Learning & Teaching Update

Recently, I had the opportunity to be part of a Christian Schools Australia (CSA) Study Tour where fourteen leaders in Learning and Teaching from around Australia came together to visit a range of Christian Schools. It was a privilege to be able to see the wonderful work being undertaken in these Christian Schools and also to share how St Andrews Christian College is providing a high-quality, Biblically-based education for our students. 

As we develop our College Strategic Plan for 2024 – 2027, Learning and Teaching is a key pillar of this plan. I encourage parents to take the opportunity to attend one of the Parent Focus Groups (17th May or 31st May) or the Community Meeting (8th June) so that we can engage in productive conversations and ensure that, as a College, we continue to provide an outstanding education for our students. 

LEGO Masters Grand Masters

On Wednesday 10th May, we were honoured to have Ryan Evans – a contestant in the recent LEGO Masters Grand Masters competition, visit the College. Students in Years 3 – 6 were able to engage with Ryan as they completed a range of LEGO challenges. Students were given the task of building a Tower which reached a height of at least 1 metre, building a vehicle which travelled the furthest after leaving an inclined ramp, building a bridge which spanned a gap of 1 metre or building an object to hang from a suspended rope. The level of engagement and teamwork from students was wonderful to see and Ryan was impressed with the problem-solving skills displayed and the creativity of the solutions reached. 

Many thanks to Kerryn Terrington (E3 Coordinator) for organising this event.

Academic Competitions 2023

In 2023 students will, once again, have opportunity to participate in the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) and the ICAS Assessments. 

Please refer to the News feed on the Hub for full details regarding registration, dates and other important information. A brief summary for each is included below:

Registrations for the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) for Year 3 – 12 students are to be returned to the College Office by Friday 21st July. 

The competition will be completed online at school from August 2nd – August 4th.

AMC Registration form:

Australian Mathematics Competition 2023

Registrations for the ICAS Assessments in Digital Technologies (Y2-7), English (Y2-10), Science (Y2-10), Mathematics (Y2) and Spelling Bee (Y2-7) can be completed via the online portal https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/pps and using the unique access code for St Andrews Christian College: DXE499

Online payment closes: Monday 31st July

Assessments will be completed online at school from August 7th – September 1st.

NAPLAN 2023

The information below has been included to advise on some important updates to the way NAPLAN results will be reported this year. Earlier this year, Education Ministers agreed to proceed with a set of reforms for NAPLAN 2023. These include resetting the NAPLAN scale and time series to align with the completion of the online transition in 2022, and to improve the accuracy of results. In addition, a set of four achievement levels (proficiency standards) will be introduced to replace the existing ten bands and the National Minimum Standard used for NAPLAN reporting between 2008 and 2022.

This change will provide schools, parents, and carers with clearer information that detail student achievement against new proficiency standards. The standards for NAPLAN 2023 and for all testing moving forward are as follows:

• Exceeding

• Strong

• Developing

• Needs additional support.

These standards will represent a challenging but reasonable expectation of what students at each year level know and can do at the time of NAPLAN testing.

Why are proficiency standards being introduced?

From 2023, NAPLAN reports will more accurately reflect the personalised (adaptive) online tests that students undertake, and will facilitate the provision of timely, more precise reporting on the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy.

The new standards will provide simple and clear information for parents and carers about whether their child is where they need to be in relation to the development of their literacy and numeracy skills, and if not, they will indicate to the school that interventions and learning supports may need to be put in place for those students who may be at risk of falling behind.

The new standards and reporting design were developed with input from all education authorities and sectors, as well as parents, through independent focus groups and national peak parent organisations.

How will NAPLAN results be provided to students, parents, and carers?

Hard copies of student reports will continue to be distributed to all students who completed the NAPLAN 2023 tests. The individual reports will incorporate the four new proficiency standards, along with instructions for how to interpret the new achievement scale and student performance. The report will continue to show the national average and the range of achievement for the middle 60 per cent of students in their year level, allowing comparison of a child’s achievement against these measures.

Updated guidance materials, including FAQs, proficiency level summary statements and a new brochure, will be provided to assist parents and carers in understanding the reporting changes and the new NAPLAN standards.

In addition, for NAPLAN 2023, Victorian Year 9 students who achieve scores in the top proficiency standard (Exceeding) for reading and/or numeracy will be awarded a certificate of achievement. In future years, certificates will be broadened to account for student growth against the new standards.

When are NAPLAN results expected to be released?

NAPLAN 2023 school and individual student results are expected to be released by mid-late July 2023.

My School Website

The My School Website, https://www.myschool.edu.au/school/46293 has recently been updated to include NAPLAN data for the 2022 school year in the areas of student results and student progress. The table below shows a summary of the average score for students at St Andrews for 2022. Also included is an explanation of the colour coding used to compare with students of a similar background. Across all of the learning domains, the results from 2022 are very pleasing and indicate that students at St Andrews are performing to a high level.

For context, the table below gives a graphical representation of the bands, scaled scores and relevant year levels.

Learning Support

The first ASD Parent Support Group meeting was held in Week 2 and although only a few attended it was a rich time of connection. The next meeting will be on Wednesday 14th June (Week 8) from 9:15am. Come along and meet other parents who are faced with the challenges of a child on the autism spectrum. This is a wonderful time for parents and staff to build community, over a coffee and morning tea. It is also a safe environment in which we engage in a shared understanding of the unique journey upon which each one is travelling. Everyone is welcome to attend. We look forward to seeing you. A quick email to confirm your attendance would be greatly appreciated.

• The Term 3 meeting will be on Wednesday 16th August at 9:15am.

We welcomed Alisa Romboy to our secondary Learning Support LA team late in Term 1. Alisa brings amazing skills in her role and has connected well with students. She recently graduated with a Bachelor of Teaching and a Bachelor of Arts (Humanities). We are still advertising for another part time Learning Assistant in the secondary school. Please spread the word if you know of any suitable candidates.

We have recently connected with Peter Hynninen, a psycho-educational psychologist. Peter has 33 years of experience as the senior psychologist in a specialist school in Melbourne. He is available to do assessments and some counselling. Arrangements need to be made with Peter privately, however, he is able to assess/see students at school during school hours, as needed. Peter also has rooms in Camberwell, Malvern, and Monbulk. All assessments include an interview and a feedback session with parents/caregivers and teachers to assist in understanding results. He is also able to support parents with guidance in applying for Disability Support Pensions (16 y.o. & over) and providing reports for NDIS applications. You can contact Peter on 0450 181 239 or email at peterhynninen@hotmail.com for more information.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the Learning Support teachers. We are always willing to chat about how we can best support your child to reach their potential.

Shirley Gillie – Head of Learning Support
sgillie@standrews.vic.edu.au

Josie Mayer – Learning Support Teacher – Primary
jmayer@standrews.vic.edu.au

Kerryn Terrington – Learning Support Teacher – Secondary
kterrington@standrews.vic.edu.au