AUSTRALIA

VCE 2016: The wait is over as thousands of students receive results

The Age wrote on the official release of ATAR results for VCE students, which came five days after a technical glitch caused many students to see their results early. The top rank was achieved by 35 students, and female students had a stronger overall average. Despite a higher completion rate, the number of students who received a study score above 40 fell from 2015. Education Minister James Merlino has ordered an investigation into the technical issue, with the opposition’s education spokesman suggesting it is sign of bigger issues plaguing Victorian education.

Stalling NAPLAN results spark calls to raise expectations on teachers, students

ABC News presented the findings of the latest NAPLAN report. Despite improvements in indigenous education, the general academic performance of students had stalled from 2015. Robert Randall, CEO of the ACARA said this report showed that expectations needed to be raised; Senator Simon Birmingham called for the introduction of evidence-based strategies to boost results. Starting next year, and to be fully implemented by 2019, NAPLAN will be an online test, with ACARA hoping it will provide more information for teachers.

Staff bullying allegations emerge at isolated far west NSW school

In another ABC News report, allegations of bullying have surfaced from a school in far west NSW, with complaints made to the Department of Education. One complainant, a contractor, said he was filmed by a staff member without consent as he tried to leave the school. A local resident has claimed that some staff have been treating others rudely and with disrespect. Community concern has also been prompted, with a number of well-regarded staff recently leaving the school, with suggestions this will impact educational standards.

Armed guards increasingly common in Australian schools

According to News.com.au, there are more armed guards and CCTV cameras being used in Australian schools than ever before. After the Federal Government announced last year that Jewish and Islamic schools were under threat from terror attacks, 54 'at risk' schools were to receive a share of $18 million to improve security. Many have accessed the funds to hire private security guards and install cameras. Others have gone beyond the funding, hiring armed guards from private firms.

Penalties for schools lacking detailed vaccination records 'could help ease outbreaks'

The Age has written on a recent report on a measles outbreak, which occurred in 2014 in a Melbourne primary school, fuelled by unvaccinated local residents. The publication in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health found that identifying susceptible people exposed in the outbreak was hampered by the quality of the school’s records and delays in diagnosis. Following the introduction of ‘no jab, no play’ legislation in Victoria, there are some calls for compulsory vaccination for school children and financial penalties for schools failing to maintain detailed records.

Western Australia leads the world in an international coding for kids movement

The Financial Review has reported on the rise of computer programming ‘dojos’ around the world. These locations, part of the international CoderDojo movement, involve volunteers mentoring children – who are called ‘ninjas’ - in computer coding, website building and app creating. Nearly 100 of the dojos have spread to Western Australia, with over 2000 children attending, due the efforts of Perth-based philanthropy group The Fogarty Foundation. CoderDojo in WA has attempted to engage girls in the activities, with 40% of the ‘ninjas’ being girls and some dojos being female-only.

INTERNATIONAL

NZ: National Standards: 'No positive impact on achievement' say teachers

The New Zealand Herald has commented on a new report which finds that opinions on the National Standards have fallen. Only 16% of teachers believed that the Standards, introduced in 2010, had a positive impact; 70% believed the standards had narrowed the curriculum, while two thirds were concerned about the negative effect of students' anxieties about their performance. The New Zealand Educational Institute said the National Standards should be dropped, but the Ministry of Education stated that the standards were ‘working as intended’.

UK: School library book returned more than 120 years late – with no fine

The Guardian has reported on the return of a library book that was borrowed in the 1890s from a school in Hereford. The book – The Microscope and its Revelations – was borrowed by a passionate pupil, Arthur Boycott, who went on to study at Oxford University. He later became a distinguished pathologist and naturalist whose portrait hangs in the National Portrait Gallery.  After being discovered by his granddaughter, she returned the book to the school, which did not charge any overdue fees.

UK: The school 'grading' parents on their commitment to education

Stuff reported on a school in the UK introducing a grading system for students’ parents. Those who are heavily involved in their child’s education receive an A, while the worst parent performances are given a D and may be called to see the Principal. While the school has claimed the move has helped increase educational standards and motivate parental involvement, some parents have called the concept ‘ludicrous’, shaming them for not having the time to be involved in school activities.