Mosman
Park
Primary
School
ANNUAL REPORT
2013
School Board 2013
P& C Office Bearers 2013
Leadership 2013
Chris Hill (Chair)
Jessie Lamond (Parent)
Kourosh Roohi (Parent)
Tim Fairbanks – (Parent)
Simon Watters (Parent)
Natasha Williams (Parent)
Alison Robb (Principal)
Ian Bersan (Deputy Principal)
Helen Davis (Teacher)
Annabella McKern (Community member)
Sue Northey (Business Manager)
President: Bridie Pestell
Secretary: Alison Davis
Vice President: Emma Bray
Treasurer: Anne Fairbanks
Fundraising: Al Davis
Uniform Shop: Allegra Fletcher
Canteen: Helene Hansen
Garden Group: Jess Lamond
Food Group: Kate Barnes
Alison Robb (Principal MPPS)
Ian Bersan (Deputy MPPS)
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Student Leadership
Olivia Williams and Sophie Robson
(MPPS Head Girls/Sports Captains)
Charlie Bray (MPPS Head Boy)
Lachlan Grace (Sports Captain)
Page 1
ANNUAL REPORT 2013- Mosman Park Primary
We are pleased to present the 2013 Annual Report for Mosman Park Primary School and
Mosman Park School for Deaf Children. The two schools are co-located and work closely
together to provide an enriched learning environment for all students. This Annual Report
outlines our directions for the future and provides parents with specific information on the
performance of each school across a comprehensive range of areas. The first section relates
specifically to Mosman Park Primary School while the second part provides information relevant
to the Mosman Park School for Deaf Children. The Highlights section relates to both schools.
Over the course of 2013 Mosman Park Primary School celebrated its status as an Independent
Public School. We successfully undertook to appoint a number of new teachers and explored
the flexibility that a „one line budget‟ provided. Our School Board enthusiastically embraced the
opportunities that IPS status afforded and undertook the role of setting the long-term future for
the school and maintaining oversight in the implementation of our newly developed school
Business Plan. The desire to establish Mosman Park Primary as the local “school of choice”,
recognised for its ability to maximise learning opportunities which focus on the development of
all students academic, social, physical and creative potential has been maintained as the
schools key focus.
The Primary School has continued to attract student enrolments with a final enrolment of 346
students (170 Girls and 176 Boys) from Kindy through to Year 7. This represents a continued
steady growth over the past years with much of the increase occurring in our junior years.
Additional classes have been added to make 14 classes with the continuation of a double
stream from Kindergarten through to Year 3.
Academically, Mosman Park Primary students have excelled with continued improvement in
NAPLAN data, with particularly strong performances across the Year 3 and 7 cohorts. Student
success has been celebrated through a range of writing and arts competitions as well as
through our highly acclaimed whole school musical „What a Knight”. The Musical involved all
students from Pre-Primary through to Year 7 and was performed over two evenings at the St
Hilda‟s Performing Arts Centre.
Mosman Park Primary School continued its success on the athletics field and in the swimming
pool. The school was named as Winner of the Meritorious Shield in both the Interschool Athletics
and Interschool Swimming Carnivals. We were placed as overall Runner Up Champion School in
both carnivals.
Our school motto of “Striving, Enjoying, and Enquiring” summarises our whole school focus on
stretching ourselves to achieve the best outcomes for each and every student. This success can
only be achieved through the support and involvement of our wider community. The
commitment of our P&C and the dedication of the various school committees, volunteers and
busy-bee enthusiasts have contributed significantly to our aim of providing an enriched
educational environment for our students.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 2
SCHOOL
PROFILE
–
Mosman
Park Primary
Mosman Park Primary School is in the heart of Mosman Park
and enjoys strong links with the local community and parent
group. The Primary School has been part of the local
community since 1906 with Mosman Park School for Deaf
Children relocating to the school site in 2002. The school
reflects the multicultural mix of the suburb, with some
students being the children and grandchildren of former
pupils and others who are new to WA or Australia.
Student Profile
The Mosman Park Primary School student enrolment numbers have continued to grow with significant
increases in our Junior years. This has meant the Primary School has been able to run a double stream
across Kindy, Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3.
This achievement has been very well accepted by staff and parents and indicates strong community
confidence in the school.
