INFORMATION ABOUT SCHOOLS IN AUSTRALIA
The welfare of our children, their education and well being is a priority for great parents. This is brought sharply into focus when we consider “uprooting” their lives to move to a new country. Most prospective migrants worry more about how the move will affect their children than they do about almost any other aspect of migrating. Finding good schools to nurture our children is always a priority and never more so than when you move half way across the world! The same rules apply to finding the right school for your child as do to everything else.
There are no official school league tables in Australia and the information about the relative academic performance of schools can be hard to find. We aim to help in this section of Migration Angel.
For more information on education and links to state education websites visit the Education Page.
1. Do the research first online and send for a school prospectus.
2. Ask lots of questions.
3. Visit the school and meet with the staff.
4. Speak to the parents and students from the school.
5. Visit at different times of day; during breaks and after school to see the standard of behaviour.
6. Check that the school caters for the interests of your child.
7. Trust your instincts and those of your child.
8. When considering primary schools, look for schools that “feed” into good senior schools.
9. To be eligible for enrolment in many schools you are required you to live within the school’s catchment/boundary.
AUSTRALIAN SCHOOLS
What is different about Australian schooling? Australian schools do a great job of giving children a well rounded education. The focus is not just on one facet of any child. The curriculum often includes languages at primary school and public speaking. Activities open to children in most schools, include, sports by the bucket load, school choir, bands, orchestra, public speaking and languages. Australian children are very lucky to have confidence instilled in them from a very young age at school. It is not unusual to see a willing four year old stand up in front of a school assembly holding a microphone. Some government schools run selective Academic Talent Programmes at high school level and children with special sporting or creative abilities often have their timetable adjusted to accommodate commitments outside school.
The detail of the good schools guides below is sourced from local media tables which publish the academic performance results of school leavers each year. Of course many great schools will not be featured in the top performing academic schools. This is intended as a starting point with which to do more research and is in no way an official endorsement of any individual school.
Note: In many states the top performing government schools are academically selective. Places are limited and require students to sit an entrance exam.
GOOD SCHOOLS IN BRISBANE
Based on OP result rankings (2008 rankings unavailable)
Top Queensland High Schools
Brisbane Grammar (Private/Boys)
Moreton Bay College (Private/Girls)
Miles State High School (Gov)
Brisbane Girls Grammar (Private/Girls)
St Joseph’s College (”Terrace”) (Private/Catholic/Boys)
A.B. Paterson College (Private)
All Saints Anglican School (Private)
Gin Gin State High School (Gov)
Redlands College (Private)
Columba Catholic College (Private)
Malanda State High School (Gov)
Top Government Schools
Miles State High School
Gin Gin State High School
Malanda State High School
Ayr State High School
Top Brisbane Metro Government Schools
Brisbane State High School
Kelvin Grove State College
Innisfail State High School
GOOD SCHOOLS IN CANBERRA
Based on 2008 UAI Scores
Radford College (Private)
Narrabundah College (Gov Yr 11&12)
Marist College (Private/Catholic)
Canberra Girls’ Grammar School (Private)
Melba Copland Secondary School (Gov)
Merici College (Private/Catholic/Girls)
Daramalan College (Private/Catholic)
Dickson College (Yr 11&12)
Trinity Christian School (Private)
Burgmann Anglican School
St Clare’s College (Private/Catholic/Girls)
Lake Ginninderra College
St Francis Xavier College
The Canberra College (Yr 10-12)
Lake Tuggeranong College (Gov)
Hawker College (Yr 11 & 12)
St Edmund’s College (Private/Catholic/Boys)
MacKillop Catholic College
CIT Vocational College
Erindale College
Orana School (Rudolf Steiner education)
GOOD SCHOOLS IN MELBOURNE
Based on the 2008 VCE results.
