First of all, when interpreting a report, I encourage considering the wider context.
Education in the early years isn’t (and shouldn’t be) a race to the top as the children are progressing through complex developmental phases at pace. This means that it is perfectly natural for children to take more (or less time) acquiring and consolidating the skills and knowledge that form the foundations for their future education.
The key measure to focus on in all of this is where your child was last year (whether at, above or still working towards expectations) and the direction of travel to where they are now.
They may well still have areas for development or that they need particular support with, but taking a strengths-based view is important in your child knowing that you (and we as staff) see where they have tried their best and taken significant steps towards their goals. Effort ratings in particular can give a clear sense of this.
It’s also worth being aware that the year level indicators only represent the ‘ideal’ markers for each year level, not the minimum requirement. They aren’t a bottom line (or even an ‘average’ as such), so not every child will meet all of them at each year level (if this was the case, the indicators we use would not be aspirational in nature)
If a child has not (yet) met all/almost all the indicators for a given year, this is not typically any cause for concern, and something that next year's teacher begins working on.
In most cases, even if they have not met the threshold, they are likely to have made good progress towards it nonetheless, which the graph may not be able to fully capture. This is because any benchmarked assessment is effectively a blunt tool - more of a ‘staircase’ than a smoothly-graded incline. As you'd expect, this is particularly relevant for children with identified barriers to learning (such as dyslexia, for example), and who may need more time to reach their goals.
Children’s learning progress is non-linear and develops at different rates. Not every mark will be hit at the same time for all children, and periods of consolidation (and acceleration) are to be expected at different times during their time at school. What we are really looking for, therefore, is more of a longitudinal ‘line of best fit’.
So, whatever your child’s current achievement profile, you can be assured that education in the early years is not a sprint, but a long and often winding journey marked by profound developmental phases. Questions you can reflect on would include ‘What are their emerging strengths?’, ‘What have they worked hard on this year?’, ‘What might they need support or challenge with next year’? And - most importantly in my view - ‘What are they/we most proud of?’.
One thing I can say without any doubt is that the common factor that helps children to realise their potential is the care, support and encouragement of the significant adults around them, no matter what their success and challenges along the way, so you can be assured that your input makes a tangible difference.
Through these events we are delighted to have raised $80,000 to donate to MENPS (in addition to $17,000 donated earlier this year for the Tiger Turf). A huge thank you to all of you who made this possible....we simply could not have run these events without the hard work of our community – so to everyone who volunteered time to organise these events, those who helped on the day, and to all who came along and supported these events – THANK YOU!
PTA Communications Officer
We need a Communications Officer to support the PTA in 2025! This role includes working with the event planning teams to assist with comms for upcoming PTA events/initiatives, and includes writing the PTA section of the weekly school newsletter. No experience required, it is a fun and easy role to support MENPS and the PTA! Any questions - email menpspta@gmail.com
Ice-Block Sale volunteers needed!
Our end of term ice-block sale is on the last day of term - these are always popular and we need extra hands to run it - can you spare some time after school on Friday 20 Dec to sell ice blocks? Please email: menpspta@gmail.com.
Bought to you by the MENPS PTA Second Hand Uniform Shop
On the last day of Term (Friday 20 December) we will have a school wide Non-Uniform Day! Students can wear their own clothes to school that day.
Do you have old uniforms you no longer need?? If you have any second hand uniforms that your child no longer fits or needs (and are still in good condition!) then please donate these to the MENPS PTA Second Hand Uniform Shop to be sold to our community in 2025.
We are full steam ahead planning for our school’s Cultural Festival in Term 2 2025, and we need your help to make it a memorable event! Whether you have creative ideas, artistic talents, or just a passion for organizing, we welcome all contributions.
If you’d like to assist with planning, set-up, performances, decorations, or have suggestions for themes or activities, we’d love to hear from you! Together, we can create an exciting celebration of diverse cultures and talents. So far we have New Zealand, German, Chinese, Indian and Sri Lankan teams on board. Join us in making next year’s festival truly special!
To get in touch and/or join our team, please email menpspta@gmail.com
Yummy Apple has now updated their School Sticker Promotion to include any fruit that has a YUMMY sticker on it. When biting into your Yummy nectarines or Yummy peaches this summer please save the sticker if it is a Yummy sticker. Yummy stickers can be stuck to any piece of paper in rows of 10. Yummy Fruit collections can be brought into school to the office next year.
Co-Chairs Pam Clifford & Svantje Reiber
Secretary Chelsea Chen
Treasurer Linda Waddington-Miller & Paula Tran
PTA Advisor Chantal Brunner
School Representative Hilary Edwards
