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College opts for streaming BY MYLES HUME
MYLES.H@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Ashburton College has reverted to streaming its Year 9 classes. Parental feedback and complex timetabling have been key drivers behind the college’s decision to scrap running classes of mixed ability in most subjects, excluding English and maths, which it introduced last year. Principal Grant McMillan said out of the 11 Year 9 classes this year, two are now regarded
as the top band for the brightest pupils, while the remaining nine were of mixed academic ability. It is a similar model used by the college before last year. Streaming is a polarising issue in education, with the traditional method popular among parents, while many education experts argue having academically varied classes helps coconstruct knowledge and gives pupils more confidence in the classroom.
Mr McMillan said pupils of varied ability were put together in subjects such as social studies and science last year, while English and maths maintained a streaming structure. He said the system had seen strong results in maths, but the college has decided to return to its traditional structure this year. “What ankle-tapped it was the complexity in timetabling, and although parent feedback was
positive, they still liked what they knew, which was top band classes, and at the end of the day we work for the community.” Mr McMillan said the streaming model worked well, but the college was trying to improve on that by introducing last year’s model which he strongly backed. Recent University of Canterbury research by professor Garry Hornby found streaming classes was “at best, ineffective
and, at worst, detrimental to the education of many pupils”, particularly for lower banded pupils. However, Mr McMillan said the reinstated streaming model was not drastic, as the majority of classes were still mixed. “(And) to be frank and honest there’s often not a lot of difference between the top band and the mixed ability classes, you look at the quality and there’s not a lot separating them.” Ph 03 307 7900 to subscribe!
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