Calls for reform as revamped NAPLAN confirms country-city education divide

Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with After-school tutoring has become a critical part of many students’ weekly routine, including year 7 student Elise.She struggled with her school work during the lockdowns, but the pressure didn’t ease for her once schools re-opened.And with NAPLAN fast approaching – she knew she needed more assistance.”I do need help in school. there’s not always someone by my side to help me with my work. The teacher is always at the front of the class. Now that I’m here I’m learning a lot. She helps me edit it, she helps me plan it out and make it presentable for other people.”Instead of the previous 10-band system, from this year, students’ NAPLAN results have been assessed against four levels of proficiency: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support.The results are now in for all the students taking NAPLAN tests this year, and it’s revealed a stark contrast between urban and rural schools.Nationally, one in ten students are in the ‘Needs additional support’ level, while one third of indigenous students ‘Need additional support’.Fewer than 3 in 10 students in very remote schools are rated ‘Strong’ or ‘Exceeding’.But at least 6 in 10 students in major city schools are at those levels.The new NAPLAN approach means 2023 data cannot be directly compared to previous years.But David De Cahvarlo, the CEO of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, says the results will now be more accurate and make it easier to identify who needs more help.”Previously, that wasn’t clear, who the students were exactly who needed that additional support. So that’s a real advantage to this new system.”Some families are already looking for support.KipMcGrath’s Eastwood Director, Jeanette De Marchis, says demand for after-school tutoring has gone up.”We’ve had a lot of interest with parents before NAPLAN and then definitely after NAPLAN, once the results have come out they’ve really been identified as needing a lot of help in numeracy and literacy.”Some schools also have extra programs in place to help students who are falling behind, including St. Michael Primary School in Blacktown where Su Veling is the Principal.”We target their needs so every activity that children do at this school is an assessment. So we look at what they can do, what they can’t do and what’s the next steps for them.”But the Australian Education Union’s Federal President Correna Haythorpe says most public schools don’t have the funding to offer the support that’s needed, and are calling on the government to step up.”The evidence is clear. It’s time now to deliver the solution which is to fully fund public schools and to back our teachers so that they can deliver high quality teaching and learning programs.”Federal Education Minister Jason Clare says he doesn’t disagree.He says the results make it “blisteringly clear” that more work is needed to improve education outcomes and bridge the gap.

“I’ve said a number of times that we need serious reform to education. I think this report makes that blisteringly clear. What it shows is we’ve got a good education system, but it can be a lot better. And it can be a lot fairer. if you’re in that lowest category of below the minimum standard then only about one in five of those children will get out of it by the time they’re in year nine. So this is serious and needs serious reform.”