Education and Training Directorate
Statement of Performance
For the year ended 30 June 2015
Statement of Responsibility
In my opinion, the Statement of Performance is in agreement with the Directorate's records and fairly reflects the service performance of the Directorate in providing each class of outputs during the financial year ended 30 June 2015.
Director-General
September 2015
Output Class 1: Public School Education
Description
Public primary school education spans the years from preschool to year 6. It is available, on average, for eight years with a preschool age of four years and a kindergarten starting age of five years. A balanced curriculum allows students to develop the qualities needed for lifelong learning. Public
high school education covers the years 7 to 10. ACT public high schools offer a broad and comprehensive education across all key learning areas. Public secondary college education covers years 11 and 12, offering courses catering for a broad range of student needs and interests.
A range of educational settings are available in ACT public schools for students with a disability. These include special needs schools, special classes or units in mainstream schools and additional support in mainstream classes.
Total Cost ($'000)
| Total Cost |
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Public Primary School Education | 326,425 | 322,600 | (1.2%) | |
| 1.2 Public High School Education | 167,549 | 165,687 | (1.1%) | |
| 1.3 Public Secondary College Education | 110,890 | 107,180 | (3.3%) | |
| 1.4 Disability Education in Public Schools | 69,628 | 72,597 | 4.3% | |
| Total Output Class 1 | 674,492 | 668,064 |
Government Payment for Output ($'000)
| Government Payment for Output |
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Public Primary School Education | 268,807 | 265,964 | (1.1%) | |
| 1.2 Public High School Education | 143,123 | 140,284 | (2.0%) | |
| 1.3 Public Secondary College Education | 93,325 | 91,663 | (1.8%) | |
| 1.4 Disability Education in Public Schools | 61,667 | 61,745 | 0.1% | |
| Total Output Class 1 | 566,922 | 559,656 |
The Total Cost and Government payment for Outputs measures above were not examined by the ACT Audit Office in accordance with the Financial Management (Statement of Performance Scrutiny) Guidelines 2011.
The following Accountability Indicators were examined by the ACT Audit Office in accordance with the Financial Management Act 1996.
Early Interventiona
|
Output Class 1: Public School Education Accountability Indicators | 2014-15 Target | 2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Number of eligible children with developmental delays and disabilities who attended an early intervention program | 400 | 276 | (31.0%) | Note 1 |
| b. Individual Learning Plans commenced within one month of the student's first attendance at an early intervention program | 100% | 100% | 0.0% | |
| c. Parent satisfaction with their children's progress in early intervention placement as measured by annual survey | 90% | 95% | 5.6% | |
| d. Average cost ($) per child attending an early intervention program | 4,843 | 4,140 | (14.5%) | Note 2 |
Early Childhood Education
|
Output Class 1: Public School Education Accountability Indicators | 2014-15 Target | 2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Number of enrolments in preschool in public schools | 4,500 | 4,873 | 8.3% | |
| b. Number of enrolments of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in preschool in public schools | 225 | 267 | 18.7% | Note 3 |
School Participation
|
Output Class 1: Public School Education Accountability Indicators |
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Attendance rate of public school students in year 1 to year10 | 91.5% | 91.5% | 0.0% |
Education and Care Services
|
Output Class 1: Public School Education Accountability Indicators | 2014-15 Target | 2014-15 Result | Percentage variance from the target | Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Number of visits to approved education and care services to administer the Education and Care Services National Law (ACT) Act 2011 and the Children and Young People Act 2008 | 504 | 603 | 19.6% | Note 4 |
| b. Education and care services satisfaction with assessment and monitoring functionsb | 85% | 79% | (7.1%) |
Disability Education
|
Output Class 1: Public School Education Accountability Indicators | 2014-15 Target | 2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target | Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Individual Learning Plans completed for students in special and mainstream schools who access special education services | 100% | 99% | (1.0%) |
Senior Secondary Education
|
Output Class 1: Public School Education Accountability Indicators | 2014-15 Target | 2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target | Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Percentage of year 10 students who proceed to public secondary college education | 85% | 93% | 9.4% | |
| b. Percentage of year 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who proceed to public secondary college education | 80% | 91% | 13.8% | Note 5 |
| c. Apparent retention of public school students from year 7 to year 12c, d | 100% | 113% | 13.0% | Note 6 |
| d. Apparent retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public school students from year 7 to year 12 | 75% | 81% | 8.0% | |
| e. Percentage of year 12 students who receive a Tertiary Entrance Statement | 50% | 48% | (4.0%) | |
| f. Percentage of year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who receive a Tertiary Entrance Statement | 20% | 11% | (45.0%) | Note 7 |
| g. Percentage of year 12 students who receive a nationally recognised vocational qualification | 60% | 58% | (3.3%) | |
| h. Percentage of year 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who receive a nationally recognised vocational qualification | 50% | 52% | 4.0% |
