Country’s best NAPLAN improvers include Qld regional schools

An honours list celebrating some of the country’s biggest NAPLAN improvers includes a raft of regional Queensland schools.

AN HONOURS list celebrating some of the country’s biggest NAPLAN improvers includes a raft of regional Queensland schools.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority has identified 268 schools across the country that had “substantially above average gain” in results as students progressed from Year 3 to 5, and Year 7 to 9.

By comparing the 2016 numeracy and reading results with those in 2018, ACARA found 47 schools in Queensland that demonstrated improvements well above the national average.

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Among them were several schools that had gains in both subject areas, including Ingham’s Gilroy Santa Maria College, Maleny State School and Proserpine’s St Catherine’s Catholic College.

Year 4 Students Nick Slattery, Jack Murray, Lexi Basten-Byrne, Ruby Ballinger, Chace Phillips, and Isaac Russell from Yandina State School which is one of Australia's top improving schools in NAPLAN Reading results. Picture: Lachie Millard

Students at Yandina State School, on the Sunshine Coast, showed strong improvements in reading results, as did those at the Gold Coast’s William Duncan State School and Woongoolba State School and Laidley’s St Mary’s School.

Marian State School, near Mackay, had strong gains in numeracy, as did Pacific Pines State High School, Bundaberg Christian College and St Anthony’s Catholic College in Townsville.

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Also on the list was Cannon Hill Anglican College, which was identified as one of the schools with reading improvements outpacing the national average.

Principal Gary O’Brien said the school was “very proud” of its positive results, which he saw as “vindication” of its practices.

“NAPLAN allows us to see how our students are progressing through their learning,” Mr O’Brien said.

“These results are indicative of the quality teaching and learning that occurs in our classrooms every day under the guidance of our wonderful staff.

“Our overall focus is on providing an engaging, rigorous and motivational learning experience, which prepares students for whatever challenges and future awaits them.”

ACARA will today update the My School website with the 2018 NAPLAN data. It will give parents an insight into how schools performed last year in comparison to others around the country.

Originally published as Country’s best NAPLAN improvers include Qld regional schools