Teens from low socioeconomic areas of Perth who took part in specialist sports programs were better engaged at school and their maths grades improved, my research shows.
Selective schools are known for producing some of the highest final-year academic results. But it’s unclear whether students would get the same outcomes anyway, regardless of school.
Improving initial teacher education is a long-term strategy. It won’t achieve the education minister’s goal of getting Australia to the top-performing nations in maths and literacy by 2030.
NAPLAN scores are used to gauge the quality of schools. But the overemphasis on only literacy and numeracy scores stands in the way of providing a more holistic education.
Schools in poorer areas can make a significant impact on their students’ lives. This can matter more, relative speaking, than higher test scores in wealthier suburbs.