Congratulations to those local schools that got some of the best NAPLAN results in the state (Dandenong Journal, 28 February).
However let’s be clear – getting the best NAPLAN results doesn’t necessarily mean that your school has the best literacy or numeracy outcomes, nor does it mean that it is the best school. Your school is just succeeding at NAPLAN.
NAPLAN tests were originally designed to give one measure – not the only measure – of student performance and in particular help schools identify students who most needed help.
It wasn’t designed to be used to compare one school against each other but that is what the misguided MySchool website has done.
Because being on top of the NAPLAN league tables created from the MySchool site affects school numbers, schools in Australia are increasingly not focussing on what is best for student’s educational development and instead focusing on boosting students’ NAPLAN scores.
Critical thinking and creativity don’t get measured by NAPLAN – but who cares in the NAPLAN hunger games.
Arts and science – not important as there is no score.
Student wellbeing – an afterthought as we push for our students to beaver away for NAPLAN glory.
Schools that focus on NAPLAN are seen as “winners” and other schools that don’t focus on NAPLAN are seen as “losers”.
Unfortunately as concerned parents react to this championship playing out it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Schools not focussing on NAPLAN lose students and the associated funding and become lower achieving schools.
Schools with big differences in funding and achievement lead to increased inequality, across Australia but even between different neighbourhoods in our local area
So have a think about whether the school lauded as your nearby NAPLAN champion is really the best school for your child or for society. It may be, but it may be just a brand that is really a mirage.
Matthew Kirwan, Noble Park
