The Pines School is a government primary serving Parafield Gardens with a distinctive focus on English language learners and cultural diversity.
NAPLAN 15 points below national year-level averages; the result is a C overall.
The Pines School is a government primary serving Parafield Gardens with a distinctive focus on English language learners and cultural diversity. Its Intensive English Language program and New Arrivals support make it a natural fit for families arriving in Australia, while the International Studies curriculum broadens all students' worldviews. The school runs an integrated preschool to Year 6 campus and maintains a strongly pastoral culture. Beyond languages, The Pines emphasises physical activity and wellbeing, hosts a Musica Viva residency program, and commits to inclusive learning with disability support across the school. Parents describe it as tight-knit and community-minded, with a clear eye on helping every child settle and thrive.
The Pines School draws students from the The Pines School.
The Pines School has an overall SchoolRank score of 48.9/100, rated "Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 50/100, indicating moderate performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 967, slightly below the national average of 1,000.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at The Pines School, Year 3 students averaged 386 across the tested NAPLAN domains, below the national average of 407 for that year level, and Year 5 students averaged 480, 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.
The Pines School is a medium-sized government primary school with approximately 671 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.
The Pines School 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 53/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
The Pines School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.5:1. This is around the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning class sizes are typical for Australian schools. Support staff make up 34% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 91%, which is moderate.
The Pines School is located in Parafield Gardens, SA, classified as a major cities school. With an ICSEA of 967 (32th 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.