Mt Druitt is 38 kilometres west of Sydney's famous harbour but local school principal Michael Atteya uses a nautical analogy to help bridge the digital divide.
Key points:
- This year's was the first NAPLAN test since students moved to virtual classrooms
- Compared to 2019 results, there has been no statistically significant fall in foundational literacy and numeracy skills
- Writing skills continue to be lower than they were a decade ago
Ninety-five per cent of pupils at St Bishoy Coptic Orthodox College are from non-English speaking backgrounds and 64 per cent are below average in terms of socio-economic advantage.
"One of my students said, 'A lot of people keep saying we are all in the same boat, we are all in the same boat.' I don't think that is true. We might be all in the same storm but we're not in the same boat. Some people are in yachts and others are in little dinghies," Mr Atteya said.
Mr Atteya said Mt Druitt locals still remembered an infamous newspaper front page from 25 years ago that dubbed the public school "the class that failed" – it gives him extra pride in saying that at his school there's the class that sailed.
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)For five years now, it has been in the top 50 most improved schools in NAPLAN tests and continued good results in 2021 are especially sweet after navigating remote learning.
NAPLAN results 'a testimony to hard work'
The body that conducts the tests, the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), says there is plenty to celebrate about May's test results.
It was the first NAPLAN test since students moved to virtual classrooms, involving 1.2 million students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Compared to 2019 results, there has been no statistically significant fall in foundational literacy and numeracy skills despite predictions remote learning would see a dive in results.
"It shows that overall this has not had a negative impact on our students' literacy and numeracy levels, which I think should come as great encouragement to students, parents, carers, teachers, school principals. It really is a testimony to their hard work," said ACARA CEO David de Carvalho.
Routine is the key
Year 9 St Bishoy student Gabrielle Asaad said routines are the key to keeping on top of remote learning.
Gabrielle starts each day by making breakfasts for her younger siblings and parents.
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)"It has been a challenge but I think forming that routine and trying just to keep sane by, like, trying to communicate with my family and friends still. I think that has really helped," she said.
Her philosophy gels with the school's, which uses explicit learning methods like phonics, where children sound out groups of letters to learn to read and write.
Students in primary school do two hours of literacy before recess and two hours of numeracy before lunch, then continue other subjects in the afternoon.
"I'm so proud of our school," Gabrielle said.
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)Writing still the national weak spot
While writing results haven't statistically changed since 2019, they continue to be lower than they were a decade ago, particularly for years 7 and 9, despite record investments in schools nationally.
The 2021 score for year 7 is 522 compared to the 2011 base score of 529, while for year 9 in 2021 it is 551 compared to 566 in 2011.
Year 5 writing has improved over the last year to 480, closer to the 2011 base score of 483.
"We did actually start to see a turnaround in the long-term downward trend in writing. That downward curve if you like has started to flatten. It just goes to show that persistent effort does start to pay off after time," Mr de Carvalho said.
One big caveat on the test scores
ACARA has only partially completed its data processing and only has state and national averages to release.
In December, it will release more detailed breakdowns that will capture how different groups, including disadvantaged students, have performed.
That could show whether national averages are masking the outliers, where some students are doing better and others performing more poorly.
Associate professor Rachel Wilson, from the University of Sydney, recently conducted a review of NAPLAN and said the national test is still failing students with its narrow focus that does not account for student wellbeing.
"The fact we don't have a lot of data on student wellbeing and their overall health and their confidence and creativity really shows a large gap in how the system's working," she said.
Federal opposition wants 'COVID catch-up strategy' for schools
Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge welcomed the NAPLAN results but said he remained concerned about the impact of lockdowns on young people.
"We need to continue to focus on getting Australians vaccinated so we can get schools open and kids back into the classroom, back into sport and back with their extended friends and family," he said.
"I also remain focused on the longer-term goal of returning Australia to the top group of education nations, including by lifting standards in literacy and numeracy."
Despite the promising NAPLAN results, the federal opposition is calling on the government to develop a new bi-partisan COVID-19 recovery plan for schools.
Shadow Education Minister Tanya Plibersek said she was particularly worried about the long-term impact lockdowns might have on children in the early years of primary school and those who are about to finish year 12.
"Millions of Australian schoolkids have had a really tough couple of years, they've had remote learning, some of them for months at a time," Ms Plibersek told AM.
She has written to Mr Tudge, offering to work with him to develop a strategy to help students catch up on missed lessons.
Ms Plibersek would also like to see more mental health support for school children, as well as extra university and TAFE places for those about to graduate.
"We know university applications are higher than ever. That's because gap-year travel is off the table. Gap-year jobs are off the table," Ms Plibersek said.
"We also know there is a larger group of students because of the Costello baby bubble, as it's known.
"The government ought to be offering extra places at university and in TAFE to make sure that kids will be able to pursue the education that will get them the job of their dreams."
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiUWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTA4LTI1L25hcGxhbi1yZXN1bHRzLWluLWZvci1jb3ZpZC15ZWFyLzEwMDQwMzcwMtIBKGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMDA0MDM3MDI?oc=5
2021-08-24 19:20:28Z
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