Revealed: Logan’s top NAPLAN high schools

INDEPENDENT schools are ruling the roost as Logan’s top performing schools in the 2018 NAPLAN results that show a large gulf between the private and public sector.

Saint Philomena School in Park Ridge has topped the list as Logan’s best performing school in NAPLAN.

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INDEPENDENT, Catholic and private schools are ruling the roost as Logan’s top performing schools in the 2018 NAPLAN results.

The results, released last week by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, show there is still a gulf between the private and public sector.

Saint Philomena School in Park Ridge topped the list among Logan high schools when the scores for every test among years 7 and 9 were tallied.

*QCAA figures represent the school’s grade average when all test scores are tallied

The small Catholic independent school of just 201 students boasts a “classical curriculum” and is one of only four schools in the state that teach Latin.

Canterbury College finished second among high schools in Logan and John Paul College’s Year 7 reading and writing results placed them third.

Principal of Saint Philomena School Father Karl Pepping.

Kimberley College, which has boycotted the national test in the past, and this year only had year 9 participating, topped the list for Year 9 writing and ranked third when the Year 9 results were tallied.

In the public sector, Windarooo Valley State High School performed best, followed by Park Ridge State High School.

Six schools, or 25 per cent of Logan’s schools were above the national average for Year 7 (536.8) and Year 9 (577) and all were independent.

John Paul College principal Karen Spiller said NAPLAN results were a good “sign post” for schools.

John Paul College principal and new chair of the board of Independent Schools Queensland Karen Spiller said NAPLAN was a useful tool for schools to see how they stacked up to the national and state standards.

“NAPLAN tests reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy,” she said.

“I’d defy anyone to argue those things aren’t important.

“While it tests a moment in time and it’s not the be all and end all...it’s a sign post.”

ISQ executive director David Robertson said the results show that “both small and large independent schools can achieve great things for their students”.

“However, it’s important that the community and schools keep NAPLAN in perspective,” Mr Robertson said.

“It’s just one very small piece in a broad and rich picture of how schools are educating and preparing their students for the future.”

Stay tuned for Logan’s most improved schools that will be released tomorrow.