Targeted student support, evidence-informed professional learning and collaboration are driving exceptional 2026 NAPLAN results at St Brendan's Catholic Primary School Annandale. 

The school recorded a standout increase in the proportion of students reaching the top achievement band in numeracy between 2024 and 2026: 

  • Recorded the largest increase in students achieving Exceeding in primary numeracy from 2024 to 2026 across Sydney Catholic Schools, with an increase of 21.89 percentage points. 

Year 3 students in 2026 recorded higher rates of proficiency than Year 3 students in 2025 across four out of five NAPLAN domains, with highlights including: 

  • Reading: +10.53% 
  • Numeracy: +6.32% 
  • Grammar & Punctuation: +10.53% 
  • Spelling: +21.05% 

"These results reflect the strong culture of learning we've built at this school, grounded in high expectations, equity and a genuine belief that every student can thrive. We're proud that this success sits alongside our commitment to educating the whole child academically, socially and personally," said Hayley de Vries, Principal at St Brendan's. 

Success across Sydney Catholic Schools  

Sydney Catholic Schools Director of Education and Research Kevin Carragher said system-wide results reflected a consistent, evidence-based approach to mathematics teaching. 

"Our teachers are applying research on how the brain learns through explicit instruction, clear modelling, regular review and carefully tailored support, building students' confidence and ability to tackle increasingly complex mathematics," he said. 

The results reveal an additional 846 Sydney Catholic Schools students have attained NAPLAN's Strong or Exceeding bands for numeracy over the past two years with an extra 400 students reaching into strong and exceeding bands for reading. 

Year 5 reading proficiency rose two percentage points to 86 per cent. Among matched students moving from Year 3 to Year 5, reading proficiency increased three points to 87 per cent. 

"These figures represent thousands of individual students strengthening the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for future learning," Mr Carragher said.