Co-ed government secondary (Years 7–12) in outer regional Driver, NT; 1,267 students.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages; the result is a C- overall.
Palmerston College has an overall SchoolRank score of 34.9/100, rated "Below Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 33/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 884, below the national average of 1,000.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Palmerston College, Year 7 students averaged 481 across the tested NAPLAN domains, well below the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 515, well below the national average of 569 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.
Palmerston College is a large government secondary school with approximately 1,267 students. It offers education for years 7-12. 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.
Palmerston College 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 35/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Palmerston College has a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.5:1. This is below the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning students generally receive more individual attention. Support staff make up 41% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 76%, which is below the national benchmark.
Palmerston College is located in Driver, NT, classified as a outer regional school. With an ICSEA of 884 (8th 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.