Primary Principals Welcome My School 2.0 But More To Be Done

The Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA), representing all education sectors, today welcomed the public launch of My School 2.0.

Click here to download the complete media release in a pdf file.

APPA President, Norm Hart, today said that APPA has always supported the principle of transparency as long as it enhances the activities undertaken in primary schools.

“We are all for giving parents access to good information about their child and their children’s schools. But it’s got to be accurate, timely and transparent.”

While welcoming the increased transparency of school information, Mr Hart today said that more still needs to be done. 

“We certainly welcome the fact that the sources of a school’s finances are now publicly and transparently available. But we remain concerned that there is still not sufficient breakdown of what a school’s funding source is actually being used for. For example, the information on the website today doesn’t make clear that a school’s funding pool may well include a component made available for the administration of school systems. Many of these schools don’t actually see this money, and it being included as part of a school’s funding pool distorts the real picture.”

Mr Hart also expressed concern that NAPLAN results continue to be open to distortion.

NAPLAN results are a useful indication of a student’s achievement in some aspects of literacy and numeracy at the time the test is administered.  NAPLAN results are in no way a measurement of school performance.  According to ACARA, 68 per cent of NAPLAN results are attributable to factors outside a school’s control.”

Mr Hart said that at the core of this is the fact that there still aren’t in place firm guidelines about the misuse of the NAPLAN results.

“The Government should issue clear protocols for system authorities, school principals and the media to prevent misuse from occurring.

We know various forms of misuse will happen based on the experiences in the US and UK.

The Government previously formed a working party to improve the My School website. We strongly encourage the Government to reconvene that working party to review My School 2.0.”

Mr Hart said that APPA would continue to provide feedback to the Government about the My School website from its members.  APPA represents approximately 7,200 primary school principals across the government, independent and Catholic sectors.