As BOSTES tried to reduce stress, the @SMH incorrectly says changes will increase pressure on 14 year olds!

The SMH in this article on Tuesday reported that:

The move is expected to heap pressure on students as young as 14...

(SMH)


With a Band 8 or better being awarded to most students above national minimum standard, this is a low benchmark (not high as BOSTES argues). By the time students, three years later, finish Year 12, they should not be labeled as "as minimum standard" for a Year 9 student. If this is the case, we have failed as educators or the student most definately should not be awarded the credential of HSC (not an automatic entitlement!)

Students will have the opportunity to sit online literacy and numeracy tests at various points to show that they have met the standard. the Band 8 at Year 9 is jut the first opportunity that students have to demonstrate this. It may have the impact of Year 9 students taking NAPLAN more seriously and hence achieving better results - which I'm sure the NSW government would love to see when being bench-marked against other states.

"This is about motivating students in junior high school particularly," Mr Piccoli said.

(SMH)

If you want more details on what a Band 8 actually is, visit the NAP website: http://nap.edu.au/results-and-reports/how-to-interpret