Regulatory and Process Reform Initiative
|
Output Class 1: Public School Education Accountability Indicators |
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Commenced implementation of red tape reduction initiativese | 30 June 2015 | 5 January 2015 | - |
Average cost ($) Per Student Per Annum in Public Schools
|
Output Class 1: Public School Education Accountability Indicators |
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Preschool | 5,846 | 6,793 | 16.2% | Note 8 |
| b. Primary schools | 14,498 | 13,837 | (4.6%) | |
| c. High schools | 18,176 | 17,905 | (1.5%) | |
| d. Secondary colleges | 18,329 | 17,547 | (4.3%) | |
| e. Special schools | 56,807 | 61,192 | 7.7% | |
| f. Mainstream schools' student with a disability | 25,844 | 27,347 | 5.8% |
Notes to Accountability Description:
- Early intervention services transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme from 1 January 2015. As a result, programs provided by the Education and Training Directorate ceased at the end of the 2014 school year.
- The survey was conducted during June and July 2015. A total of 102 approved education and care services completed the survey. Responses were collected on a five point scale of strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree or strongly disagree. Strongly agree and agree responses were counted as satisfied. Non-responses were excluded.
- The apparent retention rate is an indicative measure of the number of students who have stayed in school, as at a designated year level. It is the percentage of the respective cohort group that those students would be expected to have come from, assuming an expected progression of one grade per year.
- The apparent retention rate for the ACT can be higher than 100 per cent as a result of increasing numbers of students from outside the ACT public school system (from non-government and New South Wales schools) enrolling in ACT public schools after year 7. This occurs, in particular, in years 11 and 12.
- This accountability indicator measures Directorate efforts to reduce administrative burden for its stakeholders with red tape. For this measure, red tape is defined as burden generated by government administrative requirements, experienced by stakeholders including businesses and families. On 5 January 2015 the Directorate implemented the ACT Vocational Education and Training Administrative Records System (AVETARS). The system has provided a streamlined approach for registered training organisations to self manage their information, initiate changes to their training information and data, and interact with the Directorate.
Notes to Variance Explanation:
- As this program ceased at the end of the 2014 school year, the result reflects six months of service provision. The target is based on program operation for twelve months.
- The variance is due to higher than budgeted numbers of children attending an early intervention program in the first half of the year, reducing the average cost per child.
- There was a 25.9 percent increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children enrolled in preschool from 2013 to 2014. This was the largest increase for the previous five years. The increase of 55 students was due to a strong increase in enrolments in both mainstream and Koori preschool programs.
- The variance was due to an increase in the number of authorised officers conducting assessments and ratings and compliance visits.
- Through the Education and Training Directorate';s initiatives to support all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students'; transition smoothly from public high schools to college, a higher proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students continued their schooling.
- The result for 2014 represents the highest outcome for the previous 15 years. It is due to a higher than usual increase in enrolments in ACT public schools in year 11 (in 2013) and year 12 (in 2014), compared with the relevant year 7 cohort (2009).
- The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who received a Tertiary Entrance Statement in 2014 (9) was similar to 2013 (10). A significant increase in enrolments in year 12 (up from 55 students in 2013 to 83 students in 2014), however, substantially reduced the percentage of students who received a Tertiary Entrance Statement.
- The variance is due to additional Commonwealth funding provided through an extension to the Universal Access to Early Childhood National Partnership into 2015
Output Class 2: Non-Government Education
Output 2.1: Non-Government Education
Description
The Directorate contributes to the maintenance of standards in non-government schools and home education through compliance and registration, and the accreditation and certification of senior secondary courses through the Board of Senior Secondary Studies. The Directorate also undertakes the administration and payment of the Commonwealth and ACT Government grants.
|
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cost ($'000) | 2,907 | 3,474 | 19.5% | Note 1 |
| Government Payment for Output ($'000) | 2,357 | 2,669 | 13.2% | Note 1 |
Accountability Indicators
| 2014-15 Target | 2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Non government school registration reviews completed within the period required under the Education Act 2004a | 100% | 100% | 0.0% | |
| b. Home education registration reviews for provisionally registered children be completed within three months | 96% | 100% | 4.2% | |
| c. Grants paid within the required period of receiving funds from the Commonwealth Government | 100% | 100% | 0.0% |
The above Accountability Indicators were examined by the ACT Audit Office in accordance with the Financial Management Act 1996. The Total Cost and Government payment for Outputs measures were not examined by the ACT Audit Office in accordance with the Financial Management (Statement of Performance Scrutiny) Guidelines 2011.
