‘Explicit teaching’ formula in North Coast school reaps reading and maths NAPLAN wins

Emerging NAPLAN results show a Coffs Coast primary school outperforming others in reading and numeracy. Here’s the secret to the success, according to one of its key educators.

Narranga Primary schoolteacher Jo Hoppe using explicit teaching helps students understand what they need to do and how to get there.

A Coffs Coast public school is cheering its NAPLAN results, which have not yet been made publicly available on the Myschools website.

Still, schools in the region have the numbers and have been sharing their achievements with students and staff.

According to Narranga Public School, it has beaten similar schools in Year 5 reading, with 70 per cent of students deemed ‘strong’ or ‘exceeding’ compared to 50 per cent at similar schools.

Year 5 numeracy results show 67 per cent of students as ‘strong’ or ‘exceeding’ and similar schools sit at 47 per cent.

So what’s the key to the school’s success?

Deputy Principal Nicki Chaffey put it down to a methodology used for the last six years called explicit teaching.

Essentially, it provides a road map to help students understand “why they are learning something, how it connects to what they already know, what is expected of them, and how to do it”.

Narranga Public School Deputy Principal Nicki Chaffey is proud of the achievements of students and teachers as NAPLAN results emerge.

Ms Chaffey said teachers set learning “intentions” so both teachers and students understand what a successful lesson should look like and achieve.

“It starts with direct instruction by the teacher, and then there’s an opportunity for group work and other methods, but they happen when the teacher is able to judge that the students are able to do that successfully,” she said.

While the school’s best results are in Year 5, all students have been benefiting from the teaching style, including “complex cohorts”, such as children from a non-English speaking or low socio-economic background.

“We teach through multiple lenses to cater to a diverse student population through a trauma-informed, evidence-based, student-focused approach,” Ms Chaffey said.

The school reports ‘sense of belonging’ has been shown to have improved by 12 per cent in the last year, perhaps helping with academic results.

“At Narranga PS we see student wellbeing as central to building an enhanced sense of belonging,” Ms Chaffey said.