NAPLAN / VIOLENCE

Some academics have suggested that an indication of the level of violence in a school be published within the publication of a schools NAPLAN results. I suggest that this is already being done. It is my experience, over many years, that as violence in a school increases the student attendance rate drops. Hence, I'm suggesting that a school's student attendance rate gives a good indication of the level of violence within that school. Personally I would be reluctant to enroll a child in a school with an attendance rate below 90%.

I further suggest that publishing a staff attendance rate would be a very useful guide to a school's culture and general well being.

Finally it is my opinion that student attendance rates, as published in the NAPLAN results, are in many cases underestimated.