NAPLAN 2024: NSW’s best-value private schools

Some cheaper private schools have significantly outperformed NSW’s most elite colleges in this year’s NAPLAN — for just a fraction of the price. See which schools have the best bang for your buck.

Some cheaper private schools have significantly outperformed some of the state’s most elite colleges in the 2024 NAPLAN — while charging just a fraction of the fees they command.

An analysis of the 2024 NAPLAN results reveal that students at some less expensive private schools have easily surpassed their pricier counterparts in the rankings.

The Daily Telegraph has analysed the performance of every school in NSW by averaging Year 5 and 9 students’ reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy results in the 2024 NAPLAN.

Parents are getting what they pay for at Sydney Grammar School’s Edgecliff preparatory campus, with the state’s most expensive Year 5 fees at $40,536 yielding the best performance in the 2024 NAPLAN rankings.

Abbotsleigh took out second place in the primary school rankings, with Year 5 fees costing $31,150 per year.

Year 4 fees at Pymble Ladies College in Sydney’s northwest are $31,152 a year — and the school outperformed a number of more expensive private girls schools, including St Catherine’s School Waverley, Ravenswood School for Girls, Presbyterian Ladies’ College and MLC School Burwood.

One of the best bargains for a top notch private school education is Al-Faisal College in Campbelltown, where Year 5 and 6 students paid just $2128 a year and yet came in 13th in the statewide primary rankings against schools charging 10 times as much.

Abbotsleigh school in Sydney.

Northcross Christian School in Ryde charges $7996 a year and came in ninth for primary schools in the 2024 NAPLAN, similarly outperforming schools that charge more than four times as much in fees.

Meriden School, which was the seventh-most successful private school in this year’s NAPLAN, charges $28,760 a year for Year 5 students, coming in a rank above Reddam House charging $35,590 per year.

Among the state’s secondary schools, eight academically selective public schools took the top spots — outperforming every private school in the state.

Al-Faisal College, Campbelltown

The state’s highest performing private secondary school, Sydney Grammar School, charges $45,987 a year — outclassing Cranbrook School, which charges slightly more for Year 9 students.

The next most successful private school, St Aloysius in Kirribilli, came in 14th in NAPLAN and charges $25,128 for Year 9 students – also outperforming Cranbrook and The King’s School, and other more expensive schools such as Abbotsleigh, Meriden School, Pymble Ladies’ College and Reddam House.

Northcross Christian School. Picture: Supplied

Pacific Hills Christian School in Dural in Sydney’s northwest costs significantly less than many elite private schools in NSW at $16,260 a year for Year 9 students, but improved by almost 50 places in the rankings by leaping from 120th place last year to 72nd this year.

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]