Click here to view the My School websiteHUME school principals have rejected the usefulness of the Federal Government's My School website despite many recording above-average results.
The website, which went live on Thursday, enables people to search the profiles of almost 10,000 Australian schools based on National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests.
Principals say the data is simplistic and does not give an overall view of how well schools perform.
Broadmeado ws Primary School principal Keith McDougall said the data did not give parents "a full picture" and could not be used on its own to judge a school. The school surpassed the national averages in reading, writing and numeracy. "This is the measure of one day in the life of a year 5 student for 45 minutes - the performance of kids can vary considerably.
"I think parents are entitled to have as much information as they can to judge a school's performance, but I don't think this information gives a full view."
Hume Anglican Grammar principal Andrew McKenzie said he was happy with the way his school had performed considering it was new, moving campuses and did not have data for years 11 and 12.
"Raw statistics don't necessarily tell the whole story of what happens in the school.
"Parents select our school for the values and faith-based curriculum that we represent.
"Children are taught tolerance and get on with people of different religions and cultural backgrounds.
"We haven't had the opportunity to teach the kids through the formative years leading up to those tests."
Aitken College principal Josie Crisara said the site provided only "one element" of what the school was about. The school scored well above the national averages in reading, writing and numeracy.
"Our students performed well, but that could vary from year to year ...
"The best way to find out about a school is to actually contact the school and talk to staff and students."
Craigieburn Primary School also scored above the national averages in reading, writing and numeracy. Principal David Naismith said it used data to report on its progress and the site was simply another tool by which to do that.
"You can only do what you can do with the cohort you've got.
"I'm not keen on comparing apples with apples and no data you get is completely accurate." Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard, who spearheaded the project, said by comparing data of statistically similar schools, it would be clear which schools were doing well and which needed an extra hand.
"I think the site provides some very valuable information parents have never had before. I certainly understand that a broad education is about more than what we measure in the national testing results, but at the end of the day, kids have to learn to read and write and do maths. Our intention is to keep building on this website to give more and more information."
Click here to view the My School website
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