Principal's Message

NAPLAN

In the last week or so, our Year 5, 7 and 9 students have been busy completing the National Program in Literacy and Numeracy Tests (NAPLAN). Nationally, NAPLAN testing is conducted annually across all schools. At ‘NAPLAN time’, we continue to see various reports in the media, often presenting very conflicting views that begin to question the validity of such testing, and indeed, school - based assessments generally. In fact, only last week we witnessed a small group of teachers from a regional interstate school “refusing" to administer the testing. Some of these commentaries contend that NAPLAN testing becomes the sole focus of teaching programs in particular schools and can cause undue stress for students, while other reports suggest that teachers, schools and even education systems are not able to correctly interpret NAPLAN results and/or address any perceived learning deficiencies.

This is not my experience across various schools and many years, and it is certainly not the case at Trinity College. Our boys are directed to approach NAPLAN testing in a sincere and considered manner and our teachers are very skilled at interpreting evaluative data. In fact, teachers are often able to assist in diagnosing issues with literacy and numeracy long before the results of NAPLAN. As a result of such analysis, the College has introduced targeted literacy and numeracy programs aimed at addressing perceived learning gaps for some of our students. Our own long-term data analysis points to their ongoing success.

At Trinity College, we broadly support any testing that provides schools, educational systems and governments with consistent and reliable data upon which specific and tailored learning programs for students are developed and upon which, future policy direction can be determined. NAPLAN results are just one such data source and our College frequently derives further data from other forms of testing. We also recognise that these tests only provide a ‘point in time’ snapshot of student capabilities and that drawing meaningful conclusions from such data has its limitations. Importantly, as a College, we are keen to analyse what may be revealed about our school in the process of standardised testing. While our recent NAPLAN results have been very good and have served to affirm our practice and processes, if a deficiency was discovered in any particular year cohort, or for a particular group of students, it is important to acknowledge and address this.

I feel that the ongoing public debate on this national testing gives NAPLAN a status which it neither seeks, nor deserves. While targeted research around its place within the educational sphere continues, and changes in its structure and application seem imminent, it currently remains as a nationally recognised standardised test that provides valuable information on student progress. I believe that it does have a place within the myriad of initiatives that seek to improve the educational outcomes for students. 

As a College, we will continue to give due diligence to its administration and its analysis. However, we will not consume valuable time or place undue stress on our boys by ‘teaching to the test’. We will continue to adopt a broad perspective which emphasises a well-rounded education designed to assist families in the formation of good young men. This should always be the aim of a good education and very much at the core of our Mission as a College.

Live Jesus in our hearts

Mr Darren O’Neill 

Principal 

Live Jesus in our hearts.