“A one-day test in May used to rank schools by how 'well' they are  doing is not an effective and useful way to use data. It leaves huge gaps, and parents are going to make assumptions about schools based on this inadequate data. There will be several schools which will be within a couple of percentages of each other, but the way they are ranked it will look as though the schools are miles apart achievement-wise.” Kim Buck

“Other areas of school life will not get reported on.  We cannot show our excellent HSC results, nor can we show the results of leadership programs, welfare programs and the results of self-esteem programs.  Nor can we show the general public the excellent intercultural relationships we build. Nor can we display the higher than average matriculation rates.  Nor can we display the successful passage of first year to second year university figures. So I ask, we do great things here, but how can simplistic league tables describe adequately our complex, dynamic and very successful educational setting?” Andrew

“I had one year's supply teaching in UK in 2001. I took over from a recent suicide; I saw corruption in testing; I saw poor practice - teach to the test. Much valuable time was wasted preparing for the tests. Children were terribly stressed. I was glad to return home to WA where there was the joy of learning in our classes. I CANNOT BELIEVE we are following a National Curriculum model such as that of UK with league tables to boot. Please stop this madness whilst you can. There are other ways to make sure schools are doing their job.” Pam Algar

“I worked in the UK in 1996 as an International Teaching Fellow and witnessed first hand how underperforming schools were stigmatised by the publication of league tables. Parents certainly used the information to choose schools where they could do so in their local area. In doing so some schools became so popular that they had to create select entry requirements, while other schools suffered because the better students were leaving, leaving only the weaker and more disruptive students in a school. This did nothing to improve the level of learning in those schools, instead it lowered motivational levels, increased problems and made it particularly difficult to retain staff who found it increasingly frustrating to work with the students who were there. The result was that a lot of graduates were placed in those schools, struggled for one or two years and then either moved to other schools or left teaching altogether.”  Elizabeth Hewett

“I am concerned that proposed changes to the Australian education system will do nothing to reduce inequities of access and quality. Indeed I am concerned that the proposed changes will reinforce existing social inequities and exacerbate the long-term social problems and dysfunction such inequity causes.”   Christine Banks

“LEAGUE TABLES WILL HURT CHILDREN. Simple as that. Not every child; maybe not most children. But surely you will not attempt to deny the fact that a significant number of children will be hurt by these fatuous misrepresentations of complex educational, interpersonal, socio-economic and emotional contexts. Shouldn't that then be enough grounds for their publication, at least in any form proposed thus far, to be summarily dismissed? Isn't causing emotional distress to children the complete antithesis of our stated aims? Is a parent's 'right to choose' from a decontextualised column of numbers more important than the real, palpable impact that these league tables will undeniably have on living, breathing students' sense of self-worth?”   Matt Buckley

“I taught in London as a full time teacher for six years and was there during the period where inspections and league tabling were at a peak.  Schools are a precariously balanced community, and parents are easily 'put off' any school with a hint of poor performance.  I was also witness to schools removing their poorer performing students from tests and exams to ensure their image remained intact, thus putting out a false image to what the school has achieved.  Naming and shaming schools made it impossible for many to recruit teachers - I was often in schools with over 80% of teaching staff from overseas.  Such teachers only stay for a few years, impacting on the school's ability to rebuild itself.”   Alisha Fleckhammer

“I have worked in the British education system where children as young as 5 are given predicted target grades which follow them all the way through their schooling system. This is a direct result of schools needing to place themselves up on league tables. It turns the children into learning automatons, which they are clearly not. They are people who deserve to be treated as such, and not a test result or rank.”    Raymond Montalban

“I completed my teacher training at one of the most socially disadvantaged schools in south-west Sydney.  There the teachers worked hard with children who, in some cases, had never held a book or learnt to count before arriving at school.  Yet the progress made there would not be reflected in NAPLAN results.  Publishing these would, I believe, simply provide a disincentive to these already disadvantaged schools.”  Adrian Kinslor

