Four schools in Western Sydney have been ranked in the top 20 for numeracy and literacy student progress in New South Wales schools, according to the national assessment and curriculum body ACARA.
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School in Cabramatta, St Felix Catholic Primary School in Bankstown, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School in Villawood, and Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School in Sefton have all seen dramatic rises in progress in their students based on NAPLAN data.
Sacred Heart Cabramatta saw an incredible 41.4 per cent increase in numeracy, 14.9 per cent increase in writing, and a 9.2 increase in spelling, which principal Julie Straub credits to her evidence-based programs.
“We have a carefully structured timetable that gives time and support for our teachers to analyse student data, so they’re really finding out where their strengths are and their areas of growth,” Straub told The Catholic Weekly.
“Then they’re using that data really effectively to inform their teaching practice so that every child is working at their level towards their personalised goal.
“We have a strong pastoral care and wellbeing framework, we want to provide a safe and inclusive environment where everyone feels that they can learn and grow.”
The Sacred Heart Cabramatta principal said pupils were tested regularly and given classroom time to revise material.
And as academic results rose, so too did the student’s confidence levels and future aspirations for future success.
The results come at the end of Straub’s first year at the primary school but she credits the academic victory to previous principals and said it is a whole school effort.
“These results have come across the last three years because NAPLAN changed their methodology and bands for recording, so it’s the first time that we’ve seen growth between Year Three and Year Five,” she said.
“Kudos to the principals that came before me and for the leadership staff, specialists, and classroom teachers because this really is a collaborative achievement by an extraordinary team.”
