NAPLAN data over 5 years shows best performing public and private schools in Australia

In-depth analysis of NAPLAN results reveals the nation’s best performing primary and secondary schools in both the private and public sector. See list.

Exclusive: Schools in NSW and Victoria are outperforming those in other states and territories, in-depth analysis by News Corp can reveal.

Exclusive data using NAPLAN results in reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy over the past five years shows James Ruse Agricultural High in Sydney, a government secondary school, is Australia’s best performer, while the fee paying Sydney Grammar is the country’s number one primary school.

The top 10 high schools are dominated by academically selective government schools in NSW. The only other state to feature in the top 10 is WA, with Perth Modern School in ninth place, another government selective school.

Eight NSW schools are in the top 10 primary schools (four are government and the others are all private) with Victoria scoring two spots with fee-paying schools, in second and 10th place.

The other states and territories do not get a mention in either the top 10 primary or top 10 secondary schools.

Sydney Grammar school, College St, Sydney.

Queensland’s highest ranking primary school is 33rd on the list and its best secondary school 35th.

South Australia’s top secondary school is 67th and its best primary school only just makes it into the top 100, in 99th place.

Former chairman of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), Steven Schwartz, said the data shows there is a huge difference in the performance of schools in NSW and Victoria, compared with SA and Queensland.

He said NSW has a “rigorous approach to education” which may account for the fact it has taken out most of the places in the top 10 categories.

He said each state follows its own processes in Years 11 and 12 and NSW is regarded as the toughest.

Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne, is one of the top performing schools in the country, according to new data. L to R students Isabella, Romy, Chloe, Ayla and Isabelle. Picture: Mark Stewart

“If that extends through the whole system you can understand why NSW has done so well,” Mr Schwartz said.

He added that it’s most likely that NSW also has the most migrants and they work hard at school, which may also account for the state’s dominance.

Students from Woollahra Public School. The school is again one of the top performing in the NAPLAN tests this year. L to R, Rufus Lamb, Amy Stynes, Ted Stynes, Ariella Kazanas and Theo Yung. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

He said the results also show that if you have an academically gifted child in NSW and you can get them into a selective secondary school, “why pay $50k a year when you can get the best results for free?”.

Presbyterian Ladies' College, Burwood, Victoria, is one of the best performing schools in the country.

Educator, author and commentator Kevin Donnelly said another reason for the difference in performance between the states and territories could be population density in NSW, meaning there are more parents wanting to enrol their kids, therefore more competition, leading to better performance.

Looking at public schools only, Hornsby North Public School in NSW is rated number one for primary, and Sydney’s James Ruse Agricultural High School tops the list of secondary schools.

With regards to private schools, Sydney Grammar School in NSW is rated number one for both primary and secondary cohorts.

Go online on Tuesday when every school’s rating will be released.

Originally published as NAPLAN data over 5 years shows best performing public and private schools in Australia