SCHOOLS
Preparing for NAPLAN
• Nearly all schools spend more time on literacy and numeracy in the run up to NAPLAN testing.
• Schools spend more than 3 hours a week extra on these areas at the expense of teaching less time in other key learning areas.
• Up to 66% of schools will prepare 1 to 5 weeks out from NAPLAN and 10% will spend time training more than 10 weeks out (Canvass Report, 2013).
• According to Tompkins, Campbell and Green (2012) the pressure teachers face to raise test scores results in sacrificing good programs of instruction for short term gain on NAPLAN testing is a recipe for long-term disaster.
• Schools should plan programs of literacy education that incorporate the requirements of NAPLAN tests, thus maintaining the professional development program that is effective for the learning needs of all students (Tompkins, Campbell & Green, 2012).
Results
• All schools report results to teachers and parents, while about 50% of schools also report to students mostly individually and in some cases to a whole class (Canvass Report, 2013).
• In the majority of cases it is found that most parents are more concerned with their child's results than that of the schools.
• This is noted in the Canvass Report (2013) where up to 70% of parents in independent and very large schools feel this way as opposed to about 25% in small and remote schools.
• School NAPLAN results are a draw card for parents seeking to enrol their children especially in the independent sector, very large and metropolitan schools. Therefore, a student's individual NAPLAN results are now also influential in obtaining possible enrolment into these schools and their popularity can lead to an increase of school fees (Canvass Report, 2013).
• Parker (2011) however warns school averages do not necessarily reflect achievement because results do not acknowledge how many students actually sat the test and the size of the school significantly influence the 'average' results because some schools have as little as 5 students sitting the tests.
• Schools have the power to manipulate results by exempting students from tests and in the case of Victorian schools, pressuring parents to withdraw their children (Topsfield, 2012).
• Cases have also been discovered where schools have opened tests early and teachers have been caught cheating (Parker, 2011).
• If using collected data from the My School website when choosing a school for siblings, parents should be aware that a school could achieve the best NAPLAN results but be wrong for their child (Parker, 2011).
Negative Impacts of NAPLAN on Schools
• The Canvass Report (2013) noted small schools and those in remote areas are most impacted negatively from NAPLAN testing, however independent, very large and metropolitan schools have more positive influences.
• These schools are under the most pressure from competitive stress and parental expectations than government and non-government schools.
• One of Australia's best performing schools in NAPLAN tests, Fintona Girls' School in Melbourne launched a scathing assessment of the exam regime in its submission to a senate Inquiry and suggest that schools conduct their own assessment and testing of children and the results used to develop individual work programs (Tovey & Preiss, 2013).
Receiving NAPLAN Test Materials
• Test materials are sent to schools in cardboard cartons and the packages of materials delivered to schools will contain:
- a Test materials packing slip listing the quantities of materials sent to the school
- student lists
- Type 1 (named) and Type 2 (unnamed) testbooks
- stimulus materials for the Reading and Writing tests
- test administration handbooks for each year level
- Tests in Braille, large print, black and white and electronic formats will arrive separately
Preparing for NAPLAN
• Nearly all schools spend more time on literacy and numeracy in the run up to NAPLAN testing.
• Schools spend more than 3 hours a week extra on these areas at the expense of teaching less time in other key learning areas.
• Up to 66% of schools will prepare 1 to 5 weeks out from NAPLAN and 10% will spend time training more than 10 weeks out (Canvass Report, 2013).
• According to Tompkins, Campbell and Green (2012) the pressure teachers face to raise test scores results in sacrificing good programs of instruction for short term gain on NAPLAN testing is a recipe for long-term disaster.
• Schools should plan programs of literacy education that incorporate the requirements of NAPLAN tests, thus maintaining the professional development program that is effective for the learning needs of all students (Tompkins, Campbell & Green, 2012).
Results
• All schools report results to teachers and parents, while about 50% of schools also report to students mostly individually and in some cases to a whole class (Canvass Report, 2013).
• In the majority of cases it is found that most parents are more concerned with their child's results than that of the schools.
• This is noted in the Canvass Report (2013) where up to 70% of parents in independent and very large schools feel this way as opposed to about 25% in small and remote schools.
• School NAPLAN results are a draw card for parents seeking to enrol their children especially in the independent sector, very large and metropolitan schools. Therefore, a student's individual NAPLAN results are now also influential in obtaining possible enrolment into these schools and their popularity can lead to an increase of school fees (Canvass Report, 2013).
• Parker (2011) however warns school averages do not necessarily reflect achievement because results do not acknowledge how many students actually sat the test and the size of the school significantly influence the 'average' results because some schools have as little as 5 students sitting the tests.
• Schools have the power to manipulate results by exempting students from tests and in the case of Victorian schools, pressuring parents to withdraw their children (Topsfield, 2012).
• Cases have also been discovered where schools have opened tests early and teachers have been caught cheating (Parker, 2011).
• If using collected data from the My School website when choosing a school for siblings, parents should be aware that a school could achieve the best NAPLAN results but be wrong for their child (Parker, 2011).
Negative Impacts of NAPLAN on Schools
• The Canvass Report (2013) noted small schools and those in remote areas are most impacted negatively from NAPLAN testing, however independent, very large and metropolitan schools have more positive influences.
• These schools are under the most pressure from competitive stress and parental expectations than government and non-government schools.
• One of Australia's best performing schools in NAPLAN tests, Fintona Girls' School in Melbourne launched a scathing assessment of the exam regime in its submission to a senate Inquiry and suggest that schools conduct their own assessment and testing of children and the results used to develop individual work programs (Tovey & Preiss, 2013).
Receiving NAPLAN Test Materials
• Test materials are sent to schools in cardboard cartons and the packages of materials delivered to schools will contain:
- a Test materials packing slip listing the quantities of materials sent to the school
- student lists
- Type 1 (named) and Type 2 (unnamed) testbooks
- stimulus materials for the Reading and Writing tests
- test administration handbooks for each year level
- Tests in Braille, large print, black and white and electronic formats will arrive separately
(The Courier Mail, 2014, p. 10)