by contacting the school.
Delivery of Professional Learning
Professional Learning
30/11/2014
The EEC increased the overall number of students
and teachers involved in programs and training.
The introduction of a video conference program
for Stage 2 First Contacts was highly successful
for students unable to visit the site.
186
1027
2
School evaluation processes
Student numbers over time
Feedback from teachers on the quality and
delivery of programs during 2014 are reflected in
the following comments
7104
6785
6744
year 2012
year 2013
6636
year 2011
• We loved the excursion. Some teachers said it
was the best one they’ve ever been on. The
children learnt so much from it
• They enjoyed the re-enactment and seeing
where Captain Cook landed
• Totally on target with the unit-First Contact
• The students learnt so much more than we
had covered at school
• It provided important experiential learning
• They learnt a lot in a fun and interactive
environment
• Students made connections between learning
in class and visiting the site
• The excursion met and surpassed our
expectations regarding the student learning and
understanding in all areas we were
investigating. The teachers were exceptionaltheir knowledge was thorough and the methods
used to present the it were engaging and
interesting
• Many students commented that it was the
best excursion they had ever been on due to
the hands on experiences
• Consolidated the classroom learning
year 2014
Aboriginal education
Programs were developed with Aboriginal
personnel from National Parks and Wildlife
Service and Aboriginal students from a local high
school resulting in the creation of two model size
traditional bark canoes.
Aspects of Aboriginal culture and knowledge are
integrated into most of the centre’s programs.
The centre offers specific programs that educate
students about the traditional Aboriginal
inhabitants of the area, their relationship with
the land and their use of bush resources.
School planning 2012-2014:
Priority 1 Student Learning
Review and evaluate current field work and
excursion programs. Enhance literacy and
numeracy support in Centre programs
Outcomes from 2012–2014
Multicultural education and anti-racism
All EEC programs are developed to be suitable
for, and sympathetic of, students from various
cultural and religious backgrounds.
Programs reviewed and adjusted for National
Curriculum History K-6 with special emphasis on
Stage 2 History-First Contact
Other significant initiatives
Evidence of achievement of outcomes in 2014:
The introduction of programs aligned with
DEC International allowed the Centre to
facilitate environmental and sustainability
education programs for 70 international
delegates. These programs will continue in
2015.
• Review of current programs delivered
• Programs aligned with new curriculum
outcomes
Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:
• Professional learning undertaken by staff for
new curriculum in History and Science and
Technology
School planning and evaluation
2012—2014: progress in 2014
3
• Incorporated
programs
new
• Introduction of
fieldwork at the site
texts
new
into
activities
existing
during
Priority 2 Sustainability Education
Support DEC schools to implement the
Sustainability Education Policy for Schools
Outcomes from 2012–2014
Work with Sydney Region Sustainability
Group to provide programs and professional
learning as appropriate to support
Sustainability Education and the introduction
of the Sustainability Education Policy for
Schools
Priority 3 Connected Learning
Integrate new and emerging technology to
enhance and extend the capacity of the
Centre to deliver teaching and learning
programs and professional learning.
Evidence of achievement of outcomes in 2014:
•
St George Environmental Education
Network meetings, one per term
supporting 21 teachers
Outcomes from 2012–2014
•
Networking with teachers to support
sustainability education in schools
Use of VC technology to support student
learning and teacher professional learning
•
Youth Forum at Taronga Zoo with Jane
Goodall. Take 3 workshop delivered
Evidence of achievement of outcomes in 2014:
• Delivery of new video conference (VC)
programs to support History-Captain Cook and
the Secret instructions and Science and
Technology Amazing Ants to rural and remote
students
• 997 students attended the VC programs
Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:
•
Introduction of worm farming and
collection of worm food with visiting
students
•
Study and care of phasmids at the Centre
•
Workshops for students on waste audit
and mobile phone recycling
Teachers commented on student responses
following the VCs
• ‘The hands on bit-making the telescopes and
walking outside. Very interactive VC’
4
Future Directions
2015-2017 School Plan
• ‘The ability for students to share their work
with students from other schools’
Strategies to achieve these outcomes in 2014:
NSW DEC is implementing a new school planning
process for 2015-17. The new plan will be
published on the school’s website from the
beginning of Term 2 2015.
• Offered MyPL course Bridgit and Video
Conference Refresher course to increase
teachers skills and ensure the smooth operation
of the VC with students
About this report
• Promotion of the VC programs across all NSW
DEC schools
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.
• Listed the events on Dart Connections
• Incorporated quality texts to support the
teaching and learning during the VC and post
activities
• Partnership with University of New England
staff for identification of ants
Jan Rasborsek, Relieving Principal
Rosemary
Manager
Serena,
School
Administrative
School contact information
Botany Bay Environmental Education Centre
PO Box 375
Kurnell NSW 2231
Ph: 9668 2070
Fax: 9668 2080
Email: [email protected]
Parent/caregiver, student, and
teacher satisfaction
Web: www.botanybay-e.schools.det.nsw.edu.au
In 2014, the school sought the opinions of
principals and teachers about the school.
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:
School Code5741
Their responses are presented below.
• We loved our day at Botany Bay because the
kids were so engaged through a variety of
activities and the relevance of the subject matter
in relation to the topic we had been studying in
class.
• Everyone, including teachers, had a great day at
the venue. The students enjoyed the excursion
and the activities
• We really enjoyed the hands on activities and
group work. Worksheets were not necessary as
the kids were involved in the investigations and
learnt a lot that way.
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/emsad/
asr/index.php
5