Student Reports

Fax to schools on 28/5/2007

This fax was sent to schools on Monday 28 May. It reiterates that the ban on student reports remains in place.

TO: ALL FEDERATION REPRESENTATIVES AND PRINCIPALS

Re: STUDENT REPORTS

Dear Colleagues

Re: Student Reports

Schools will have received the Department's Bulletin 2 Reporting to Parents in the past few days.

The Federation's ban on mandatory A to E (or 'outstanding' to 'limited') reports remains in place.

The ban upholds the right to school based decision making on educational grounds and the importance of professional judgement. It also protects teachers and principals in schools that have made a decision that A to E or 'outstanding' to 'limited' reports are not educationally appropriate for their students.

Any form of reporting that is educationally sound and is based on teachers' professional judgement is consistent with the requirements of the NSW Institute of Teachers Professional Teaching Standards. An employer cannot impose professional judgement on teachers.

Advice to Schools

There has been no change to the situation that existed when the Federation distributed Advice to Schools in March of this year. No negotiations have occurred between the Federation and the Department.

As was stated in the Federation's Advice, the majority of NSW public schools did not conform to the Department's reporting requirements at the end of 2006.

No Federal funding was lost. No teacher was disciplined.

The Federal Minister, Julie Bishop, said in December 2006 that the states were only required "to take steps" to implement the new reporting requirements.

In addition, the Department's Bulletin 2 says that:

"School Principals can and should exercise professional discretion and provide appropriate reports to students who are seen to be 'at risk' or for whom significant welfare issues exist."

The Federation urges schools to take this advice to heart. The professional judgement of teachers in consultation with the school community, not bureaucrats and politicians, should determine the nature of reporting to parents about all students.

The Federation's Advice to Schools about Student Reports, distributed in March 2007, is still current and is available at Advice to Schools or by contacting the Federation.

Yours sincerely

John Irving
General Secretary
28 May 2007

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Last Modified: 29 May 2007