Catholic Education, Diocese of Cairns
Queensland, Australia
Motto | Seek, Learn and Serve |
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Address | 96 Rankin Street, INNISFAIL QLD 4860 | |
Postal Address | 96 Rankin Street, INNISFAIL QLD 4860 | |
Phone Number | (07) 4061 2994 | |
Fax Number | (07) 4061 2271 | |
Email Address | principal.innisfail@cns.catholic.edu.au | |
Web Site | http://www.gcps.qld.edu.au | |
Total Enrolments | 278 | ![]() |
Year Levels Offered | P-6 | |
Student Population | Co-Educational | |
Principal | Mr Liam M Kenny | |
Parish Priest | Fr Kerry Crowley | |
Parish Number | (07) 4061 6633 |
About our School Good Counsel Primary School is located close to the heart of Innisfail, at 96 Rankin Street. Innisfail is the Cassowary Coast's largest town, with a population of approximately 10,000. The township is picturesquely situated at the junction of the North and South Johnstone Rivers, about five kilometres from the coast. Innisfail is 90km south of Cairns along the Bruce Highway, making it easily accessible by car, bus or train. As the largest non-government primary school in the Innisfail district, Good Counsel Primary School offers parents real choice. Together with our sister Catholic primary schools - St Rita's at South Johnstone, St John's and St Clare's to the south at Silkwood and Tully, and St Rita's to the north at Babinda - our schools are well known for being inclusive, welcoming to all, and surprisingly affordable. Students are attracted to GCPS from throughout the Cassowary Coast, from as far south as Tully and Mission Beach, to Babinda in the north and East Palmerston to the west. Catholic primary school students receive enrolment priority at Good Counsel College which is located directly across the street and close to the Innisfail CBD, making the transition to the College from Good Counsel Primary seamless. Students take part in specialist Physical Education programs and an excellent range of sporting activities year round, including Netball, AFL, Cricket, Rugby League, League Tag, Touch Football, Soccer, Athletics and Futsal. Cultural engagement is emphasised with specialist programs in The Arts, Instrumental Music and School Choir. Spiritual development, focused on a faith-filled and values-based education, offers a strong foundation for a life of worth, not merely a life of work. Opportunities abound in mission and justice, moral and spiritual growth, and are fostered throughout the school. Good Counsel Primary is a melting pot of cultures, religions, backgrounds and abilities. The school community is welcoming to all, caring and friendly. In 2018 GCP was staffed by a Principal, APRE/APA, LST, CST, School Counsellor, Specialists - HPE, The Arts, ILO, Teacher Librarian, 14 classroom Teachers, Student School Officers, Librarian, Administration Officers, IT Technicians and various Ancillary Staff (Tuckshop Convenor, Groundsman, Cleaner). GCPS 2018 enrolment of 278 students. 14 classes are offered from Prep to Yr 6. Forecast enrolment to begin 2019 is 310 students
Characteristics of Student Body
ENROLMENT TREND - GCPS
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 321 321 295 318 310 280 (305) (315)
Cultural diversity
School Annual Improvement
Priority 1: A lived and Celebrated Catholic Identity Develop and clearly articulate our School Charism and Catholic Identity. Staff, students and parents will be able to: Strategies and resources implemented During 2018/2019 GCPS will analyse the data from the Catholic School Identity Survey. The results from the survey will guide what direction the Staff, Students and Parents take in the area of Catholic Identity which will be included into the school Strategic Plan. Continue to analyse data from the ESCP (2017) Survey Engagement with Parent group and sharing of the ESCP Data and School Plan. 'Religious Life of the School' document. Priority 2: An Explicit Improvement Agenda During 2018 to grow School enrolments back to 300 students by publicising a positive profile of GCPS throughout the Cassowary Coast Region. Strategies and resources implemented Build the best teaching team possible Priority 3: To build a Culture that Promotes Learning - Morning Routine By the end of Semester One, 100% teachers will be implementing 30 minutes of morning routine daily. During Semester Two School documentation will be developed in each year level to map links to the Australian Curriculum to enhance Morning Routine. Strategies and resources implemented Professional Learning Teams with a focus on unit planning, teaching practice, data analysis and differentiated student learning. As a school we aim to build teacher capacity in formative assessment, repeated practice and explicit instruction. Morning Routine focuses on building oral language, spelling, writing and numeracy. Teacher Capability Funding Good Counsel Primary School has benefited significantly throughout 2018 through the Teacher Capability Funding Grant. It has been used across three terms to support the implementation of Professional Learning Teams. These teams have met on two levels: same grade teachers and area sectors (Prep to 2, Year 3 and 4, Year 5 and 6). The PLTs between same grade teachers have been used to plan and micro manage learning activities, collect and analyse data from these activities with the redirection of those students who required it and the extension of those who met and understood the expected standards. The teams have also met to design Scope and Sequence for Morning Routines, Literacy Intervention Plans and the analysis of student data. A whole school coaching and mentoring initiative has assisted and supported teachers to improve their teaching skills and this ultimately improved student learning and engagement. Teams worked on, and continue to work with collective ideas, and to develop how to engage students who work at the various levels of the curriculum. Staff are keen to be working together, with new ideas, and are keen to monitor the progress of students and celebrate the success of these initiatives. The opportunities, for the students, this funding has provided are significant, as it has allowed teachers the time to analyse relevant data frequently, have valuable discussions as to student learning and to develop learning environments to support and extend students. The school has provided additional funding to allow all teachers part time and full time to be involved. This has been crucial to have all staff on board and we plan to continue the model into 2019. Areas of growth
