NAPLAN results: Kids falling behind in coronavirus lockdowns

Extended school closures appear to have curtailed education outcomes in Victoria, the most locked-down state.

Ruby, 12, and Zach Jones, 14, homeschooling on Sydney’s northern beaches on Tuesday. Picture: Nikki Short

Extended school closures appear to have curtailed education outcomes in the nation’s most locked-down state, with the latest ­NAPLAN results revealing Victorian students did not progress as well as those in the rest of the country.

Preliminary results from the nationwide literacy and numeracy assessment confirm the Covid-19 pandemic did not significantly impact student achievement at a national or state and territory level, with average scores largely unchanged from 2019 when the test was previously conducted.

However, analysis of the data shows Victoria lagged NSW and the rest of the nation when comparing progress made by the same cohorts of students between years 3 and 5, years 5 and 7 and years 7 and 9, suggesting months of remote learning has taken a toll.

While fears about widespread learning losses seem to have been largely misplaced, there remain grave concerns about the cumulative effects of school closures, particularly on already disadvantaged students in states that remain locked down.

Schools across Greater Sydney have been closed since the start of term three, while some students in metropolitan Melbourne have clocked up almost 150 days of learning from home. A timeline for schools reopening remains uncertain.

Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge said although headline NAPLAN results were pleasing, further analysis of the detailed data was needed to determine the impacts of Covid-19 on Australian students.

“It is certainly a relief that we have not yet seen the significant declines that we may have expected due to school closures, particularly in Victoria,” said Mr Tudge.

“The results also show a resilience among young Australians and they are testament to the hard work of teachers and parents who are supporting learning at home.

I remain very concerned about the ongoing impact of school closures on young people and their families, particularly the mental health impacts.

“I am also concerned that some individual families have really struggled with schooling and may have disengaged altogether.”

The minister’s concerns were echoed by Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority head David de Carvalho, who agreed the data needed to be interrogated further once the final NAPLAN report was published later this year.

He said he could not rule out negative impacts for particular groups of students, such as the socio-educationally disadvantaged, or at an individual school level.

“It’s reassuring to see that, overall, our students’ literacy and numeracy standards have not significantly suffered,” said Mr de Carvalho. “However, this does not mean there has been no impact on specific students or demographic groups.”

Results from the latest NAPLAN assessment, which saw more than 1.2 million students take tests in May, have been highly anticipated following its 2020 cancellation. They also come as educators worldwide debate the merits of keeping schools open as the Delta variant proves to be highly transmissible, including among children.

So far there has been little empirical evidence of the impact of the pandemic on education outcomes, although studies published in the US and The Netherlands in late 2020 found that student learning either stagnated or declined by a few months during lockdowns.

 

A University of Newcastle study of Year 3 and 4 students’ reading and maths test scores before and after seven weeks of remote learning in NSW last year noted no significant differences overall however Year 3 students in less advantaged schools achieved less growth in maths. Both teacher and student wellbeing also suffered.

Victoria’s NAPLAN 2021 performance continues to ensure it is among the top-ranked states, posting the highest average scores for Year 3 and Year 5 reading, grammar and punctuation and numeracy.

However, the state’s lag in learning progress becomes visible when comparing the 2019 results of students in Year 3 with those in Year 5 two years later, revealing that scores failed to increase at the same rate as the national average across all five domains.

For the cohorts moving from Year 5 to 7 and Year 7 to 9, learning gain in all domains except reading also lagged the national average.

James Merlino. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino conceded it was likely the disruptions had a greater impact on students’ numeracy than literacy development.

He said the government, which had previously announced $250m to deploy more than 6400 tutors to help Victorian students catch up, would take action to ensure maths skills continued to grow through increased support to school staff with professional guidance and resources.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell also acknowledged the impact on students as some entered their seventh week of remote learning.

“Since the pandemic began last year, students have shown incredible resilience in continuing to focus on their education and adapting to new ways of learning,” Ms Mitchell said.

While NSW topped the nation in spelling and writing for years 3 to 7, the ACT recorded the highest average scores for grammar and punctuation in the secondary years and in Year 9 reading.

South Australia has welcomed improved results over the past three testing cycles, particularly in Year 3 reading, which SA Education Minister John Gardner attributed to an “evidence-backed approach” to improving literacy.

“Importantly, 2021 continues the recent pattern of growth for SA students and demonstrates that we are improving at a faster rate than any other state,” he said.

According to ACARA, there has been a steady upward trend in years 3 and 5 reading and spelling results since NAPLAN testing began in 2008, as well as in years 5, 7 and 9 numeracy, resulting in total gains equivalent to at least three months of learning.

An ongoing downward trend in writing in years 5, 7 and 9 has also begun to flatten and is showing signs of trending upwards.

However, long-term national secondary school results remain a concern, with no marked improvement in any domain in years 7 or 9, despite continual record funding increases.

The exception has been in WA, which has lifted Year 7 spelling and numeracy scores and Year 9 scores in reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation and numeracy. WA Education Minister Sue Ellery said more Year 9 students were hitting the top two achievement bands, particularly for numeracy.

Child and adolescent health experts have recently been calling for an end to blanket school closures during outbreaks, citing significant mental, social and emotional harm after 18 months of lockdowns.