Hunter schools are taking steps to buck the trend after NAPLAN results indicated a major chunk of children sitting the tests need more help.
Around 1.3 million year three, five, seven and nine students received their National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results on Wednesday August 14.
While NSW ranked in the top three states for reading, almost a third of year three students were labelled as "needs additional support" or "developing".
Hunter Christian School executive principal, Dr Simon Herd said many young children were coming into their first round of NAPLAN after being impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"They have spent a decent chunk of their schooling in a home-school environment," he said.
Exposure to screens during the lockdown period significantly increased for primary-school aged kids, Dr Herd said.
"Our kindergarten and prep staff have noticed that the attention of our students has been lesser than what it has been in other parts of their career," he said.
To keep reading levels steady, Dr Herd said they made sure teaching literacy was holistic and went alongside music and art lessons.
He said the school had also seen positive results from training all their primary school staff in the explicit teaching of phonics.
Catholic Schools gifted education lead Maree Karaka runs a problem-solving program called the Virtual Academy across Newcastle and Maitland schools.
She said the program tackles real-world issues and gave year five to eight students a chance to unpack research and apply it to their communities.
The Virtual Academy incorporates literacy, numeracy skills alongside critical and creative thinking.
"The program is very much bespoke according to the students' strengths and interests," Ms Karaka said.
The program addressed core gaps between educational ability and performance, and began from a starting assumption that all students have potential.
"It's an opportunity where we can identity students who have high potential and giftedness and is struggling with anxiety, and can't bring themselves into school," she said.
"They can still engage in their learning whether it be in the lounge room, at home or in the classroom."
'More than their brains'
University of Newcastle Laureate Professor Jenny Gore said this year's results were neither "new nor surprising".
She cautioned that the latest numbers were similar to what was reported last year when a different kind of testing and reporting process began.
"They are consistent with what we've had ever since the NAPLAN began," she said.
While Professor Gore said literacy and numeracy had not largely dropped, it was still "concerning" that a third of Australian students were not meeting proficiency standards.
She said students in the lower third disproportionately came from disadvantaged backgrounds which reflected the country's failure to reduce educational inequalities.
"Schools in Newcastle and around the centre are doing pretty well and then schools in the periphery, more regional, distal areas are not doing as well," she said
"But that is also affected by socio-economic status and other conditions in school and communities that often play a role."
In 2023, Newcastle scored above the state average in NAPLAN results, Swansea, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Maitland, Cessnock and Upper Hunter were all below state averages.
This year, 70 per cent of students living in major cities had scored a strong proficiency level or higher compared to around 20 per cent in remote communities.
Professor Gore said unmoving education numbers needed to be viewed in a larger system of teacher support, cost of living pressures and labour market changes.
"A broader, comprehensive systemic perspective is needed."
The country required reforms beyond synthetic phonics and explicit teaching, she said.
"Students are much more than their brains, they learn in certain emotional and social conditions," she said.
"We have to be concerned with their enjoyment of school, their enjoyment of reading, and their enjoyment of life," she said.
