It is with great pleasure that we can share with you the 2021 academic results of our students in Years 3-12 in our recently released publication The Journey to Success.
Across the College, we witnessed an additional 2% growth above the expected rate of development with more than three-quarters of all students achieving an overall average of grade ‘B’ or above (GPA 11) in 2021.
Our students have taken the challenges of the last two extraordinary years in their stride demonstrating resilience, agility, and courage. They continue to do so.
Preparations for our annual NAPLAN testing have also commenced for students in Years 3,5,7 and 9. This National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy is a student progress benchmark in relation to national minimum standards in these areas. As with many other assessment instruments employed by schools, NAPLAN is designed to be used as a point-in-time measure of student performance – in this case, literacy and numeracy.
The 2021 NAPLAN results of our St John’s students have revealed results of which students, their families and their teachers can be very proud. In all domains and in all year levels, St John’s students exceeded the state and national benchmarks by a considerable margin, with a total of 98.2% of all students achieving at or above the national benchmarks.
On average, St John’s achieved within approximately 10% of the top NAPLAN performing schools in the state in each year level. When reviewing NAPLAN performance, the expected improvement in student performance between each test is two years of growth (students sit the test every two years). An Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ) NAPLAN Growth Data Analysis of St John’s performance shows an average of 2.18 years of growth – an additional 9% growth over the expected.
The diagnostic nature of NAPLAN assessment means that excessive preparation for testing invalidates the test and skews the result. The value in preparing for NAPLAN comes when it is embedded in the normal teaching and learning program year-round, with a focus on understanding the specific question types that are used in the NAPLAN tests.
Mr Andrew Landroth
Deputy Principal – Curriculum and Innovation
