Preparing Your Child For NAPLAN

This week the education News Media and perhaps even your dinner table conversations will be dominated by NAPLAN. Between 15-17th May students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will sit a series of tests in the core skills of:

• Reading

• Writing

• Language Conventions – Grammar and Spelling

• Numeracy

Here at our school, students sit their tests in exam conditions, but within the familiar surroundings of their own classrooms in Years 3 and 5. In the lead up to the tests, teachers will have spent a number of lessons preparing students for their NAPLAN experience – this includes some sample questions so that students know what the test looks and feels like. What we don’t do is “teach to the test” by having teachers prepare students throughout the entire year to perform well in this one test. We have confidence in the week to week quality of our teaching and learning programs to enable students to perform at their best. Our desire to educate the whole child is also central to what we stand for as a College – all students are different, exceptional and unique.

In terms of what parents can do to prepare their child we advise you to keep NAPLAN week as normal as possible. The News I’m sure, will be filled with stories of stressed children (and parents) worried about their NAPLAN experience. Therefore, our advice to parents is to speak positively to their child about NAPLAN and encourage them to give their best effort. If you feel at any stage that your child is showing signs of stress or anxiety, beyond that you might expect for a test, then please contact their teacher in the first instance.

We value the information NAPLAN provides us as a school. Our Teaching and Learning and Faculty Teams analyse the data to look for trends which assist us to set goals for growth which make up our School Improvement Plan.

I’d like to wish all our students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 the very best for the coming week.

Paul Ivey

Director of Innovation in Learning