Despite the issues surrounding lockdown and remote learning, 2022 saw the school was identified as one of 125 in Victoria which recorded better than expected results compared to its average scores from the previous two years.
Principal Sarah Iddles said she was ecstatic about last year’s results, attributing it to the teaching methods employed at the school, and said students had been preparing hard this year with teachers going through various activities to better prepare them.
“Students at St Joseph’s have been preparing for NAPLAN by looking at the wording of questions to pinpoint what the question is asking of them.”
Ms Iddles said teachers had been advising first-time NAPLAN students (Year 3) that they shouldn’t worry and said the test was a tool for the school’s teachers to improve academic performance.
“(NAPLAN) is one way that we can look at all the amazing skills they (students) have, but most importantly, it tells us as teachers and as a school the types of learning areas that we can celebrate or focus on more deeply with our students,” she said.
In terms of preparation for the day, St Joseph’s position is that NAPLAN test day is like any other day and that students require what they normally need to succeed; a good night's sleep, a healthy full breakfast and a calm start to the morning.
Ms Iddles acknowledged that NAPLAN could be just as stressful for parents and said perspective was key and teachers were on hand to help interpret test outcomes.
“It is one test on one day ... At St Joseph’s we support our parents with interpreting the results by reading over them together in a three-way chat and discussing how those results transfer into the classroom or real world for that child,” Ms Iddles said.
As for the benefits that NAPLAN participation gives, Ms Iddles said the test gave students the chance to experience what a timed test feels like and said the recent move to online NAPLAN had been a hit with students.
“The students have enjoyed the experience of completing the test online as it removed the hardships of handwriting or tracking between the paper answer and reading test booklets.”
NAPLAN is an annual event in which Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students across Australia are tested on their literacy and numeracy abilities.
The test will run between Wednesday, March 15 and Monday, March 27 this year.
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