Best schools in Bendigo (2025)
The Bendigo region. The top five of 82 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index, built only from official ACARA data.
Bendigo has 82 schools in ACARA's 2025 data: 60 government (73%), 18 Catholic and 4 independent, together enrolling about 26,288 students. By level there are 61 primary schools, 9 secondary schools and 9 combined (K–12) schools.
The median ICSEA is 1011 (the national benchmark is 1000) and 5 schools, or 6%, have an ICSEA of 1100 or more, which marks a highly advantaged community. The average school has 11.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Best primary schools in Bendigo
Schools offering primary years (Primary and Combined schools).
St Ambrose's School
Woodend · Catholic primary · Prep-6
225 students · ICSEA 1109
Castlemaine North Primary School
Castlemaine · Government primary · Prep-6
278 students · ICSEA 1117
Our Lady of the Rosary
Kyneton · Catholic primary · Prep-6
286 students · ICSEA 1081
Tylden Primary School
Tylden · Government primary · Prep-6
125 students · ICSEA 1078
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
Best high schools in Bendigo
Schools offering secondary years (Secondary and Combined schools).
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
Sacred Heart College
Kyneton · Catholic high school · 7-12
888 students · ICSEA 1070
Catherine McAuley College
Bendigo · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,567 students · ICSEA 1055
Castlemaine Steiner School & Kindergarten
Muckleford · Independent combined · Prep-8
135 students · ICSEA 1105
Castlemaine Secondary College
Castlemaine · Government high school · 7-12
695 students · ICSEA 1040
Best public schools in Bendigo
Government schools across all year levels.
Castlemaine North Primary School
Castlemaine · Government primary · Prep-6
278 students · ICSEA 1117
Tylden Primary School
Tylden · Government primary · Prep-6
125 students · ICSEA 1078
Spring Gully Primary School
Bendigo · Government primary · Prep-6
426 students · ICSEA 1056
Winters Flat Primary School
Castlemaine · Government primary · Prep-6
115 students · ICSEA 1078
Castlemaine Secondary College
Castlemaine · Government high school · 7-12
695 students · ICSEA 1040
Best private schools in Bendigo
Independent and Catholic schools across all year levels.
St Ambrose's School
Woodend · Catholic primary · Prep-6
225 students · ICSEA 1109
Our Lady of the Rosary
Kyneton · Catholic primary · Prep-6
286 students · ICSEA 1081
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
St Francis of the Fields School
Strathfieldsaye · Catholic primary · Prep-6
614 students · ICSEA 1093
Sacred Heart College
Kyneton · Catholic high school · 7-12
888 students · ICSEA 1070
Best catholic schools in Bendigo
Catholic systemic and independent Catholic schools.
St Ambrose's School
Woodend · Catholic primary · Prep-6
225 students · ICSEA 1109
Our Lady of the Rosary
Kyneton · Catholic primary · Prep-6
286 students · ICSEA 1081
St Francis of the Fields School
Strathfieldsaye · Catholic primary · Prep-6
614 students · ICSEA 1093
Sacred Heart College
Kyneton · Catholic high school · 7-12
888 students · ICSEA 1070
St Therese's School
Kennington · Catholic primary · Prep-6
460 students · ICSEA 1076
Best independent schools in Bendigo
Independent (non-government, non-Catholic-system) schools.
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
Castlemaine Steiner School & Kindergarten
Muckleford · Independent combined · Prep-8
135 students · ICSEA 1105
Creek Street Christian College
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
457 students · ICSEA 1063
Victory Christian College
Strathdale · Independent combined · Prep-12
900 students · ICSEA 1077
Best public primary schools in Bendigo
Government schools offering primary years.
Castlemaine North Primary School
Castlemaine · Government primary · Prep-6
278 students · ICSEA 1117
Tylden Primary School
Tylden · Government primary · Prep-6
125 students · ICSEA 1078
Spring Gully Primary School
Bendigo · Government primary · Prep-6
426 students · ICSEA 1056
Winters Flat Primary School
Castlemaine · Government primary · Prep-6
115 students · ICSEA 1078
Woodend Primary School
Woodend · Government primary · Prep-6
378 students · ICSEA 1091
Best public high schools in Bendigo
Government schools offering secondary years.