Distinctive Curriculum Offerings The School offers students an excellent academic education in all key learning areas. Social and Emotional Learning is an important part of daily learning and Morning Routine has in 2018 embedded into daily classroom learning. Students from Prep to Year 6 have specialist lessons in Health and Physical Education and the Arts (Term 1 Music, Term 2 Visual Art, Term 3 Dance and Term 4 Performance). A number of our students participate in the Instrumental Music Program with Mr Nathan Wiltshire and others have private piano tuition based at the school. Many GCPS students take advantage of skills training after school- Rugby League, Netball, Fitness, Tennis, Soccer and AFL. Robotics and Coding Club can be accessed before school or specified lunch times and the library can be utilized every lunch time. Students this year showcased their extra- curricular skills at our Talent Expo with items including Martial Arts, Dance, Speech and Drama, Instrumental items and vocals. The School Choir performs throughout the year and Mini Vinnies students keep Social Justice issues in the forefront of our thinking.
Extra Curricular Activities The following are important characteristics of the school's overall extra- curricular offerings:-
Social Climate Good Counsel Primary has a culture of being welcoming to all in its community, where each person is viewed as important and valued. The school prides itself on encouraging its students to be self- disciplined and providing an environment where students can learn without disruption. Students are encouraged to maintain appropriate standards of behaviour and to respect the rights of all individuals - "Each child has the right to learn". GCPS draws its student population from the surrounding Cassowary Coast Region, with families choosing a Catholic education and travelling from as far as Mission Beach to the south, East Palmerston to the west and Babinda to the north. Good Counsel recognises the importance of parents as the first educators of their children and actively encourages parental involvement. Through the Parents and Friends Association, parents have a role in determining future direction for the school. Parents are also encouraged to assist in classrooms so that children can enjoy their presence at school and play an active role in assisting with student reading, literacy, mathematics and technology rotations. Meet and Greet Nights are organised by the Parents and Friends Association and have been very successful opportunities for families to meet and mix socially. These nights are combined with the Student Council Discos and Games nights that promote and celebrate the importance of families spending time and having fun together. The school is in very close proximity with Good Counsel College and shares a combined Schools Board made up of a cross section of Parents from the Schools' communities. The Board assists the Principals in the development of policy and in the future educational directions of the schools. Given this relationship, Good Counsel Primary is ideally placed for those families looking for a linked Prep - Year 12 education for their children.
Parent Engagement At Good Counsel Primary we encourage strong parental involvement in the life of our school. We believe that children more easily achieve their true potential when parents feel comfortable being an active part of school life. Each of us has different gifts to share and generous sharing enriches our school and benefits each individual - both adult and child. Staff at Good Counsel Primary are always happy and open in their sharing with parents. In partnership, parents and teachers, feel it is important to share not only the aspects of what is being done but also the how and why. Parents want the best education for their children and our Teachers are willing to work diligently to assist in this process. Parental involvement is facilitated through the following organisations and activities:- Good Counsel Primary School has a Combined Schools' Board and a Parents and Friends Association (P&F). The active P&F is involved in facilitating and organising and supporting social functions. The School Board plays an active role overseeing policy development and has input into major building projects and the general strategic direction of the school. The Parish Finance Committee approves and monitors the school budget. The school is involved in parish life through the Pastoral Council and Finance Committee as well as through Sacramental Programs, regular liturgies, masses and class visits by our with our resident Priests.
Parent Satisfaction MYP Corporation conducted a School Results Survey with staff of Good Counsel Primary School (Innisfail) in July 2018 Survey responses were received from 96 out of a total of 362 eligible respondents. This equates to a response rate of 26.5%. Good Counsel Primary School (Innisfail) recorded an overall satisfaction score of 85% (4.25 out of 5). Good Counsel Primary School (Innisfail) provides educational services to students from 140 families. "¢ Best practice areas include: Leadership, Resources, Learning + Teaching, Improvement Processes, Student Protection, Bullying + Behaviour Management, Catholic Ethos.
