Motto	I have come so that you may have life and have it to the full - John 10:10
Address	18 Balaclava Road, EARLVILLE QLD 4870
Postal Address	18 Balaclava Road, EARLVILLE QLD 4870
Phone Number	(07) 4054 2566
Fax Number	(07) 4054 2426
Email Address	secretary.earlville@cns.catholic.edu.au
Web Site	http://www.olhoc.qld.edu.au
Total Enrolments	554
Year Levels Offered	P-6
Student Population	Co-Educational
Principal	Verity Beames
Parish Priest	Fr Martin Kenny
Parish Number	(07) 4054 1171

About our School

For over 50 years Our Lady Help of Christians has served the Cairns community by providing quality Catholic education in the Mercy tradition to the sons and daughters of those families seeking a Catholic education. OLHOC is first and foremost committed to providing a quality education for all students. The school is a distinctive Catholic community that provides a quality learning environment and challenges all members to make a difference.

At its core OLHOC has the values of Respect, Justice, Community, Empathy and Forgiveness. Students of OLHOC strive to embody these values in both word and action. OLHOC seeks to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for all.

With a current enrolment of 554 students OLHOC offers a very well-resourced educational program to all students. Extra curricula programs support the development of student's gifts and talents across a variety of pursuits including academic, sporting and cultural areas. OLHOC has a long history of valuing success and this is evident across many fields of endeavour.

Our Lady Help of Christians is a school committed to ensuring that all students receive a high quality education in order to reach their potential and make a difference. Learning is supported by committed and well-resourced staff who have a desire to see all students grow in their learning. By using research based practices together with high levels of technology, student learning outcomes are maximised for all students.

Characteristics of Student Body

"Vision to excite and empower learners to enjoy, shape and enrich our changing world, inspired by the Gospel of Jesus Christ..."

At OLHOC we believe that the essential focus of our school is the overall development of each child according to the needs and potential of the individual. As such, we strive to provide a curriculum that will enable the child to grow in the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values necessary to become a spiritual, well integrated, secure, self-disciplined person, confident and able to contribute to the betterment of themselves, society and the environment in which we live.

School Annual Improvement

Improving Student Achievement and growth in reading

• In 2018 95% of students will achieve 12 months growth in reading, as measured by the PAT assessment, by the end of the school year. 
• In 2018 95% of students will achieve at expected level or above in reading as measured by the BAS assessment instrument.

Strategies

• Continue Consultant support from  Jo-Anne Dooner
• Continue implementation of Lyn Sharratt 14 parameters & high yield strategies (learning walks, data walls in reading and writing, respond & review - DLT structure)
• Engage targeted support from CES multidisciplinary team
• PLT structure with weekly focus on Agile Schools Sprints Process (min 50% each PLT meeting).

Enhancing Catholic Identity

In 2018 we will enhance the Catholic identity of the OLHOC school community.

Strategies

• ECSIP - survey data in March
• Engagement of external consultant to facilitate spiritual formation for all staff - Deacon Michael Lindsay, Br. Darren, SOM
• Engage targeted support from CES multidisciplinary team if possible
• Explore the Mercy charism and the legacy of Catherine McAuley with a view to re-contextualising this for our school community today.
• Articulate a summary of what it means to be a member of the OLHOC community: The Mercy Way at OLHOC.
• Develop a scope-and-sequence of formation across the whole school (students, staff and parents) to embed the Mercy Way at OLHOC.
• Develop a Whole-School Positive Relationships Framework that gives expression to the Mercy Way at OLHOC.