Figures above do not include Kindy enrolments.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 3
Student Numbers (as at 2013 Semester 2)
Kin - PP
Total
Full Time
38
Part Time
49
(24)
49
(24)
Total
87
(24)
49
(24)
Primary
Total
260
School
Total
Full Time
298
Part Time
PP
38
Y01
Full Time
Total
KIN
42
49
(24)
347
(24)
Y02
53
Y03
48
38
Y04
Y05
Y06
Y07
39
33
21
24
K – PP
K – PP
Pri
Total
Aboriginal
Pri
Total
3
14
17
Male
43
136
179
Non Aboriginal
84
246
330
Female
44
124
168
Total
87
260
347
Total
87
260
347
Destination Schools (Year 7 students at end of 2012)
Shenton College
8
John Curtin College
1
Scotch College
2
St Brigid‟s College
1
Perth Modern School
1
Belmont City College
1
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 4
Student Leadership Team
Head Boy
Head Girls/Sports
Captains
Sports Captain
House Captains
Prefects
Charlie Bray
Olivia Williams and Sophie
Robson
Lachlan Grace
Stirling: Olivia Williams and
Lachlan Grace
Baldwin: Sophie Robson and
Ryan Martin
Buckland: Brittany Toy and
Charlie Bray
Ezekiel McPherson, Joshua
Klem, Katya Amadita, and
Crystal Banks
Staff Profile
Mosman Park Primary School has a dedicated and professional staff. All
teaching staff meet the professional requirements to teach in Western
Australian public schools and can be found on the public register of teachers
of the Western Australian College of Teaching. They are active contributors to
the overall direction of the school and engage in regular professional
development and curriculum initiatives.
As the student population has steadily increased we have continued to
welcome new teaching staff to our school. This has served to broaden the
capacity of the school to provide innovative programs and introduce new
initiatives.
Melissa Wilcox
Matthew Stewart
Felicity Wensinger
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 5
HIGHLIGHTS
OF
THE
YEAR
OUTSTANDING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
Design a Book Cover Competition – Kindy students Anna
Eagleton and Sophia Tiamzon win prizes in the Grove Library
Bookweek Competition.
Grove Library „History and Creative Writing Awards‟ – Belize
Badia, Katie Jackson, and Oscar Mitchell-Bathgate.
Premiers‟ Summer Reading Challenge – Meg Lamond, Bridget
Smith, Jasper and Lucy Blunt raised some money for the MS
Society of WA.
MPPS is the winner of the Town of Mosman Park 2013 Schools
Design Competition for the Banner on the Terrace.
2013 Schools Poetry & Short Story Competition (Write 4 Fun
National Competition) - Josephine Hirst and Tilly Davis-Rohr
awarded a Certificate for Excellence in writing.
SCHOOL REJUVENATION AND
PARTNERSHIPS
Publication of School Business Plan (2013 – 2016)
P&C new shelves and drawers in the canteen
P&C Limestone garden beds/seating in the
quadrangle
Limestone seating installed around the base of our Fig
Tree
SPECIAL DAYS AND CELEBRATIONS
Welcome Picnic, Harmony Day
Boardies Day in support of Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club
ANZAC Commemoration Service at MPPS
Shell Questacon Science Circus Visit (MMPS being only 1 of 4
metro schools to be selected for the performance)
Years 1 to 7 First Aid Training with St John Ambulance Ed
Bookweek, Science Week, NAIDOC Day and Auslan Day
Excursions to Perth Mint, Mundaring Weir, Sculptures by the
Sea, Herdsman Lake, AQWA, WA Museum, Flight Experience
Centre, Francis Burt Law Museum, Piney Lakes Wildlife
Centre, MLC „The Wizard of Oz, Circus Oz, Tamala Park, Kings
Park
Incursions: „Beat the Bully‟, Mini Beast, Royal Agricultural
Society
Master Chef Competition
Year 1 Fathers‟ Day Breakfast
Grandparents‟ Day in the Kindy
Tournament of the Minds
Yr 2s and 5/6 go to the Awesome Arts Festival
Community Feast
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 6
NEW INITIATIVES
„MPPS Host families for a group of Japanese students
New iPad program is introduced across the school. It is
primarily focused on supporting the learning of students in
our Junior years.
Bug Club on-line
MUSIC AND THE ARTS
Our Musical extravaganza “Oh What a Knight!‟ performs
over two evenings at the amazing St Hilda‟s Performing
Arts Centre
Yr 7 Rock Band with Ian Campbell, professional
musician/parent
After school guitar lessons with MP Guitar School
Performing Arts Group and Dance Club, Jazz in the Park
Festival
SPORT
Interschool Swimming Carnival - 2nd place
Netball Subjunior division winners (Matthews
Competition)
Metro Basketball Tournament participation
2nd place Cross Country Interschool
Athletics Carnival – 2nd place overall
Lightning Carnival / Stuart McGill Cup
Westside Wolves Minkey Teams @ College Park
Lunch time sporting activities and competitions
Before school Tennis Coaching
Dance Whole School Program
Dockers Visit, Australian Boomers (Basketball) Visit
After school Rollerblading Lessons
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 7
THE
LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT
Mosman Park Primary School provides a wide range of
teaching and learning programs for students from
Kindergarten to Year 7.

