The public primary schools giving kids a NAPLAN boost

State primary schools costing just a few hundred dollars a year are among Victoria’s most advantaged and high-performing. Find the best schools near you.

Kids get an academic boost from attending “good” schools in Melbourne regardless of their family background, research shows.

Herald Sun analysis shows state primary schools that cost a few hundred dollars a year are among the state’s most advantaged – and high-performing — schools in the state.

These include Westgarth Primary in Northcote, Clifton Hill Primary and Merri Creek Primary in Fitzroy North, which score 99 per cent on the social advantage scale.

Schools in the 98th percentile include Serpell Primary in Templestowe, Alphington Primary, Beverley Hills Primary in Doncaster East and Fairfield Primary.

Primary schools in the 95th socio-education percentile or above include Eltham East (96), Richmond (95), Wheeler’s Hill (95), Doncaster Gardens (95), Banyule (95), Murrumbeena (95) and Oakleigh South (95).

These schools have the same level of advantage as colleges charging up to $30,000 such as Mentone Grammar, Ivanhoe Grammar and Toorak College.

Clifton Hill Primary School scored 99 per cent on the social advantage scale.

Analysis from the University of Melbourne Graduate School of Education by Jenny Chesters and Anne Daly shows the socio-educational advantage of the school population has a direct link to NAPLAN scores. The higher the status of the school, the better the results.

Students attending the most advantaged schools had the highest mean scores in each year and students attending the most disadvantaged schools had the lowest mean scores in each year.

“Attending a school with well-behaved peers who are motivated to learn is a qualitatively different experience from attending a school populated by students with low levels of motivation and/or interest in learning,” Dr Chesters said.

But she said parents needed to find a school with a culture that matched their child. “Kids will only reach their potential if they are happy at school,” she said.

Parents Victoria executive officer Gail McHardy said it was important all school sectors were funded on an equity basis.

Jack, Luke and Zander at Deepdene Primary. Picture: Tim Carrafa

“Those schools with students mainly from low SES backgrounds require much more funding, and many more resources, to bring their students to an equal playing field,” Ms McHardy said.

“If the NAPLAN results show this to the federal and state governments, then we must ask why the federal funding model is not reflective of that need for fairer distribution to our public schools.”

Victorian Principals Association president Andrew Dalgleish said equity funding structures were put in place to support all students and ensure they reached their potential regardless of socio-economic status.

The three private schools that rate highest on the socio-educational scale are Christ Church Grammar in South Yarra, Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Burwood and Fitzroy Community School. Catholic schools St Joseph’s in Hawthorn, Our Lady of Good Counsel in Deepdene and St Kevin’s College in Toorak also rank highly.

The state high schools ranked the most privileged are Melbourne High and MacRobertson High, which have selective entry, along with Princes Hill Secondary College.

Socio-educational advantage is determined by parental income, parental education, remoteness of the school and enrolment of Indigenous students. It is rated on an ICSEA scale, with the highest in Victoria 1148, the average 1000 and the lowest 793.

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