The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is a relatively small area, especially compared with how big our states are. But, that doesn't tstop ACT from hosting an astounding 150+ primary schools. Canberra Girls Grammar School tops the list of independent schools in ACT. Aranda Primary leads the public school listings, but those two are just tips of their respective icebergs.
| 🏫School name | 🔎Internet search traffic | 📊SEA percentage | 💹NAPLAN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra Girls Grammar School | 400 | 99 | 515.5 |
| Radford College | 3 300 | 99 | 495.2 |
| Canberra Grammar School | 3 500 | 99 | 487.9 |
| Burgmann Anglican School | 1 700 | 97 | 481.4 |
| St Joseph’s Primary School | 1 400 | 89 | 484 |
| Aranda Primary School | 600 | 96 | 486.7 |
| Garran Primary School | 700 | 96 | 490.3 |
| Telopea Park School | 2 100 | 96 | 466.6 |
| Majura Primary School | 1 000 | 92 | 478.5 |
| Campbell Primary School | 900 | 96 | 452.2 |
What to Understand about ACT Primary School Ranking
Of all the school rankings across Australia, the ACT's were the most challenging to put into perspective. That's because the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) should track students' progress over time.
That's why students test in Year 3, and then Year 5, and so on. The system works as designed for schools with a stable student body, as virtually every school system in Australia has. However, ACT presents a unique situation.
Foreign diplomats and other states' representatives are constantly moving in and out of Canberra.
Often, they bring their families, which may include school-aged children. Some serve our government for years, meaning their students' school performance will not distort rankings. However, others only serve one term, which means they are testing in a group they won't be a part of during the next test cycle.
NAPLAN ranking is a measure used to plan school improvements.
It's hard to determine if a school has improved when students rotate in and out, taking their knowledge and experience with them. Still, NAPLAN is a nationwide endeavour. It gives us the best snapshot of student performance at the time, even if those students will relocate before the next exam.
Besides, it's not like Canberra doesn't have any permanent residents with primary school-aged children. And, parents everywhere - as far away as Western Australia, want to know about their state's top primary schools. If you're such a parent - or, a new arrival, you likely want to know about Canberra's best primary schools. In that spirit, we forge ahead.
Top Primary Schools in Canberra: Independent Schools
Canberra owns yet another strange statistic: it has closed more public schools than the number of independent schools currently operating. At last count, Canberra listed 18 undependent schools. Let's discover the top-ranked facilities, and what they have to offer.
Canberra Girls Grammar School (CGGS)
This Anglican girls' school spans three campuses in the heart of Canberra. A kindergarten to Year 12 (K-12) school, it is co-educational until Year 3. From then, it's girls only.
This grammar school is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.
CGGS offers the IB Primary Years Program, Middle Years Program, and Diploma Program, across its campuses. At the senior secondary level, students may choose between the IB Diploma program, and the territory's Board of Senior Secondary Studies (ACT BSSS). What a way to round out one's education!
Radford College
Radford is another example of the stellar Anglican education ethic. This school welcomed its first student in 1984, as a co-educational facility. Its humble beginnings (235 students, 15 staff) gave rise to the massive campus it is today.
Students: 2085 (1052 boys, 1033 girls)
Staff: 145 teachers, 131 non-teaching staff
Campus: about 46 acres, dedicated junior and senior schools, athletic and artistic facilities
As a member of the international schools network Round Square, Radford maintains ties with two schools in Japan, and one in China. This allows students to participate in conferences and exchanges abroad, and welcome those schools' delegates to our shores.
Canberra Grammar School
At first glance, there doesn't seem to be much difference between this school and the one described above, save for the 'Girls' in the name.
They're both Anglican, both in Canberra, and both are independent. We have to look to history to find out why we have two Grammar schools in Canberra.
1929
Established as an all-boys school
ca. 1975
The school welcomes girls up to Year 3
2016
Girls enrol for Years 3 and 4 study
2018
The school becomes fully co-educational
Today, this school teaches the Australian Curriculum. Students have access to a wide range of enrichment activities, from sports to music, art and drama. Junior school (K-6) learners may join choirs, chorales, or bands/orchestras, or take a role in a musical.