Specialist support teachers provide programs in the areas
of:
 Music – including an extension program for
selected Year 6/7 students (Classical Guitar),
Signing Choir for both Junior and Senior students,
Performing Arts Group
 Science
 Physical Education
Languages – Students from Year 3 – 7 (Japanese), students from Kindy to Yr 7 (Auslan – Australian
Sign Language)
Further extension opportunities are provided through PEAC (Primary Extension and Challenge) for select Yr
1, 2 and Yr 5 -7 students,
OUR
KEY
OBJECTIVE S FOR
2013
1. Successful Students
At Mosman Park Primary School we foster a learning environment which supports our students to
achieve their full potential, to be happy and secure in themselves and to leave our school well
prepared for the future.





The school continued to focus on the development of evidence-based approached to selfassessment, curriculum planning and implementation.
Teachers have worked in collaborative teams to plan teaching programs and priorities for the
phases of learning – Early Childhood through to Upper Primary.
Whole school commitment to the introduction of Higher Order Thinking Skills across all year
levels.
A focus on whole school process of Early Identification and intervention for students who
require additional support and enrichment in their learning program..
Teachers have been committed to working toward the establishment of classroom
environments which have high expectations of student performance and which are
supportive of the development of positive attitudes toward learning and behaviour.
2. Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning at Mosman Park Primary School is supported by quality educational leadership
and the provision of an environment which encourages, supports and builds staff capacity for
teaching excellence.





Key whole-school literacy and numeracy initiatives have been implemented which are fully
supportive of the Australian Curriculum.
Teachers have been successfully utilising online resources and support documents and have
met regularly to discuss and share knowledge and resources.
Teachers effectively communicate student progress and achievement through agreed
protocols and practices.
Staff have enthusiastically participated in Shenton Network professional development
opportunities and developed collaborative partnerships between neighbouring schools.
Workforce Development planning has been implemented and staff selection actioned
according to identified need.
3. A Safe, Supportive and Sustainable Environment
Mosman Park Primary School provides a safe and caring learning environment for students and staff,
underpinned by a values rich learning culture that supports quality learning and positive behaviour.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 8
We strive to develop in students a commitment to care for and nurture a sustainable physical and
natural environment.



All classes actively participate in our whole school Values Program “You Can Do It”. Values
Assemblies occur regularly and student achievements and positive accomplishments and
behaviours are acknowledged and celebrated.
The cultural diversity within our school community has been identified and strategies such as
Harmony Day and the Community Feast have been implemented to encourage active
participation amongst all stakeholders.
Our school has developed an encompassing program of sustainability and encourages all
classes to be active participants. Initiatives include the WasteWise and WaterWise programs,
recycling, vegetable garden and frog bond pond.

4. Strong Community Partnerships
At Mosman Park Primary School we focus on developing strong and sustainable community
partnerships which support the school in its endeavour to become a distinctive school with an
excellent reputation in the local community.



Our school website has continued to be developed and now provides regularly updated news
about the school. Email distribution lists are regularly used to disseminate information and
newsletters.
The School Board has developed into a highly effective entity which fully supports the future
direction setting of the school. The Board has directly contributed to the Delivery and Performance
Agreement as well as being instrumental in the development of the school Business Plan.
The formal development of an Australian Curriculum approved Auslan (LOTE) program has
commenced in partnership with Shenton College. Students from Year 5 – 7 will benefit from the
program in 2014.
STUDENT
PERFORMANCE
Student performance is collected and analysed in an ongoing cycle throughout the school year. Parents
receive formal reports at the end of each semester as well as detailed NAPLAN feedback for students in
Year 3, 5 and 7.
This NAPLAN (National Assessment in Literacy and Numeracy) data provides a key component of the
schools data analysis. Student performance in 2013 continued to indicate strong overall progress with
particularly pleasing results being noted for our Year 3 and 7 cohorts. Analysis of NAPLAN data over the
past five years (MySchool) indicates that the school based programs and priorities that have been
implemented are proving to be very successful in developing strong student performance. This is
particularly noteworthy over the past two years as the whole school planning initiatives for our Literacy
and Numeracy programs come to fruition.
