Most improved Ipswich NAPLAN schools revealed in last 5 years

The Ipswich region’s biggest NAPLAN improvers over the past five years have been revealed, along with the schools which have gone backwards. See the list.

Ipswich Grammar School boarding students Harvey Li with (left to right) Louis Yang, Sunny Ma and Isaac Hou. Picture: Richard Walker

Ipswich-region schools new and old have surged ahead in NAPLAN testing over the past five years.

Lowood State School recorded the biggest improvement for a primary school in the area covering Ipswich and surrounding districts, with the average Year 5 NAPLAN results increasing by 20.37 per cent over the past five years of NAPLAN.

Ipswich Grammar School was the second best with an increase of 8.01 per cent, followed by Toogoolawah State School at Toogoolawah with an increase of 7.92 per cent.

A spokesperson for Ipswich Grammar School said “since introducing explicit teaching in late 2016, we have seen the literacy and numeracy standards of our boys increase significantly.”

“For IGS, NAPLAN is just another tool for us to help keep the boys’ focusing strongly on literacy and numeracy and in 2022, our boys have continued to show remarkable progress, improving on their individual results from previous years.”

Hymba Yumba Independent School in Springfield recorded the biggest improvement for a secondary school, with average year 9 NAPLAN results increasing by 14.53 per cent over the past five years of NAPLAN.

Hymba Yumba acting principal of secondary, Tate Williams, said “we are so appreciative of this because we have been working really specifically – not just for NAPLAN – to increase the literacy and numeracy of our jarjums (young people)”.

Literacy and Numeracy Coach Ren Christians-Mahe, Izara Bonner, Cienna Fuller-Chapman and Acting Principal Tate Williams at Hymba Yumba Independent School in Springfield. Picture: Richard Walker

“We’re really happy with the results and it shows we’re doing the right thing … it’s great to know we’re on the right track but we still have a lot of work to do.”

Hymba Yumba Independent School opened in 2011 and has already received a number of accolades including the Independent Secondary School of the Year at the 2022 Australian Education Awards.

Ms Williams said: “For us, our success comes from how we’re seen in the community rather than accolades … I think we should all be proud, across Queensland, of all our students because regardless of whether they did well in NAPLAN or not, they’re still our future”.

Faith Lutheran College – Plainland was the second best with a 4.39 per cent increase, followed by Ipswich Grammar School with an increase of 2.59 per cent.

The analysis compared the five-year change in NAPLAN results from 2017 and 2021 and revealed the schools which have improved their Year 5 and Year 9 student scores the most.

It was calculated by each school‘s combined results for each NAPLAN subject in 2017 and compared to the same results in 2021.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Adventist School in Brassall recorded the lowest improvement for a primary school with the average Year 5 NAPLAN results returning a result of -10.28 per cent over the past five years of testing.

Toogoolawah State High School recorded the lowest improvement for a secondary school returning a result of -13.95 per cent over the past five years.

Ipswich top primary school NAPLAN improvers over five years

Lowood State School: 20.37 per cent

Ipswich Grammar School: 8.01 per cent

Toogoolawah State School: 7.92 per cent

Fernbrooke State School: 7.7 per cent

Thornton State School: 7.49 per cent

Ipswich top secondary school NAPLAN improvers over five years

Hymba Yumba Independent School: 14.53 per cent

Faith Lutheran College – Plainland: 4.39 per cent

Ipswich Grammar School: 2.59 per cent

Bundamba State Secondary College: 2.08 per cent

The Springfield Anglican College: 1.67 per cent

Originally published as Most improved Ipswich NAPLAN schools revealed in last 5 years