School grading – PV media comment

The Age reports today on comments by leading international education expert Geoff Masters, regarding school grading.

According to the article:

The As Bs and Cs traditionally used to grade children’s work should be swept away and replaced with measurements that show what they have really learned since starting school, says Geoff Masters, a member of the International Baccalaureate (IB) board of governors… Masters argues in his new book, The Children We Leave Behind, that a system that looked more like a long-range road map, tracking a child’s progress through their entire schooling journey, would serve kids better.

Parents Victoria CEO Gail McHardy is quoted in the article:

A leading parents’ group, asked about Masters’ ideas, said on Wednesday that innovation in the classroom was always welcome, but not at the expense of clear reporting benchmarks that families could understand…
Parents Victoria chief executive Gail McHardy said that assessment and reporting systems could be improved, but any changes to school structures should involve parents.
“There’s always room to improve assessment and reporting, but any new approach has to maintain clarity and confidence for parents,” McHardy said.
“There will always be tensions on the practical reality of ‘how’ when trying to meet the expectations of governments, academics, educators and parents.
“A grade is really a snapshot at a point in time. What parents also look at is whether their child is genuinely progressing and ready for the next stage of learning.”

Read the Age article (subscription only)