NAPLAN vs house prices: Ultimate guide for parents with 200+ Brisbane schools ranked

Demand for catchment places in the city’s highest-performing public schools has sent house prices surging, but a Courier-Mail analysis can reveal which top schools are offering parents the best bang for their buck.

Demand for catchment places in the city’s highest-performing public schools has sent house prices surging, but a Courier-Mail analysis can reveal which top schools are still offering parents bang for their buck.

The median house price in the catchment of the state’s No. 1 ranked NAPLAN primary school, Sunnybank Hills State School, is still just under the million dollar mark.

Sunnybank Hills was the highest-performing primary school in Queensland in last year’s national standardised tests, with the most recent real estate data indicating the area’s median house price now sits at $995,640, with units at $455,404.

In comparison a house in the catchment area of the next top school – Indooroopilly State School – would set mums and dads back more than $1.4m, with the average house price in the Ashgrove State School catchment climbing to more than $1.5m.

The stellar reputation of Eagle Junction State School has also contributed to catchment house prices booming, with a median house price of more than $1.8m, while parents need to fork out an average $1.8m for a home in St Lucia to land an in-catchment spot at Ironside State School.

All the top 20 NAPLAN primary public schools in the greater Brisbane area are under school enrolment management plans, which mean the number of places for out-of-catchment students are severely limited.

Social demographer Mark McCrindle said the performance of local schools was a huge factor when it came to selling houses.

“Schools are now up there with parks and river views in terms of amenities,” he said.

“We see that from real estate ads – before they even go into the features of the home, they’re talking about the good schools in the local catchment areas.

“The ticket to a non-government school is being prepared to pay the school fees, while the ticket to a government school, is being in the catchment.”

Sunnybank Hills State School students Hayden Davies, Year 4, Katie Bourke, Year 6, Mason Huang, Year 6, and Elijah Robinson, Year 6 who all had terrific NAPLAN results. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

But in a win for prospective parents, several top schools recorded median house prices several hundred thousands dollars less than their pricey counterparts.

Wishart State School was the 10th highest performing Brisbane public primary school in NAPLAN, with a median house price of $1.1m, with Kenmore State School’s catchment recording a similar house price and landing at No. 12.

Jamboree Heights State School was the 16th highest-performing public primary school in NAPLAN, and recorded a median house price $780,123.

In blue chip suburbs Ascot and Bulimba, where house prices have tipped past $2m, were outside the top 20.

Real estate agent of more than 40 years Peter D’Arcy said Ashgrove and surrounding suburbs had a “fabulous” range of quality educational facilities that increased the level of demand for properties in the area.

The principal of D’Arcy Estate Agents said families were attracted to Ashgrove so their children could ride the bike to school.

“There’s only 21 properties on the market in Ashgrove right now, and educational facilities are at the forefront of that,” Mr D’Arcy said.

“It’s very family based. People who buy here for their forever home. 20-30 years.

“It has catholic schools, upper private schools, and great primary schools, all within the 10km radius.”

Mr D’Arcy pointed to The Gap State School, ranked at number 20 for NAPLAN primary school results, which he said had “grown in stature” over the past two decades.

“It’s such a well-regarded school, which has really lifted in its standard.”

Trawling NAPLAN and other academic performance data has also become more common, Mr McCrindle said, with parents investing a lot of time into being informed about choosing the best school for their child.

“Cost of living is a huge issue, and that’s why we are seeing a lot of focus on public schools,” he said.

“As the cost of living rises and the cost of housing starts to pinch, people will start to look at the alternatives which don’t come with the cost of school fees.”