How a strong culture of teaching and learning is driving Year 9 results at Corinda State High School.
When the 2026 NAPLAN results were released in early August, the national conversation was largely focused on declining literacy and numeracy outcomes. Queensland was among the states attracting particular attention, with students continuing to record results below national benchmarks in a number of areas. At Corinda State High School, the Year 9 results are moving in the opposite direction.
The school's 2026 results are well ahead of both Queensland and national results across reading, spelling, writing, numeracy, and grammar and punctuation.
In numeracy, for example, Corinda's Year 9 result of 616 sits well above the national result of 573.9 and Queensland's 559. Writing is similarly strong, with Corinda students recording 606 compared with 572 nationally and 556 across Queensland. And it is not simply about this year.
The school's data shows a sustained upward trajectory in key areas, reflecting the work happening in classrooms year after year. For Executive Principal Ross Bailey, the results are a credit to the whole school community.
"What makes the Corinda community a joy to work within is that everyone works together to prioritise learning."
Mr Bailey says Corinda's approach is not about preparing specifically for NAPLAN. Instead, literacy, numeracy and problem-solving are deliberately embedded across the curriculum.
“Our incredible teaching team work exceptionally hard to understand the nuances of what is required to answer questions, whether this is for NAPLAN, our curriculum offerings, or the Senior external exams," he says.
“That attention to detail drives our team to continually consider what's next for a student and their learning."
How Corinda's 2026 Year 9 NAPLAN results compare
The people behind the results
Behind the numbers are teachers who are continually refining their practice, sharing their expertise and looking closely at what helps students learn.
Corinda teachers use explicit instruction and a Gradual Release of Responsibility approach, with subject-specific teaching models tailored to different disciplines.
The Mathematics team, for example, has seen strong improvement in NAPLAN performance alongside growth in the number of students taking Senior Mathematics. Mr Bailey attributes this to a sustained focus on teaching practice, resources and teamwork.
For Highly Accomplished Teacher Beth Bridges (pictured above right with Janine Davidson), who is in her fourth year at Corinda, the reason for the school's success is straightforward.
“Corinda State High School has the trifecta: caring parents, dedicated staff and fantastic students."
Beth recently completed the rigorous process to become a Highly Accomplished Teacher, a national certification recognising teachers who demonstrate highly accomplished practice across the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
For fellow Highly Accomplished Teacher Janine Davidson, who teaches English and Literature, the work begins with strong foundations in literacy.
She points to a dedicated English teaching team, a strong reading culture and programs such as Writers Toolbox, which continues to support student writing.
“We have many teachers who are passionate about their subject area and genuinely care about the students in front of them receiving the best opportunities for learning," Janine says.
Making a difference
The results build on Corinda's recognition last year as one of only a small number of Queensland state schools named by ACARA as a School Making a Difference.
The recognition considers student performance alongside socioeconomic factors, highlighting schools achieving stronger than expected outcomes.
For Mr Bailey, seeing that progress continue is particularly rewarding. “This means that our team are undertaking work that has the potential to make a profound impact on the quality and trajectory of student lives," he says.
NAPLAN is only a snapshot of student achievement, but the results provide an encouraging indication of what can happen when students, families and teachers share high expectations and a commitment to learning. At Corinda, the graphs show the trajectory. The team behind them makes it happen.
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