Education Snapshots

Senior school certificate

In 2017, the proportion of young people that completed a senior school certificate or equivalent in South Australia was 88%, a significant increase since 2009 (65%). The national average of completion in 2017 was 79%.

The regions in South Australia with the highest proportions of young people completing a senior school certificate in 2017 were metropolitan Adelaide and outer regional South Australia (both 89%).

South Australia is the state with the highest proportion of young people completing a senior school certificate or equivalent in 2017 (88%), compared to Queensland (85%), Victoria (81%) and Western Australia (79%).

School attendance

In South Australia, school is compulsory for all children and young people from 6 to 16 years. In 2018, the school attendance rate for year 1 to year 10 students in all South Australian schools was 92%, remaining steady since 2014 (92%).

By school sector, students from independent and Catholic schools have a higher attendance rate (both 93%) compared to students from government schools (91%). In 2018, Aboriginal children and young people had a school attendance rate of 81%. Students from metropolitan Adelaide had the highest school attendance rate (92%) compared to students in very remote South Australia (77%).

Writing

In Australia, writing is measured annually through the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

In 2018, the proportion of South Australian students at or above the national minimum standard in writing was 92% in Year 3, 86% in Year 5 and 86% in Year 7.

The South Australian regions with the highest proportion of students at or above the national minimum writing standards were:

• Year 3: Inner regional South Australia (95%)
• Year 5: Metropolitan Adelaide (87%)
• Year 7: Inner regional South Australia (88%)

The proportion of students at or above the national minimum standard in writing has decreased since 2011 for students in Years 3, 5 and 7.

In 2018, the proportion of Aboriginal students at or above the national minimum standard in writing was 71% in Year 3, 56% in Year 5 and 54% in Year 7.

Reading

In Australia, reading is measured annually through the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.

In 2018, the proportion of students in South Australia at or above the minimum standard in reading was 93% in Year 5 and 94% in both Year 3 and Year 7.

Regions with the highest proportion of students at or above the national minimum reading standards were:

• Year 3: Metropolitan Adelaide, inner regional South Australia (94%)
• Year 5: Metropolitan Adelaide, inner regional, and remote South Australia (94%)
• Year 7: Metropolitan Adelaide, inner regional, and remote South Australia (94%)

The proportion of Aboriginal students at or above the minimum standard in reading in 2018 was 77% in Year 3, 72% in Year 5 and 72% in Year 7.

Numeracy

In Australia, numeracy is measured annually through the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. In 2018, the proportion of students in South Australia at or above minimum standard in numeracy was 95% in Year 7 and 94% for both Year 3 and Year 5.

Regions with the highest proportion of students at or above the national minimum numeracy standards are:

• Year 3: Metropolitan Adelaide and inner regional South Australia (95%)
• Year 5: Inner regional South Australia (95%)
• Year 7: Remote South Australia (96%)

The proportion of Aboriginal students at or above minimum standard in numeracy in 2018 was 79% in Year 3, 78% in Year 5 and 76% in Year 7.

Young people in full-time education

In June 2018, 77% of young people aged 15-19 years were engaged in full-time education in South Australia. This has decreased from June 2017 when the proportion was 79%. Full-time education includes young people attending secondary school, technical or further education institutes (including TAFE) or university.

The proportion of young people in country South Australia engaged in full-time education is less than young people living in metropolitan Adelaide. In 2016, the Mid North region had 67% of young people aged 15-19 years engaged in full-time education whereas the Unley region in Adelaide had 84%.

In 2016, 62% of Aboriginal young people aged 15-19 years were engaged in full-time education.

Early Childhood Development

The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) reports on the deveopmental progress of all children in Australia, including South Australia, by the time they begin their first year of full-time school, in five domains of early childhood development.

In 2015, about 23% of all South Australian children were developmentally vulnerable in 1 or more domains in the AEDC. The proportion for Aboriginal children in South Australia was about 49%.

The five domains of the AEDC are:

• physical health and wellbeing
• social competence
• emotional maturity
• language and cognitive skills and
• communication skills and general knowledge.

More information can be found on the AEDC website.