Flinders ranks among nation’s top 100 schools

(posted 06.05.10)

Matthew Flinders Anglican College is one of only nine Queensland schools to be ranked among the nation’s top 100 schools by The Weekend Australian.

An article published on May 1-2 outlined the top achieving schools ranked by 2009 NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) results for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Flinders rated 89th for Reading based on the scores of Years 3 and 5 students. 

While welcoming the recognition, Principal Anthony Vincent stressed that NAPLAN results were just one indicator of a school’s performance and should not be used solely by parents when deciding on a school’s suitability for their children.

The NAPLAN was designed to monitor children’s progress and to plan for educational programs in schools, Mr Vincent said. “It is designed as a diagnostic tool but is used primarily by the media as a comparative one,” he said.

The national analysis of school performance was conducted on behalf of The Weekend Australian by experts in testing and reporting, Peter Knapp and Robert Schulz, formerly with Educational Assessment Australia at the University of NSW.

Queensland schools accounted for only 2.5% of the top 100 schools in the nation with New South Wales and Victoria taking the lion’s share of the marks, accounting for more than 90%.

Rainworth State School in Brisbane was the only other Queensland school to rank along with Flinders in the top 100 for Reading in Years 3 and 5. No Queensland primary schools featured in the top 100 for Numeracy for Years 3 and 5.

All Hallows ranked in the top 100 for Reading in Year 7 and 9 along with Brisbane Grammar which also made the grade in Numeracy (Years 7 and 9). Other Queensland schools to make the top 100 in Years 7 and 9 Numeracy were Brisbane State High, Ormiston College, Anglican Church Grammar, Somerset College and St Joseph’s College.

The top school in the nation for Reading in Years 3 and 5 was Sydney Grammar (Edgecliff) and the top school for Numeracy in Years 3 and 5 was Sydney Grammar (St Ives). In Years 7 and 9, James Ruse Agricultural High School in northwest Sydney came out on top in both Reading and Numeracy. All three schools, as well as many making the top 25, particularly in Years 7 and 9, are selective schools admitting all of their students on the basis of an academic test. Matthew Flinders Anglican College is an academically non-selective school.

Matthew Flinders Anglican College principal Anthony Vincent said the school worked hard to foster a “culture of learning” but he stressed that the results were just one indicator of a school’s performance and of how well the school was catering for its students.

“It’s an important indicator, but it’s only one,” Mr Vincent said.

Flinders is proud of its strong academic performance but also offers an extensive co-curricular program of sports, art, drama and music.

“This is the very best advertisement for the achievements of our students, for our teachers’ work, and for the culture of learning we have at Flinders,” Mr Vincent said.

“Not only should we continue to celebrate these exceptional successes, we also need to encourage each of our students to pursue their interests as part of an affirming, supportive community of care.”

The Weekend Australian article also discussed socio-economic comparisons between the nation’s schools and comes just over a week before Australian students sit down to the 2010 NAPLAN tests. Results of the tests are now published on the MySchool website.

The Weekend Australian article

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