Welcome to Kangarilla Primary School
We would like to welcome you and your family to the Kangarilla Primary School Community.
Kangarilla is a small community school located centrally between Clarendon, Meadows and McLaren Flat. Consisting of 3 classes we offer a friendly, individual and caring approach to learning.
We are situated next to a flowing creek, with paddocks and cows located at the back of the luscious green oval. In this stunning and relaxing setting our students utilize the natural environment to complement their studies. We use the paddocks for cross country training, the creek is a great source for studying invertebrates and creek life, and our vegetable garden and chicken produce are used in our healthy cooking lessons. We also have excellent School Services Officers who aid our students in specialist programs such as vision support, 1 to 1 help and small group learning. We are also fortunate to be able to offer the services of a fantastic Pastoral Care Worker.
Our students are lucky to have specialist teachers in Cultural Studies, P.E. Health, and Music and class teachers use the content of the Australian Curriculum to develop interesting and hands on programs.
Kangarilla offers a wide range of musical experiences to all students. Classes have music lessons weekly and students are able to participate in choir and band and those interested can take advantage of individual lessons in piano, singing, guitar and drums.
Our students have easy classroom access to desk top computers, laptops, IPads and interactive whiteboards. Our technology program is expanding to include coding of ProBots and BeeBots.
Sport is a vital part of our school curriculum. Our students compete in a variety of SAPSASA events including football, netball, table tennis, mountain bike riding, cricket and rugby as well as District Day (Athletics), Cross Country and Swimming. Our students are always complimented on their sportsmanship and behaviour at these events.
Kangarilla is very fortunate to have an exceptional Arts Program. It is the National Winner of the Picasso Cow Competition, competing against schools from all around Australia. Hanging in the Temperance Hall is an outstanding History Banner designed by students from Reception to Year 7 and donated to the Progress Committee. It will become a piece of history itself. Each year our Year 7 students add to the history of the school by designing and painting a mural reflecting their vision of the school.
Kangarilla Primary is pleased to be able to offer high quality before and afterschool care as well as an exciting vacation care program. Kangarilla students play an active role in community events. For many years students have represented our school at the ANZAC Day Services and have played major roles in the service.
Students from Kangarilla Primary are actively encouraged to take on leadership positions, take a stand against bullying (Focus against Bullying Course) and they play a key role in organizing discos, movie nights, whole school breakfasts and celebrations.
I would be pleased to show any prospective parents and students around our school so you can observe the wide range of hands-on learning activities our students enjoy. We offer an extensive transition program for Kindergarten to School (1 day per week for 4th term).
I am a proud advocate of our school and community and believe all students would benefit from this small school experience.
Donna Lean,
Principal
Kangarilla Primary School: Parent Feedback/Survey Responses 2017 – 2021 (Sash Robjohns)
Christian Pastoral Support Worker Parent/Caregiver Feedback 2017
Q1 – How aware are you of Kathy’s role as Christian Pastoral Support Worker in our school?
Very aware.
Q2 – How has Kathy helped the school and/or you?
As a new mum and student at the school this year, it is without doubt that Kathy has been instrumental in ensuring our transition occurred as smoothly as possible. Jossy and I were made to feel welcome and accepted as part of the school community from our very first day. Kathy has without fault, continued to reinforce this warmth and sense of belonging with her ongoing support to this very day.
Q3 – Are there ways Kathy could improve in her role?
My understanding is that Kathy has many roles!! There is always room for improvement ;-) but as I have not been at the school for very long, I feel I am unable to comment on possible improvement. At this point I cannot fault Kathy in any way and am more than pleased with the effects that her interaction and genuine care has had on my son.
Q4 – Are there any ideas/programmes you would like to see Kathy implement next year?
Again, I don’t think I have been at the school long enough to comment. For the moment I am happy focussing on and enjoying the turnaround in Josiah.
Q5 – Do you have any other comments or feedback?
