‘Quality teachers have the biggest impact on student learning’: Principal

A NEW analysis of NAPLAN results found the schools with the best and most consistent NAPLAN results. Where did your school rank?

Essington principal Brian Kennelly said the school’s stellar results were because of its top quality teachers. Picture: Justin Kennedy

DARWIN’S leading private school has the best and most consistent NAPLAN results in the Territory, according to a new analysis.

A breakdown of Year 5 and Year 9 NAPLAN results found the Essington International School Darwin had the top results between 2014 and 2018.

The Year 5 average score was 2690.8 and the Year 9 average score was 3095.2

The average scores for each year were combined and the yearly average found.

The figures were independently compiled from the Federal Government’s MySchool website.

Essington principal Brian Kennelly said the school used NAPLAN as a tool to improve its learning strategies.

“We have spent a lot of time with teachers looking at the results and in particular looking at students,” he said.

“We look at what we can do to help them and assist them.

“NAPLAN is fantastic in terms of assisting with identifying areas and gaps on a whole year level basis,” he said.

“You can look at a cohort and where it has missed or hasn’t understood questions, and then you can drill down and look at individuals.

“We’ve always done that, we will continue to do that not only with NAPLAN, but all through the year our focus is on individual improvement.”

Mr Kennelly said the school’s stellar marks were also a result of its teachers.

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“We’re really blessed with quality teachers,” he said.

“Quality teachers have the biggest impact on student learning and that has more impact than class size and anything else.”

IN OTHER NEWS

Special schools, schools with less than 20 students enrolled in either year, and schools which did not report any results for NAPLAN subjects in either year were excluded from the analysis.

These results come as a comfort to staff, after the NT News revealed this week Essington would face its lowest student enrolments (of about 900) in eight years in 2020.

In a board address to the school, Essington director Matt Kelly said 2020 would be an opportunity to rebalance operations while maintaining high quality education.