Curriculum

In this week’s newsletter, I’d like to remind families of the slight changes to the way in which we reported a student’s classroom behaviour and effort in Semester 1.

In 2023, students were assessed on a five-point scale, using the following markers:

• Excellent
• Very Good
• Good
• Acceptable
• Needs Improvement 

From last semester, students were still marked on a five-point scale, but using the new markers listed below:

• Excellent
• Very Good
• Good
• Needs Improvement
• Not Acceptable

We also added to the reports a description of what each marker means. This was similar to the one you were used to seeing which described the placement of a student’s progression point.  While we previously had expectations that the teachers mark students against for behaviour and effort, these expectations were never shown on reports until last semester. The descriptions are below, as a reminder:

BEHAVIOUR

Excellent: For students who are considered 'Above and Beyond'. Any student receiving this mark would have been recognised as an 'Above and Beyond' student during the semester.

Very Good: For students who are considered 'Model Citizens'.

Good: For students who only need occasional reminders about expected behaviours.

Needs Improvement: For students who have difficulty in maintaining acceptable behaviour and need constant teacher support and intervention.

Not Acceptable: For students who display consistent disrespect towards their teacher and fellow students, constantly disrupting the flow of lessons.

EFFORT

Excellent: For students who are considered 'Above and Beyond'. Any student receiving this mark would have been recognised as an 'Above and Beyond' students during the semester.

Very Good: For students who are considered 'Model Citizens'.

Good: For students who only need occasional reminders about work expectations.

Needs Improvement: For students who have difficulty meeting work expectations and need regular reminders to keep them on task and producing and completing acceptable work.

Not Acceptable: For students who constantly produce work that is not to an acceptable standard or do not complete expected tasks.

When a student is given a mark at the mid-point of the five-point scale for their academic progress, they are working at the expected level for their age. Similarly, if a student receives a mark at the mid-point of the five-point scale for classroom behaviour or effort, they are showing behaviour or effort levels that we would expect to see at their year level. Achieving at the mid-point of the five-point scale is not a negative!

If you do have any questions surrounding your child’s behaviour and effort in class, your first port of call should always be the classroom teacher, as they are best placed to describe what they see in the classroom on a day-to-day basis.

If you have any further questions regarding reporting, please feel free to contact me.

Rowan Balzary

Assistant Principal