I have always looked at school staffing (right or wrong) as being able to be broken down into two sections: A) qualification and ability to perform the role, and B) character and interpersonal skillset. In a much larger school (as the one that we have moved from), the much greater focus was directed at performing the role and qualification. Larger staffing numbers would suggest it easier to cover all social, emotional and psychological needs that may be required within the school community, but it has been our experience that this is not the case. I have always felt that there should be equal focus on both aspects of staffing and the importance of children knowing that they have access to the many kinds of support that they may require, not just academic. This is something that I believe Kangarilla Primary School exceeds at and Kathy plays a significant part in this mix.
This year Josiah could have remained in his shell, or worse, retreated further. Instead, I have watched him respond beautifully to Kathy and although there is a long way to go, he is slowly and steadily growing in both self-confidence and esteem. To be fair, Kathy is not solely responsible within the school community for this positive change in Josiah, but should be very proud of her own exceptional individual impact.
Every school drop off this year I have returned home feeling safe and happy knowing that Josiah was in good hands. Prior to moving to Kangarilla Primary School, I had not felt this for a long time.
Thank you Kathy ;-) and the entire Kangarilla Primary School staff!
Christian Pastoral Support Worker Parent/Caregiver Feedback 2019
Q1a – What level of awareness do you have of the Pastoral Care Workers role?
4.5 Very aware (out of 5).
Q1b – How have you been made aware of the role?
I ticked everything except for “Other (please specify)”.
- Personal contact
- School newsletter
- From my child’s interaction
- Promotional brochure
- Activities run by Pastoral Care Worker
- Word of mouth
- School web site information
Q2 – What aspects of Kathy’s’ role do you most appreciate and/or are most beneficial to your school community?
I ticked everything except for “Breakfast Club”.
- Student well-being support
- Small group student well-being support
- Pastoral support for staff
- Support for families
- Organised lunchtime activities
- Specific well-being programmes e.g. “What’s the Buzz”
- Classroom support/presence
- Not just the time spent supporting my son, but also the unbelievable support provided to me as a parent.
Q3 – What is the most significant change or difference in the school community you are aware of due to Kathy being in the role? In your answer, if applicable, you may like to indicate how Kathy has made a difference to you and/or your child.
Kathy has an incredible and innate ability to keep pushing the boundaries of care and support provided. Both my son and I have had a rough few years; the hours spent working with me to help support not only my little boy, but me personally, have far exceeded any job description. Thank you so much Kath!
Q4 – What would you like to see as a future direction for chaplaincy in your school?
An assurance that Kath’s position at Kangarilla Primary School will be ongoing – long after my son has left for high school. Kath’s unique qualities, awesome character and her ability to keep giving and supporting all around her, is a crucial element to the functioning of Kangarilla Primary School and the students active involvement in the broader Kangarilla community.
Kangarilla Primary School DECD Parent Opinion Survey 2019
Part A – Statement/Rating
All 14 statements were checked as “Strongly Agree”.
Part B – Feedback or Comments
My son is about to complete his third year at Kangarilla Primary School. Although I still occasionally rue the fact that we did not begin reception at this school, our experiences at my sons previous school are a constant reminder of the truly unique and special school environment that we are now a part of at Kangarilla Primary School.
The constant and unwavering care and support provided by all staff to all students, is unparalleled to anything I’ve ever come across in any environment in the past. Not only is this demonstrated every single day without fault or hesitation, this same care and support is proactively extended to all of the Kangarilla Primary School families.
Some may argue that being a small school it is much easier for the staff to be far more hands on with every child, than perhaps it may be at a larger school. However, being a small school delivering the quality of education that we as parents have become accustomed to, does in part rely on the support of parents and the local community. My experience has shown that this is much more the case than in a larger school.
In an age where free time could be considered a luxury, the parents and local community of Kangarilla Primary School are all well aware that they are part of something very special and actively go out of their way to assist the school as much as possible. This has never been taken for granted by the school and is truly appreciated by all staff every single day. Even though the school is small in number, the quality, warmth and cohesiveness of the Kangarilla Primary School’s school environment continues to improve and flourish. At no point has the school community been adversely affected as it may have been in other school schools.
