I'm glad that the trip was cathartic for you hun When you think about how far you've come in that time it is pretty mindblowing so it's no wonder the contrast was so stark for you.

I probably shouldn't get wrapped up too much in the Naplan either, but the school does use it as part of their overall assessment of the kids so it's good to know that they managed to get it right on the day kwim? Speaking of the Uni comps, both L and E went in them this year and L was at his usual range getting credits for them, but he actually managed to get a Distinction for English. He was just so pleased with himself! He has been aiming for a distinction for ages. E on the other hand only got 15 questions right for her English test and DH and I *know* she could have done better so we did have a talk to her about that. But then this is the first year she has ever done any formal examinations so we weren't really expecting much ITMS. It does go to show though that any exam is only a snapshot of how they are on that particular day. I know they carry no weight towards school performance and assessment, but I really like that they help the kids get used to formal exams and how to handle them and manage their time. I think the kids who don't ever do these exams would get to high school and then have no idea how to handle them.