NAPLAN Testing - Donnybrook
Our Years 3 and 5 students will be sitting NAPLAN tests from 10 - 17 May. The national tests do provide a measurement of ability, however, the results are just one of several pieces of information giving us an understanding of how a student is performing in terms of literacy and numeracy.
NAPLAN results are beneficial to the school as a valuable source of data to assess students’ growth and achievement in literacy and numeracy. At a school level, NAPLAN data is helpful in our continual assessment of our curriculum programs and the approaches to supporting students to develop their literacy and numeracy skills across the Prep - Year 6 curriculum.
However, it is important for students to keep NAPLAN in perspective. NAPLAN is just one set of tests undertaken within a single week of the year and it is essential that the results for any individual student are not viewed in isolation. A student’s performance on NAPLAN can be impacted by any number of factors: illness, sleep patterns, personal circumstances, anxiety, social influences and many other factors. In addition, the range of skills and abilities assessed in NAPLAN is narrow and specific; students' learning and achievements encompass a much broader and richer spectrum of capabilities than NAPLAN is able to measure. Given both of these important limitations, teachers always draw on a variety of data to assess student achievement and utilise a range of data on student learning to put NAPLAN data in context.
While it is the practice in some primary schools to actively drill students in preparation to perform strongly on NAPLAN, our Primary staff are encouraged not to let the NAPLAN derail or distract from students’ classroom learning. We aim to provide students with effective and differentiated literacy and numeracy programs that reflect the Australian Curriculum and offer students engaging and meaningful learning experiences. The teachers will spend a small amount of time familiarising students in Years 3 and 5 with the format of the tests to ensure that they do not find the tests overwhelming and that they are accustomed to the types of questions they will be asked so that they feel confident and comfortable to complete the tests.
Students sitting NAPLAN are encouraged to approach each of the tests with a positive attitude and the intention to work to the best of their abilities – as they would, ideally, approach every aspect of their learning – but to avoid becoming anxious or concerned about the tests or the results. NAPLAN is just one of many learning experiences they will this year that offers the chance to observe the progress they are achieving.
If you have any concerns about the upcoming NAPLAN tests, please feel free to contact either Head Teaching and Learning P - 6 - Deb Molloy, or 3 - 6 Teaching and Learning - Richard Giarrusso.