SA country schools outperform many leading private schools in Better Education rankings

Tiny remote and regional schools around the state are outranking their big private counterparts in a new analysis. See which campuses made the grade.

Tiny country schools have been named among the ranks of South Australia’s best performing high schools.

The state’s largest public school has tied for top spot for the third year running, alongside two elite all-girl colleges, in the latest Better Education analysis of academic outcomes.

But smaller and remote campuses have also shot up the list of almost 60 top schools published online.

Every school scored at least 90 points out of 100, based on the performance of year 7 to 10 students in English and mathematics.

Located more than 620km from Adelaide, Karcultaby Area School on the Eyre Peninsula is the farthest-flung campus to feature on the 2024 list.

The school of just 80 students is one of 15 public schools on the list and scored 92 out of 100.

Public Glenunga International High School, with about 2320 students, joined St Peter’s Girls School in Stonyfell (850 students) and Walford Anglican School for Girls in Hyde Park (460 students) in scoring a maximum 100 points.

TRUE COST OF PRIVATE SCHOOL REVEALED

Booleroo District School students Zaiden van der Werf, 15, Jasmine Martin, 17 and Bayley Dodman, 17. Picture: Brett Hartwig

Booleroo District Centre School, almost 300km from Adelaide, scored 92 points.

Principal Tas Ktenidis credited the “awesome achievement” to his staff and small class sizes at the school of just 170 students.

The year 12 cohort at the school comprises about 20 students.

“It’s how we care about our kids and they get extensive support,” Mr Ktenidis said.

“We’ve got one purpose and that’s supporting our kids to meet the pathway they choose.”

Small class sizes at the school “allows the classroom teacher to become more in depth in what they’re trying to teach”.

“The explicit interaction between the student and teacher is greater,” he said.

Year 10 student at Booleroo Zaiden van der Werf was supported by his teachers to pursue higher level maths.

This year, the 15-year-old will study year 11 mathematical methods online through Open Access College.

“Lots of teachers over the years have helped me extend my learning,” said Zaiden, who wants to study engineering after high school.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re regional, it’s just about who’s at the school (teaching).”

Year 12 students Bayley Dodman and Jasmine Martin, both 17, were able to get ahead with personalised feedback.

“You’re not just a number, you’re a student they know,” Jasmine said.

THE HOBBY GIVING TEENS A HEAD START

Booleroo District School students Zaiden van der Werf, 15, Jasmine Martin, 17 and Bayley Dodman, 17. The school ranked highly in the Better Education rankings. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The Better Education website states it is run independently and analyses data provided by schools to generate “informative and comparative school results, including school rankings or ratings and lists of best performing schools, to parents wanting to make ­choices about schooling for their children”.

It has been operating since 2008 and gives schools which participate a score of between 60 and 100.

As well as academic performance the rankings take into account the socio-economic status of the student population.

Large sites such as Nazareth Catholic College (about 2440 students) and Unley High School (about 1600) are named alongside small campuses including Swan Reach Area School in the mid-Murray (90) and Domino Servite College in Mt Torrens (60).

Five private schools scored an almost perfect 99 including Seymour College in Glen Osmond, Southern Montessori School in O’Sullivan Beach, Wilderness School in Medindie, Pembroke School in Kensington Park and St Ignatius’ College in Athelstone.