PLC Armidale students continue to excel in NAPLAN amid challenging national picture

Outstanding 2026 NAPLAN results across PLC Armidale’s junior and senior schools have reinforced the college’s position as a regional leader in academic achievement, against a national picture that continues to highlight challenges in literacy and numeracy.

Students from years 3 through to year 9 recorded strong results across literacy and numeracy, with the majority achieving in the strong or exceeding proficiency levels and standout results in writing, reading, spelling and numeracy, with 100 per cent of year 7 students achieving strong or exceeding in writing while 94 per cent achieved strong or exceeding in both reading and numeracy and 84 per cent in spelling.

Year 9 results were equally impressive, with 100 per cent of students achieving strong or exceeding in both writing and spelling, 86 per cent in reading and 81 per cent in both numeracy and grammar and punctuation.

Among year 3 students, 91 per cent achieved strong or exceeding in writing, 82 per cent in both reading and spelling and 73 per cent in numeracy.

And in year 5, 92 per cent of girls achieved strong or exceeding in grammar and punctuation, 83 per cent in numeracy, and 75 per cent in both reading and writing.

The results reflect the college’s focus on explicit teaching, carefully sequenced curriculum, regular formative assessment and targeted intervention to ensure individual students receive the support and extension they need.

The strength of this foundation was particularly evident among the year 7 students who progressed directly from PLC Armidale’s junior school. All of them achieved strong or exceeding in writing, numeracy and spelling, with 60 per cent achieving the highest exceeding proficiency level in writing. Eighty per cent achieved strong or exceeding in reading, spelling and grammar and punctuation.

College principal Nicola Taylor said the results demonstrated the value of building strong literacy and numeracy foundations early and continuing to challenge students throughout their education.

“These results are particularly pleasing when viewed against the broader national picture, but what matters most to us is the story of growth behind them,” Mrs Taylor said.

PLC Armidale College principal Nicola Taylor says academic success is built over time, with strong foundations established from Pre-Kindergarten and carefully developed throughout each girl’s learning journey to Year 12.

“All our girls are encouraged to complete the NAPLAN program irrespective of their academic strengths and to see every year 7 student achieving strong or exceeding in writing and every year 9 student achieving strong or exceeding in writing and spelling is an outstanding result.

“Importantly, we can see those foundations being established much earlier. Our junior school results demonstrate the impact of explicit teaching and a carefully sequenced curriculum, while our small classes allow teachers to identify where each girl needs support, challenge or extension.

“Our aim is not simply to prepare girls for a NAPLAN assessment. It is to develop highly capable readers, writers, thinkers and problem-solvers who have the confidence to apply their learning well beyond the classroom.”

The 2026 results continue an established pattern of strong academic performance at PLC Armidale. In 2025, NAPLAN data confirmed the college as the strongest-performing school overall in the New England North West region, with results above national averages across most tested areas.

That academic strength continued through to the 2025 HSC, when PLC Armidale was the highest-ranked school in northern NSW, ranking 69th in the state. Forty-six per cent of students achieved an ATAR above 85, 27 per cent above 90 and 19 per cent above 95, while more than half of the cohort were recognised as NSW distinguished achievers.

As the only all-girls pre-kindergarten to year 12 college in Northern NSW, PLC Armidale combines small classes, personalised learning and high expectations with an environment where every girl is known, supported and encouraged to achieve her personal best.

The results reinforce a clear continuum of academic achievement at PLC Armidale – strong foundations in the junior school, outstanding achievement through the senior school, and young women graduating ready to lead lives of significance beyond the college gates.