Designing the Classroom Curriculum Designing the Classroom Curriculum | Page 121

Lynch, Smith, Howarth
student’s level of attainment and the progress they have made” and “the fundamental purpose of assessment
and reporting is to improve student learning” (p. 1). NSW DET’s School Reporting Policy (n.d.) states
“Schools will provide parents/carers, throughout the school year, with formal and informal opportunities
to receive information about and discuss their child’s learning” 49 .More specifically, the policy states:
“Schools will provide information on how a child’s achievement compares with the child’s peer
group at the school, on request from the child’s parents/carers (and). …will disseminate to
parents/carers the reports from state-wide testing programs and, as appropriate, will provide
opportunity for discussion between teachers and parents/carers” (NSW DET School Reporting
Policy, accessed, 2012).
Table 8.2: Common Grade Scales 50
Grade Common Grade Scale
A The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the
content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student
has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills
and can apply these skills to new situations.
B The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content
and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition,
the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most
situations.
C The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas
of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the
processes and skills.
D The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and
has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills.
E The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few
areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some
of the processes and skills.
In NSW schools, like other State education jurisdictions around Australia, eight school reporting principles
guide teachers in their development and enactment of school reports. Table 8.1 provides a detailed
explanation of each principle and the teacher uses these principles when they plan their classroom reports
at LMQ8. Of note is the following statement from the NSW DET website 51 :
“Student achievement progress can be reported by comparing:


the student’s work against a standards framework of syllabus outcomes
the student’s prior and current learning achievements
https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/curriculum/schools/curric_plan/PD20050290.shtml
http://arc.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/go/k-6/common-grade-scale/
51
http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/k-6assessments/principles.php
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49
50