Note to accountability indicator description:
- The Education and Training Directorate is responsible for the management of registration processes pertaining to new and existing ACT non-government schools. Whilst the Education Act 2004 does not prescribe a period for the completion of registration processes and reviews, it requires non-government schools to be registered before any student is educated. During the reporting period, all registration processes were completed prior to the commencement of the school educating any students, or before the expiration of the registration of a school seeking registration renewal.
Note to variance explanation:
- Variance is primarily due to increased Commonwealth funding provided through the establishment of a new Chaplaincy National Partnership in 2015.
Output Class 3: Vocational Education and Training
Output 3.1: Planning and Coordination of Vocational Education and Training Services
Description
The Directorate is responsible and accountable for the provision of strategic advice and management of vocational education and training (VET) and higher education in the ACT. This includes administering, monitoring and auditing territory and national funds for a variety of programs addressing skills development. The vocational education and training system in the ACT responds to the demands and requirements of industry and the community. The Directorate gathers advice from industry stakeholders to predict industry trends and identify the future training requirements of the ACT.
|
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Cost ($'000) | 39,081 | 27,284 | (30.2%) | Note 1 |
| Government Payment for Output ($'000) | 38,963 | 28,685 | (26.4%) | Note 1 |
Accountability Indicators
|
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a. Funded training initiative allocation rounds administered within published timeframes | 100% | 100% | 0.0% | |
| b. Registered training organisation audit reports provided within 30 days of completion of on-site audit | 100% | 100% | 0.0% |
c. Total number of students undertaking vocational qualifications:
|
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i. all students | 30,100 | 25,878 | (14.0%) | Note 2 |
| ii. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students | 755 | 824 | 9.1% | |
| iii. students with a disability | 1,940 | 1,926 | (0.7%) |
d. Participation in vocational education and training:
|
2014-15 Target |
2014-15 Result |
Percentage variance from the target |
Explanation of material variance (10% or higher) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i. all students (percentage) | 8.2% | 6.7% | (18.3%) | Note 3 |
| ii. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (percentage) | 15.5% | 12.3% | (20.6%) | Note 4 |
The above Accountability Indicators were examined by the ACT Audit Office in accordance with the Financial Management Act 1996. The Total Cost and Government payment for Outputs measures were not examined by the ACT Audit Office in accordance with the Financial Management (Statement of Performance Scrutiny) Guidelines 2011.
Notes to variance explanation:
- Variance is primarily due to the timing of course completions associated with the Skills Reform National Partnership.
- The decline in student numbers can be partially attributed to the cessation of the Productivity Places Program National Partnership. Participating students were completing training through until 2014. The decline in student numbers can also be attributed to changes from 1 July 2012 to the Commonwealth Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program. The $1,500 standard commencement incentive payment for existing workers was discontinued.
- The variance is due to a decline in student numbers participating in vocational education and training (see Note 2).
- The decline was due to a lower number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students participating and an increase in the estimated population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT.
Campbell High School 'Big Science' Achiever
Each year, Campbell High School science students participate in the Australian National Chemistry Quiz and the Big Science competition. Year 7 student Patrick Miller received a special mention for his achievements in both events this year.
In the Chemistry Quiz, Patrick achieved a High Distinction Certificate of Excellence for his perfect score of 100 percent. Patrick's participation in the Big Science competition earned him the award of 'Top Scorer', one of only 60 students across the world to achieve that award. The Big Science competition consists of a one hour paper designed to inspire, challenge and raise the aspirations of students in science and is taken by 49,000 students across the world. The competition provided students with the opportunity to test their critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Patrick's interest and high level achievement in the sciences was further demonstrated in his research, design, construction and programming of his own quad-copter.
Patrick Miller, year 7 student at Campbell High School, has achieved outstanding results in the sciences this year. The quad-copter designed and constructed by Patrick Miller.