The following graphs compare the performance of students from Mosman Park Primary School with results
obtained from West Australian and Australian schools in 2013.
We also have a significant number of students achieving results in the top 20% of all students as
evidenced by the table below.
Reading
State
Top
20%
Writing
Mosman
Park PS
2011
Mosman
Park PS
2013
Mosman
Park PS
2011
Mosman
Park PS
2013
37%
48%
30%
50%
50%
30%
62%
47%
54%
50%
54%
44%
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Spelling
Mosman
Park PS
2011
Mosman
Park PS
2013
YEAR 3
44%
35%
YEAR 5
55%
37%
YEAR 7
31%
56%
Grammar &
Punctuation
Numeracy
Mosman
Park PS
2011
Mosman
Park PS
2013
Mosman
Park PS
2011
Mosman
Park PS
2013
41%
50%
22%
60%
52%
40%
61%
23%
46%
50%
46%
59%
Page 9
Data from the MySchool website comparing student performance at MPPS with all Australian schools and
“like” schools
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT
The Mosman Park Primary School Business Plan
(2013 – 2016) provides a comprehensive overview of
our Vision, Values, Key Objectives, Self Assessment
procedures and Student Achievement Targets.
The full document is available at the following site
www.mosmanparkps.wa.edu.au/view/publications
SCHOOL SURVEY – PARENTS, STAFF AND STUDENTS
A comprehensive school survey was reported upon in our last Annual Report. The survey sought the input
from parents, students and staff. Approximately 40% of families responded to the survey and provided
quality information which has served to guide school practices. The next survey will be conducted in Term
2, 2014. The previous survey focused on five school operational areas. These surveys results have previously
been reported in the 2012 Annual Report.
1. School Environment
The survey results were very positive in regard to the school environment. These survey items focused on
the overall culture of the school and included issues of behaviour, school pride, security, pastoral care
and the general tone of the school.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 10
2. Quality of teaching
This relates to how the school‟s teachers are perceived. Items that stem from this issue invite opinion about
teachers‟ attitudes and their teaching skills.
Over the course of the past 12 months teachers at the school have been actively involved in whole
school planning and the development of collaborative team approaches. The addition of new teaching
staff to the school has added to the success of this focus. Teachers will continue to focus on the provision
of stimulating learning environments and making the work content interesting and enjoyable.
3. Communication
This pertains to the two-way relationship between school and community. It looks at how receptive the
school and its staff are to input from parents and students and how well the school keeps students and
parents informed about individual and whole-school performance.
The school has developed a high quality and informative
website which has received many hits from current
parents and prospective families from around the world.
As well, parent email distribution lists have been
established allowing for a much more effective
distribution of communication, including newsletters.
Teachers continue to be fully supportive of open parent –
staff communciation offering formal meeting times during
each semester as well as welcoming parents informally as
requested. Parents and volunteers are welcomed into
the classroom and utilised to support the learnign
programs of the students.
4. Curriculum outcomes and responsiveness
This relates to the range, depth and relevance of learning
opportunities that are made available to students in the
school. It includes opinions about levels of achievement
that are typical of the school.
The school community celebrate a continued
improvement in school NAPLAN results across year levels.
My School data is published and discussed in parent
forums.
Additional learning experiences are actively sought and
opportunities explored. An example includes our very
successful Artist in Residence program which was run across the whole school during Term 4.
5. Working relationships
This issue collects data only from the staff version of the survey. These items invite opinion about
communication and decision making procedures within the school and about how well the teachers feel
they are supported.
Since the collection of survey data staff have become more actively involved in school decision making
processes. However, this is still an area of focus as our unique situation of having two schools working
together collaboratively can provide additional challenges. The high numbers of school support staff
(Education Assistants and Interpreters) have resulted in an identified need for clear classroom and school
management processes to be established.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 11
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 12
ANNUAL REPORT 2013
Mosman Park School for Deaf Children
S c h o o l
P r o f i l e
Mosman Park School for Deaf Children celebrates a linguistic, holistic and inclusive environment; we
provide the foundations for effective learning for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. The school
celebrates the diversity of two languages and two cultures, Auslan and English. MPSDC supports home,
school and community partnerships.
Teachers of the Deaf and support staff share the school‟s vision and together demonstrate a clear sense
of purpose.
The early intervention program is based on research based best practice. We have developed a set of
essential standards aligned to the National Curriculum for explicit teaching in English and Mathematics.
