FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Term 3 - Week 3

After two years of professional development, hardwork and dedication St Nicholas has developed a culture where the quality learning and teaching of reading is viewed as integral to the educational and wellbeing outcomes of our students. 

It is with great anticipation that I look forward to tomorrow's release of the 2022 NAPLAN Student and School Summary Report (SSSR). I am excited by the data, as I am extremely confident the transformation of our approach to the learning and teaching of reading will be reflected in our Year 3 and Year 5 NAPLAN reading results.

St Nicholas local data for Term 2 2022 is yet another reason why we can be optimistic about our 2022 NAPLAN Reading results.

Table 1A provides the average grade PM levels of our students. This table also shows the growth of each cohort from where they finished in 2021 to the completion of Term 2 2022. 

When we compare our 2022 reading data to 2020 and 2021 (Table 1B), the increased precision and sophistication of the learning and teaching of reading over the last 12 months is reflected in our results. This is particularly the case as the school has been significantly affected by COVID absenteeism for both staff and students. 

As a school community we should be extremely proud of the culture we have developed. This culture ensured our Reading Block was not stopped, due to staff absenteeism, for a single day in Semester 1.

In 2022 the emphasis of our reading data has moved from grade averages, to the number of students who have reached their benchmark. Our infants average of 32.8%, is 4.8% above the diocesan average. With St Nicholas 256 Infants children comprising a significant percentage of the diocese, our students have significantly raised the diocesan average. If St Nicholas children were removed from the diocesan average, it is fair to say St Nicholas percentage is approximately 7% ahead of the rest of the diocese.

At the conclusion of Term 2, 73.4% of St Nicholas Year 3 children have already reached their end of year benchmark - a tremendous achievement (Table 1C). 

As a school we target the end of Year 3 as a time our students need to be reading confidently and fluently. This is because from Year 3, there is a distinct movement in the curriculum from ‘learning to read’- ‘to reading to learn’. Children now need to be fluent and confident in their reading to ensure they can access the entire school curriculum. 

St Nicholas Year 3 reading data requires further celebration when delving a little deeper.  Table 1D highlights there are another 9 students within 2 PM levels of reaching the end of year benchmark. With two terms remaining, we can expect these children (and possibly others) to reach benchmark (pushing the average above 85%)

Please join with me in celebrating our Term 2 reading results. Join with me in celebrating the culture we are creating at St Nicholas where reading is viewed as a primary foundation for our students to achieve their educational and wellbeing outcomes.

Have a wonderful week.

John Clery

PRINCIPAL