Parent Survey 2013 Summary of Results March 2014 P&C Meeting 0

Who responded to the survey? By the numbers 230 responses 223 unique IP addresses 7 households made two responses 780 households so 29% response rate 324+ children in those households covering more than one third of the pupils at the school 11% of Year 4 children are not returning in Year 5 15% did not declare if they had paid parent voluntary contributions or not 83% of the 85% ie 70% of the households paid parent voluntary contributions By day Last day of Term 4 1

Questions about the school At most 223 households 89% response rate for this group of questions There is a statistically significant difference in ±ve responses for payers of parent voluntary contribution versus non-payers on Qs 3, 4 & YESNO

Communication from the P&C can be improved 99% of households read NewsFlash NewsFlash is important to get P&C communication to parents A huge effort will be required to get parents referring to information on the P&C website 10. Preferred method of receiving information from the P&C and its sub-committees: 7. Please indicate if you read Newsflash: 3

The amount of the parent voluntary contribution is mostly OK 15. Do you think VC is set at a reasonable level? of the No respondents, 2 wanted an increase 17. Do you think the discount for a second child at the school is reasonable? 4

Reponses and comments indicate that parents want more communication Information is too general and limited. I would like the school community to have a greater influence on what donations are spent on Families need more say in what is being spent on We heard about the target and purpose at the beginning but never really know how it was spent. [see below] Explanation as to why money is going toward staffing would be relevant. Why isn't Dept Ed. subsidising this if it is necessary? In the past it appeared to be saved and spent the following year. We want the money to be invested in the kids education the same year Since my children have been attending APS, I have received more information regarding what the Year 3 fundraising funds are spent on. Some years there was no communications as to what the VCs were spent on. Need a business expenditure report Getting better, but more granularity would help Better this year but should be more widely broadcast Only at the end of the year I thought the Presentation day gave a good summary! I think the principal should be guided by the P&C given it is their money Parent Voluntary Contributions are collected by the P&C for the school so, the Principal decides the priorities following the annual Finance meeting with the P&C Executive In the past it seemed to be predetermined by the Principal Does the Principal decide? It appears that the Principal decides, with veto over the P&C? Principal determines where the money is spent … Letter School Report 5 YESNO

Parent voluntary contributions are constrained by DEC regulations o They are voluntary. Neither P&C nor the School can apply pressure on parents to make parent voluntary contributions o The identity of payers and non-payers is confidential If parents aren’t paying because it is “voluntary” the communication can be increased but the underlying name can’t change “Every child should pay it, the name 'voluntary' should be changed” 6