How are Gold Coast Schools improving?

A NUMBER of Gold Coast schools have showed dramatic improvements in their NAPLAN average over three years — with one school powering ahead with an upswing of 15.42 per cent. Others, not so much. SEE HOW MUCH YOUR SCHOOL IMPROVED

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE YOUR SCHOOL’S THREE YEAR AVERAGE

NAPLAN results are on the rise at Gold Coast primary schools.

Data released this week reveals our primary schools have seen a steady improvement year on year in their test results, while local high schools remained relatively stagnant.

The national exam – which tests students in grades 3, 5, 7 and 9 – shows Ingleside State School has seen the most dramatic improvement.

This year the school saw an upswing of 15.42% on its 2015 result.

GOLD COAST’S TOP NAPLAN SCHOOLS REVEALED

Ingleside State School students Lille Inglis, Connor Stasuik and Charlie Cameron working in the garden

The school, nestled in the Tallebudgera Valley, is home to just 109 students and 13 teaching staff.

NO WORRIES FOR THIS NAPLAN STUDENT ON COAST

Having scored below Australia’s average in writing last year, the school has worked hard to improve.

Principal Crichton Roberts said the ability to set goals was one of the benefits of the NAPLAN tests.

“The school now does daily writing for 10 minutes a day,” Mr Roberts said.

“We use a website that gives us a stimulus picture a day, and have made writing and grammar our focus.

Coombabah State School also has its NAPLAN results improve. Pic by Richard Gosling

“We also started publishing students’ writing in our newsletters, so it is good to see that it has helped them improve.

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“We also gave a lot of professional development to the teachers in writing.”

Mr Roberts, who has been principal at the small school since 2016, said the NAPLAN test is only a small part of the picture when it came to education.

“We are a beautiful, happy country school that has all the values of a nice little place tucked in the valley,” he said.

Kevan Goodworth, CEO of P&Cs Queensland, said the test is more about the individual child. Picture: Supplied

“As long as the kids do their best we are proud. The NAPLAN is just another test that we do.”

Other schools that saw major improvements included Coombabah State School with a 6.15% upswing in results, Musgrave Hill State School on 7.06% and Woongoolba State School on 7.16%.

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The highest improvement among high schools was at the Gold Coast Christian College with 6.06%.

While the numbers may impress parents, Kevan Goodworth, CEO of P&Cs Queensland, said the test is more about the individual child.

“I think the most important thing is ... to help me as a parent to know where my child is and work with the school to see the improvement,” he said.

“The results are really important at an individual level and for the schools to see where they can focus.

“It is silly to compare a school on NAPLAN alone.

“Schools which are selective or have very high socio economic levels naturally get high NAPLAN scores.

“The quality of the teachers and how they work with students should be factors when choosing your child’s school.”

GOLD COAST PRIMARY AVERAGE

457.89 — 2018

457.31 — 2017

456.60 — 2016

453.76 — 2015

GOLD COAST HIGH SCHOOL AVERAGE

549.17 — 2018

551.17 — 2017

548.10 — 2016

549.41 — 2015