NAPLAN results reflect Shepparton’s unique educational challenges

By Gianni Francis

Apr 5, 2022

Early education: Regional areas are below the state average.

NAPLAN results for 2021 reveal Shepparton’s overall performance above the average for inner regional areas at Year 9 level and below average at primary school age.

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Regional Victoria scores lower than the metro areas, with the gap from Year 3 to Year 9 either staying the same or growing wider across all assessment criteria between 2016 and 2021.

Data from schools in the greater Shepparton Local Government Area has been averaged across areas of assessment in the graphs.

Shepparton is defined as “inner regional” on the Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia, a metric used to measure access to services.

Greater Shepparton’s overall performance reflects the challenges posed by relatively higher levels of disadvantage in the municipality.

According to Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project, 12 per cent of the population has migrated from countries where English was not their first language.

The Lighthouse Project aims to improve education outcomes for Shepparton students, including by building the capacity of families and community.

Research shows the educational performance of students is related to characteristics of their family such as parental education and occupation and socio-economic background of the students.

Year 5: Shepparton trails the regional and state-wide averages.

Lighthouse Project manager of innovation and education Amy Robinson said high levels of students in Shepparton presented with learning and behavioural difficulties that had to be carefully managed within classrooms and school yards.

“(There are) evident concerns regarding students’ ability to attend school regularly, consistently and engage with the curriculum whilst present,” she said.

Ms Robinson said socio-educational disadvantage manifested in the Shepparton community through the effects of trauma, neglect and abuse on the developing brain and ability to learn.

“This is evident in the high numbers of students in alternate educational settings within greater Shepparton,” she said.

“Teachers in mainstream schools require increasingly tailored approaches, specialised training and an understanding of trauma-informed teaching practice as well as adjustments for complex learning and behavioural difficulties.”

Victorian Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed said the need for the Shepparton Education Plan was clear and its focus on early years through to tertiary education highlighted how much work needed to be done.

“I regard education as one of my priorities and I continue to advocate for more services at every opportunity,” she said.

Secondary education: The averages for years 7 and 9 were positively skewed by the performance of Goulburn Valley Grammar, which outstripped all government high schools.

In the community, the Lighthouse Project supports school leaders, students and families with a “whatever it takes” approach to find solutions that improve educational outcomes.

“We support primary and secondary schools in the region and understand the complex challenges teachers face to have our young people attending, engaging with the curriculum and achieving success within their educational journey,” Ms Robinson said.

The Lighthouse Project addresses young peoples’ readiness for school through family mentoring.

“These co-ordinated approaches are family-centred and seek to address improvements in school readiness and ultimately have a positive impact on our (early development) figures in the region, which ultimately impact upon a young person’s trajectory in the educational system in later years,” Ms Robinson said.

Ms Robinson said the Lighthouse Project helped support Greater Shepparton Secondary College by running programs to transition young people from Grade 6 to Year 7 and improve attendance by assisting in building social connections and access to positive role models.

The Lighthouse Project also runs alternate education options for students who don’t thrive in mainstream school, providing positive relationships and connection with community volunteers and mentors.

“We (also) run the Aunties program in primary schools – connecting students to music, sport and art, and access to cultural connections and family support,” Ms Robinson said.