2016 Annual Report Independent Schools Queensland Ltd ABN 88 662 995 577 John Paul College Front cover: Groves Christian College St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Contents By the Numbers 2 Chair’s Report 4 Executive Director’s Report 8 ISQ Board and Committees 12 Independent Schools Advocacy, Research and Representation 14 Education Services 23 Queensland is the peak Governance and School Services 26 body representing Organisational Capability 29 Queensland’s independent Membership 30 schooling sector. Alliance Partners 34 Our 203 member schools ISQ Secretariat 36 are a vital part of the state’s education system. Together, these schools educate more than 120,000 students, or 15 percent of Queensland school enrolments. Independent Schools Queensland 2016 Annual Report 1 By the Numbers MEMBER SCHOOLS 15% of Queensland school enrolments 203 including nearly 20% of secondary enrolments 1 112 schools with approved Kindy 2 3 programs 78 schools with full fee paying overseas students 188 schools with Indigenous students 181 schools educated students with disability 35 schools offered boarding Cairns 114 schools with English as a Second Language or Dialect students 7 schools offered Townsville distance education Schools located 120,911 across 37 local government areas students enrolled Mackay 117,880 at 198 independent schools 3,031 at 5 Catholic schools 13 180 9 girls only schools offered boys only schools co-ed schooling schools Rockhampton 168 149 schools schools offered Bundaberg offered Prep primary & secondary Toowoomba Brisbane Warwick Data Source: 2016 Non-State School Census (State) February Collection 2 2016 Annual Report Independent Schools Queensland Flagship programs in 2016: Teaching and Learning Self-Improving Our Schools Governance Great Teachers in Academy Schools – Our Future Services Independent Schools 36% of member 45% of member Commissioned 39% of schools 97% of member schools participated in schools participated. 2 major education participated. schools were funded Coaching Partnerships research papers. under this program. and Research in Schools. 42 schools and 50 coaches participated in Coaching Partnernships. 118 teachers and leaders from 79 schools participated in Governance Services. 36 schools participated in Research in Schools. 90 schools, including 13 new schools, were supported 936 teachers participated in the through Self-Improving Schools. Professional Growth Tool Survey. Professional learning in 2016: 12 JUNE 9 3 6 324 events 16,000 times school 1,700 hours of 150 wifi devices held at ISQ’s Professional staff engaged with ISQ’s professional simultaneously connected Learning Centre. professional learning events development to the PLC wireless External and virtual. and Connect&Learn. delivered. network. Member engagement in 2016: 38 Weekly eMailing updates, 4 video and 13 face-to-face 3 Catalyst member ISQ staff made more 39 Weekly Information Strategic Briefings from the magazines produced in than 470 visits to Updates and 10 Briefings Executive Director. digital and interactive 152 schools, including research papers. format. 24 new principals. Media coverage in 2016: NEWS 68 media releases More than 420 media 911 tweets and retweets 74 member schools including 45 statewide mentions, 6 published to a growing base of 2,308 received media/marketing and 23 regional. opinion articles and followers. Corporate LinkedIn promotion or support. 1 Letter to the Editor. followers growing to 677. Independent Schools Queensland 2016 Annual Report 3 Chair’s Report “We need diversity of Diversity is the hallmark of The assessment confirmed that the Queensland’s independent advantages of making the change thought in the world to schooling sector. It is also one of included: the ability to deliver services, such as teaching and learning or face the new challenges.” its key strengths. Simultaneously governance programs, to jurisdictions championing and safeguarding outside Queensland; reduction in the Tim Berners-Lee, this diversity is at the heart of the duplication of reporting obligations; British computer scientist who enhanced governance of ISQ; and invented the World Wide Web work performed by Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) in CLG being the vehicle preferred by support of member schools. government regulators. On the basis of this expert advice, ISQ’s 2016 Annual Report, which and having considered ISQ’s current I am pleased to present on behalf and future strategic objectives, the of the Board of Directors (the Board recommended the transition in Board), highlights the breadth status to the membership at the May and depth of services offered to 2016 Annual General Meeting. The member schools and the wide membership voted and approved the change in incorporation status. While range of activities undertaken by Independent Schools Queensland ISQ during 2016. Ltd is the new legal entity, the organisation’s registered trading name continues to be Independent Schools Responding to Queensland. The change has had no Growth direct impact on staff or the delivery of services to member schools. There ISQ has experienced significant growth, have been some amendments to Board particularly over the past five years, titles, as you will see in this report, and in the breadth and complexity of appointment processes. However, the services it offers member schools. To three-year tenure of directors remains ensure ISQ’s operating framework and the same, as does the retirement of structure were optimal for governing one-third of directors each year. and delivering these expanded functions, the Board undertook an analysis of the current regulatory environment and the benefits associated with changing ISQ’s status from an Incorporated Association under Queensland legislation to a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) under the Australian Corporations Act. 4 2016 Annual Report Independent Schools Queensland Diversity and require new ideas and approaches I would like to make particular mention to be considered to grow the sector. of the 100 percent satisfaction rating Choice ISQ has been proactively engaged at principals gave to ISQ staff for their the strategic level with the intent to “responsiveness to members’ needs and ISQ’s strategic mission includes the address these matters and is working easiness to engage”. This is testament promotion, support and development on an issues paper which will be to the strong customer-centred culture of independent schooling in released in 2017. embraced by ISQ staff and reflects the Queensland. In 2016, membership strong cultural capital within the ISQ grew to 203 schools which included staff with 85 percent of staff rating 100 percent membership from Vote of Confidence job satisfaction as high to very high. 198 independent schools, and five I congratulate David Robertson and his Catholic schools. In total, member in ISQ team for fostering this culture for the schools enrolled 120,911 students from Confidence and uptake of ISQ services benefit of all stakeholders. Prep to Year 12 in 2016. Queensland’s continued in 2016 with business areas independent schooling sector expanding and refining their services in This was the fifth Member Satisfaction continues to grow in school and line with member and Board feedback. Survey commissioned by ISQ since student numbers, albeit at a slower rate Membership satisfaction with ISQ 2002. As an organisation committed to than previous years, while maintaining services remains extremely high with growth and development in all areas of its relative overall share of student principals surveyed giving ISQ an its operations, ISQ will use the valuable enrolments at about 15 percent almost perfect overall satisfaction rating member feedback and insights statewide, including nearly 20 percent (99 percent). The 2016 membership to inform future service delivery of secondary enrolments. Enrolments of survey, which was undertaken by enhancements. particular groups of students grew at a an independent company, captured faster rate from 2015 to 2016, including the views of a representative The Board is the custodian of ISQ’s international students, students with sample of principals of large and success. A recent external review of the disability and Aboriginal and Torres small independent schools across Board’s performance was very positive, Strait Islander students. Queensland. The survey found: indicating a high-functioning Board. I am very pleased that this all-important Growth in new schools has also y 100 percent of members surveyed positive and professional culture is shifted to more specialised smaller agreed that ISQ was well respected a common thread from the Board, schools, such as Special Assistance as the peak body for Queensland to management and to staff, with Schools catering for disengaged independent schools the ultimate beneficiaries being our young people, as well as colleges y 95 percent agreed that ISQ was doing member schools and their students. which offer tailored services in a a good job representing the needs particular area, such as trade training. and interests of member schools Identifying and addressing the barriers y 95 percent agreed that ISQ was to establishing new independent continually improving and making schools in Queensland has been a key changes for the better focus for ISQ in recent years. The high cost and lack of availability of new y 95 percent also agreed that the land, particularly in growth corridors, services offered by ISQ are relevant to and the tight economic environment their school’s needs. Independent Schools