Revealed: How every Illawarra school performed in NAPLAN 2023

All of Illawarra's NAPLAN school results are available to peruse with many southern Illawarra primary and high schools well below the national average.

The NAPLAN - the National Assessment Program: Literacy and Numeracy - tests the literacy and numeracy skills of Australian students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

Both astounding and concerning results emerge in the revamped test but the Chief of ACARA David de Carvalho advised people to keep in mind that "expectations [are] set at a higher level than in previous years" when viewing the 2023 results.

The report cards have switched from 10 NAPLAN bands and national minimum standard to a 'view at a glance' four proficiency categories: exceeding; strong; developing; and needs additional support. The test was also moved from May to March.

The individual school data has been released on the My School website by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

The schools well below the national average are mostly in southern Illawarra including: Albion Park Rail, Berkeley, Cringila, Dapto, Warrigal, Warilla and Warrawong.

This fits a national trend ACARA highlighted where the strongest results tended towards non-Indigenous students in urban areas from the highest socio-economic backgrounds.

However, some southern Illawarra schools bucked the trend and received above the national average including: Calderwood Christian, Cedars Christian, Gerringong Public, Jamberoo Public, and Minnamurra Public.

Some of the top performing schools include Smith's Hill High School, Wollongong Public School, Coledale Public School, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Pleasant Heights Public School, Stanwell Park Public School, The Illawarra Grammar School and Illawarra Christian School.

Illawarra Christian School told the Mercury they "don't teach to NAPLAN" and treat it as a diagnostic tool of a snapshot of a moment in time.

"We have always had a strong focus on mastering basic skills in literacy and numeracy, and so we're encouraged to see that these NAPLAN results seem to show that this is continuing to bear fruit in the lives of our students," Principal Simon Lainson said.

Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts credits their above national average results in both literacy and numeracy to their whole school focused approach.

"This was explicitly taught across all faculties, and we encouraged students to reflect on what they had learned and what had assisted them in their learning in the classroom," Principal of Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts, Paul Ryan said.

TIGS School Principal Mrs Judi Nealy said their well above average results are a reflection of personalised attention to students and the school's teaching and learning programs.

"Within the formative years of our junior school, students are placed into learning groups in mathematics and literacy based on their ability rather than their age," she said.

"Our senior school students benefit from a dedicated Director of Academic Excellence who works closely with both students and staff to empower every student in achieving their personal best."

The NSW Department of Education said the number of NSW students meeting higher proficiency levels in 2023 NAPLAN results is above the national average, for all test domains and year levels.

"With the new NAPLAN proficiency standards, we can better identify students needing additional support as well as students who are developing with their learning," a spokesperson for the department said.

University of Technology Sydney academic Dr Don Carter said while the My School website is important for the federal government's monitoring and auditing he believes it ultimately "over promises".

Dr Carter said the website's central aim to track student and school performances over time implies that both the NAPLAN test and data on the website shows rich insights into a student's and school's progress.

"This is misleading and controversial because the tests focus only on a narrow set of skills and potentially lead to the compilation of league-like tables," Associate Professor Don Carter said.

"The [My School] profiles should aim to report on how a school serves the needs of its local community, rather than merely the results of a national/generic test."

The My School website also provided information on each school's population and attendance rate for semester 1 (term one and two).

The average national attendance rate is 88.6 per cent and the national attendance level - the proportion of students in Years 1-10 whose attendance rate is equal to or greater than 90 per cent - is 61.6 per cent.

The Illawarra school with the best attendance rate is St Patrick's Catholic Primary School in Port Kembla at 94 per cent and best attendance level is Otford Public School at 84 per cent.

Across the Illawarra 24 schools have a students attendance level below 50 per cent.

Could you pass the NAPLAN test? Take the test.