NAPLAN data added to My School website
The move to add 2021 NAPLAN data to individual school data on the My School website has been welcomed by the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA).
“The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is to be congratulated for its ongoing commitment to making complex data as accessible and as easy to read as possible,” said AHISA CEO Beth Blackwood.
“One of the strongest stories that My School tells is that Australian schools are highly diverse. This diversity is evident not just in the relative socio-educational profile of schools’ student communities, but in their size, the range of year levels offered and also in their religious affiliations.”
Blackwood recommended that parents using My School data to help them choose the most appropriate school for their child should read the school profile section and follow the links to schools’ websites.
“While the My School website is a good place for parents to start when gathering information about where they will educate their children, it is important to remember that My School gives only a very limited snapshot of school life,” she said.
“A visit to the My School site is no substitute for a personal visit to a school, where parents have the opportunity to talk with the principal, teachers and students to help determine whether the school is the best choice to meet the unique needs and interests of their child.”
Blackwood also warned against making value-for-money comparisons by attempting to align financial data published on the My School site with NAPLAN results.
“Differences in the per student expenditure figures published on My School may reflect differences in teacher-student ratios or the breadth of subject offerings, particularly at senior secondary level, as well as the cost of co-curriculum offerings,” she said.
“Following the links from the My School site to individual school sites will help parents get a feel for the full program that schools offer students, including curriculum specialisations and extra-curricular opportunities.”
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