Eppalock Primary School, Girton Grammar top score in Bendigo NAPLAN results

A Bendigo primary school with about 50 students has outperformed several prestigious schools in the region in the latest NAPLAN results.

Eppalock Primary School was the best performing primary school in the Bendigo region for NAPLAN. Picture: Eppalock Primary School

Grade fives at a Bendigo primary school with about 50 students have outperformed one of the region’s biggest and most prestigious schools in this year’s NAPLAN results.

An analysis 2024 NAPLAN scores ranked Eppalock Primary School — located about 20 minutes southeast of Bendigo in Axe Creek — first in the region for Grade 5 scores ahead of Girton Grammar School.

Grade fives from Girton Grammar School scored the best for grammar in the region and second overall.

Girton Grammar School was the highest performing high school in the Bendigo region. Picture: Girton Grammar

However, the grammar school — where parents pay almost $100,000 for six years of secondary schooling — was the best performing high school for Year 9 students in Bendigo and surrounds, with an average score of 602.2.

The school’s highest scores were in reading and numeracy.

Olivet Christian College in Campbells Creek was the second best for the region with an average score of 595.6, while Creek Street Christian College in Bendigo was the third best with an average score of 588.8.

The top school in the state was Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Melbourne which scored 671.2 points.

Pyramid Hill College was the best among Bendigo’s government schools.

To determine how each school performed in 2024, the scores for all five test subjects for the student cohort (Yr 5 or Yr 9) were combined and the average found.

The tiny school had an average score of 534, excelling in particular in reading, writing and spelling.

Special schools, schools with fewer than 20 students enrolled, and schools that did not report any results for NAPLAN subjects were excluded from the analysis.