Tate Street 

Tate St. Primary School is a dynamic little school in East Geelong. The school places a strong emphasis on developing the core curriculum: i.e. literacy and numeracy and we have achieved some outstanding results in recent years. Tate St. is leading many other schools is the educational direction in which we are headed, and I am referring here to ‘Multi-Sensory Literacy’ (MSL) and ‘Explicit Instruction’ (EI). Most of our staff have spent a week training in MSL, which incorporates a combination of multi-sensory, phonics and kinesthetic techniques for teaching children reading, spelling, writing and comprehension. Six of our staff (with plans for more in 2019) have also been trained in EI. EI is instruction that is visible. The teacher explains new concepts and strategies in clear and concise language. EI involves modelling and explaining concepts and skills using many examples. Teachers provide a high level of support as students practice and apply newly learned skills. In order to keep Tate St. academically strong, we need to ensure that our staff are continuing to build their excellence in pedagogical practice.The Arts is also where we excel with our Senior students producing, writing and performing their own dramatic production very year and our Marimba band performing each year at the Queenscliff and Port Fairy Folk Festivals. We have a strong physical education/self-esteem program to nurture our students’ all round development and the children really enjoy our Spanish program. Students have access to these programs on a weekly basis, but we also run a School Choir (successful last year at the Geelong Eisteddfod) and a Brass band, Marimba band and a Ukulele Band. We are also very lucky to have 2 large ovals, an interactive Outdoor Learning Area, a spacious Stadium, an Art room, large playgrounds, Basketball/Netball Courts, an Interactive Learning Centre and a well-resourced Music Room. We also have a class set of Mountain Bikes with a Bike Education Program. All classes have access to Interactive Whiteboards or large-screen TVs in their learning areas with class sets of iPads, Netbooks and desktop computers. There is a very strong community ethos with high levels of parent involvement in all aspects of school life. Tate Street Primary School offers its students a safe and inspirational learning environment where every child is known and valued. The current enrolment is 197 and we have 8 Classroom Teachers, 4 Specialist Teachers, the Principal and 8 Education Support Staff. We also have a high quality Out of School Hours Care Program running from 7.00-9.00am and 3.15-6.15pm.

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The Principal, Terry Scott, would like to congratulate all of our teachers, staff and students on some excellent 2019 NAPLAN results. Remember, it is not just the Grade 3 & 5 teachers who have contributed towards these results, but every single staff member in some form or another!!
Our Grade 3 results were as follows:
•    In Reading we scored 452 points, though 25 points down from last year but still 5 points ahead of the State. 
•    In Writing we scored 430 points, which is the same as last year and only 5 points behind State. 
•    In Spelling we scored 445 points, which is not only 17 points up from last year but also 17 points ahead of State.
•    In Numeracy we scored 428 points, which is 1 point ahead of last year and 7 points ahead of the State. 
•    In Grammar & Punctuation we scored 485 points, which is 5 points better than last year and now a whopping 31 points ahead of state.
Our Grade 5 results were as follows:
•    In Reading we scored 515 points, which is 26 points up from last year and now only 1 point below the State. 
•    In Writing we scored 514 points, which is an incredible 46 points up from last year and is now 27 points ahead of State. 
•    In Spelling we scored 511 points, which is an almost-impossible 54 points up from last year and now 5 points ahead of State.
•    In Numeracy we scored 504 points, which is 13 points ahead of last year and only 3 points behind the State. 
•    In Grammar & Punctuation we scored 522 points, which is 26 points better than last year and now 15 points ahead of state.

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Other wonderful news regards our school surveys.

The 2019 Student Opinion Survey had extremely pleasing results:

Survey Factor                    2018 % Positive Result    2019 Goal    2019 Actual    Improvement
Classroom Behaviour                  75                         85                     81                    + 6%
Motivation and Interest               81                         85                     85                    + 4%
School Connectedness                81                         85                     89                    + 8%
Stimulated Learning                   59                         69                     94                     + 35%
Sense of Inclusion                      78                         88                     88                    + 10%
Managing Bullying                      73                         83                     89                    + 11%
Self-regulation and Goal Setting   81                         85                     94                   + 13%
Student Voice & Agency               55                         65                    70                    + 15%

 

In 2019 89% of students feel connected to school, the state average is 81%.

The Parent Opinion survey results were also very pleasing:

In 2019 we achieved 100% for 'general satisfaction' (state average was 88%), 100% for 'school pride and confidence', 97% for 'high expectations for success', 97% for 'student motivation and support', 96% for 'stimulating learning environment'.

 

Absenteeism:
Our school is in the top three of the forty of the closest schools (measured socio-economically) for best attendance, with two years being placed number 1.
The average number of days absent at TSPS was 13.7 days in 2016, 12.2 days in 2017, 11.2 days in 2018, 11.1 days in 2019. 
Leadership attributes this to improved: 
- student connectedness
- the positive environment offered at the school
- support provided to parents by school welfare staff and school leadership

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Tate St. provides an extensive Prep Transition program with individualized tours of our facilities for prospective parents, providing ready and easy access to personnel and information and a new enrolment pack which outlines school processes and programs. Incoming students and parents are provided with many opportunities to familiarise themselves with the school environment. Anecdotal evidence from secondary schools indicates that our senior students are well-prepared for secondary school, confident and possess positive leadership qualities. Parent helpers are encouraged in classrooms and provide opportunities to strengthen home/school partnerships. These facts also support my theory that it is relationships that is the most important factor when it comes to managing a successful school. Our staff here at Tate St. are first rate and they all have the ability to create strong working relationships with each other, with the students in their charge and with our families. They are all hard-working, highly organised, caring and really importantly, committed to the continued success of our students. Our new main well-being program aims for 'student self-mastery of their own behaviour choices'. 'Play is the Way' is a practical methodology for teaching social and emotional skills using guided play, classroom activities and an empowering language. It is a process that gives primary schools a way to develop, improve and entrench the personal and social capabilities of students.'Our ‘Kidsmatter’ program aims for our school to be as inclusive as a primary school can be. Other programs e.g. ‘Kidshope’, ‘Wisechild’, and ‘Heartmasters’ also contribute to improved decision-making and self-esteem of our students. Support from Bellarine District staff continues to provide excellent and valued support for students with social/emotional needs. This also includes speech therapy, school nurse and referral work with psychologists & guidance officers. Our current strong prep enrolments and excellent ‘Parent Opinion Survey’ results and ‘Student Attitudes to School’ surveys are a reflection of our performance in this area. "At Tate St., we don’t just enrol the child, we enrol the whole family.”