Data Last Updated Thu 23 May 2019
Qualification Highest level of attainment | Doctoral / Post-doctoral | Masters | Bachelor degree | Diploma | Certificate |
Number of staff with this qualification | 0 | 1 | 19 | 3 | TBA |
Workforce composition |
Headcount | FTE (Full-time equivalent) |
Teaching Staff | 28 | 20.6 |
Non-Teaching Staff | 18 | 7.74 |
Indigenous | 0 | 0 |
Total funds expended on teacher professional development$20718
Teaching Staff Involved in Professional Development100%
Major Professional Development Initiatives The teachers have been involved in professional learning in the following areas:
Average staff attendance rate for the school year, based on unplanned absences of sick and emergency leave for periods up to 5 days97%
Percentage of teaching staff retained from the previous school year79.00%
Staff Satisfaction MYP Corporation conducted a School Results Survey with staff of Good Counsel Primary School (Innisfail) in July 2018. Good Counsel Primary School (Innisfail) recorded an overall satisfaction score of 86% (4.3 out of 5). Survey responses were received from 33 out of a total of 48 eligible respondents. This equates to a response rate of 68.8%. - Best practice areas include: Student Protection, Resources, Catholic Ethos, Staff Engagement, Leadership and Improvement Processes. 100% of staff agreed that GCPS provides high quality services to parents and students. 100% also agreed that GCPS delivers quality educational outcomes for students and encourages students to develop a love of learning.
Data Last Updated Thu May 23 2019
Prep | YR 1 | YR 2 | YR 3 | YR 4 | YR 5 | YR 6 |
90.14% | 93.98% | 91.02% | 94.27% | 92.94% | 94.76% | 94.38% |
At Good Counsel Primary it is an expectation that parents make verbal or written contact with the class teacher or administration if their child is absent on a particular day. If students have unexplained absences, parents are contacted. Should students be absent for a period of more than two school days in a row the teacher will offer to organise work to be completed at home. If a pattern of unexplained absences occurs then the parents are contact and an interview with the Principal is organised. All class rolls have tables to indicate the variety of reasons that a child could be absent from school on a particular day. These are saved to the data base and stored at Administration. If Indigenous students are away then the Indigenous Liaison Officer will follow up with the family via a phone call. Our Indigenous Liaison Officer meets with the Principal when required to assist with family visits related to truant students.
MYP Corporation conducted a School Results Survey with staff of Good Counsel Primary School (Innisfail) in July 2018.
Good Counsel Primary School (Innisfail) recorded an overall satisfaction score of 78% (3.91 out of 5).
Survey responses were received from 75 out of a total of 91 eligible respondents (Year 5 and 6 students). This equates to a response rate of 82.4%.
89% of student agreed that doing my best at GCPS is important to me and that I am encouraged to do the best I can. 80% of students agreed that they know what they have to do to improve their learning at school.
Data Last Updated Thu May 23 2019
Reading | Average Score for the school | 410.9 |
Average Score for Queensland | 437.8 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 97.7% | |
Writing | Average Score for the school | 401.1 |
Average Score for Queensland | 410.5 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 100% | |
Spelling | Average Score for the school | 434.5 |
Average Score for Queensland | 432.9 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 95.5% | |
Grammar and Punctuation | Average Score for the school | 390.9 |
Average Score for Queensland | 406 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 100% | |
Numeracy | Average Score for the school | 395.7 |
Average Score for Queensland | 413.1 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 97.7% |
Data Last Updated Thu May 30 2019
Reading | Average Score for the school | 505.6 |
Average Score for Queensland | 517.1 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 94% | |
Writing | Average Score for the school | 468 |
Average Score for Queensland | 469.4 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 94% | |
Spelling | Average Score for the school | 506 |
Average Score for Queensland | 511.1 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 98% | |
Grammar and Punctuation | Average Score for the school | 500.1 |
Average Score for Queensland | 497.9 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 100% | |
Numeracy | Average Score for the school | 501.5 |
Average Score for Queensland | 501.2 | |
% students at or above the national benchmark | 100% |
Data Last Updated Thu May 30 2019
Australian Government recurrent funding$3,431,894
State/Territory Government recurrent funding$855,337
Fees, charges and parent contributions$987,467
Other private sources$129,531
Total gross income (excluding income from government capital grants)$5,404,229
Income allocated to current capital projects$198,614
Income allocated to future capital projects and diocesan capital funds$0
Income allocated to debt servicing (including principal repayments and interest on loans)$31,880
Subtotal$37,452
Total net recurrent income$5,168,163
Catholic schools in the Diocese of Cairns meet their annual reporting requirements under the Education (General Provisions) Act 2006 (the Act) Section 423 (1) by updating their information on this section of the Cairns Catholic Education website. Information contained in each section of the report relates to the previous calendar year. The required information is published by 30 June each year, excepting post-school destinations data for Year 12 completers which is published by 30 September.