A Best Start Lighthouse School

Merewether Public is one of only three schools in the Hunter / Central Coast Region to be selected as a Best Start Lighthouse School to showcase best practice in teaching. We are very proud and excited to be recognised in this way.

Best Start is a program used to assess all kinder students in the first three weeks of starting school. The assessment is given one on one to each child. The results give information about the ability level of each student in Literacy and Numeracy. The information is then used to group children at the appropriate ability level, but more importantly, it allows the teacher to design a learning program that suits the needs of the individual students.

Our school has for many years operated in this way with our own, similar type programs. The DET has initiated Best Start and it is expected that all schools will implement the strategy within the next two years. We have used the Best Start program over the last two years and it is pleasing that our Infants teachers have been recognised with lighthouse status.

As a successful Best Start Lighthouse School it is our responsibility to:

• use research-based strategies during large blocks of uninterrupted learning time for literacy and numeracy instruction
• demonstrate strong student performance across the early years of schooling as seen in their National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) data
• possess a clear focus on student learning and performance
• examine and analyse data to help bridge the gap for specific groups of students.

As a staff we take these responsibilities seriously and look forward to providing the best possible start for children entering Kindergarten.