SCEGGS forced to defend academic results for the second time after NAPLAN figures

NAPLAN results revealed this week show the $38,000-a-year Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School was ‘substantially below average’. And it comes less than six months after the school was also on the backfoot over tumbling HSC scores.

Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School (SCEGGS). Picture: John Appleyard.

• Treasurer addresses his role in Turnbull saga
• Police investigating after bones found in Bondi

One of the eastern suburbs’ most elite private schools has been forced to defend its academic record for the second time in less than six months.

Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School (SCEGGS) has found itself on the backfoot after NAPLAN results released this week showed its Year 7 and 9 student’s numeracy levels were substantially below that of other similar schools.

This is despite the fact that in the eastern suburbs, SCEGGS was the top performing school for secondary education and the second for primary.

The figures come after HSC results in December revealed the $38,000 a year Darlinghurst school had slipped from 17th place to 25th place on the state ladder.

Principal Jenny Allum said the NAPLAN comparisons were “unfair” because they contrasted results with schools that were highly academically selective.

“I think it is an absolute travesty that they say this allows fair comparisons to be made — it does not allow fair comparisons to made,” she told The Daily Telegraph.

SCEGGS principal Jenny Allum.

“I don’t care how they do in this test, I do care deeply that they can read and write well and are numerate,” she said.

The results show that Year 9 students across the board are below average while Year 7’s were below average in three of the five categories when compared to similar schools.

Its Year 5’s however, scored above average in writing but were also below par in numeracy.

IN OTHER NEWS

The results come at a difficult time for the school, who just last month attempted to quell fears over the school’s proposed $45 million masterplan after backlash raged with neighbours who the school shares the affluent suburb with.

One resident told The Wentworth Courier that the school was creating a “fortress” and the two-decade development plan would be like “having the WestConnex being built at the end of your street”.

“When we know what those concerns are then we have committed to try and prioritise concerns and make changes,” Ms Allum said at the time.

“We want to be systematic, we want to be fair … for all residents. We will respond with integrity and with honesty.”