Foundations for learning have aligned the relationship between the Early Years Framework and the
Australian curriculum. Teachers of the Deaf engage in professional development and demonstrate a
sound knowledge of current and effective pedagogy. Classroom practice is based on research based
best practice for Deaf/HH students.
The children are explicitly taught the elements of the English language to develop functional literacy and
to gain access to other curriculum areas.
The primary challenge is to support our hearing and Deaf parents; to establish effective communication
with their children. The focus is centred on early and ongoing intervention; intentional teaching and
shared beliefs and understandings with both Deaf and hearing families. The classroom accommodations
include qualified Teachers of the Deaf/ Deaf Role Models/ Interpreters/ Education Assistants and assistive
technology. The Deaf/HH classrooms are acoustically treated for optimal learning. The school has
designated $5,000 from the school budget to acquire shared literacy resources. MPSDC also received a
Development Grant, from Sensory Services of $5,000. The staff have demonstrated a strong commitment
to professional learning; and purchased specific English resources from the Van Ash Deaf Education
Centre, New Zealand; for the Early Intervention Centre and middle to upper primary Deaf/HH students.
The school has actively responded to the student‟s need to acquire an internal sense of the English
language in Reading and Writing and individually considered the implications of their hearing loss.
Students have a personalised learning plan and access to the inclusion program in the mainstream
school. The teachers and students are supported by a psychologist and those who wear hearing aids or
cochlear implants have access to a speech specialist.
The school community values the bilingual/ bicultural aspects of the school and celebrates diversity.
Parents are encouraged to participate in school activities and particularly enjoy school newsletters,
parent/teacher meetings, the Signing choir and Auslan Day.
All students are immersed in Auslan Sign Language. We have three Deaf Role Models working
collaboratively with Teachers of the Deaf; to support equal access to the curriculum for all students.
The Signing Choir reflects the inclusive aspect of both schools.
Mosman Park School for Deaf Children and Mosman Park Primary School acknowledge with pride the
unison of two languages and cultures.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 13
Auslan Sign Language
Students are immersed in Auslan Sign Language through all aspects of the curriculum and social
interaction. Students are given appropriate linguistic support from Interpreters, Deaf Role Models and
Teachers of the Deaf. The school community is developing knowledge of both languages and cultures in
an inclusive bilingual/bicultural setting.
Auslan Choir
The Senior and Junior Signing Choirs at Mosman Park Schools have given both hearing and Deaf/HH
students the opportunity to express a visual language. The students are immersed in Auslan Sign
Language in both a reflective and expressive form. This early immersion supports the development of sign
language by giving opportunities to observe others. The interactions are linguistic and holistic, as well as
intentional; the explicit teaching of Auslan.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 14
Speech and Language
Mosman Park School for Deaf Children acknowledges that communication competence is an essential
outcome for all of our students.
Individual speech and language sessions are provided on a regular basis.
The domains include receptive and expressive language skills and conversational competence to
improve their social skills.
Teachers of the Deaf liaise with speech pathologists, who work with their students, to work towards
achieving common goals.
Resources used for individual lessons include:
 108 Single Word Articulation Test (Louise Paatsch)
 Auditory Skills Program (NSW Dept of Education & Training)
 Speech Production Resource (Marie Fram & Gwen Rosengren)
 Appropriate i-Pad Apps; for the development of phonics and phonemes.
Auditory access is imperative for our students. Teachers of the Deaf, in partnership with parents,
encourage students to wear and use their hearing aids, cochlear implants and FM systems on a daily
basis. Audiological equipment is checked regularly by the Teacher of the Deaf. However, the goal is for
students, as they get older, to become independent in the management of their own devices.
Student Profile
Six students graduated from Mosman Park School for Deaf Children in 2013.
Four students were placed at Shenton College Deaf Education Unit; one student was placed at Belmont
City College Deaf Education Centre and one student is attending John Curtin College of the Arts.
Semester 2
Primary (Excluding Kin)
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
18
26
23
23
22
Page 15
Staff Profile
All Teachers of the Deaf use Auslan Sign Language. Some are fluent signers; others use sign and English
word order for explicit teaching of English.
