John Hartley School is a government co-ed primary in Smithfield Plains with a distinctive hands-on approach.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages and solid student growth; the result is a C overall.
John Hartley School is a government co-ed primary in Smithfield Plains with a distinctive hands-on approach. The garden kitchen program sits at the heart of school life, teaching students cooking and gardening alongside explicit reading instruction. There's strong pastoral support and tailored help for students with disabilities. Families choose it for the tight-knit community feel and the practical, outdoor-focused learning that gives children real skills and connection to growing food.
John Hartley School B-6 is also known as JHS B-6 and John Hartley B-6.
John Hartley School B-6 draws students from the John Hartley School B-6.
John Hartley School B-6 has an overall SchoolRank score of 28.7/100, rated "Below Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 25/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 903, below the national average of 1,000. Notably, the school shows strong student growth over time (62/100), meaning students tend to improve well regardless of their starting point.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at John Hartley School B-6, Year 3 students averaged 323 across the tested NAPLAN domains, well below the national average of 407 for that year level, and Year 5 students averaged 425, well below the national average of 490 for that year level. National averages are specific to each year level, because NAPLAN scores are scaled so older year levels score higher, a school-wide average can't be compared with a single national figure.
John Hartley School B-6 is a medium-sized government primary school with approximately 685 students. It offers education for years U, R-6. As a government school, enrolment is generally available to students living within the school's designated catchment zone. Families outside the zone may apply for out-of-area placement subject to availability.
John Hartley School B-6 is a government school, so there are no tuition fees. Families may be asked to contribute to voluntary school fees covering materials, excursions, and activities. The school has a value score of 26/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
John Hartley School B-6 has a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.1:1. This is around the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning class sizes are typical for Australian schools. Support staff make up 45% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 85%, which is moderate.
John Hartley School B-6 is located in Smithfield Plains, SA, classified as a major cities school. With an ICSEA of 903 (11th percentile), the school community's socio-educational advantage is below average, which means the school serves a community with greater socio-educational challenges. ICSEA measures the educational advantage of a school's community, not the school's quality, a lower ICSEA school with strong academic scores may indicate particularly effective teaching.