By Callum Ludwig
Primary schools in the Yarra Ranges have excelled in 2021’s NAPLAN, including Wesburn Primary School and Warburton Primary School.
Both primary schools grade three and five had some of the highest percentages of above-average scores in writing, with 75 per cent of students achieving the feat for Wesburn and 78 per cent for Warburton.
Wesburn Primary School Principal Anne Stenhouse said she is extremely proud of everyone who helped the students achieve such a great result.
“I’m really excited and really proud of the student’s and staff’s hard work, but also parents who had a lot of input because it’s happened in the time of remote and flexible learning,” she said.
Warburton Primary School Principal Barbara Darling was equally proud.
“The whole school community is delighted with the results and for our students and teachers. The school community has worked together really well to support the students learning over the last tough couple of years and the results show the positive effects,” she said.
Ms Stenhouse said there has been a big focus on literacy development at Wesburn Primary School.
“We’ve consistently done weekly professional learning and coaching for the teachers on all aspects of literacy. We have dedicated time for students to solely focus on practicing their writing,” she said.
“The implementation of intervention programs PreLit and MultiLit have also improved reading, spelling and writing.”
A common theme among both schools was not focusing too hard on NAPLAN practice testing, but rather ensuring the students were confident in their own abilities.
“If you chose to have students practicing for NAPLAN all the time then you’re not actually teaching and you need to be teaching. NAPLAN is just a different way of being assessed to how students normally are,” Ms Stenhouse said.
“In terms of the student outcome on NAPLAN, we believe as long as we’re providing quality teaching and teaching children the strategies they need, performing on NAPLAN shouldn’t be a problem,” Ms Darling said.
Both principals said the great results gave the students a sense of achievement.
“It encourages them to continue to do just as well and keep working hard. They see it as a really important and relevant skill for their lives,” Ms Stenhouse said.
“We do a lot of independent goal setting with our students. It really boosts their learning when they set a goal and achieve it. It builds their confidence and they set the next goal and work towards achieving it,” Ms Darling said.
It’s exciting times for the schools and Wesburn Primary School is excited for their Colour Fun Run later in the year, where the students take great joy in throwing coloured powder over their beloved principal Ms Stenhouse.
Warburton Primary School have just opened their bush tucker garden and yarning circle and the students are excited to use the ingredients in their thriving sustainable Harvest Cafe, and will be furthering their students experience with First Nations culture by performing in a Wakakirri Story-Dance festival later in the year.
