Best schools in Ballarat (2025)
The Ballarat region. The top five of 95 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index, built only from official ACARA data.
Ballarat has 95 schools in ACARA's 2025 data: 69 government (73%), 20 Catholic and 6 independent, together enrolling about 28,337 students. By level there are 77 primary schools, 10 secondary schools and 6 combined (K–12) schools.
The median ICSEA is 1007 (the national benchmark is 1000) and 3 schools, or 3%, have an ICSEA of 1100 or more, which marks a highly advantaged community. The average school has 11.7 students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Best primary schools in Ballarat
Schools offering primary years (Primary and Combined schools).
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
Trentham District Primary School
Trentham · Government primary · Prep-6
85 students · ICSEA 1093
St Patrick's School
Ballarat · Catholic primary · Prep-6
249 students · ICSEA 1096
Siena Catholic Primary School
Lucas · Catholic primary · Prep-6
336 students · ICSEA 1055
St Columba's School
Ballarat North · Catholic primary · Prep-6
334 students · ICSEA 1090
Best high schools in Ballarat
Schools offering secondary years (Secondary and Combined schools).
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
Loreto College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
948 students · ICSEA 1073
Ballarat Grammar
Wendouree · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,989 students · ICSEA 1120
St Patrick's College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,267 students · ICSEA 1055
Damascus College
Mount Clear · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,215 students · ICSEA 1052
Best public schools in Ballarat
Government schools across all year levels.
Trentham District Primary School
Trentham · Government primary · Prep-6
85 students · ICSEA 1093
Ballarat Primary School (Dana Street)
Ballarat · Government primary · Prep-6
227 students · ICSEA 1069
Pleasant Street Primary School (Ballarat)
Lake Wendouree · Government primary · Prep-6
350 students · ICSEA 1095
Lucas Primary School
Lucas · Government primary · Prep-6
527 students · ICSEA 1029
Gordon Primary School
Gordon · Government primary · Prep-6
141 students · ICSEA 1032
Best private schools in Ballarat
Independent and Catholic schools across all year levels.
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
St Patrick's School
Ballarat · Catholic primary · Prep-6
249 students · ICSEA 1096
Loreto College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
948 students · ICSEA 1073
Siena Catholic Primary School
Lucas · Catholic primary · Prep-6
336 students · ICSEA 1055
St Columba's School
Ballarat North · Catholic primary · Prep-6
334 students · ICSEA 1090
Best catholic schools in Ballarat
Catholic systemic and independent Catholic schools.
St Patrick's School
Ballarat · Catholic primary · Prep-6
249 students · ICSEA 1096
Loreto College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
948 students · ICSEA 1073
Siena Catholic Primary School
Lucas · Catholic primary · Prep-6
336 students · ICSEA 1055
St Columba's School
Ballarat North · Catholic primary · Prep-6
334 students · ICSEA 1090
St Patrick's College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,267 students · ICSEA 1055
Best independent schools in Ballarat
Independent (non-government, non-Catholic-system) schools.
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
Ballarat Grammar
Wendouree · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,989 students · ICSEA 1120
Ballarat Christian College
Sebastopol · Independent combined · Prep-12
406 students · ICSEA 1058
Highview College
Maryborough · Independent high school · 7-12
463 students · ICSEA 1005
Best public primary schools in Ballarat
Government schools offering primary years.
Trentham District Primary School
Trentham · Government primary · Prep-6
85 students · ICSEA 1093
Ballarat Primary School (Dana Street)
Ballarat · Government primary · Prep-6
227 students · ICSEA 1069
Pleasant Street Primary School (Ballarat)
Lake Wendouree · Government primary · Prep-6
350 students · ICSEA 1095
Lucas Primary School
Lucas · Government primary · Prep-6
527 students · ICSEA 1029
Gordon Primary School
Gordon · Government primary · Prep-6
141 students · ICSEA 1032
Best public high schools in Ballarat
Government schools offering secondary years.
Woodmans Hill Secondary College
Ballarat East · Government high school · 7-12
602 students · ICSEA 988
Ballarat High School
Lake Gardens · Government high school · 7-12
1,461 students · ICSEA 1016
Daylesford Secondary College
Daylesford · Government high school · 7-12
417 students · ICSEA 1007
Mount Clear College
Mount Clear · Government high school · 7-12
982 students · ICSEA 996
Beaufort Secondary College
Beaufort · Government high school · 7-12
201 students · ICSEA 968
Best private primary schools in Ballarat
Independent and Catholic schools offering primary years.
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
St Patrick's School
Ballarat · Catholic primary · Prep-6
249 students · ICSEA 1096
Siena Catholic Primary School
Lucas · Catholic primary · Prep-6
336 students · ICSEA 1055
St Columba's School
Ballarat North · Catholic primary · Prep-6
334 students · ICSEA 1090
Ballarat Grammar
Wendouree · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,989 students · ICSEA 1120
Best private high schools in Ballarat
Independent and Catholic schools offering secondary years.