Distinctive Curriculum Offerings

Distinctive Curriculum Offerings include:

• Religious Education - Our core subjects include Religious Education which involves a formal study of Religion in the Catholic Tradition guided by the Archdiocese of Brisbane's Religious Education Curriculum
• Parish Sacramental Program
• Action for Social Justice to support various Catholic agencies including Mercy Works, Caritas, Catholic Mission, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Rosie's.
• Wellbeing focus - providing students with the foundations for emotional development and learning.
• Expanded school support team to include Learning Support, Curriculum, Counselling & Wellbeing
• Coaching in Reading and Writing with particular emphasis on Reading in 2018.
• E-Learning delivered via significant student access to digital devices in classrooms which is supported by a full time ICT assistant and consistent Tech support.
• Strong emphasis on implementing the Digital Technologies curriculum through Lego Robotics, Sphero Robotic Balls and Bee Bots to teach Coding and Programming.
• District Teacher Librarian support three days per week focusing on the area of digital literacy.
• Specialist teachers for Physical Education, Visual Arts and Performing Arts.
• Indonesian taught to students in Year 5 & 6  
• String and wind instrument teachers delivered through collaboration with St Mary's Catholic College's Music Department.
• School camps for students in Year 5 and 6.
• Overnight retreat for students in Year 6.
• Pre-Prep Transition program in Term 4 for school readiness.
• School Tours focussing on Innovative Learning Environments.
• Employment of a part-time Enrichment Teacher.

Extra Curricular Activities

 Student Leadership opportunities that include:

• School Captains and Vice Captains
• School House Captains
• Spirit of OLHOC Committee
• Community Cup Committee
• Playground Guardians
• Highly successful school choir - offering both Senior and Junior Choirs
• ICAS (Independent skills-based assessments with a competition element)
• School Band Development
• Rugby League Team
• Netball Team
• Homework Club
• Chess Club with participation in interschool competitions
• Robotics Enrichment Program
• Digital Photography Enrichment Program
• Travel Smart Program

Social Climate

Our Lady Help of Christians draws upon its Mercy charism to make explicit its Catholic Identity. The school community regularly and frequently seeks to celebrate its faith through prayer and liturgy. It seeks to celebrate significant community events, including Mothers' and Fathers' Day, ANZAC Day, NAIDOC and Grandparents Day, within an explicit Catholic context. The school explicitly displays, and is driven by the Gospel values of Respect, Empathy, Justice, Forgiveness and Community. The school also actively promotes action for social justice particularly supporting a number of Catholic Agencies. This action often combines education, prayer, and fundraising.

Our Lady Help of Christians School has a very caring and welcoming atmosphere. Visitors to the school regularly comment on the polite, helpful manner in which they are treated and spoken to by the students.

A full time school counsellor is available to work with students who require some additional support to manage concerns and difficulties they have in their lives. The school's staff are proactive in responding to issues which come to light, involving the school's leadership team as required. Students are supported to initially develop the skills to manage general friendship issues themselves in an appropriate manner, and to pass on information to staff when issues become too difficult to manage or they feel they need extra support. OLHOC continue to participate in the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence providing students with a voice to share their learnings around the role of an upstander and responsible digital citizenship skills.

The school encourages parents to be involved in the education of their children, including the social development of their children. Our Lady Help of Christians School works collaboratively with an Out of School Hours Care facility for students after school until 6pm. The Out of School Hours Care facility also offers a vacation care service and a morning care facility.

Parent Engagement

• Parents and Friends Association -Whole Community term events
• School Board
• Assemblies
• Parent Helpers in classroom including involvement in reading activities
• Parent Helpers in the tuckshop
• Parent Helpers at Athletics Carnival and Sports Activity Day
• Parent Information Evening at the beginning of the school year to inform parents about what will be covered during the year
• Open classrooms to showcase student learning
• Parent / Teacher Interviews to discuss student's progress
• Student Report Cards each semester
• Curriculum Workshops for parents and Parent information sessions with guest speakers
• School celebrations such as Mother's and Father's Days, Grandparents Open Morning
• Parent involvement with NAIDOC activities, participation in school camps & excursions
• Travel Smart with parents operating bike, walk and scooter options with staff
• Cairns Festival school bike bus participation
• Chess Club and participation in Chess competitions is organised by parent representative

Parent Satisfaction

Parents indicate that they choose to send their children to OLHOC because of the school location, reputation and the quality of the staff.  Academic Excellence and Catholic Ethos are also valued highly.  Parents believe that the school is a welcoming and caring community where everyone is treated with respect. 

OLHOC provides high quality services to parents and students and treats students from all backgrounds with respect.

Data Last Updated Mon 24 Jun 2019