The report, commissioned by the state education department, found that 69 per cent of Warrnambool students who under-performed in basic reading skills were enrolled in public schools.

But it also revealed that government schools in Warrnambool bucked a trend with 60 per cent of the high achievers going to public schools and 40 per cent attending private schools.

Warrnambool College principal Mary Pendergast said the data showed the diversity of students who enrolled at the school.

“We’re a typical government school and we have no choice in who enrols,” she said.

“It shows that we have more students than non-government schools at the lower achieving end.

“But we’re extremely proud of the job we do in terms of when students exit the school.”

Report author Professor Richard Teese from Melbourne University said the research looked at the distribution of kids who read poorly for their age and what proportion of those were in government and non-government schools.

“It’s a classic pattern of segregation,” he said.

Professor Teese said if the choice of where parents sent their children came down to a personal preference then all schools would be equally open to everyone and there would be no differences.

“Non-government schools impose fees which filter people out,” he said.

“Today there tends to be more filtering out of low achievers from non-government schools.

“This doesn’t mean there are no low achievers in non- government schools.

“But schools with more low achievers need more government support. Every local community should have access to the highest possible standard of schooling.”

The report analysed NAPLAN testing from Warrnambool alongside schools at Bairnsdale, Dandenong and Ballarat.

Australian Education Union federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said the report found public schools were being starved of the funding they needed to ensure every child received a high quality education.

“This report presents the clearest possible evidence of the need for an immediate overhaul of the way our schools are funded by all levels of government,” he said.

cquirk@standard.fairfax.c om.au