St Dominic’s School, along with all Catholic, Independent and Government schools in Australia, collects Student Background Data (SBD) on behalf of the Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority (ACARA). Data collected is used for calculating the Index of Socio Educational Advantage (SEA), which determines schools that qualify for special assistance. Collected student background data includes the following:
- the sex of your child;
- the country of birth of your child;
- Aboriginality, or other ethnicities;
- your occupation and educational qualifications (in very broad terms); and
- the main languages/dialects spoken at home by yourself and your child.
Parents and guardians will have already provided this information at enrolment; however, to ensure that the information we have is accurate and up to date, coming home today via email is a copy of the current information we have on file for your family. If there have been any changes to your situation, in any area on the form, please edit the document online, complete the acknowledgement section on the final page and email it back to admin@stdominics.wa.edu.au by no later than Friday, 4th March. If no changes are required, simply enter your name and the date on the final page and return the form via email, noting within the email that all current details are up to date and accurate.
Collected information will be confidential and used for its intended purpose only. All data is used anonymously, and no individual person or school will be identifiable and linked with the results.
Capturing languages and dialects spoken at home is important for recognising and celebrating the richness and diversity of culture of students at St Dominic’s and to provide them with relevant support (if required) and to ensure a culturally and linguistic responsive environment and resources. It is important for the school to identify:
- students who speak another language or dialect as well as parents/guardians who speak another language or dialect at home, as this indicates that the student has a Language Background Other Than English (LBOTE). Dialects include dialects of English such as Pakistani English, Singaporean English, Ugandan English, etc.
- students who speak Aboriginal English. Aboriginal English is the name given to the various kinds of English spoken by the majority of Aboriginal students from urban, rural and remote areas of Australia and is a powerful vehicle for the expression of Aboriginal connection and identity.
We appreciate your support and cooperation to achieving this outcome through our data collection.
If you have any questions regarding the data requested, please feel free to contact me via the office.
For more information regarding the data collection, you may refer to the following link:
https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/data-standards-manual-student-background-characteristics.
Thank you for assisting us to keep your family details up to date.
Leon Bolding
Principal