NAPLAN testing

It is a requirement for all Australian schools to offer NAPLAN testing, which takes place for Class 3, 5 and 7 students at GHSS on 13-15 March. Some of the content within NAPLAN tests does not align with the timing or delivery of the Steiner curriculum. NAPLAN measures numeracy and literacy skills which are generally ahead of our teachings in Year 3. However, by Year 5, the NAPLAN literacy and numeracy content aligns a little more closely with our curriculum, and thus Steiner students generally perform well in these tests as they progress through the upper primary and secondary years.

Key highlights of Steiner students’ NAPLAN results include:⠀

• In reading, in Years 5, 7 and 9 Steiner students perform significantly better than their mainstream counterparts.
• In writing, by Year 9 many Steiner students are performing in the top three NAPLAN bands, a higher achievement than their mainstream counterparts.
• In spelling, at all years, Steiner students perform comparably to their mainstream counterparts.
• In grammar and punctuation, at all years, Steiner students perform better than their mainstream counterparts, with many Steiner students by year 9 performing in the highest three NAPLAN bands.
• In numeracy, by Years 7 and 9 Steiner students perform better than their mainstream counterparts, catching up with them from the primary years and then exceeding their performance

(Results taken from Steiner Education Australia data)

If you have any NAPLAN-related concerns or require further information, please consult with your child’s class teacher or book an appointment with the principal via the office.  If you would like to withdraw your child from NAPLAN testing, please collect a withdrawal form from the office and return by MONDAY 4^th March.

Warm regards, 

Eliza Allan

Principal