The schools that have shown greatest growth around Victoria
An analysis of every Victorian school’s NAPLAN performance over the past five years has revealed the schools which have shown the greatest growth. See how your school ranks.
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A school that scrapped grading on student tests and assignments is among Victoria’s most improved in long-term NAPLAN results.
An analysis of every school’s performance data across five years has revealed which schools have shown the greatest growth.
Public schools and community campuses that worked hard to re-engage truant pupils have topped the lists of most improved primary and secondary schools from 2014 to 2018.
For Grade 5, Gippsland primary schools Tarwin Lower and Powlett River boosted their results by almost 20 per cent and 17 per cent respectively.
Of Year 9 results, Croydon Community School showed the greatest growth of almost 30 per cent in five years, followed by Auburn High, which improved by 13 per cent.
Auburn High executive principal Maria Karvouni said the Hawthorn East campus saw its scores rise alongside a decision to stop giving students a grade.
Instead, teachers in most subjects gave pupils an assessment rubric — a detailed feedback grid that offered comments against certain criteria.
Ms Karvouni said the school introduced rubrics four years ago after she found students were putting too much emphasis on a mark and comparing that to classmates.
“They were focusing more on the grade than the written comment,” she said.
The change for pre-VCE students was difficult at first, with students repeatedly asking: ‘But what did I get?”
However, departing Year 12 pupils have given nothing but praise for the new system, saying they wanted “more feedback more often and during class”.
The no-grade system is in place for students from years 7 to 9, with senior students then following a more traditional system that aligns with the statewide VCE.
Ms Karvouni said student feedback had also gained greater priority.
“Teachers never used to take in student voice, but you do need to listen to what students are saying about a lesson,” she said.
Croydon Community School principal Bernie Bowling said the campus, which regularly took in students who struggled in mainstream settings, followed a special design.
“Each young person is encouraged to follow their passions and their learning is crafted around their passions and interests,” she said.
“A lot of our kids would be lost really, without that personalised learning.”
Oakwood School was the third most improved high school in the state, raising its NAPLAN results by 11 per cent.
The school has campuses across the south east and aims to engage the area’s most vulnerable young people in learning, often from backgrounds that may have included family trauma or health issues.
“What these scores do show is the most disadvantaged students can be supported in learning,” principal David Roycroft said.
“Imagine what success feels like if you haven’t had success before.
“It’s very common for me to receive feedback from a parent to say thank you for the impact on the student, not just for the child but for the whole family.
“It’s an amazing place with some fantastic work being done.”
The change in NAPLAN scores were calculated by combining each school’s average scores across 2018 and comparing those results to how the school performed in 2014.
Each school’s results were independently collated through the Federal Government’s MySchool website.
ashley.argoon@news.com.au
@ashargoon
MOST IMPROVED NAPLAN SCHOOLS OVER 5 YEARS
GRADE 5
Tarwin Lower Primary School: +19.5%
Powlett River Primary School: +17.5%
Son Centre Christian College: +16.4%
Seaford Park Primary School: +16.0%
Paynesville Primary School: +15.7%
Katandra West Primary School: +14.4%
Footscray City Primary School: +13.9%
Thomastown East Primary School: +13.9%
Lake Bolac College: +13.7%
Newhaven Primary School: +13.3%
Y EAR 9
Croydon Community School: +29.4%
Auburn High School: +12.8%
Oakwood School: +11.2%
Sherbrooke Community School: +9.2%
Adass Israel School: +9.0%
Western Port Secondary College: +7.5%
Edinburgh College: +7.4%
Al Siraat College: +7.2%
Tyrrell College: +6.7%
Monterey Secondary College: +6.6%
*MySchool data of raw NAPLAN figures compared between 2014 and 2018