The huge Brisbane state schools outperforming privileged private schools

Brisbane’s biggest state primary school, Sunnybank Hills State School, which has 1742 students and an ICSEA of 89, received well-above average NAPLAN results for year 3 and 5 reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy.

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And despite having a lower ICSEA, Sunnybank Hills State School year 5 students achieved better average scores than Brisbane’s most expensive boys’ and girls’ private primary schools in several areas.

Sunnybank Hills year 5 students had higher average scores than year 5 Brisbane Grammar School students, which charges year 12 students more than $34,000 and has an ICSEA of 99, in writing, spelling, and grammar.

They also achieved higher average scores than year 5 St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School students, which charges year 12 students more than $29,000 in annual fees and has an ICSEA of 96, in writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy.

Other top-performing Brisbane state schools, compared with schools with a similar background, were Wishart Start School, McDowall State School, Gumdale State School – all primary schools with more than 1000 students enrolled – and Mansfield State High School.