Burgmann Anglican School
This is a relatively young school, that opened its door in 1999, welcoming just 25 students. Today, the school has grown into a K-12 educational facility, spanning two locations.
Its student body tops 1 700 (869 boys, 844 girls), with 151 teachers and 177 staff to oversee activities:
- community outreach
- support and mentoring
- sports art endeavours, including music, theatre and dance
Burgmann operates according to the Anglican tradition, but it is a very modern school. It doesn't stint on tech in the classroom, or exploring the digital world. At the international level, Burgmann builds connections, too. It participates in exchange with its sister school, Chengdu Number 12 School.
St Joseph’s Primary School
This K-6 school teaches 326 students (174 boys, 152 girls) in the Catholic tradition, with a modern twist. Learners don't just master Catechism, English, and Maths, they discover their path into their future, which includes service to community.
All of this takes place on a well-appointed and growing campus.
Refurbished original buildings, with additional classrooms
New, purpose-built early-learning centre
Library and resource hub Outdoor nature playground
St Joseph's updated its curriculum and teaching strategies, too. Specialist teachers enhance music and literacy lessons, and technology masters reinforce digital learning principles. Beyond standard learning, tutors are available for piano and guitar lessons, as well as sports. In all, this school reminded us of a top primary school in Melbourne that we visited.
Best Public Primary Schools in Canberra
While investigating Canberra's top schools, it struck us that NAPLAN averages were much lower here than elsewhere in Australia.
For instance, Adelaide primary schools posted higher NAPLANs, despite following the same curriculum. This likely has to do with what you read earlier, about people moving in and out of the area.
You may also have noted that Canberra's top independent primary schools we covered are all faith-based. For parents who prefer secular education, Canberra has many public schools to choose from.
Aranda Primary School
This K-6 school boasts one of the most balanced student bodies we've run across since visiting top-ranked schools in Sydney. Its 514-member student body comprises 50% female students, and the same percentage of males. To adminster to them, this school has many specialists on staff. They include:
- a resident artist
- a music specialist
- a health and nutrition professional
- 11 Level 1 or higher coaching specialists
- a mental health and wellbeing teacher
This school's traditional single-classroom design recently got an upgrade. Students and teachers now have an additional four rooms for open-plan activities, or closed sessions. Clearly, Aranda has big plans for its students!
Garran Primary School
When city planners develop a new neighbourhood, they include a plot for at least one new primary school. Garran is lucky in this regard; it boasts three. This suburb's K-6 facility is a sterling example of educational excellence.
1. Teachers present a scenario
2. Students analyse and discuss
3. Teachers present the academics underpinning students' ideas
This teaching model encourages students to think and solve problems, without being fed information and shown how to apply it. It's an old-new idea in education; old in that it's been around for centuries. New, because it's gaining traction in classrooms across Australia. These critical thinking initiatives arm Garran pupils with transferable skills at an early age, setting the stage for lifelong learning.
Telopea Park School
Many Canberra-area schools embrace international standards. They might have sister-schools abroad, or they teach the IB curriculum. Telopea Park goes further: it is an international school, in partnership with the French Ministry of Education.
It's also the only K-10 school in the ACT. Its objectives include:
Majura Primary School
Majura is a K-6 school, formed from a consolidation of three now-closed primary schools. Despite that, its student population is reasonable, total enrolments number 730 (390 boys, 340 girls). It occupies two campuses, to fit everyone comfortably.
Many pupils come from different parts of the world.
Our Indigenous community also has strong representation.
In fact, Majura presents the highest percentage of Indigenous enrolments we've seen in top-rated schools. All of this cultural representation leads to lively lessons, including drama, dance, music, and media arts.
Campbell Primary School
This small-ish school (142 boys, 135 girls) serves the Campbell suburb, next to Canberra's Central Business District. It, too, boasts an international profile, including Japanese lessons as a part of its curriculum. Other Campbell initiatives include:
In its prospectus, Campbell Primary acknowledges its need for flexibility. It appeals to military, diplomatic, and public service families to trust its teachers in helping their children transition into their new school. That's a feature of Canberra schools that Brisbane primary education facilities don't have to worry about.
Summarise with AI:
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
