Imagine arriving in a completely new country, barely speaking the language, and being thrown into a massive school. Sounds overwhelming, right? But what if that school was a place where diversity wasn't a challenge, but a superpower? That's the story of Carlingford West Public School in Australia, and it's a story that's rewriting the rules of academic achievement.
New data just released highlights the schools in Australia that are significantly exceeding expectations in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests. And Carlingford West stands out. Among the top performers identified by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), Carlingford West isn't just achieving; it's overachieving compared to schools with similar socioeconomic backgrounds and prior academic performance. They consistently scored in the highest bands across all subjects for Years 3 and 5 in 2025.
But here's where it gets controversial... Is this simply a testament to good teaching, or is there something more profound at play? What can other schools learn from Carlingford West's success?
Consider Ziyan Lin. When she started Year 5, she and her family had recently migrated from China, and her English was limited. Suddenly, she was one of 1,636 students at one of the largest primary schools in New South Wales. What could have been a daunting experience quickly transformed into a journey of growth and belonging.
What’s truly remarkable is that 96% of Carlingford West students come from language backgrounds other than English, representing an incredible 44 different languages! Every year, around 40 newly migrated students join the school. In many schools, this level of diversity might be seen as a hurdle. At Carlingford West, teachers believe it's their greatest strength.
Sonia Durney, an English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) education leader, perfectly captures the school’s ethos: "There’s a sense of inclusion through diversity.” She emphasizes how teachers leverage the rich experiences and diverse backgrounds of their students, integrating them into the learning process. It's a collaborative effort, a "whole team approach" where everyone contributes to each other's success.
And this is the part most people miss... Carlingford West doesn't just tolerate diversity; it actively cultivates it. The school boasts a large team of EAL/D teachers who work alongside classroom educators, supported by EAL/D specialists who help design the curriculum. They offer instruction in Mandarin, Korean, and Hindi, along with extracurricular activities like public speaking, poetry recitals, and even Korean drumming! Newly arrived students receive extra support during their first year, and even parents and grandparents are offered free English lessons after school hours.
For Ziyan, this meant a buddy system with native English speakers and intensive support from her classroom and EAL/D teachers. By the third term, she was mentoring a new student who also spoke Mandarin, showcasing the school's commitment to peer support.
Lisa Roberts, the assistant principal for Year 4, describes the school as a "tightly run ship." Each grade has its own assistant principal who develops teaching and learning programs in collaboration with teachers. Frequent assessments help identify areas of strength and weakness, and the school employs explicit teaching methods like synthetic phonics – a structured approach to sounding out letters that accelerates reading comprehension.
"I often think about, in such a large school, how well we all know our students and value and acknowledge all of them, and cater to all of them, because that’s quite the challenge," Roberts reflects. "As much as learning, relationship building is really core and central as well.”
This focus on relationships translates into impressive results. The school's attendance rate is a remarkable 94%, significantly higher than the national average of 88.8%. Word-of-mouth referrals have also contributed to the school's growth, with a large Mongolian student population emerging after families moved to the area and recommended the school to their networks.
Marta Piwonski, the assistant principal for Year 5, views the school's success as motivation rather than validation. "We’re always looking at where we can improve," she says. "We have high expectations here – we encourage our students to develop that love of learning and make sure programs are engaging and relevant.”
Year 5 student Vishrath Puskuri appreciates the school's high standards, which he believes help students "keep reaching for higher goals." He adds, "They keep on pushing us, but not push us too much that we get struggle and stress. They just push us to how much we can do, because the motto of Carlingford West is ‘do the best you can.’"
Andrew Li, also in Year 5, enjoys the school's various resources, including the library and classrooms. Mishael Don, who arrived in Year 4 last year, aspires to be a lawyer. The students are focused on their studies, with an eye toward attending nearby selective schools. They also have more immediate goals, like earning a "key badge" for good citizenship or simply making lasting memories. As Mishael Don puts it, "The teachers give me a lot of motivation, because they believe in us. I want to take every opportunity, because I really like this school, and I only have one year left.”
So, what are your thoughts? Is Carlingford West's success a replicable model for other diverse schools? Or is there a unique combination of factors at play that makes it difficult to emulate? Could their explicit teaching methods be the key, or is it the community focus that truly sets them apart? Share your opinions and experiences in the comments below!