“In a small primary school, publication of these data verges on invasion of privacy for the two or three students in each cohort who sit the test. If their results are poor, the whole village knows about it very promptly.” Dr Kate Shield

" It is ludicrous to attempt to compare  schools with each other or even from Y3 to Y5 as the cohort varies considerably from year to year. In primary schools students leave at the end of Y4 for Opportunity Class (O.C.). Without these student the Y5 NAPLAN result are skewed. Augusta Monro

" As a teacher from a lower demographic school I feel there is no way tests can demonstrate the extended hours of work that my colleages put into the social and academic achievement of the students at our school.  Our Naplan results are by no means spectacular but considering our clients, I would challenge any school in the surrounding region to improve on our results. Dale Thomson

“Some children are 6-9 months younger than other children in Victoria when they start school and yet these league tables will lump all children together and grade them as one. This is ridiculous especially as the tests are only one form of assessment.  I have taught children throughout my teaching career who have difficulty with some written work and mathematics but often they are talented artists, builders or fantastic in some other area such as technology. The tests recognise none of these unique talents.” Jan Buchanan

" I'm concerned for my grandchildren. I saw the damage done to the children of Mt. Druitt when their school's scores were printed in the press. They were all tarnished by that publication - a whole cohort was shamed. Your policy of following the example of the US school system is not the way to go. Far from it, as that's one of the last systems you should be emulating". Astrid O'Neill

"Students enter schools with years of variation in their literacy and numeracy capabilities. Those children who have had minimal enrichment in their first 5 years may make amazing progress with the support of dedicated and excellent teachers but their year 3 test results will still be below those of other students. It is immensely discouraging for teachers, parents and students to have only the final test score recognised and not the growth that has been made". Keren Baxter

"I teach many students from a refugee background who come from a background of trauma and poverty. Some of my students have parents 'missing' in civil war. Having their academic results tallied in league tables is in no way a reflection of their true ability, it simply disadvantages them more". Megan Mears

"Personally, I am very concerned as the parent of a child with special needs. League tables may lead to restriction of the curriculum in areas such as art, where my child excels, but which is an area not measured in this way". Chery Kemp

"This will widen the gap between the have and the have nots when surely the government should work to minimise the gap". Jayne

"In my personal experience as a year 6 teacher in the UK, I witnessed the detrimental impact of league tables first hand. Teachers were forced to narrow down the curriculum, with many schools teaching test-taking skills for the whole of year 5 and 6. This is an age where children should be inspired by education and encouraged to investigate the world around them. In addition to this, school success is placed on the shoulders of 11 year olds. While we try to protect the children from this pressure, they are always aware of the importance of their results. The publishing of league tables only adds to this pressure with children often feeling like they have let down their parents, teachers, school and peers. Regret is not something primary aged Australian children need". Nadene O'Neill

"In New York City, where I live and my son attends school, the publication of test scores has led to increased teaching-to-the-test and the narrowing of curricula with cuts in science, social studies, art, music, drama, recess and field trips". Martha Foote

"As a teacher, I would say that the single biggest challenge I face every single day is convincing kids that 'they can do it.' Do anything. Our adolescents have such a fear of failure (as everything is published on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace etc.) that it is just easier to accept that one might not be able to succeed and give up before even starting. I have worked in selective, catholic and comprehensive schools and have experienced this battle in all systems. League tables would make a hard job near impossible. Please help us to do our jobs and build us all a confident and happy Australia". Dane R.

"We have students who do not make the state benchmarks and it is NOT because of poor teaching. So many students are affected by alcohol and drugs before they are born, have incredibly poor short term memories, language difficulties and they live in dysfunctional, struggling families. We make massive differences to their academic achievement but often where they start is so far behind the eight ball that difference we make doesn't register on the national testing regime". Gai Davis

"My daughter is a young graduate teacher currently supply teaching in Birmingham England, and has made the comment that there is such an emphasis on reaching targets per lesson, that all the fun has been taken out of learning! The results-driven mania that drives the English system should be avoided here at all costs if we are to ensure our students receive a quality holistic education". Anne Cleary