Coolum Beach Christian College tops Sunshine Coast NAPLAN 2022 private schools data

Data has revealed the underdog Sunshine Coast private schools matching or bettering the region’s education heavyweights. See how they compare in the latest NAPLAN results.

Coolum Beach Christian College Preps. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The Sunshine Coast’s most expensive schools are having the gauntlet thrown down by their cheaper counterparts when it comes to academic performance according to the latest NAPLAN data.

Among the region’s most elite private schools are Matthew Flinders Anglican College, where yearly tuition starts at $13,916 for prep, and Sunshine Coast Grammar School, which starts at $9860.

However, both these schools were pipped to the top spot based on the region’s 2022 NAPLAN data for primary schools.

Coolum Beach Christian College, where the yearly tuition fees start at $5096, outperformed their elite counterparts claiming top spot for primary school performance in NAPLAN.

Coolum Beach Christian College principal Ken McAllister said it was a mission of the school to keep fees affordable while maintaining high academic standards.

“We at Coolum Beach Christian College focus on heart and brain matters. High quality teaching delivered by dedicated team who are well trained and deliberate in their pedagogy,” Mr McAllister said.

“Coolum Beach Christian College has a mission to deliver exceptional Christian education with excellence, igniting a passion for learning and inspiring students to achieve their full potential.

“The CBCC board intentionally strives to keep fees affordable to ensure we play a major role in shaping the future generation.”

Other notable contenders with more modest school fees included Siena Catholic Primary School, where yearly tuition starts at $2446, however the school came sixth in the rankings, four places ahead of Sunshine Coast Grammar School, which came 10th.

Pacific Lutheran College also performed well coming in third place, placing them in between Matthew Flinders Anglican College (second place) and St Andrew’s Anglican College (fifth place), both schools where the fees start at more than $10,000 per year, while also above Caloundra City Private School (fourth place) where prep fees for 2023 start at about $9000 for tuition, resources and excursions.

Pacific Lutheran College’s yearly fees start at $6140 for primary school students.

Peregian Beach College came in at 46th and Montessori International College, which placed 59th.

Peregian Beach College year tuition fees start at $5360 per year, making them slightly more expensive than the top scorer, Coolum Beach Christian College.

In the secondary school stakes private schools took out the top 10 slots in 2022, with Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Immanuel Lutheran College and Sunshine Coast Grammar School making up the top three.

Analysis of NAPLAN results over the past five years also revealed Matthew Flinders to be on top of the region’s primary school performers list, ahead of Caloundra City Private School, St Andrew’s Anglican College, Sunshine Coast Grammar School.

The top five secondary schools of the past five years were revealed to be Matthew Flinders Anglican College, Sunshine Coast Grammar School, Immanuel Lutheran College, Good Shepherd Lutheran College and St Andrew’s Anglican College.