Mac.Robertson Girls High School (Gov)
Ruyton Girls School (Private)
Melbourne High School (Gov)
Mount Scopus Memorial College (Private/Jewish)
LeiblerYavneh College (Private/Jewish)
Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah Colleges (Yeshivah College/Private/Jewish)
Camberwell Girls Grammer School (Private)
Presbyterian Ladies College (Private)
Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah Colleges (Beth Rivkah Ladies College/Private/Jewish)
Bialik College (Private/Jewish)
Korowa Anglican Girls Sschool (Private)
Penleigh & Essendon Grammer School
Scotch College (Private)
Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammer School (Private)
Melbourne Girls Grammer (Private)
Ballarat Clarendon College (Private)
Fintona Girls School (Private)
Loreto Mandeville Hall (Private/Catholic)
Waverly Christian College (Private)
Huntingtower School (Private)
Melbourne Good Government Schools
Balwyn High School
Canterbury Girls Secondary College
Glen Waverley Secondary College
MacRobertson Girls High School
McKinnon Secondary College
Melbourne High School
Mt Waverley Secondary College
University High School
Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School
GOOD SCHOOLS IN PERTH
Based on the 2008 TEE results.
Top Ten Government Schools
Shenton College
Rossmoyne Senior High School
Perth Modern School
Willeton Senior High School
Churchlands Senior High School
Manjimup Senior High School
Kelmscott Senior High School
Applecross Senior High School
Margaret River Senior High School
Carine Senior High School
Top Five Girls Schools (Private)
St Mary’s Anglican Girls School
St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls
Presbeterian Ladies College
Methodist Ladies College
Santa Maria College
Top Five Boys Schools (Private)
Christ Church Grammer
Hale School
Scotch College
Trinity College
Wesley College
Top Five Co Educational School (Private)
Geraldton Grammer School
John Calvin Christian College
All Saints College
St Stephen’s School Duncraig
Bunbury Cathederal Grammer School
GOOD SCHOOLS IN SYDNEY
Based on the 2008 HCS results
Top 15 Sydney High Schools
James Ruse Agricultural High School (Gov)
Baulkham Hills High School (Gov)
North Sydney Girls High School (Gov)
Sydney Girls High School (Gov)
Hornsby Girls High School (Private)
North Sydney Boys High School (Gov)
Sydney Boys High School (Gov)
Sydney Grammar School (Private/Boys)
SCEGGS Darlinghurst (Private/Girls)
St George Girls High School (Gov/Girls)
Malek Fahd Islamic School (Islamic)
Moriah College (Private/Co Ed/Jewish)
Masada College (Private)
Kambala (Private)
Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Selective Campus (Gov)
Central Sydney and Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Girls High School (Gov)
Sydney Boys High School (Gov)
Sydney Grammar School (Private/Boys)
SCEGGS Darlinghurst (Private/Girls)
Moriah College (Private/Co Ed /Jewish)
Inner Western Suburbs
Fort Street High School (Gov)
Presbyterian Ladies College (Private)
International Grammar School (Private)
Newington College (Private/Boys)
St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox College (Private)
Northern Beaches
Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Selective Campus (Gov)
Queenwood School for Girls (Private)
St Luke’s Grammar School (Private)
Pittwater House Girls College (Private)
Killarney Heights High School (Gov)
North Sydney Girls High School (Gov)
North Sydney Boys High School (Gov)
Masada College (Private)
Abbotsleigh (Private)
Roseville College (Private)
Northern Suburbs
Parramata
James Ruse Agricultural High School (Gov)
Baulkham Hills High School (Gov)
The King’s School (Private/Boys)
Tara Anglican School for Girls (Private)
Parramatta Marist High School (Private)
GOOD SCHOOLS IN ADELAIDE
Top Private Schools
St Peters College
Pulteney Grammer
Scotch College
Mercedes College
St Ignatius College
Annesley College (girls)
Waldorf Anglican School for Girls
Prince Alfred College (boys)
Christain Brothers College (boys)
Pembroke School (girls)
Top Government Schools
Marryatville High School
Brighton Secondary College
Adelaide High School
Unley High School
Charles Campbell Secondary School
Norwood Morialta High School
Glenunga International School
Urrbrae Agricultural College
Sources:
Sunday Times
Daily Telegraph
www.bettereducation.com.au
