Term 2 - Week 10

Father of all, You gave our Aboriginal People the Dreaming. You have spoken to them through their beliefs. You then made your love clear to them in the person of Jesus. We thank you for your care of these people. You own them. You are their hope. Make them strong as they face the problems of change. We ask you to help us, the people of Australia, to listen to them and respect their culture. Make the knowledge of you grow strong in all people so that you can be at home in all of us, and so that we can make a home for everyone in our land.
Amen.

Teachers are currently working on student reports for the semester. These will be available to parents on Compass on July 4.

Our teachers are busy preparing our Semester 1 Reports. Our students have been busy working hard for two terms and should be proud of their efforts this semester.  Reports will be made available on Compass in the final week of this term.

As we approach the end of Term 2, our teaching staff are in the final stages of preparing your child’s academic reports. These reports are an important way of sharing your child’s progress, achievements and areas for growth across all key learning areas.

In line with NSW Department of Education guidelines, students in Years 1 to 6 receive achievement grades using a five-point scale: A, B, C, D, and E. This grading scale is consistent across all schools and is used to indicate how well a student has achieved in relation to the expected outcomes for their year level. In Kindergarten, the three-point scale of Working Towards, Working At and Working Beyond is used.

What do the grades mean?

A - The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations.

B - The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most situations.

C - The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills.

D - The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills.

E - The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills.

It’s important to note that these grades do not reflect effort or behaviour, but instead show how well your child has met the curriculum expectations for their stage of learning.

What does a “C” mean?

A “C” grade indicates that your child is achieving exactly where they are expected to be at this point in the year. It means your child is working at grade level and has demonstrated a solid understanding of the concepts and skills taught in Semester 1.

While parents often see “C” as average or concerning, in the context of school reports, it actually represents sound and satisfactory achievement. Many students will receive a “C” in a subject area — this is both common and expected. NESA defines a ‘C grade’ as ‘the student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills’.

The link to the education standards is below if you wish to read further. 
https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/awarding-grades/common-grade-scale

Growth, Effort and Next Steps

At St Columba’s, we value the individual learning journey of every student. Alongside the A–E grade, teachers include comments about effort, engagement, and the progress made in specific areas. These insights, together with classroom observations and assessments, help to paint a more complete picture of your child’s development.

Thank you for your continued support in your child’s learning.