Whole School Testing Teaches Teachers

While Years 7 and 9 students sat their NAPLAN tests this week, King's Years 8 and 10 students simultaneously sat school-based tests to assess their levels of general reasoning, and progress in literacy and numeracy. Considering the time commitment for staff and students to complete High School's Whole School Testing program, it begs the question ‘Why?’

As a school community, our parents, carers, teachers and school administrators are passionate about each one of our students’ learning - that they should grow academically and exceed their own expectations of what’s possible. At King’s, we deliberately resist complacency and believe that education should not just be about going through the motions or letting any student 'fly under the radar.’ However, just wanting something will not necessarily achieve the desired outcome. In this case, we must also gain an accurate understanding of our students’ levels of learning.

This is why students sit these tests, to provide teachers with the data to make informed decisions. They reveal our students’ strengths and weaknesses, help us enhance our general and tailored programs, and show more quickly when a student starts to drift into underachievement. While no one particularly enjoys completing or administering tests, the ‘why’ outweighs the pain of the process, as we lead with wisdom to build an even better learning paradigm.

Matthew Ruben
Academic Performance Advisor