A to E reporting
Feedback sought on A to E reporting
Feedback is sought by Friday 23 March 2007 from schools and parents on the 2006 end of year A to E Reporting.
Reporting student achievement to parents - A to E grades
- Your guide to A to E grades on school reports (pdf 380 Kb)
Why has an A to E reporting system been introduced?
It is a condition of Australian Government funding that parents will be provided with a report using an A to E grading scale. The Northern Territory Government agreed to implement student achievement reports that:
- are provided in writing at least twice a year
- use “plain English” that is easily understood by all parents and guardians
- include A to E grades for Year 1 to Year 10 students in all learning areas taught, assessed and monitored each semester.
What does the A to E grading mean?
The A to E grading will tell you how your child is progressing in a subject against a Territory-wide standard. No matter which school a child attends, the A to E grading will remain consistent. All the grades are based on standards set through the Northern Territory Curriculum Framework.
A to E grades indicate:
A well above the expected level for their year
B above the expected level for their year
C at the expected level for their year
D below the expected level for their year
E well below the expected level for their year
Does a C grade mean a student’s work is ‘only adequate or satisfactory’?
A ‘C’ indicates that your child is working at a level that is the Territory-wide standard for children of their age and their learning is on track.
Does a D or E mean a student’s work is of a poor or extremely poor standard?
Not all students meet the standards expected for their year level all of the time. It is common that students may make better progress in some areas than in others. If your child receives a D or an E, it is important that you consult your child’s teacher and discuss the progress made during the semester. It may be that while your child is not achieving at the expected level for their age they may have made significant progress in their learning during that semester.
What is the NT-wide standard used for A to E?
The NT-wide standards were determined through historical student achievement data and consultation with principals. They were formulated to account for the diversity of students and communities throughout the Territory.
The NT-wide standard may differ to your child’s current school standard, which was developed taking into account your school community. The standards will be reviewed in 2007 based on feedback and data from the first round of reporting in 2006.
Will this be the only report a student receives?
It might be. Schools are encouraged to continue with their existing reporting practices. However, some schools have chosen to replace their existing report with the A to E report while others have decided that the new report will be an addition to their existing report.
All Year 3, 5 and 7 students will continue to receive a report on their literacy and numeracy achievement through participation in the Multilevel Assessment Program (MAP) tests.
Apart from the requirement to include a grading of A to E on the student’s achievement for the learning areas taught and assessed that semester, decisions about the school’s reporting should be made in conjunction with the school community.
Will A to E grades be consistent across all schools?
Teachers across the Territory are working to ensure consistency of their judgements about the achievements of their students. Schools will continue to focus on a process called ‘moderation’, which examines students’ work at a school level, across schools and across the Territory. Through the moderation processes, teachers review student work samples, confirming or modifying judgements made against the standards outlined in the Northern Territory Curriculum Framework.
Can I find out how my child is progressing compared to others in their year level?
Yes, providing your child’s year group contains more than 20 students. For schools with more than 20 students per year level, you will be able to ask for a summary of the number of other children in the same year level who achieved A, B, C, D and E in each aspect of the report.
Information that compares students’ achievements will not be provided where there are fewer than 20 students in a year level due to possible breaches of privacy. Parents will not be able to access any grading of an individual student apart from those of their own child.
My child has a disability and has an Individual Education Plan. Will he/she receive a report that shows A to E achievement levels?
No. Students with special learning needs who have Individual Education Plans will not receive an A to E report.
My child is in Transition. Will he/she receive an A to E grading?
No. The A to E grading does not apply to students in Preschool or Transition. A to E reports are required for the compulsory years of schooling only.
Will English as a Second Language or Dialect students receive A to E grades?
All English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Second Dialect (ESD) students currently being taught and assessed according to the NT Curriculum Framework ESL Levels will have their ESL A to E grading assigned by their teachers rather than automatically allocated. This is due to the very individual nature of second language proficiency.
How can I find out more?
Your child’s principal or class teacher can provide you with further information.