Jennifer Branch S E N I O R V I C E P R E S I D E N T Australian Council of State Schools Organisation What parents want to know

Assessment and reporting parents understand the primary purpose of assessment and reporting is improved student learning

What parents want honest, informative reports clear, common language their child’s progress communicated throughout the year no surprises in reports

written comments provide the best and most informative information written reports don’t replace the need for teachers and parents to share information verbally Parents believe…

Assessing parents’ concerns it was timely to look at reporting: –implementation of the new curriculum “Essential Learnings”

– Assessing parents’ concerns a need to develop consistency across the state: –216 public schools delivering 216 different report formats

– –provides continuity of reporting from Kindergarten through to Year 10 Assessing parents’ concerns agreement to develop a common reporting system that:

– – –compares how a child is doing with others in the same year group –involves teachers in moderation to develop consistent assessment judgements Assessing parents’ concerns

consultation with parents throughout the development of: –the new curriculum –assessment and reporting processes Taking parents on the journey new report format trialled in 2004 teachers tried to produce meaningful comments parents felt teachers used too much jargon – “gobbledegook”

keep it simple provide clear information timing is important: parents don’t want reports on the last day of the school year Feedback from parents alert parents to problems as soon as possible

some assessments are potentially damaging to their child concerns when parents reflected on subjective assessments in their own school reports Feedback from parents test results are not necessarily more accurate than teacher judgement

Nothing magic about test results a test result is only one result for one aspect of the child’s school work on a particular day test results should be kept in perspective!

Nothing magic about test results a test answer or a single piece of work is unlikely to enable students to demonstrate their learning must give ‘on balance’ judgements

– – Nothing magic about test results national benchmark reporting will only be meaningful to parents if: –they understand benchmarks –benchmarks relate to the what their child is studying at school

today’s world is complex with many pressures we must give our children every opportunity to succeed Understanding the future curriculum should be relevant to the 21st century assessment of learning should reflect 21st century thinking

I looked at assessment and reporting in Tasmanian schools saw examples of simple, clear, meaningful assessment and reporting focus on Cambridge Primary School Cambridge Primary School

a delight to walk into the school on a journey to engage teachers, parents and students in assessing and reporting student learning Cambridge Primary School

teachers committed to improving communication between school and home units of work shared at assemblies with the whole school community Cambridge Primary School

Cambridge Primary School newsletters to keep everyone up to date with how the school is: –progressing against the school’s over-arching goals –assessing and reporting student learning

as parents, we want the very best for our children sometimes we expect outstanding academic reports that ultimately earn a university place Pathways

need to value the varied pathways our children follow to careers technical colleges, apprenticeships and traineeships are vitally important need a well-balanced working community Pathways

“keep it simple” when reporting student achievement guard against being so simple that the report is meaningless In conclusion

– In conclusion the end of year report is only meaningful if: –student progress has been clearly communicated throughout the year

– – –assessment has been used to improve student learning –student achievement has been celebrated along the way In conclusion

let the end of year report NOT have parents asking, “I wonder how my child did this year…?” let it be a confirmation of their achievements In conclusion

teachers and parents all over Australia are working hard to ‘close the gap’ maybe it is time we re-looked at when formal reports are provided Food for thought should formal reporting occur at major stepping stones in the student’s educational life?

would it be more appropriate to report formally at Years 3, 6, 10 and 12? Food for thought conversation is critical provides for deep and meaningful exchange about a child’s progress nothing replaces opportunities to share information verbally

touched on some assessment and reporting issues parents and educators will have this conversation again and again striving to improve student learning Summary

Jennifer Branch S E N I O R V I C E P R E S I D E N T Australian Council of State Schools Organisation What parents want to know