Interpreting Student reports - Principals' responsibility

 As a school Principal I would strive to ensure that it was easy for parents to understand the periodic student progress reports that they receive.

In recently viewing one of my grandchildren's semester primary (elementary) school reports I found no explanatory preamble to assist me interpreting the detail of the report.  I decided to write what I considered would be helpful in the preamble as follows: (The school name is fictional, but appropriate in recognising the forward thinking of the great 18th century Genevan {Swiss} philosopher Jean-Jaques Rousseau and his timeless educational treatise "Emile".)

Advice to parents/guardians to assist their interpretation of their child’s school Report 

 

 

In order to better interpret your child’s Report we encourage parents/guardians to read the following.

 

Rousseau Primary School Learning Program is based on the WA version of the Australian National Curriculum. If you wish to view the detail use the URL  k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au .  This should reveal the relationship between the headings on the report form and the prescribed curriculum subjects for your child’s age/grade. In mathematics we have adopted the “Oxford Mathematics for Australian Schools” program and have familiarised parents with this. It is aligned with the WA Mathematics syllabus.

 

When your child enters the school gates each day we ensure that they feel safe, secure and respected for who they are.

 

As a key general principle the Rousseau Primary School community believes that each student is performing at a level commensurate with all the factors affecting their lives day by day. These factors are part of the in-school and out-of-school environments in which each child lives. If a child is not enthusiastically applying themselves to the learning experiences offered, we do not think of unhelpful negative labels like ‘lazy’; ‘disruptive’ or ‘not working to potential’. Rather we make it an urgent priority to constructively ascertain why and rectify the situation in conjunction with parents/guardians.  At the first signs of a serious lapse in learning attainment across the curriculum subjects we will contact parents/guardians immediately.  We do not believe in worrying surprises after the horse has bolted.

 

With regard to a crucial in-school factor, be assured that our teachers are true professionals, who along with mentoring by the Principal, and participation in in-service opportunities, ensure that their performance is of the highest standard.

 

We have a school policy that in the syllabus areas of English (literacy), mathematics (numeracy), Science and Digital Technology we do not move students to new learning unless they have mastered the pre-requisites for that new learning. To not adhere to such a policy means that learning gaps occur and become cumulative over the school journey. We apply this policy based on detailed data records of each child’s attainment. This could mean for example that a year 4 student who did not fully master the year 4 syllabus Fractions section will need as a year 5 to be working on that year 4 Fractions section to a mastery level when fractions are due to be studied in year 5. We will discuss this with parents as deemed necessary as we don’t want you to feel that your child is ‘behind’. We urge you to view their learning in the context of the general principle described above. To allow gaps to accumulate in learning areas like mathematics is to see year 10 students with severe numeracy incompetency as has been identified for some secondary school students in WA. The same can be said for literacy (Google OLNA testing WA).

 

 

In all other learning areas (subjects) we rigorously ensure that students cover every aspect of the prescribed syllabus with all members of class moving through at the same pace. We do not apply the mastery principle in these learning areas.

 

The learning in English and mathematics is resulting in the development of functional literacy and numeracy.  You will be reassured to know that attention is paid to functional literacy and numeracy across all subjects in the curriculum.

 

The school has an eye on jobs that are likely to emerge in the future. Key vocational areas are in IT; scientific and medical research and applications; environmental sustainability, food production and the caring services.  Accordingly, we have a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) emphasis in student projects that straddle these learning areas. We also emphasise through our studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences the importance of the caring vocations. We are open to integrated learning whereby the Humanities and the Arts may also contribute to STEM projects. It is our responsibility even at primary school level to contribute to students being prepared for a future that is difficult to predict.

 

In each learning area (subject) the student is assessed about their knowledge (facts); understanding (concepts) and skills (processes like calculating); and a set of generic learning skills like researching, analysing, questioning, evaluating, communicating and creative and critical thinking.  In researching the WA Curriculum you will see various of these skills outlined. The ABCDE ratings in your child’s report are based on performance across the areas described in this paragraph.

 

More specifically the ABCDE ratings can be described as follows:

 

‘A’ represents a level of learning well beyond the expectations for a student at the particular year level.

‘B’ represents a very high level of learning for a student at the particular year level.

‘C’ represents a steady, satisfactory level of learning for a student at the particular year level.

‘D’ represents a level of learning that is slightly worrying and likely to trigger contact with parents/guardians.

‘E’ represents a level of learning that will trigger contact with parents/guardians.

 

We do not become bogged down by the concepts of ‘fail’ and ‘pass’ as we are more concerned with what each child knows and can do and regularly congratulating them on their success. A constructive approach to assessment is the principle on which we operate. Across the compulsory school years your child will gradually come to terms with ‘fail’ and ‘pass’.  ‘Fail’ is a concept that is for those more mature than primary school students.

 

We trust that the above explanation will aid you in interpreting your child’s Report. Please contact us if you have queries.

 

 

May the Force be with you!  Keep safe in these Covid times.

GD

Curriculum relevance

 In case some readers are unaware January 26, 1788 is a very significant date in Australian history. On this date 11 ships from England carrying convicts transported to the colonies for crimes committed came ashore in what is now Port Jackson, Sydney Australia.  They formed a colony known as NSW.

January 26th, now celebrated as Australia Day, is perceived by the indigenous peoples of Australia as 'invasion day',  marking the beginning of the systematic destruction of their cultures that had existed on the land for more than 60,000 years.

Current Australian school curricula have only relatively recently acknowledged the history of the Aboriginal peoples, including the pervasive and often brutal removal of indigenous persons from their tribal lands. I have been able to work with this more contemporary view of the history of Australia in tutoring one of my grandchildren during online schooling as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. It was so uplifting.

As a school Principal I would welcome this long awaited adjustment to the history that Australian students now learn. When I was actively a Principal in the late 1970s racial intolerance was alive in the community and decisions my wife and I made to help indigenous children were often regarded with suspicion in the community at large.  We were not saints, but educators making decisions that educators have to make. On reflection our efforts were not as well-grounded in a true understanding of what it meant to be an indigenous person in that hostile environment.

Racial prejudice in contemporary Australia is nowhere near the levels I describe above, with indigenous Australians in the process of seeking recognition in the constitution of Australia. It is exciting and school Principals need to be on top of the significance of this happening and ensure that is objectively portrayed in the appropriate school syllabuses.

In a wider context of a multi-cultural Australia Principals need to be sensitive to the many cultures that now make up Australian society. I have every confidence that contemporary school Principals are doing a great job in this respect. Their work in inspiring their school communities daily helps to build a much admired and resilient Australia. There is still much to be done as Australia still has to face up to becoming a republic and once and for all cut the ties with its inglorious colonial past.

Sorry folks all this is a bit of a hobby horse of mine so please be understanding of this more subjective post.

Keep safe in these covid times.

Must away and play some guitar to keep my poor old brain active and to bring myself some peace and joy.

May the Force be with you.

GD