NSW’s most improved schools revealed in NAPLAN rankings

A mainstream primary school that leapt into the top rankings ahead of academically selective schools and elite private institutions is among NSW’s most improved in this year’s NAPLAN.

Eliza Barr

@ElizaJBarr

3 min read

December 4, 2024 - 11:21AM

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A mainstream primary school in Sydney’s northwest surged ahead of academically selective and elite private institutions to achieve some of the best NAPLAN results in the state.

Non-selective Oakhill Drive Public School in Castle Hill leapfrogged multiple public schools with academically selective opportunity classes and some of the state’s most expensive private schools into the top 20, ranking 16th in this year’s NAPLAN results for Year 5 students.

It was also a marked improvement from their still competitive results in 2023, jumping from 42nd in the state.

The school’s outstanding results are attributable to a marked improvement in their reading, writing, spelling, and grammar results.

The Daily Telegraph’s analysis of the state’s highest performing schools in this year’s NAPLAN has revealed the most improved primary and high schools, and the top performing mainstream schools that outperformed both academically selective and elite private institutions.

Every school’s performance has been analysed by averaging Year 5 and Year 9 students’ reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy results in the 2024 NAPLAN.

Year 5 students at mainstream, non-selective schools St Ives North Public School, Cherrybrook Public School, Beaumont Road Public School in Killara, Bronte Public School, and Carlingford West Public School made the top 40 in NSW against some selective schools and many expensive private colleges.

St Ives North Public School is one of the highest achieving mainstream primary schools in this year’s NAPLAN.

Oakhill Drive Public School, Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga and Redeemer Baptist School in North Parramatta were among the most improved, jumping between 18 and 35 places into the top 30 primary schools across NSW.

The top 40 secondary schools in the Year 9 rankings were all fully or partially academically selective public high schools, or elite private colleges.

But a number of mainstream public high schools still outperformed some academically selective and many expensive private schools – with single sex education evidently still paying dividends for some despite declining demand for the concept.

Willoughby Girls High School was the best performing public high school in the state, ranking 44th in NSW, followed by Cherrybrook Technology High School in 71st and Killara High School taking out the 74th spot.

Willoughby Girls High School was the top performing mainstream high school in the state.

Out of the top 10 highest achieving mainstream public high schools, five of them were single sex girls schools – Willoughby Girls, Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus, Riverside Girls in Gladesville, Burwood Girls and Strathfield Girls.

The 10th best was Epping Boys High School, with coeducational schools taking out the remaining spots.

The analysis reveals many public high schools and some cheaper private schools yielded stronger results than the state’s most exclusive colleges.

Year 5 students at nine mainstream public schools outperformed those paying $33,012 a year at Newington College in Stanmore and $36,800 a year at The King’s School in North Parramatta, which came 58th and 59th in the state respectively.

Mainstream primary schools North Ryde Public School and Kellyville Public School also outclassed elite private schools including Barker College, SCEGGS Redlands and Presbyterian Ladies College, which have Year 5 fees ranging from $31,740 to to $39,300.

Al-Faisal College Campbelltown, which came 11th in the state with fees of just over $2100 per year, outperformed many private primary schools charging more five times as much in fees.

Mainstream public high school Willoughby Girls also outclassed elite secondary colleges including Loreto Kirribilli, SCEGGS Redlands, Barker College, Newington, Shore, Kambala, The King’s School and Cranbrook School.