NAPLAN data shows Warrnambool East Primary School students 'exceeding'

The school is celebrating improved NAPLAN results with its principal crediting a collaborative whole school approach as a factor in its success.

Warrnambool East has recorded a higher percentage of students who are either strong or exceeding in reading, writing, spelling and numeracy in years three and five, compared with similar schools.

WEPS school council president Clinton Hill saw the achievement as an opportunity to celebrate with the wider community.

Five-year trends showed WEPS was either on par or below similar schools, but it is now strong or exceeding, something the school council, leadership and staff are celebrating.

'Exceeding' means students' results exceed expectations at the time of testing while 'strong' means students' results met challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing.

Principal Marina Milich said the improved results were due to a number of factors but WEPS' point of difference was its professional learning community working together in a whole school approach.

"There is evidence around when teachers work together students learn more," Mrs Milich said.

"We work as a professional learning community and take responsibility as a whole staff for all our students."

She said the school, which has an enrolment of 485 children, had "redefined the flow of teaching post-pandemic" and was meeting students' social, emotional and learning needs.

Mrs Milich said while NAPLAN data gave teachers a "meaningful and clear measure of student achievement and provided additional information", its educators looked at the whole child.

"We maintain strong connections between and work in partnership with parents and engage student voice in their learning."

She said the latest achievement was a "work in progress over a number of years", thanking past and present staff who had all played a vital role.

"It's important to acknowledge the contributions of past staff and leadership who have put us in good stead for a positive journey ahead," she said. "We will continue to leverage off their work and work in a collective way to continue to support our students."

She said various initiatives, such as the school's Nurture Room, helped to ensure students were supported and ready to learn.

"It's more than learning," Mrs Milich said. "We prioritise wellbeing and develop programs and supports to meet everybody's needs which contribute to our NAPLAN results."

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