Recently, there have been numerous reports in the print media regarding Victoria’s relative drop in performance in the annual NAPLAN testing conducted across Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in May this year. There is speculation that the periods of extended lockdowns over the past few years have contributed to a decline in standards.

An analysis of King David’s results suggests otherwise. Across all of the relevant year levels almost all our students performed strongly and significantly outperformed the national standards. This is consistent with previous years’ performance and is indicative that there has not been any equivalent diminution of the results in relation to this type of assessment.

Of course, one needs to be careful not to draw too many conclusions from a series of tests that reflect a student’s performance at a moment in time. At King David, the results of NAPLAN are just one of many data points that we use to ascertain how individual students and cohorts are progressing. We also use other objective testing, school-based assessments and teacher observations to ensure that our students are tracking well and that we adjust with appropriate interventions when required.

That said, we are not surprised by our relatively strong performance on these tests. During the challenging years of lockdown and switching between face-to-face and distant learning, we worked very hard to optimise the learning experience for our students. Our staff were highly committed to meeting student needs. We carefully utilised electronic resourcing and video conferencing technology and our regular and responsive adjustments to our timetable ensured that we were able to maintain a balance between keeping students occupied and learning without feeling overloaded.

When we were allowed to return to campus, we also made carefully considered adjustments to the holistic experience to ensure that our students were not overwhelmed and were able to gradually adapt to gently increasing expectations.

While these considered decisions have helped to maintain academic rigour and standards, there is little doubt that across the community there is, nonetheless, fallout from the extended periods of lockdown. It is evident that no school is immune from the social and emotional challenges that came from the periods of isolation, worry and confinement.

That supermarkets now require signs begging customers not to abuse the staff is symptomatic of the level of community stress and the subsequent challenges to relationships that have emerged in some sectors over the last few years.

We are working very hard to ensure that our students have access to relevant supports and that they are again granted the blessing of a normal childhood. I have no doubt that our wellbeing structures and curriculum and the caring and expert approach of our fabulous staff will continue to see improvements in this regard.

My sincere hope is that the broader community also gains access to such support and that the difficult periods of lockdown can become a footnote in history and cease to have such an influence on the mentality of citizens and the relationships between them.

Shabbat Shalom,

Marc Light