This week, like children all over the country, a number of children at our school are sitting the NAPLAN tests. In recent conversation with teachers from other schools, I was not surprised to hear the pressure students as young as grade three have been placed under in order to perform well in these national tests.
Saturday NAPLAN clinics being run by schools, cancelled specialist lessons such as art, phys ed and LOTE (so that more time is given to cramming for the tests) and large NAPLAN workbooks to be completed over the holidays appear to be more and more common. All this seems to be disconnected from the needs of the children in exchange for the needs of the school and the adult world.
Please read: 
11/05/11 Silver Leaves Edition 242