While socio-educational disadvantage is widespread in the region, many schools are performing much better than those facing similar challenges.

According to the “My School” website, Caritas College, Flinders View Primary School, Port Augusta Secondary School, Port Augusta West, Stirling North Primary School and Willsden Primary School all have large student populations whose families are ranked in the lowest quarter of socio-educational advantage.

However despite NAPLAN results below national averages, they are performing on par with or better than statistically similar schools.

For example, 92 per cent of Willsden Primary School students come from families in the bottom quarter of socio-educational rankings.

Its NAPLAN test results from Year 5 and 7 students indicate that students are performing above or substantially above similar schools in reading, writing, spelling, numeracy and grammar and punctuation.

Port Augusta Secondary School was another school that performed poorly nation-wide but on-par with similar school.

Principal Paul Billows said he wasn’t “overly surprised” by the results and acknowledged that schools in the area face extra challenges.

“Part of the rationale of the website is to support schools who are struggling and narrow the gap... and hopefully through that improve results and opportunities for kids,” he said.

“To be fair the State Government does do a lot of things to support schools with that type of demographic.”