Embattled Kimberley College principal hits back over MP criticism

KIMBERLEY College’s embattled principal has hit back at criticism from a politician about the school’s academic performance.

Kimberley College principal Paul Thomson leaving his home earlier this month. Picture: John Gass/AAP

KIMBERLEY College’s embattled principal has hit back at claims his anti-NAPLAN stance is closing doors to graduates while declaring he knew 2017’s Year 12 cohort would not perform as strongly.

Paul Thomson told The Courier-Mail that Kimberley College, which takes “purely chronological” enrolments, had a remarkable alumni.

“In 2013, not too long ago, we were in top nine per cent of schools (OP 1-5) in the state,” he said.

Bowman MP Andrew Laming this week criticised the academic results at Kimberley College. File picture

“Last year we had one of our girls win the Queensland independent Education Union literary award with her short story — we’ve had a remarkable revenue of high achieving students.

“Seven past students (have achieved) PHDs.”

His comments come after Federal MP Andrew Laming slammed the “very wealthy college”, claiming it recorded similar results to schools in poorer parts of Queensland.

Mr Thomson said 25 to 30 per cent of Kimberley College’s students always received OP 1 to 5.

When asked whether he agreed with Mr Laming’s comments about a lack of tracking performance, Mr Thomsons said his teachers were “intelligent enough to track performance themselves”.

“(With) The way our school is structured with teachers staying permanently in classrooms and kids not wandering, teachers get to know very quickly what the kids can do,” he said.

“Yes I am expecting the school to have a better year (this year) than last year.”

Mr Laming said Kimberley College had experienced a good year in 2016. “They are a habitually low OP producer,” he said.

“There’s so few kids getting a good OP. The problem is the whole community doesn’t know if his school is working until you get an OP. It’s (results) not externally published.”