The teaching of students is not just a means of employment to the Kangarilla Primary School staff, it is a lifestyle. If only their working model could be bottled and implemented in all schools!!
Kangarilla Primary School DECD Parent Opinion Survey 2021
Part A – Statement/Rating
Thirteen statements were checked as “Strongly Agree” and one was checked as “Agree” (my child is making good progress at this school).
Part B – Feedback or Comments
I am someone who as a rule never ticks or highlights the most positive or favourable options in a survey. This is simply because I have always believed in the notion of “there is always room for improvement”. Having said this, to have not completed the 2021 Parent Opinion Survey in the most favourable manner would have done Kangarilla Primary School a great injustice.
Kangarilla Primary School naturally operates according to the curriculum, policies, procedures and protocols as determined by the South Australian Education Department. What the Education Department has no recipe for and no bearing over at all, is the heart and amazing passion displayed by each and every one of the teachers and support staff at this school.
Although unique in individual character, it is the staffs shared recognition of the unparalleled opportunities that a small school in a small community can offer coupled with the common desire to facilitate these experiences, which bind them in a formidably cohesive, supportive and nurturing manner.
More than ever I now believe that in a large school (primary) there is a correlation between a child’s nature or character and their ability to develop not only intellectually, but personally and socially. Regardless of a child’s academic capabilities, for children of such a young age who may not have a particular character that allows them to flourish in a large school environment, it is all too easy for them to be lost in the system. I do not say this lightly as this is something that my son and I have experienced at his previous school.
Kangarilla Primary School was aware of my sons’ confidence issues and fear of failure (an unfortunate by-product of his previous school) from his very first day at the school. Over the past four years the improvement in my sons’ confidence (and even willingness to go to school) can be attributed solely to the support and coaching provided by all staff. Although we still have a little way to go, what he has achieved and his happiness at this school has far exceeded all of my expectations.
It is also important to note that the schools support does not stop with my son. My son and I have suffered a number of personal horrors in recent years and as a single mum it has been no mean feat trying to drag the pair of us through them. The countless hours in support and care that the staff have afforded me extend far beyond any job description. It is safe to say that the staff at Kangarilla Primary School have not just created a tight knit school community, but have gone that one step further and created a tight knit school family – one which I could not have done without.
My son is heading to high school next year and the enormity of this is only now sinking in. As I sit here drafting my comments, the realisation that this is the last opportunity that I will have as a parent to formally praise the school that has done so much for both my son and I, leaves me feeling not only sad but suffering a premature sense of loss.
At the risk of turning this into a white paper in support of small schools, I will close with some final thoughts drawn from my experiences at Kangarilla Primary School. There is something very special (even magical) about being involved in a small school. This is not something that can be governed accurately from the outside looking in, but something that needs to be experienced from within to be truly understood.
Whilst I have no understanding of how resources and funding are allocated to South Australian schools, I will draw on my own employment history from different industries and assume that there would be some form of sliding scale which is applied to all schools regardless of their size. Like myself, there are many families who travel great distances just to send their children to Kangarilla Primary School. My school drop off and pick up runs increased from 30km per week to 350km per week with the change of school, a decision that I have never once regretted.
If school resources and funding were allocated according to staff willingness to go above and beyond, a parent’s commitment to greater travel time and the extra expenses incurred whilst in pursuit of their child’s personal growth, learning and happiness, I firmly believe that the Kangarilla Primary School should be entitled to unlimited resources and funding.
Whilst I believe unequivocally in Child Protection Policies and understand and support the emphasis and focus surrounding the protection of a child from external forces, I have long been of the mindset that a key component is often overlooked. It was only when we joined the Kangarilla Primary School community that I first found myself in an environment that not only shared my beliefs but proactively engaged in them.
Kangarilla Primary School not only understands the need to protect a child from external forces (as per the Child Protection Policy) but has identified and encourages the importance of protecting and encouraging each student’s individual personality.