Adult to child interactions are as prominent as child to child interactions. All staff are immersed in the
process of communication and language acquisition in a dynamic environment
No
FTE
Principals
1
1.0
Total Administration Staff
1
1.0
Other Teaching Staff
6
4.0
Total Teaching Staff
6
4.0
Clerical / Administrative
1
1.0
Other Non-Teaching Staff
21
13.6
Total School Support Staff
22
14.6
Total
29
19.6
Administration Staff
Teaching Staff
School Support Staff
Student Attendance
Attendance throughout 2013 was represented as consistently average for Deaf/HH students. Upper
primary students non attendance was mainly due to distance and family concerns. The School Chaplain
consistently liaised with the families and supported increased accountability for their children‟s
involvement in the academic and social skills programs at Mosman Park School for Deaf Children.
2010
2011
2012
2013
Attendance Rate
Mosman Park School for Deaf Children
88.5%
89.0%
83.6%
83.5%
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
State
92.9%
92.7%
92.3%
92.6%
Page 16
S T U D E N T
P E R F O R M A N C E
In 2013 Deaf and Hard of Hearing students in Year 3 and Year 7 completed NAPLAN tests in Reading,
Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation and Numeracy.
Year 3 students achieved below the WA Average and below the National Minimum Standard in all
learning areas.
Year 7 students achieved above the National Minimum Standard in Writing, Spelling, Grammar and
Punctuation and achieved below the National Minimum Standard in Reading. The Year 7 Students
achieved the WA Average in Numeracy, Grammar and Punctuation and achieved the WA Average in
Reading, Writing and Spelling.
2013 Mosman Park School for Deaf Children NAPLAN Results
8
7
6
Bands
5
4
3
2
1
0
WA
National MPSDC MPSDC MPSDC MPSDC
Average Minimum Year 3 Year 3
Year 3 Year 3
Standard 2010
2011
2012
2013
Average Average Average Average
WA
National MPSDC MPSDC MPSDC MPSDC
Average Minimum Year 5 Year 5
Year 5 Year 5
Standard 2010
2011
2012
2013
Average Average Average Average
Reading
Writing
Spelling
Grammar & Punctuation
WA
National MPSDC MPSDC MPSDC MPSDC
Average Minimum Year 7 Year 7 Year 7
Year 7
Standard 2010
2011
2012
2013
Average Average Average Average
Numeracy
NAPLAN results are used as one of the indicators of the areas of deficit that form the basis for a curriculum
access plan with key curriculum accommodation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students.
It is acknowledged that NAPLAN tests are dependent upon a certain level of proficiency in the use and
understanding of English. Some Deaf students have not achieved the necessary level of proficiency by
the time that they are expected to sit the tests. It is generally accepted that a Deaf child‟s reading age
will be at least two years behind that of his/her hearing peers.
Deaf students at MPSDC communicate in AUSLAN but must learn English through Sign Supported English
which helps them to master the structure of English sentences. AUSLAN has its own structure, quite unlike
English and this affects the acquisition of a Deaf child‟s English. Until our Deaf students internalise English
they will not become fluent readers and writers.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 17
Deaf students‟ progress is assessed at the end of each semester using a battery of standardised tests.
These include TERA (Test of Early Reading Ability for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children), Waddington
Reading and Spelling Tests and the Kendall Conversational Proficiency Levels.
The following factors collaboratively assessed by the staff of the Deaf school, contributed significantly to
the improved outcomes for our Deaf/HH students in 2013;
 Early Intervention program (K-3)
 Explicit teaching in Literacy and Numeracy
 Speech and Language program
 Individual Reading program
 The involvement of Deaf Role Models in the classroom
 School based common writing tasks
T H E
L E A R N I N G
E N V I R O N M E N T
In this current era the emphasis is on educational options for all students; both Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
This is in the context of the everyday school environment.
The bilingual model involves directed and explicit teaching by the Teacher of the Deaf in the specialised
classrooms for Deaf children. In the afternoons the students access a full inclusion program with Mosman
Park Primary School.
All students are involved in the acquisition of the English language and Auslan Sign Language to support
access to all learning areas. The combined expertise of parents and professionals support this innovative
model.
The specialist program provides
 Explicit teaching in English and Mathematics
 Equal access to the National Curriculum in the above areas
The teachers are supported by quality Interpreters and experienced Education Assistants; who reflect the
values of a professional and dedicated staff.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
Page 18
FINANCIAL INFORMATION 2013
2014 School Grant received was $46,127. Only 54% of Voluntary Contributions were received from our
families which is consistent with previous years.
Expenditure has been within budgets.
Other Specific Programs unspent funds have been re-budgeted in 2014 for the same purpose.
Reserve accounts represent funds for replacement of assets comprising computing, photocopying and
furniture in the future.
MPPS 2013 Annual Report
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MPPS 2013 Annual Report
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