President of the Australian Education Union branch of Daylesford Secondary College, Bromley King, said that at a meeting in May, union members at the college unanimously voted to boycott the Victorian Essential Learning standard reporting until

the Department of Education and Training addressed a number of issues.

Mr King said the issues included: the confusing grading system, which fails to recognise student achievement; the complicated and long-winded format of the reports; and the onerous amount of time needed to write the reports, impinging on teachers'

ability to deliver the curriculum.

"Teachers are pressed for time as it is and now we have this imposition of a reporting system, which is confusing, incredibly time consuming and which will not inform parents any better, and perhaps worse, than our current reporting system," he said.

"If the DET consulted teachers during the development of VELs reporting, it would have allowed these issues to be addressed. But it didn't and what we now have is the classic `camel' created by a committee of bureaucrats who sat down to design a horse."

Mr King said there was one teacher at the college with 200 students and, under the VELs, between 200 and 300 words would have to be written in each student's school report.

Education Minister Lynne Kosky described the boycott as "disappointing".

"Parents have told us very clearly that they want this extra information that the (new) reports are providing, so it's disappointing teachers at this school have taken this position," she said.

Mr King encouraged all AEU branches to follow the college's course of action on the first day back after the July school holidays unless DET has "taken concrete steps to address their concerns".

"Our staff would welcome the Minister of Education Lynne Kosky to the school to discuss these matters," he said.

Ms Kosky said she would be happy to provide Daylesford Secondary College with additional assistance from DET to help the school work through the issues.

"I'm sure common sense will prevail, and parents and students will receive the information they want and deserve."