When compared to independent schools of similar backgrounds across the Central West, All Saints’ out-scored them for its 2016 results in the controversial national testing.

NAPLAN tests five areas – reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy - with national testing undertaken for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

When results from each tested year at All Saints’ were added, the school received a total score of 11,037.

Kinross Wolaroi School in Orange came in second at 10,745, followed by Orange Anglican Grammar School (10,451), Macquarie Anglican Grammar School in Dubbo (10,245) and The Scots School in Bathurst (10,059).

The data shows that in 2016, results for All Saints’ students in Year 3, 7 and 9 were rated as ‘substantially above’ average in all tested areas, except writing, when compared to all Australian schools.

In writing, students in Year 3, 7 and 9 were rated as above average.

NAPLAN results compare schools in ‘statistically similar socio-educational backgrounds’ and also all Australian schools.

Year 3 students at All Saints’ were a particular stand-out with ‘above’ or ‘substantially above’ average results recorded in both comparisons, for all tested results, except writing at statistically similar schools.

All Saints’ head of college Steven O’Connor said “the results reflect the quality of teaching and learning” offered at the school.

“We have good teachers who have a very strong record,” he said.

Mr O’Connor said NAPLAN data allows the school to measure each student’s growth, and it also helps staff individualise their teaching for students who may need extra assistance.

However, he said that NAPLAN was not the only test that mattered in a child’s education.

“We place a really strong emphasis on a different range of programs,” Mr O’Connor said. “We’re contributing to the pastoral care and wellbeing of our students so they are well supported through their education.

“We believe it’s really important for them to have the opportunity to discover the skills they might have in all areas. Teaching and learning is our core business, but we want them to learn about all sorts of things.”

Mr O’Connor acknowledged that NAPLAN attracts a lot of criticism each year, but said staff do not alter their teaching methods for the tests.

“It’s just another way of assessing growth,” he said.