NAPLAN results reveal which schools made biggest gains in reading, writing and numeracy during Covid

New NAPLAN data reveals the schools that excelled, despite two years of interrupted learning. Use the search tool to see how your child’s school fared.

Country and outer suburban schools in Victoria are posting the biggest gains in reading, writing and numeracy, outstripping progress at many city private colleges, new NAPLAN data reveals.

The My School website was updated with individual schools’ NAPLAN results on Wednesday, showing some institutions had performed very well despite two years of interrupted learning.

These include Wycheproof P-12 College, which has just 96 students, and Hawkesdale P-12 College, which has 172 students. Only six per cent of Hawkesdale’s students are drawn from the highest socio-economic group.

Other top improvers include Scoresby Secondary College, East Loddon P-12 College, Mortlake P-12 College and Murtoa College, which is in the Wimmera, 300km from Melbourne.

After the cancellation of NAPLAN in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, in May 2021 more than a million students sat the ­NAPLAN test, which was held between the two longest Victorian ­lockdowns.

Albert Park College students Jessie, Ashlyn, Liam and Jane. Picture: Nicki Connolly

For the first time, parents, students and school leaders can now see how their school has performed in comparison to others from 2019 to 2021.

Although Melbourne-based private colleges, such as Presbyterian Ladies’ College, St Andrews Christian School, Haileybury College and Camberwell Girls’ Grammar, ­continue to post some of the nation’s highest scores overall, progress has been impressive at many regional state schools.

At Wycheproof P-12 College, 74 per cent of those going from year 7 in 2019 to year 9 in 2021 posted above average gains in writing.

This compares to 73 per cent at Melbourne Montessori school – the highest gain by an independent school.

Wycheproof P-12 College principal Christine McKersie said she was “extremely proud” of the school’s NAPLAN performance.

Top gains in reading were posted at Murtoa College (69 per cent above-average progress), East Loddon P-12 College (68 per cent) and Mortlake P-12 College (67 per cent).

Private schools posting the best progress in reading include Melbourne Montessori (81 per cent), Yesodei HaTorah College (80 per cent) and St John’s College Preston (71 per cent).

The best gains in numeracy were posted at Hawkesdale P-12 College (79 per cent above-average progress), Trinity Grammar in Kew (72 per cent) and Scoresby Secondary College and Ballarat Clarendon College (both 71 per cent).

Two-thirds of students at Albert Park College had above-average improvements in numeracy, the NAPLAN results show.

Assistant principal Hayley Schirmer said the school had developed a model that allowed students to develop their proficiency and confidence in maths.

“At the core of this model is our guaranteed online curriculum that’s developed in collaboration with our teachers and we have a clear expectation for lesson design and delivery,” Ms Schirmer said.

“The school’s culture reflects a shared belief that all students can learn and can achieve and that effective delivery of maths curriculum doesn’t have to be what it was in the past; we encourage a culture of innovation and that all students are capable of ­success.”

In 2022, more than 500 Australian schools posted above-average progress between 2019 and 2021.

Victorian state school standouts include Carwatha College, Featherbrook P-9 College, Ouyen P-12 College, Auburn High, Lyndale Secondary College and Noble Park Secondary College.

Independent top improvers include Ballarat Secondary College, East Preston Islamic College, Scotch College, Trinity Grammar and Haileybury College.

Catholic schools posting top gains include St Mary’s College in Seymour, St Patrick’s in Stawell and St Joseph’s in Cobram.

However, data shows some schools have struggled in the past two years to improve their results, including Kilbreda ­College, Leibler Yavneh College, Hawkesdale P-12 College and Manangatang P-12 College.

Despite this, statewide data shows Victorian students as a whole have performed better than the national average although boys continue to lag behind girls in every subject at every year level.

STANDOUT RESULT FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Primary schools have dominated the list of Victoria’s most-improved educational instit­utions over the past two years, new NAPLAN data shows.

Eighty-seven of the 93 highest-progressing state schools are primary schools, data from the Department of Education reveals. The list includes one standout, Kingsville Primary, which has posted high progress in reading, writing and numeracy between 2019 and 2021 – the only school to do so.

The school, in inner-city Yarraville, draws nearly half of its students from the top socio-economic percentile.

Principal Kathleen Ginnane said the school was proud of its 103-year history.

“Teaching and learning is our core business and we aim to build a community of active, engaged and compassionate lifelong learners, equipped to meet the challenges of our rapidly changing world,” she said.

St James The Apostle Primary School principal Mary Abbott and pupils Mackayla, 9, Ariana, 12, Dimdel, 11 and Sanvi, 7. Picture: Alex Coppel

Other leading state primary schools posting above-average progress between year 3 in 2019 and year 5 in 2021 for reading include Cardross Primary, Cobden Primary, Rokewood Primary and Woodside Primary.

Abbotsford Primary, Longford Primary, Warburton Primary and St Albans Primary are most improved for writing.

Westbreen Primary, Avoca Primary, St Patrick’s School (St Arnaud) and Reservoir Views Primary have the highest progress in numeracy.

Private schools to post the highest gains between years 3 and 5 include Methodist Ladies’ College, Scotch College and Eltham College.

Catholic schools with impressive primary school gains in the past two years include Our Lady of Good Counsel in Deepdene, Sacred Heart in St Albans, St Joan of Arc in Brighton, and St Mary’s in Myrtleford.

St James the Apostle Primary School at Hoppers Crossing has posted strong results in writing in recent years.

Principal Mary Abbott said the school’s strong communication with families was a focal point of its success.

“The relationships with families, staff and students are really important,” she said.

“The students feel safe and respected at the school and that came out in our surveys – it was quite high in that area.

“The school is very multicultural and multi-faith. Even though we’re a Catholic school, we have 43 different languages within the school.”

Education Minister James Merlino praised all the top-performing schools.

“In every corner of our state, students are leading the nation with their NAPLAN results. Thank you to their dedicated teachers, principals, support staff and families for encouraging our learners to succeed,” he said.