Explore the data: NAPLAN results for every primary and secondary school in Australia revealed

Exclusive analysis reveals the nation’s best secondary school NAPLAN performers as one state claims more than half of the places in the top 100.

Exclusive analysis has revealed the 100 best NAPLAN secondary school performers nationally – and one state has claimed over half of the overall spots.

Schools from New South Wales dominated the list, making up 51 of the top 100.

The second-best state for NAPLAN results was Victoria, with 37 spots in the top 100.

Many of the schools in the top 100 come from areas of high socio-educational advantage – indicating their student cohort has natural advantages including their parents’ level of education and occupation, and their location in major cities.

More than 1.3 million students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 took the annual literacy and numeracy test in March this year.

This masthead analysed the average score of year 9 students in all states and territories except Western Australia to determine the top 100 secondary schools NAPLAN performers.

James Ruse Agricultural High School, an academically selective school in northwestern Sydney, placed first in the national list. It was joined by eight other NSW schools in the top 10.

Melbourne High School was the highest-ranked Victorian school in fifth place.

The highest ranked Queensland school was Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology, in equal 12th spot.

South Australia’s top ranked school was Wilderness School in equal 62nd spot. Search the full results for schools in your state below.

Interactive: Use the dropdown menus to switch to other states’ results, and the tabs to switch between primary and secondary results

New South Wales

Nationally, NSW schools topped the leaderboard in both primary and secondary categories.

The best primary school in the nation is exclusive private college Sydney Grammar, which attained a year 5 NAPLAN average score of 625.4, followed by Abbotsleigh on 608.8 and Beecroft Public School on 595.4. Despite occupying top spot nationally, Sydney Grammar’s results have slipped more than 15 points since 2024.

Several small independent schools in NSW had a remarkable year, with John Colet School in Belrose moving into the top 10 primary schools and Hurstville Adventist School and Greenacre Christian College entering the top 50.

MORE ANALYSIS OF NSW NAPLAN RESULTS HERE

In the secondary category, James Ruse Agricultural High School was the best in NSW and the highest-performing in the country, with a year 9 average score of 755.6. The school’s students posted a 20-point increase on their results from last year.

Next were Baulkham Hills High School with an average score of 724 and North Sydney Girls High School on 721.4.

Makayla Milham, Eva Sarlami and Charbel Kashro from Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Primary School in Sefton, NSW. Their school was on ACARA's list of best achievers in lower socio-economic communities. Picture: Richard Dobson

Victoria

Melbourne’s four selective-entry high schools have maintained their position as the state’s best.

Melbourne High led the pack, with an average year 9 NAPLAN score of 717.8 – a 12.6-point improvement from 2024.

The state’s three other selective-entry schools, MacRobertson Girls High School (706.6), Nossal High (702.8) and Suzanne Cory High (696.4), rounded out the top four – all achieving average marks above 696.

Ballarat Clarendon College was the top private secondary school in the state with an average NAPLAN score of 669.4, and was also the top school at the primary level (590.2).

Mac.Robertson Girls' High School finished equal 12th in the nation, and second in Victoria for secondary NAPLAN results. Its students leaders this year were school captain Naomi Yang (right) and vice-captain Varada Lele (left).

Other top primary performers included Presbyterian Ladies’ College (588.8), Haileybury College (588.4), Lighthouse Christian College Cranbourne (588.4) and St Andrews Christian College (587).

Meanwhile, outstanding state primary schools included Oakleigh South Primary (585.4), Wheelers Hill Primary (585.4), Beverley Hills Primary (579.2), Serpell Primary (572.4) and Canterbury Primary (571.8).

In the Geelong region, small-town Queenscliff Primary School outperformed Geelong’s most prestigious primary schools in NAPLAN rankings, taking out the region’s top spot, while Kardinia International College has defended its secondary school crown for the third consecutive year.

MORE ANALYSIS OF VICTORIAN NAPLAN RESULTS HERE

In Victoria, Chilwell Primary School principal Meg Bone celebrates their NAPLAN results with grade 5 students Nate George, Nina Blamires, Abbie Grieg and Angus Upham. Picture: Brad Fleet

South Australia

All-girls schools have risen up the ranks in the latest results, with one of South Australia’s most prestigious female campuses snatching top spot among secondary students.

Wilderness School year 9 girls (639.4) have edged out previous leaders Southern Montessori School (616) and Glenunga International High School (632.6).

Year 9 Wilderness School students Isabella Dolan and Matilda Burns celebrate the school’s exceptional results. Picture: Emma Brasier

Other all-girls schools to feature in the top 20 secondary campuses include St Peter’s Collegiate Girls’ School (third), Seymour College (12th), Walford Anglican School for Girls (14th) and Loreto College (18th).

There is just one government school among the top 20 secondary schools (Glenunga International High School) and seven among the top 20 primary campuses.

MORE ANALYSIS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIAN NAPLAN RESULTS HERE

Queensland

Results were outstanding in the Sunshine State, with top-performing primary schools led by Sunnybank Hills State School with an average of 581.6, Citipointe Christian College (572.8) and Ipswich Grammar School (574.2).

Other high-achieving schools in Queensland are Whitsunday Anglican School with 550.6, Ormiston College at 552.6, and Matthew Flinders Anglican College at 549.4.

Top secondary performers are Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology (706.6), Brisbane Girls Grammar School (659.8), Somerset College (635.4) and Ipswich Grammar School (633.4).

Rainworth State School was also among the stronger performing primary schools with an average of 541.

MORE ANALYSIS OF QUEENSLAND NAPLAN RESULTS HERE

Year 5 students Amayah Richards, Sreya Vinod, Cherie He, George Zhao, Lee Liang and Tyler Lau at Sunnybank Hills State School in Queensland. Picture: Lachie Millard

Northern Territory

New NAPLAN data reveals a reshuffle of the Northern Territory’s top performing schools, with private providers outclassing government schools.

Topping the primary school ranking for the fourth consecutive year was Haileybury Rendall School.

The independent school’s year 5 cohort recorded an average score of 533.8.

Over-achieving Larrakeyah Primary School nudged into second spot, displacing other independent powerhouse The Essington School.

In secondary schooling, News Corp’s top-ranked NT private school The Essington School maintained top spot for the fourth year in a row. Haileybury placed second with eight of the top 10 secondary schools being private.

MORE ANALYSIS OF NORTHERN TERRITORY NAPLAN RESULTS HERE

Tasmania

New NAPLAN data for schools across the country released on Wednesday revealed two northern Tasmanian schools have taken top spot for average results in primary and secondary.

Launceston’s John Calvin School ranked first for its average year 5 results of 560.8, while Newstead Christian School topped the state for its average year 9 results of 627.2 in secondary.

Both schools are on the smaller side, with John Calvin School a combined K-10 private school boasting 112 students and Newstead Christian School another private school running from Prep to Year 10 with a total of 93 students.

MORE ANALYSIS OF TASMANIAN NAPLAN RESULTS HERE

Originally published as Explore the data: NAPLAN results for every primary and secondary school in Australia revealed