Rose Park Primary School and Linden Park Primary School surge up SA NAPLAN ranks to topple St Andrew’s School
Public primary schools have claimed seven of the top 20 NAPLAN spots – and knocked one top SA college out of place. See the list.
Public primary schools have surged up the NAPLAN rankings, knocking a prestigious private campus down the list.
Rose Park Primary School has risen from 10th spot in last year’s literacy and numeracy test rankings to second place this year.
The government school in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs is joined by nearby Linden Park Primary School in third spot.
The shake-up has displaced last year’s runner-up St Andrew’s School, a private campus in Walkerville which charges $26,000 for year 6.
The Advertiser has analysed the average NAPLAN scores of students at South Australian public and private schools, published online by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) on Wednesday.
There are seven government schools among the top 20 primary schools, including four in the top 10.
Among the year 5 students who contributed to Rose Park Primary’s success are Jackie, Laura, Michael and Ali.
Their principal Dr Dora Iuliano credited the result to her students’ “great learning ethic”.
“We’ve always got our foot on the pedal,” Dr Iuliano said.
“They aspire to their passions and we help them achieve their goals.”
Staff at the school analysed last year’s results and identified any gaps in learning, which resulted in a greater focus on writing.
Writing samples were put up in classrooms and teachers had students explaining their learning orally, among other measures the school took.
Personalised learning at the school is boosting results by getting to know the students and focusing on them “not only academically but the whole child”.
Independent Dara School topped the primary school rankings again in 2025 after its year 5 students achieved an average NAPLAN score – across reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy – of 582.4.
The campus, in Morphettville, is the only one in the country which exclusively enrols gifted children from reception to year 12.
Other public schools to do well in this year’s NAPLAN testing include Lake Wangary School, at the bottom of the Eyre Peninsula, which rocketed from 285th to 32nd.
Echunga Primary and Preschool, in the Adelaide Hills, which shot from 274th to 35th.
Three schools recorded an identical score (527.4) for year 5 results – Magill School, Pulteney Grammar School and Scotch College.
Year 5s at another two schools – Wilderness School and Emmaus Christian College – both recorded an average score of 529.4.
NAPLAN data was not available for some schools in 2025, while other schools did not have enough students take part in the testing in certain year levels or subjects.
Students sat NAPLAN tests in March.
Data released at the end of July showed SA students had improved, or maintained, their ranking against peers in the other mainland states in every subject and year level.
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Originally published as Rose Park Primary School and Linden Park Primary School surge up SA NAPLAN ranks to topple St Andrew’s School
