Full list of Northern Territory school attendance rates across for 2021-22

Northern Territory schools have wound up for another year and their attendance scores are in. Check out how your school went here.

Leanyer Primary School students Marcus Barzaga and Jolin Lay are among a cohort who achieved a 94 per cent attendance this year. Picture: Julianne Osborne

Territory classrooms have packed up for the summer holidays and the scorecards are in.

The NT News can reveal the highest ranking schools on attendance rates and how they compare to the previous year.

Alice Springs School of the Air came out on top with an attendance rate of 96 per cent, while 18 other NT schools have also achieved attendance rates of 90 per cent or higher.

Three remote schools – Mulga Bore, Neutral Junction and Arlparra School – have also successfully boosted their attendance rates by about double.

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Stuart Park Primary School has reached 94 per cent attendance this year. Picture: Bryan Hoadley

More than two-thirds of government schools are located in remote or very remote regions and many families move fluidly between communities.

About a quarter of schools also have fewer than 50 students.

Both of these factors mean that attendance rates can fluctuate and appear lower than reality.

Dhupuma Barker School in East Arnhem Land is just one example.

Head of Barker College Phillip Heath said while the data showed about two-thirds of students attended the community-led school throughout the year, 90 per cent attendance was actually achieved most days.

Dhupuma Barker students are encouraged to learn creatively in line with both Yolgnu cultural practices and the Western curriculum. Picture: Amanda Parkinson

“Data can present differently depending on what’s going on in a community setting,” Mr Heath said.

“Families from other homelands often come in for a while and we will always take them in.

“But most of our core attendees never miss a day.

“One of our children missed her bus and then beat the bus to school on her scooter because she didn’t want to miss out.”

The independent school, which is less than two years old, is a partnership between Barker College in Sydney’s north shore, the Yothu Yindi Foundation and Gunyangara community.

Its model is a combination of Yolgnu knowledge systems and Western curriculum.

Alice Springs School of the Air has improved its attendance rate by six per cent to achieve 96 per cent this year. Picture: Rex Nicholson

Alice Springs School of the Air is another standout, achieving an almost perfect attendance rate across its 119 students.

ASSOA principal Kerrie Russell credited the school’s success to its “innovative and engaging learning programs”.

“Our school proves that dis­tance is no obsta­cle to learn­ing and in fact dis­tance encour­ages diver­si­ty and innovation,” Ms Russell said.

“We work close­ly with your child to devel­op them into well informed stu­dents who can set and achieve goals in their learn­ing that gives them great options for their future.”

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Originally published as Full list of Northern Territory school attendance rates across for 2021-22