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
Loreto College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
948 students · ICSEA 1073
Ballarat Grammar
Wendouree · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,989 students · ICSEA 1120
St Patrick's College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,267 students · ICSEA 1055
Damascus College
Mount Clear · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,215 students · ICSEA 1052
Best girls' schools in Ballarat
Single-sex schools enrolling girls only (based on ACARA enrolment counts).
Best boys' schools in Ballarat
Single-sex schools enrolling boys only (based on ACARA enrolment counts).
Best K-12 schools in Ballarat
Combined schools offering both primary and secondary years, so a child can stay from Foundation to Year 12.
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
Ballarat Grammar
Wendouree · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,989 students · ICSEA 1120
Ballarat Christian College
Sebastopol · Independent combined · Prep-12
406 students · ICSEA 1058
Maryborough Education Centre
Maryborough · Government combined · U, Prep-12
921 students · ICSEA 921
Phoenix P-12 Community College
Sebastopol · Government combined · Prep-12
1,473 students · ICSEA 947
Best VCE schools by median study score in Ballarat
Victorian schools ranked by median VCE study score (VCAA Senior Secondary Completion and Achievement Information), for schools offering Year 12 with 30 or more VCE students. Study scores range from 0 to 50 with a state mean of 30.
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
Ballarat Grammar
Wendouree · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,989 students · ICSEA 1120
Damascus College
Mount Clear · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,215 students · ICSEA 1052
Ballarat High School
Lake Gardens · Government high school · 7-12
1,461 students · ICSEA 1016
Loreto College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
948 students · ICSEA 1073
Best VCE schools by study scores of 40+ in Ballarat
Victorian schools ranked by the percentage of VCE study scores of 40 or above (the top ~9% of scores statewide), for schools offering Year 12 with 30 or more VCE students.
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
Ballarat Grammar
Wendouree · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,989 students · ICSEA 1120
Damascus College
Mount Clear · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,215 students · ICSEA 1052
Daylesford Secondary College
Daylesford · Government high school · 7-12
417 students · ICSEA 1007
Woodmans Hill Secondary College
Ballarat East · Government high school · 7-12
602 students · ICSEA 988
Best fastest-growing schools in Ballarat
Established schools (100+ students five years ago, 200+ today) whose enrolments have grown the most over the past five years, a strong signal of parent demand.
Mount Rowan Secondary College
Wendouree · Government high school · 7-12
678 students · ICSEA 938
Siena Catholic Primary School
Lucas · Catholic primary · Prep-6
336 students · ICSEA 1055
Delacombe Primary School
Delacombe · Government primary · Prep-6
641 students · ICSEA 970
Woodmans Hill Secondary College
Ballarat East · Government high school · 7-12
602 students · ICSEA 988
Ballarat Christian College
Sebastopol · Independent combined · Prep-12
406 students · ICSEA 1058
Best schools with the best student–teacher ratio in Ballarat
Schools with 200+ students and the fewest full-time-equivalent students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Yuille Park Community College
Wendouree · Government combined · Prep-12
209 students · ICSEA 840
Beaufort Secondary College
Beaufort · Government high school · 7-12
201 students · ICSEA 968
Mount Rowan Secondary College
Wendouree · Government high school · 7-12
678 students · ICSEA 938
Daylesford Secondary College
Daylesford · Government high school · 7-12
417 students · ICSEA 1007
Maryborough Education Centre
Maryborough · Government combined · U, Prep-12
921 students · ICSEA 921
Best largest schools in Ballarat
Schools with the highest total enrolments.
Ballarat Grammar
Wendouree · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,989 students · ICSEA 1120
Ballarat Clarendon College
Ballarat · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,896 students · ICSEA 1172
Phoenix P-12 Community College
Sebastopol · Government combined · Prep-12
1,473 students · ICSEA 947
Ballarat High School
Lake Gardens · Government high school · 7-12
1,461 students · ICSEA 1016
St Patrick's College
Ballarat · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,267 students · ICSEA 1055
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best school in Ballarat?
Ballarat Clarendon College in Ballarat is the highest-ranked high school in Ballarat on the 2025 Success Index (78.6/100). Ballarat Clarendon College in Ballarat is the highest-ranked primary school (78.6/100). Rankings summarise community advantage and momentum, so always visit a shortlist of schools before deciding.
How many schools are in Ballarat?
95 schools appear in ACARA's 2025 data for Ballarat, of which 69 are government schools.
How are schools in Ballarat ranked?
Each school receives a Success Index from five ACARA measures (ICSEA, top socio-educational quarter, students per teacher, enrolment growth relative to its council area, and ICSEA trend), as percentiles within its school type nationally. Special schools and schools with fewer than 80 students are not ranked. See the methodology page for weights and limitations.
Which suburbs does the Ballarat ranking cover?
Ballarat is defined by Australian Bureau of Statistics SA4 regions, so it covers the greater metropolitan area rather than the city council alone. Every school page links to its suburb and council pages for finer comparisons.