The NAPLAN Test

I write to you as I acknowledge that some of you would be experiencing being a parent of a child who is currently doing a Naplan test – some for the first time, second or third time – but I just want to write that we don’t need to stress over this process, and to support our child/ren instead. 

There have been numerous reports out there regarding the Naplan itself, and the effectiveness of it. From my perspective – as a teacher and tutor – the Naplan shouldn’t matter, and I need to stress that the Naplan is not the ‘be all, end all’ test. In fact, the Naplan results can be used by some teachers to form some forward planning on Literacy and Numeracy programs post Naplan, however, it is not the sole product. The results can be a good measure, but ultimately, it’s not the sole indicator. Naplan is, and always will be, a measure which the government instils for schools to implement. I share some questions for you, as a parent, to ponder on… 

Why do we need to place a high emphasis on one test?… 

Why do we need to stress our children over this one test?… 

Examination conditions are not for everyone, and I can assure you that effective teachers can use other methods to measure your child/ren’s academic growth from the Literacy, Numeracy and other subject content knowledge from class work – over a period of time (week, month, term, semester or year) – rather than one test. And if we look further ahead, to the HSC, the same two questions apply and perhaps one more… Why are we being measured on a test which challenges our memory, rather than the work we produce on a daily basis… This said, I hope you can use this as some assurance that Naplan isn’t the sole indicator and it shouldn’t be; our government is keeping traditions which date back decades which have minimal merits in schooling systems, and tests shouldn’t and can’t be the only measure of a child’s academic development. 

Lastly, I leave two more questions which can assist with your views on Naplan… When did you require to show your Naplan or HSC Results to an employer when attempting to go for a job? If it was used, was it because of your results that you secured the job?… I hope this information can alleviate any stresses you may have from the Naplan Test which is an annual feature within any school calendar, and I sincerely hope that in the near future, it can be removed from the school calendar, but please, encourage your child/ren to enjoy the experience and to not stress over the outcome.

Joe Ng – Founder & Principal