The release of NAPLAN data indicating that the global COVID-19 pandemic has had no significant impact on students’ literacy and numeracy achievement at the national or state/territory level is an enormous credit to parents and teachers across Australia.
“The NAPLAN results are a reflection of the tremendous efforts of schools and their staff as they have supported parents in home-based learning”, said Mark Spencer, Director of Public Policy for Christian Schools Australia.
“The ability of schools to pivot, often at extremely short notice, to a very different educational delivery model has been nothing short of extraordinary”, he said.
Mr Spencer said that parents across the nation gained new insights into the role and importance of teachers across 2020, “Parents have certainly stepped up, juggling their work with supervising home learning, and, as they have done so, gained understanding of some of the challenges teachers face daily”.
Of course, NAPLAN only measures a small fraction of overall learning and student development. Christian schools have focussed on providing far broader educational and pastoral support to students and their families struggling with the impacts of COVID19.
- One Sydney principal took it upon himself to deliver student materials to school families, “While they were a little shocked at first to see the Principal doing the deliveries,” Regents Park Christian School Principal Les Barnard said, “I think that they valued knowing that everyone was pitching in to support each other – it is who we are”.
- At Lighthouse Christian College, Wellbeing Wednesday became a focus where families and students undertook home-based projects to foster resilience and character qualities of leadership and service.“This initiative supported the mental health and wellbeing of the entire school community,” said Principal Avril Howard, “also giving teachers additional time for planning.”
- Other schools have provided handballs and skipping ropes for physical activity and some classes at Hinterland Christian College on the NSW North Coast received popcorn for a class movie they watched 'together' (at the same time remotely).
“The 2021 NAPLAN results are certainly positive news”, Mr Spencer said, “but day in and day out there are great things of many varieties happening in schools and now homes across our country.”
“Parents and teacher should take great credit from these results”, he said.
ENDS
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