One Caloundra school is proving size doesn’t matter.
The school of only 321 students has emerged as a high performing school on the Sunshine Coast according to 2024 NAPLAN results.
The small but mighty Our Lady of the Rosary School has outshone many of its larger counterparts, scoring highly and showing significant consistent improvement across all areas including Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar, Punctuation, and Numeracy when compared to students with a similar background.
Grant Haigh, Principal of Our Lady of the Rosary School, said that his Year 3 students excelled in Reading and Writing, while Year 5 students showcased their strong writing abilities, with all students scoring highly across the board.
“Not only are we proud of our performance as a school on the Sunshine Coast, but we were also well above the National average in all testing areas,” he said.
“These exceptional results reflect the high-quality teaching and learning that happens in our classrooms every day.
“As part of a comprehensive approach to the teaching of English, The Macquarie University program, InitiaLit, which our teachers are trained in, has been one of the contributors to our student’s literacy success.
“The program uses a phonics-based approach to learning to read as part of whole class instruction from Prep to Year 2.
“By helping our Early Years students understand the relationship between sounds and letters, we have laid a strong foundation for literacy success.
"Our teachers' dedication to teaching and supporting our students and our high academic expectations is another factor.”
Mr Haigh said that focusing on building strong relationships with parents year-round, adequately prepares students to be assessment-capable learners come NAPLAN testing time.
“By fostering this partnership, we create a supportive environment where parents feel confident in guiding their children, reducing stress and promoting a positive mindset leading up to NAPLAN,” he said.
“For a small regional school, we performed exceptionally well in 2024, and I am incredibly proud of our students, dedicated teachers, and supportive families—you have all contributed to this outstanding achievement!
"Local families can continue to expect a nurturing faith-filled learning community, strong academic results, and a sense of belonging when they enrol their child at our school.”
For more information about Our Lady of the Rosary School Caloundra or to enrol click here.