From the Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

NAPLAN RESULTS - Focus on Literacy and Numeracy

NAPLAN results are reported against proficiency standards. The early data that we have received has shown some promising results in our learners across Reading, Writing, Grammar and Punctuation and Numeracy. Student achievement is shown against 4 levels of proficiency: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support and most of our students’ results fell in the exceeding and strong range overall. These reports will be provided to parents in Term 3.

These results will be used by the College to assist our teachers to better identify students who need greater challenges or extra support. They are also one of many tools used to assess the strengths and areas of need in our teaching programs. The results, among other data collected throughout the school year will support the College in setting goals in literacy and numeracy at the KLA and whole school level.

The initial NAPLAN data has provided significant insights into the learning needs of our students. Our Leader of Learning - Literacy, Mr Duncan Dewar, led staff in Professional Learning about identifying key areas to improve students' reading. He provided teachers with strategies that would help students identify a writer’s assumption in an informative text across all subject areas. Miss Linda Hicks, Leader of Learning Literacy,  gave insight into the importance of correct paragraph structure - another important skill that is required across all areas of student learning. Mr Dickson led the staff in data informed professional learning, where student growth was the driving question of our discussions and our programming for literacy and numeracy improvement for all students.

Literacy and Numeracy are also assessed in the HSC Minimum standards tests. Students can sit the numeracy, reading or writing test from Year 10 up until they reach the HSC minimum standard for that domain. The 3 domains are numeracy, reading and writing. The College provides several opportunities for students to complete these tests before the end of Year 11. These tests ensure that students have met the minimum standard of the Australian Core Skills Framework.

TRIAL HSC EXAMINATIONS

The Trial HSC Examinations begin on Monday 5 August with English Paper 1. Students are encouraged to use their holiday time wisely ensuring that they balance their study and preparation for the trials, with their work and leisure time. The College has provided all HSC Students with several Holiday Workshops to assist with examination preparation. All students have received their personalised Trial Examination timetable via email. 

CANVAS

The College has just completed its first semester of their Canvas journey and staff have been working hard to learn new ways to provide feedback to students through the Canvas Learning Management System. Canvas is now up and running for parents as well. All parents should be able to see their child’s classwork, grades/marks and announcements for all class tasks posted. We remind parents that there will be different amounts of work posted in different subjects. As our staff become more familiar with Canvas, parents will be able to see more of their child’s learning as the year progresses.

We thank the parents who attended the mini Canvas conversations this week. This was an opportunity for the College to assist with downloading the app, login questions, changing notification settings and navigating through the features that Canvas provides. We encourage parents to continue to use the app to keep up to date with their child’s progress in each of their courses.

I wish everyone a happy and safe holiday. 

Ms Josilin Kalifa

Assistant Principal 

Teaching, Learning and Wellbeing