PRINCIPAL'S DESK Student progress reporting shows pleasing student achievement results for 2011 Throughout the 2011 year the Principal and staff provided comprehensive student progress reports to the Board of Trustees. This included reporting by individual lead teacher presentations that were in turn reviewed by the BOT. Student reporting information presented confirmed outstanding achievement performance in school-wide English, Mathematics and Science teaching. It is pleasing to note that the school continues to demonstrate high standards of student performance across all levels. Teachers completed mid-year Reports and interviewsx to parents on ‘The National Standards’ and end-of-year reports are due shortly. Feedback received throughout the year from parents has been positive and encouraging and it is pleasing to observe that parent satisfaction levels have tended to relate to the professionalism and confidence of the reporting offered. Perceptions gained centre on the quality of reporting rather than the “system” or the data presented. Throughout the year, teaching staff have been urged to consider progress reporting through “whole curriculum learning experiences”. This has been about broadening the curriculum focus further than Reading, Writing and Mathematics so that learning areas including Arts, Science, Social Sciences, Physical Education/Health and Technology are not marginalised. Teachers have been encouraged to use evidence of how a student meets a standard collected across a range of contexts and/or learning areas. How the students use Reading, Writing, and Mathematics in other learning areas is now helping to form our evidence when making an Overall Teacher Judgement. This “broadening of the evidence” has become an appreciated feature that is presented to parents during the progress reporting process. The school does not see The National Standards as ‘single tests’ as the main source of assessment information when deciding where a student is at in relation to the standards. Instead, the existing formative assessment practices of our teachers are supported by the need to reach an Overall Teacher Judgement. Observation of student learning, learning conversations and the use of a range of formal and informal assessment tools are collective information sources that assist teachers to arrive at their assessment decisions. Progress data for 2011 has been collected to identify the numbers of children at Elmwood Normal who have achieved ‘At, Above or Below’ the expected standards for Writing, Reading and Mathematics and this progress data is being reported for the first time in the Annual Report to the Community and Ministry of Education. Parents will shortly be able to view the Annual Report section of the 2012 Charter on the school’s website. The teachers have done well, and they will continue to learn from and consider best practice for reporting student progress. A group of Lead Teachers explored and offered a range of practical teaching strategies that will assist their colleagues review their teaching and learning approaches towards lifting Writing proficiency levels across the school. This work has generated much professional conversation about the Writing “processes” for learning including the skills for drafting, editing, revising and publishing. Throughout 2011 there was a continued focus on valuing individual potential. This was encouraged through talent recognition, opportunity, extension and celebration of successful learning for all children. Teachers, and support staff, have worked hard to help every student feel special, respected and appreciated in reaching their individual potential. During the year teachers provided many occasions to explore new learning opportunities to ensure that talented students had the opportunities they needed to take their learning further and beyond. Many of our senior students thrived on the opportunity to take some leadership responsibility. A significant number of Elmwood Normal students are within the top range of the academic scale and demonstrate a high degree of talent. The school collected a comprehensive range of achievement information and data to measure overall progress indicators, identify progress trends and success rates. For example: Reading Survey 2011 Survey Results: 2011 Reading Levels (National Standards) 2011 Writing Levels (National Standards) 2011 Mathematics levels (National Standards): 2011 Progressive Achievement Test Assessments Results: International Competitions and Assessment for Schools (ICAS) Results: ICAS English 2011 results ICAS Spelling - Y6 2011 results ICAS Mathematics 2011 results ICAS Science 2011 Results Parents will shortly be able to locate the Annual Report for 2011 and the Annual Plan for 2012, on the school’s website www.elmwood.school.nz. This will provide moreinformation about progress information and our next steps for 2012. Kevin Gooch
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