The education system in Australia is quite impressive. But just like any other place in the world, there are better schools than others. If you’re the kind of parent who wants to settle for nothing short of the best, there are several schools you can consider in Australia that are ranked as the best, but this varies depending on the factors used to rank the school.
From an outsider’s perspective, the only way to gauge whether a school is the “best” is to study their data and, more importantly, their performance if you’re looking at the performance of the school from an academic standpoint.
How to Determine High School Rankings
One of the most commonly used methods of ranking schools is through their academic performance, particularly in English and Maths, which are essential subjects. Enrolment volumes and State Overall Rankings are the other factors that are considered when ranking high schools in Australia.
Where possible, the ATAR scores can also be assessed, but not every school discloses this information so that it may give an incomplete comparison.
The National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is another data point that can provide more information on a school’s performance and should be included when ranking it.
Considering that Australia is a huge country with many schools, to give you a more balanced opinion and sample schools from different parts of the country, this list of the best schools according to different parts of Australia to ensure schools from different parts of the country are mentioned.
Western Australia: Perth Schol Ranking
Perth is the fourth-most populated city in Australia. Expectedly, there are many schools in the city, and a couple of them jump out as the best right from the beginning.
Perth Modern is easily one of the city’s best schools. It was the first public high school and the first to welcome female senior students. Despite being around for some time, the school hasn’t lost its pioneering spirit. It has one of the finest performing arts programs in the state.
Another school that makes it to the list of best high schools in Australia in the city of Perth is the Christ Church Grammar School, which is also the top independent school known best for its athletics programs. It is a well-developed, all-boys grammar school that welcomes around 1700 boarding students and has an excellent Arts curriculum. The school also has a day school program, and all students are allowed to join its numerous teams, which include hockey, rugby, football and cricket.
When looking at the best schools in Perth, expect a stark contrast in the number of students and teachers, with public high schools being more populated. However, the performances of both schools were mainly comparable.
South Australia: Best High Schools in Adelaide
Adelaide is a South Australian city that is distinguished for being home to Australia’s first-ever government-funded school—Adelaide High School. The school opened its doors in 1879 as an all-girls school, another first in the country.
Over the years, Adelaide High has continued adding to its records, including the unique distinction of being South Australia’s only Special Interest Language School.
But, the distinction for the best high school in South Australia
goes to Glenunga International High School, a government-funded high school, and Pembroke School, a non-government school. Both institutions are co-educational.
Pembroke is an independent school that teaches the International Baccalaureate curriculum. Both schools have high enrolments, which speaks to their capacity as the best high schools in Adelaide.
Queensland: Best High Schools in Brisbane
Finding the best high school in Queensland based on ATAR results is impossible. That’s because, in 2021, the state decided to publish ATAR scores no longer. Luckily, this is not the only way to appraise the best schools in the state, both private and public.
Top of the list is one of Brisbane’s youngest schools, Queensland Academy for Mathematics, Science and Technology (QAMST).
It is a public school that enjoys relatively low enrolment numbers but delivers high Maths and English scores.
There is chatter that the school is a University of Queensland feeder school because it selects curriculum and course structures. Whether true or not, it wouldn’t be the first time a university helped plan and design Brisbane-area public schools.
There are also some great private schools in Brisbane. One of them is the Brisbane Grammar School and its sister campus, the Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School. These independent schools have excellent QAMSTs that almost mirror each other.
They also offer plenty of enrichment and extracurricular programs for their students. Overall, Brisbane has some of the best secondary schools in Australia.
Victoria: Best High Schools in Melbourne
Victoria has a culturally rich population and is also one of the most populated cities in Australia. Melbourne, the capital city, is home to more than three-quarters of the state’s population, which also means there’s a sizeable number of schools to explore within this area.
Like in many other parts of Australia, private schools outrank government learning centres in almost every metric.
A sterling example of this is the Presbyterian Ladies’ College, a day and boarding school that benefits from low enrolment numbers and has high achievement scores. It is easily one of the top high schools in Australia.
Melbourne public high schools are not that far behind, either. Schools like Melbourne High School fly the public education centre’s flag high as the number one public school in Victoria. Melbourne High consistently boasts great outcomes for its students, has competitive sports teams and a renowned music program, and has other extracurricular activities in the school, including debate clubs and various cultural societies.
Australian Capital Territory: Best High Schools in Canberra
The Australian government guarantees each student an education in public primary and secondary schools within their postcodes. This rule makes it easier for parents and students to find competent schools in their location. Ranking such schools can benefit learners and help them pick the best private or independent schools in their localities, especially when relocating families.
Like other cities we’ve covered, Canberra also has a fine balance of private and public schools that seem to co-exist in harmony. However, as expected, private schools here also scoop most of the awards for being the best schools.
Canberra Girls’ Grammar School is one of the best private schools in Australia. It is located near Canberra and offers a wide range of extracurricular activities along with its robust curriculum. It promotes health, self-development and academic achievements among students.
Another exceptional private school in the area is Telopea Park School. It offers bilingual education in English and French, which provides a unique learning opportunity for various students. Besides the benefit of learning a new language, students also learn to think like multilingual people, which is beneficial in many ways.
New South Wales: Best High Schools in Sydney
Sydney schools are perennial record-holders in the top school category. The list is headed by James Ruse Agricultural High School, which ranks as the top school in NSW and has been the most prestigious high school in Australia for 32 years running.
Another exemplary learning centre in NSW is Al-Faisal College, which is also the largest Islamic school in Australia. Along with the Sydney Grammar School, which is non-denominational, it ranks among the best NSW private schools. The city also has many Anglican, Unitarian, and Christian schools.
However, most of the faith-based learning centres featured on this list of the best high schools in Australia are combined schools’ facilities that include primary and secondary education.
The schools in the Sydney area are remarkable for this and several other reasons. What is most impressive is that they invert conventional public-private school data.
Government school students report a higher socio-economic status background and lower enrolment numbers than Christian and independent schools.
Additionally, public schools outperform their private counterparts in overall academic standing. Most of the top government-funded schools are academically selective. Students must sit for a placement test, and enrollment is based on merit and academic achievement.
However, transferring to senior high school doesn’t require sitting for any exams. Another outstanding factor about Sydney schools is that a fair number of them are gendered.
Conclusion
Australia has no shortage of outstanding schools that deliver exceptional results year in and year out. Some are best known for their academic performance, while others are known for their athletic and performing arts programs. With a wide range of quality schools to choose from, parents and learners can easily find schools that best suit their learning and performance needs.
