St Denis School: Joondanna teachers victory lap as students shine in NAPLAN

At St Denis School in Joondanna, classroom teachers took a quiet moment to celebrate after finding out how their students fared in the annual national tests of reading, writing, spelling, grammar and maths skills.

Principal Sarah Potts said the tiny Catholic school was buoyed by the big gains Year 5s had made since they last sat the assessment two years ago, while the current Year 3s scored above the national average in most areas when compared to students across the country with a similar socio-educational standing.

“We are very pleased with our 2026 NAPLAN results,” Ms Potts said. “Overall, our students performed strongly across all assessed domains, and we were particularly encouraged by the significant growth demonstrated between Year 3 and Year 5.

“As a staff, we’ve taken the time to celebrate these results together because we recognise that NAPLAN is about much more than one test on one day.

“It reflects the collective effort of our teachers over time, the consistency of high-quality teaching across year levels, the support of our families and, most importantly, the hard work and growth of our students.”

Ms Potts said the school prioritised early intervention, working with families to identify children’s learning needs and ensure they received the right support at the right time.

“Our teachers regularly analyse student data to understand where each child is in their learning and tailor their teaching accordingly,” she said.

She added that teachers prioritised emotional wellbeing as a key to academic success.

“Through positive relationships, inclusive classroom practices and a whole-school approach to wellbeing, we create an environment where students are confident to engage, take risks in their learning and achieve their personal best,” she said.