Principal's News

A Strong Literacy Story at St Luke’s

You may have seen our NAPLAN result summaries on social media over the past week. We are delighted to share the outstanding literacy achievements reflected in our 2026 NAPLAN results. These outcomes are a testament to the hard work of our students, the dedication of our staff, and the strong partnership we enjoy with families in supporting every child’s learning.

Our Year 3 students achieved excellent results, with more than 89% achieving at the Strong or Exceeding level in Writing and more than 83% achieving at the Strong or Exceeding level in Reading. Our Year 5 students also demonstrated exceptional literacy performance, with over 94% achieving at Strong or Exceeding levels in Spelling and more than 84% achieving at Strong or Exceeding levels in Writing.

Parents may notice that students achieving the expected standard are now reported in the Strong achievement category. In the current NAPLAN reporting system, Strong means a student is meeting the challenging but reasonable expectations for their year level, while Exceeding indicates performance above those expectations.

While we are proud of these results, we are also excited about what sits behind them. These achievements reflect students who are developing the knowledge, skills and confidence to read deeply, write purposefully and communicate effectively. Literacy is the foundation for success across all areas of learning, and these results show that strong foundations are being built for the future.

Over the past eighteen months, St Luke’s has been deeply engaged in the Magnify Sandhurst suite of school improvement initiatives. Through this evidence-informed approach, our teachers have strengthened literacy instruction through explicit teaching, regular use of student data, consistent classroom practices and ongoing professional learning.

Importantly, these results are not simply about percentages. They represent individual students who are discovering a love of reading, growing as writers and developing confidence in expressing their ideas. They also demonstrate the impact of early intervention. Some of the students represented in these results participated in one-on-one or small-group support during Years 1 and 2. Their learning data helped us identify gaps, tailor instruction and provide targeted support. Our Learning Support Officers and teachers continue to do outstanding work in delivering this methodical and intentional instruction.

As we celebrate these achievements, we remain focused on continuous improvement. Strong literacy skills open doors to future learning and opportunity, and we are committed to ensuring every student at St Luke’s continues to thrive.

I thank our students, staff and families for their commitment and support. Together, we are creating a culture of learning excellence, and these results provide encouraging evidence that our collective efforts are making a difference. Congratulations to our students and teaching teams on these outstanding achievements.

Warm regards,

Jen McKillop 

(Principal)