NAPLAN RESULTS – Principal congratulates students, teachers and parents for outstanding growth in performance by students in Year 9

Congratulations and thanks to students and staff for the best Year 9 NAPLAN results we have had in some years. Although only one measure of student capabilities, NAPLAN does validate measures we are using at school and does provide an overall view of the degree of growth and progress being made by students.

Year 7 Results

I must acknowledge the great work being done in our partner primary schools and this was reflected in the Year 7 results in both reading and numeracy. The inclusion, for all Year 7 students, of an intensive reading program focused on the language, skills and vocabulary of high school helped many students overcome the traditional "slide back" at the start of high school and this is also reflected in the results.

Year 9 Results

This Year 9 group is the group that were the target group for the ILNNP (Improving Literacy & Numeracy National Partnership) funding and the ways that money was used to provide professional learning and subject based implementation of school wide platforms must be seen as a factor in our success.
The school is delighted with these results. This year group started high school with 200 of the 220 students below their expected year level. Their ability to learn, their resilience and their willingness to work with teachers trialling different approaches to literacy and numeracy in each subject must be recognised.
Our school goal with this group was to change the learning trajectory - that means, to help them learn faster and grow at a greater rate than would be expected using more traditional methods of teaching and learning.

Here are the results:

• • The growth data for Year 9 in numeracy: 57% of students were at or above the expected growth rate for all students. This is a very good result given the starting point for those students. The data now shows that 70% of students are in the middle and high bands - this is a great start for studying mathematics, science and technology subjects in the senior school.
  • The growth in reading was above state, with 67% (just over two thirds) of students achieving growth rates at or above expectations.
  • The growth in writing (the most important skill for high school students) was impressive with 69% of students growing at or above expectations.

Not surprisingly, we rated especially well in paragraph writing - thanks to SEXE - and the lead faculty model is obviously working well and will continue to be maintained in programs and lesson designs.

My deep thanks to our in house consultancy team for their expertise in professional learning and consultancy supporting our work.

My special thanks to Kate Short, Head Teacher Teaching & Learning for her leadership and to the specialist staff including National Partnership leaders who have worked with her.

The best predictor of future performance is past and current performance. We have actually shifted the curve of the learning trajectory for most students so many more are now at or above expected year level. Now that our students know how to grow in their learning...we can and must continue to guide that journey for them.

This is particularly true for our higher performing students who need us to keep extending them to master the discourse of each subject and prepare for university.

Many teachers and parents know I call this "increasing the Bs" - moving students from the middle bands towards the higher bands by empowering them in using all their cognitive capabilities better in their work. There will be more conversation to be held about this as we start planning for 2016.

Congratulations.