Send your message: Keep the ban on simplistic league tables in NSW

Julia Gillards ‘My School’ Website went live on 28 January 2010. The website allows media outlets to easily harvest the data about schools and publish damaging simplistic league tables.

To go to the 'Stop League Tables' campaign page, click HERE.

Note: Please add your name to the end of the standard email below or better still edit the text and the subject line to send a personalised message.

The head of the Australian Education Union has said that league tables will “damage students; it will damage school communities and damage the provision of education.” NSW must keep in place a ban preventing the publication of league table in newspapers in the state.

Education Minister Verity Firth is against the current ban and has sought to have it lifted through parliament. This will leave NSW schools vulnerable to the damage that can be caused by simplistic league tables.

Use this email campaign to tell the Premier and Education Minister to continue the ban on simplistic school league tables in NSW. Your email will also be cc’d to the federal education minister, the relevant state opposition spokespersons and cross benchers in the NSW Legislative Council.

Again, please add your name to the end of the standard email below, or, better still, edit the text and the subject line to send a personalised message.

Thanks for taking action in this important campaign.

John Kaye

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Dear Minister Firth,

I am writing to urge you to enforce the ban on simplistic school league tables that currently exists in the Education Act.

The publication of simplistic league tables will damage schools and students, particularly in disadvantaged areas.

In the US and UK league tables have resulted in a hollowing out of the curriculum as teachers are forced to teach to test to maintain rankings. This one-size-fits-all, checkbox approach to education is not what kids need.

League tables stigmatise those schools that serve disadvantaged communities or lack resources. Arguments that these damaging tables provide transparency for parents is disingenuous. This information about individual schools can already be accessed in annual school reports. Teachers, school administrators and governments already have the information they need to help schools in need. The ‘My School’ site is a distraction from taking action to improve education outcomes for all students.

I urge you to continue the ban on simplistic school league tables in NSW, protect schools and students from the potential damage that could be caused by the publication of school results on the ‘My School’ website and take action today to support schools to provide equitable education outcomes to all students in NSW.

Sincerely

Sections

Send your message: Keep the ban on simplistic league tables in NSW