Narrative for Primary Schooling

Here is the new Primary Narrative:

It is important that, during the formative years of primary school, all Australian children acquire the academic and social foundations for success in later life.

Currently, resourcing is focussed on the early years of schooling and the last few years of high school - the beginning and end of schooling - yet it is during the middle and upper years of primary schooling that the gap between the most and least successful children widens.

We also know that children from low socio-economic backgrounds are at greatest risk of falling behind. They need to start secondary school with a real chance of success.

All the good work that is being planned for the early years of childhood will only bear fruit if the support for students is sustained throughout the primary years.

If Australian students are to become the best in the world, then an investment in the primary years is essential.

…. which replaces the current Primary Narrative:

Primary schools basically do a pretty good job for most children. Of course teaching is easier in primary schools because the children are naturally eager to learn. Also, the curriculum isn’t as demanding. Just about anyone could teach it. There are, however, a small number of children who need extra help if they are to get off to a good start. Therefore governments should resource the first year or two a bit more generously than the other years. This way we can be sure that all children are well prepared for the serious work ahead of them in high school.

Click here to download the narrative in a PDF file (35Kb pdf file). Updated 2 June 2009.

Click here to download the narrative and the accompanying letter (published below) (72Kb pdf file). Updated 2 June 2009.

APPA President, Leonie Trimper, stated in the accompanying letter:

Dear Colleague,

Last year at APPA’s annual conference, Professor Max Angus, from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia, challenged us to develop a new primary narrative. A narrative that could form the basis of a speech on spending more on primary education. A narrative that is short and compelling and that if you were in a lift with the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister, you could share by the 3rd floor!

Well, we have done that.

We are tired of the outdated, misleading messages that are repeated about primary. You’ve heard them - Primary schools do a pretty good job; It’s easier to teach in primary; The curriculum isn’t demanding; Just about anyone could teach it and so on... .

Our new narrative is what the Australian Primary Principals Association thinks our leaders in State and Commonwealth Governments should be signing onto.

Our narrative is an attempt to capture what we stand for: