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My School website performance statistics February 3
By Lauren Parker
Most local schools are performing below average when it comes to reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.
That’s the results of data gleaned from the controversial new Federal government website www.myschool.edu.au
The website was swamped with hits when it went live last week.
The Plains Producer accessed the website to discover many local schools were “in the red” or below average, with just a few performing above average.
The results are compiled from the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN).
Statistically similar schools are determined by comparing 16 social factors, including school location, income of parents, the number of indigenous students and others.
In the green was Auburn Primary School, with most results above average and some average.
In Balaklava, the primary school showed all below average results, as did the high school.
Horizon Christian School showed a balanced mix of above, below and average results.
Balaklava High School principal, Mark Healy, said the information on the website was nothing that wasn’t already available through the school’s annual report.
“Generally it provides a snapshot of aspects of the school and school community,” he said.
“It certainly doesn’t provide anything new that we didn’t know before, and it doesn’t provide anything that we don’t publish in our annual report.”
Mr Healy said he echoed the concerns of others who believed it could lead to the formation of ‘league tables’.
“It is open to that sort of treatment and because it is really simplistic it gives a little bit of information but doesn’t actually tell the real story about what’s going on in any school,” he said.
“I hope and trust the community is clear thinking enough to understand that.”
At Mallala Primary School, year seven students outperformed similar schools in nearly all areas, but other grades were below or average.
Mallala Primary School principal, Carmine Cafasso, said it was clear many parents were interested in the results comparison, but caution should be taken.
“There’s a danger in looking at it to simplistically, and it then puts pressure on the schools and teachers to teach to the test because the results are deemed to be so important,” he said.
Blyth Primary School had a mixture of above, below and average results, while Brinkworth Primary School’s results were said to be below average in all but one area.
Hamley Bridge was mostly below average, with just four results being average and one above.
Owen Primary School’s results were substantially below average, and Riverton primary was mostly average or below average.
Riverton and District High School results were below average, and Saddleworth Primary students performed at the average in nearly all areas.
At Snowtown, results were average or below average, and Two Wells and Virginia primary were an even mix of above, below and average.
Results for Tarlee primary school were not available.
Locally, 25 per cent of Plains Producer web poll respondents said they would check the website when considering which school to choose for their child.
Parents could soon have more involvement in the website, with Federal government announcing parents could be asked to help rank the performance of their child’s school.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced he would make the website more comprehensive if Labor was re-elected, to include information on bullying and safety measures, classroom innovation and local community participation, as well as including data from parent surveys.
Parent Katrina Ebsary, who sends her children to Snowtown Area School, said she hadn’t had the chance to look at the website yet but planned to.
She has mixed opinions about the website and while she believes parents should know how a school is performing, Katrina worries disadvantaged kids may be pressured, and teachers could concentrate their studies to conform to the site.
“It wouldn’t necessarily be a deciding factor in the country, but definitely in the city as there are a lot more options,” Katrina said.
Bronny Masters, who has students in reception and year 11 at Snowtown Area School, said she was yet to look at the website but thought it was a good idea.
With the family soon to move to Crystal Brook, she plans to investigate just how the schools were performing in their new town. However, Bronny said it wasn’t a deciding factor.
“Out here you don’t really have much choice,” she said.
PHOTO BELOW: BRONNY Masters will use the Myschool website to investigate how schools are performing in Crystal Brook, where she will soon become a resident.
