FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Term 3 - Week 7

This week I continue with our deep dive in NAPLAN 2024: Year 3 Writing

 

Situational Analysis

In March, St Nicholas had 80 Year 3 students sit the Year 3 Writing NAPLAN Assessment, 35 (44%) were male and 45 (56%) were female.  Nine (11%) students identify as of Aboriginal origin. 20 (25%) students are on a Personal Plan. 70 of our Year 3 students were enrolled in Kindergarten (2020) and 11 students have enrolled at St Nicholas since the beginning of Year 1.

 

NAPLAN WRITING ANALYSIS 2024

Since 2023, Australian students have been categorised into one of four proficiency standards for their writing proficiency:

Table 3B illustrates the percentage of St Nicholas students in each standard. This data measures very well against the Nation (Table 3A). 96% of our students achieving a ‘Strong’ or ‘Exceeding’ standard is simply incredible. So too, that no student was in the “Needs Additional Support”.

 

In seeking a challenging next step, our aim is to move more students from the ‘Strong’ to the ‘Exceptional’ standard.

Table 3C presents St Nicholas Year 3 Writing average alongside the System, Nation, State and NSW Inter Regional School averages. Noticeably, St Nicholas is the only cohort to break the 450 mark, with no other cohort getting close. 

While our Year 3 Writing average is pleasing viewing, it is important to break open our cohort and see the number of students who are achieving marks above the System, Nation, State and NSW Inter-regional School averages. As Table 3D displays, 80% of our students scored above every cohort's average (including the State average), while 91.3% of our students scored above the Year 5 average for students located in Inter-regional NSW. These percentages highlight our learning and teaching supporting all students. Our average is not reliant on a small group of high achievers.

“Regular attendance at school is essential if students are to maximise their potential” (CSO Policy & Procedures for Student Attendance, paragraph 1.1). This statement gains extra weight when viewing Table 5E. 

 

Our Year 3 students whose attendance rate was above 90% in 2023 (Year 2), on average, scored an additional 9.38 marks than their peers whose 2023 attendance rate was below 90%. Due to our school's rigorous and sophisticated learning and teaching of writing, our children with consistently high attendance are being set up for success!

While table 3E clearly shows the importance of our children being at school, what do our NAPLAN Year 3 Writing results tell us in regards to the consistency of teaching across our school? Table 3F breaks our results into two cohorts:

  • Year 3 St Nicholas students enrolled at St Nicholas in Kindergarten 2021
  • Year 3 St Nicholas students enrolled at St Nicholas after Kindergarten 2021

Table 3F acknowledges the students who have joined us after kindergarten positively impacting our average, it also supports a consistently high delivery of our learning and teaching in writing.

 

Conclusion

A deep analysis of our Year 3 NAPLAN writing provides reason to celebrate. Having 80% of our students achieving a score higher than the state average is mind blowing.

 

At St Nicholas we should be incredibly proud of our rigorous and sophisticated approach to the learning and teaching of writing. An approach that is developing “literate and numerate students with a hope filled future”.

 

Confirmation

On Saturday night and Sunday morning, 70 Year 6 candidates will join with members of St Nicholas Parish and be bestowed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, through the Sacrament of Confirmation.

 

I ask you join with me in congratulating these students.

 

Have a great week!

 

John Clery

Principal