St Joseph’s School Glen Innes has posted substantially above-average gains in both reading and numeracy, according to the latest round of NAPLAN tests conducted last year, and principal Marie Moule credits the good work of her teachers and the students’ efforts in achieving the pleasing results.
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The gains are measured against the national average as well as against schools with similar students (on a socio-educational advantage basis) and against students with similar starting scores.
Robert Randall, CEO of ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) who administers NAPLAN, congratulated Ms Moule and the school community on being among the 360 schools posting high achievement out of the 10,000 schools tested.
“Gains of this magnitude are significant and worthy of highlighting and acknowledgement,” he said.
Ms Moule added her congratulations to her students and teachers.
“These results are a culmination of the work of all teachers contributing to the learning of all students and of course the students involved,” she said.
Ms Moule said supporting the excellent results was the school’s participation in the Diocesan Literacy Enhancement Strategy which ensures all students meet given benchmarks in literacy and numeracy in the early years of schooling.
“In addition, teachers use a range of effective pedagogical practices in all classrooms resulting in all students achieving to the best of their ability. These practices are supported by differentiated learning and teaching that meets the needs of each individual student.
“The school also utilises the Mini Lit program as extra support in literacy for those students who require it.”
In addition to some outstanding individual results, overall results for both years tested (year 3 and year 5) were strong. Year 5 gains from when the students were last tested under NAPLAN two years previously were also significant.
In year 3, the school was above both the state and diocesan mean in all areas, which includes reading (30.0 points higher the state mean), grammar and punctuation (49.7 higher), and numeracy (63.1 higher), writing and spelling.
Half the Year 3 St Joseph’s students tested achieved the highest possible band (band 6) in numeracy, with 57.7 per cent achieving band 6 in grammar and punctuation and 42.3 per cent receiving it in reading.
The school’s Year 5 students were above the state and diocesan average for reading, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy, and above the Diocesan mean for spelling. In numeracy, 24.9 per cent tested above the state mean, 21.2 per cent in reading and 22.3 per cent in grammar and punctuation.
Of the eight bands grading Year 5 results, 83.3 per cent of St Joseph’s students received band 6 or above in numeracy, and 44.4 and 44.5 per cent (respectively) achieved band 7 or higher in reading and in grammar and punctuation.
