Our school's response to their MySchool scores

[Turkish Delight]

geez. what a post. Must have hit a nerve with you

Totally agree with that the school management is reponsible as are parents. I am a parent who cares about my child education and am very proactive about it, hence my letter to them. Do you know how many times i have met with the Principal and primary school coordinator?

Teachers are the ones that can see which child is slow or which child is exceling and needs to meet the requirements of such kids. If a child is slow, give them more reinforcement or sheets or call the parent.

[Bathsheba]

My DD's previous private school and her current boarding school both offer free extra classes for students who need a bit of extra time to catch up. I don't believe they should be charging you extra.

[Turkish Delight]

Totally agree baths. I know the classes are running, but DS isn't attending.

I haven't even met with the school as DS won't be attending that school next year, so it will really be a waste of my time and breath as i know they won't do anything about it.

[~clover~]

TD have you heard that schools are wanting to ban the testing due to the results being posted on the myschools sight?
Not sure its relevant really, but thought I'd point it out. Not many schools, even ones that rate well, are very happy with the way it all works.
I hope it all works out for you guys. I don't think what they are asking is fair at all & I wouldn't be agreeing with it as an answer to the problems.

[Turkish Delight]

Yeah i heard that Cloves. I guess it puts stress on all schools whether they are high or low achievers, knowing that they have standards to meet. I don't think it should be banned.

I had heard that they were considering putting parents to supervise the tests at schools which are going to protest them. I'd offer to supervise if it were our school.

[~clover~]

Yeah I heard that too. Our school hasn't said anything about it, so I don't think they mind. For a school of 50 they do rate very well as far as I can tell though.
I hope things go better at the next school

[Bathsheba]

I started a thread about the MySchool site and initially i thought it was a good idea too. But I'm fast changing my ideas. Having looked at the site there is no mention of the many other aspects of learning that a school contributes to: pastoral, physical, emotional intelligence etc. Only 1 facet, the academic. Now my children have attended schools where the Naplan scores have been high but i'm not necessarily happy with these schools. As somebody who has worked in an educational setting I know that there is so much more to learning. ATM I am fence sitting about the whole thing but i would have thought the general public would have been more intelligent in their use of the site. It is an interesting source of information but really should only be a part of the bigger picture of selecting a good school. A case in point was my old primary school: it is covered in red BUT I know that it is in the centre of a very underpriviledged area where mainly indigenous students now attend. If you read the school blurb before you look at the results you will read evidence that this school has won many state, national and even Commonwealth awards for excellence in teaching indigenous students. Would that be a good school? Hell yes!!!

Yes i will be reading the Myschool site for info on the schools i am hoping to send my boys to when we move... but I already know the schools will be good So don't really care what it says.

I don't know if i would offer to supervise naplan testing I tend to have faith in most educators. if the staff at my DD's private school boycotted the test then i would trust their judgement and back them up... same at with her first school where i worked... if they boycotted i would support them... because as teachers they were the best and really knew what they were talking about... it was an Independant school though... they were used to bucking the trend when it came to Government policy which was often based on false ideologies and teaching in a way that was convenient and cheap... not aspiring to actually providing what each child needed... just providing one-size-fits-all services Off my soapbox now.

[Turkish Delight]

I don't know if i would offer to supervise naplan testing I tend to have faith in most educators. if the staff at my DD's private school boycotted the test then i would trust their judgement and back them up...

I would be really, really happy if i could find a school where i could trust the teachers and at this current school, i don't trust them one bit. I wouldn't believe them for a second as i have lost all hope and faith in them.

The mid semester reports came out at the end of last term. DS's report had "interview required - contact the school to organise a time". I call the school first week back and tell me that the interviews are in the second week and a note will be sent home on Friday to organise a time. Okay. No note on Friday. Decide to call on Monday and they tell me that the interviews were tomorrow (i'm glad i rang). If i hadn't called, i wouldn't have known. The are soooo slack.

[~clover~]

Yeah, I see what you mean there Bath. I looked at DD's school, but I also never considered that because they scored well that they are the best school iykwim. I am very happy with them, but its so much more than that.
I am looking at maybe moving & changing the girls schools if we move out to mum & dad's, but while now that I think of it, I will look at the school on there, nothing will convince me what the school is like til I've actually been there myself. To see the school & meet the principle & teachers, see what the kids are like is what will convince me. The whole school environment is what I like to look at & how I will make my decision to send the kids to small public school out there, or the bigger private school in town. Sport & other parts of their education are just as important to me.

[Bathsheba]

I believe any organisations culture starts at the top and filters down. Your intuitive response to principals, the registrar and year co-ordinators should serve you well too And yes, picking up on the "vibe" in the classrooms and playground is good too. Simply listening to how teachers speak to kids is a great indicator.

[Turkish Delight]

I so agree Baths - its always that first impression of the principal, the teachers, the class rooms, play areas etc.. and your gut instinct are always a good sign.

I told the teacher yesterday that i suspect DS may have Aspergers and she looked at me and i knew that she didn't even know what it was.