Australian Government Reporting Requirements for Reporting to Parents

In late 2004, the Australian Government enacted the Schools Assistance (Learning Together – Achievement Through Choice and Opportunity Act 2004). From December 2006, the Australian Government requires schools to report to parents / caregivers in a number of ways for all students from P-12. Primarily, these regulations relate to the report card which is one aspect of the school’s reporting process. In summary, schools are required to provide parents / caregivers with:

• the Queensland Studies Authority reports on Year 3, 5, and 7 (and 9 from year 2007) literacy and numeracy testing.
• an opportunity to meet with the child’s teacher at least twice a year.
• written reports to parents twice per year, against achievement levels and a five point scale.
• The opportunity to access information on a child’s achievement relative to the child’s peer group.

Complying with the Australian Government reporting regulations is based on ‘relative and comparative’ reporting of student’s progress.

To meet these government requirements, All Saints School has reviewed our reporting practices to ensure that we:

• Use plain language that is readily understood by parents, guardians or other persons who have care and control of the child;
• Report twice in a written format in any year (on paper or electronically);
• Provide opportunities for parents and teachers (and students where appropriate) to meet twice per year to discuss students’ progress;
• Give an accurate and objective assessment of the child’s progress as well as achievement;
• Offer to provide information on achievement relative to the performance of the child’s peer group at the school where this is requested; and
• Include the child’s academic and non academic learning.

Further…

• From 2007, student progress in Prep and Year l should be reported twice yearly with reference to the Early Learning Record from the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines and Level 1 of the Years 1-10 KLA syllabi.
• There is no requirement to report student progress on a five point scale in Prep or Year 1.

For Brisbane Catholic Education Schools:

1. the achievement levels that schools must report student progress against are the levels (Level 1-Level 6) of the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA), Years 1-10 Key Learning Area syllabi.
2. the labels describe achievement against the levels in the KLA syllabi. Schools are required to use the standard descriptors below, however they may make choices regarding the particular labels used to report these standards.
3. the “clearly defined specific learning standards” required to appear on the report card are:

• Achieving well above the expected level
• Achieving above the expected level
• Achieving at the expected level
• Achieving below the expected level
• Achieving well below the expected level

The wording of these standard descriptors is aligned with those submitted by the Queensland Catholic Education Commission to the Commonwealth Government.

For students with specific learning difficulties, parents may choose to modify their child’s written report format. For these students, a report in plain language, showing achievements against the student’s individual learning plan, will be made available to parents. (This may be complemented by conferences, and support team and formal review meetings.) In such cases, there is no need to use a five point scale in the areas where the child has received an ‘exemption’.

Aligning the Standards to the Labels…

The label on the report card will tell you how your child is progressing against the expected state-wide standard at that time of the year.

What is the purpose of a five point label, A-E (or equivalent)
The five point label is a requirement of the regulations.  Its intention is that each label aligns with the standards, and names that standard in an easily understood manner.

Historically the ‘C’ label is aligned with learning achievement that is ‘average’ or ‘satisfactory’ and an ‘A’ label is aligned with an ‘excellent’ achievement. At All Saints School we have intentionally avoided an A-E labelling system. Alternatively, we have chosen ‘labels’ for the five point scale which mean exactly what they say, i.e...

It is important to distinguish that ‘Achieving at the expected level’ indicates firmly established learning that is typically expected of students at particular year levels.  ‘Achieving well above the expected level’ goes well beyond what would be expected of a particular year level, that is, it reflects a higher level of learning rather than an excellent demonstration of the same level of learning. So, if your child receives ‘Expected’ it does not mean their achievement is ‘just adequate'. It indicates that your child has met the state-wide standard expected of children of their age at that time of year and their learning is firmly on track.

How will schools judge the expected level of achievement
Consistency in reporting within and between schools results from the way the standard descriptors are applied to student learning, and how they align with what Queensland students are expected to know and be able to do at particular year levels.  The five point label simply names the standard for parents/caregivers.  Schools are in the best position to determine a report format and label that meets the diverse needs of individual communities.

The judging of ‘expected level of achievement’ is made in alignment with the levels of the KLA syllabi as they ‘typically relate to year levels.’ (QSA English Years 1-10 Syllabus, p9)

1. Level 1 typically aligns with the middle of Year 2
2. Level 2 typically aligns with the end of Year 3
3. Level 3 typically aligns with the end of Year 5
4. Level 4 typically aligns with the end of Year 7
5. Level 5 typically aligns with the middle of Year 9
6. Level 6 typically aligns with the end of Year 10

At times, this information is referred to as the Typicality Framework and may be visually represented as thus…

 Information on a Child’s Achievement Relative to the Child’s Peer Group

This information is available to parents / caregivers. It is important to note that:

• Peer group indicates all children enrolled in the same year level.
• In BCE schools this information will be available through a discussion, on request, by the parent/caregiver.

The information indicates the number or percentage of students in the peer group who achieved at each standard.

In addition to reporting to parents about their child's achievements, all Queensland schools are required to publish a minimum set of information for parents and the community. This Schools Reporting Policy will ensure that all schools report similar information that complies with Government requirements in a clear and comprehensive manner. More........