Outer regional and remote students are providing less than half the amount of ‘exceeding’ students than the state average, according to results from the Australia-wide standardised test NAPLAN.

Still, NSW students are outperforming their interstate counterparts. 

The latest results from the Year 3 , 5, 7 and 9 NAPLAN tests have been delivered, offering an indication of how students from around the country are performing. 

This year, results found that one in 10 students across Australia ‘need additional support’ after the expectations from NAPLAN were increased. 

“This year’s NAPLAN results are the first to reflect the new reporting changes. They show strong performance among Australian students in literacy and numeracy skills, but also provide clear information on areas requiring improvement,” Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) CEO David de Cavalho said. 

The change to proficiency standards was designed to give parents and carers an earlier indicator of their child’s development. 

“One of the issues with the previous national minimum standard was that parents and carers could think that if their child was at that level, then ‘everything is OK’.”

“But it wasn’t. If your child is below the proficiency standard, then being informed that their skills are still developing towards proficiency is important. And it’s also important to know if your child needs additional support,” he said. 

 Not all socioeconomic

While the difference in performance from regional and remote students is often linked to socioeconomic background, recent research has found that other factors are more likely at play, given the socioeconomic diversity in regional areas.  

Within the study, researchers found that “limitations on curriculum access, access to curriculum enrichment activities, staff professional learning, (and) teachers teaching out-of-field” are all explanations for a sometimes significant difference in rural and regional learning outcomes. 

Across the board, marked variations between city-based and more rural locations became obvious. 

In the Year 9 numeracy test, 7.2 per cent of students in major cities ‘need additional support’. 

The number increases to 18.6 per cent for students in outer regional areas, and 33.3 per cent for students in remote areas. 

“The results continue to highlight the educational disparities of students from non-urban areas,” Mr de Carvalho said. 

According to the Rural and Remote Education Strategy (2021-2024), a decline in preschool enrolments in regional areas, student attendance and year 12 participation and completion are other challenges in the case for change.