The Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA) has welcomed the addition of 2021 NAPLAN data to individual school data on the My School website.
'The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) is to be congratulated for its ongoing commitment to making complex data as accessible and as easy to read as possible,' said AHISA's CEO, Ms Beth Blackwood.
'One of the strongest stories that My School tells is that Australian schools are highly diverse,' said Ms Blackwood. 'This diversity is evident not just in the relative socio-educational profile of schools' student communities, but in their size and the range of year levels offered.'
Ms Blackwood recommended that parents using My School data to help them choose the most appropriate school for their child should read the school profile section and follow the links to schools' websites.
'While the My School website is a good place for parents to start when gathering information about where they will educate their children, it is important to remember that My School gives only a very limited snapshot of school life,' said Ms Blackwood.
'A visit to the My School site is no substitute for a personal visit to a school, where parents have the opportunity to talk with the principal, teachers and students to help determine whether the school is the best choice to meet the unique needs and interests of their child.'
Ms Blackwood also warned against making value-for-money comparisons by attempting to align financial data published on the My School site with NAPLAN results.
'Differences in the per student expenditure figures published on My School may reflect differences in teacher:student ratios or the breadth of subject offerings, particularly at senior secondary level, as well as the cost of co-curriculum offerings,' said Ms Blackwood. 'Following the links from the My School site to individual school sites will help parents get a feel for the full program that schools offer students, including curriculum specialisations and extra-curricular opportunities.'