Castlemaine Secondary College
Castlemaine · Government high school · 7-12
695 students · ICSEA 1040
Kyneton High School
Kyneton · Government high school · 7-12
627 students · ICSEA 1008
Bendigo Senior Secondary College
Bendigo · Government high school · 10-12
1,918 students · ICSEA 1003
Bendigo South East 7-10 Secondary College
Bendigo · Government high school · 7-10
1,030 students · ICSEA 1016
Boort District P-12 School
Boort · Government combined · Prep-12
184 students · ICSEA 997
Best private primary schools in Bendigo
Independent and Catholic schools offering primary years.
St Ambrose's School
Woodend · Catholic primary · Prep-6
225 students · ICSEA 1109
Our Lady of the Rosary
Kyneton · Catholic primary · Prep-6
286 students · ICSEA 1081
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
St Francis of the Fields School
Strathfieldsaye · Catholic primary · Prep-6
614 students · ICSEA 1093
St Therese's School
Kennington · Catholic primary · Prep-6
460 students · ICSEA 1076
Best private high schools in Bendigo
Independent and Catholic schools offering secondary years.
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
Sacred Heart College
Kyneton · Catholic high school · 7-12
888 students · ICSEA 1070
Catherine McAuley College
Bendigo · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,567 students · ICSEA 1055
Castlemaine Steiner School & Kindergarten
Muckleford · Independent combined · Prep-8
135 students · ICSEA 1105
Creek Street Christian College
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
457 students · ICSEA 1063
Best K-12 schools in Bendigo
Combined schools offering both primary and secondary years, so a child can stay from Foundation to Year 12.
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
Castlemaine Steiner School & Kindergarten
Muckleford · Independent combined · Prep-8
135 students · ICSEA 1105
Creek Street Christian College
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
457 students · ICSEA 1063
Victory Christian College
Strathdale · Independent combined · Prep-12
900 students · ICSEA 1077
Marist College Bendigo
Maiden Gully · Catholic combined · Prep-12
1,203 students · ICSEA 1040
Best VCE schools by median study score in Bendigo
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.
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
Victory Christian College
Strathdale · Independent combined · Prep-12
900 students · ICSEA 1077
Catherine McAuley College
Bendigo · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,567 students · ICSEA 1055
Sacred Heart College
Kyneton · Catholic high school · 7-12
888 students · ICSEA 1070
Marist College Bendigo
Maiden Gully · Catholic combined · Prep-12
1,203 students · ICSEA 1040
Best VCE schools by study scores of 40+ in Bendigo
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.
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
Victory Christian College
Strathdale · Independent combined · Prep-12
900 students · ICSEA 1077
Catherine McAuley College
Bendigo · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,567 students · ICSEA 1055
East Loddon P-12 College
Dingee · Government combined · Prep-12
256 students · ICSEA 977
Sacred Heart College
Kyneton · Catholic high school · 7-12
888 students · ICSEA 1070
Best fastest-growing schools in Bendigo
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.
Creek Street Christian College
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
457 students · ICSEA 1063
Victory Christian College
Strathdale · Independent combined · Prep-12
900 students · ICSEA 1077
Huntly Primary School
Huntly · Government primary · Prep-6
324 students · ICSEA 975
Marong Primary School
Marong · Government primary · Prep-6
235 students · ICSEA 994
Kyneton High School
Kyneton · Government high school · 7-12
627 students · ICSEA 1008
Best schools with the best student–teacher ratio in Bendigo
Schools with 200+ students and the fewest full-time-equivalent students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Wedderburn College
Wedderburn · Government combined · Prep-12
205 students · ICSEA 926
East Loddon P-12 College
Dingee · Government combined · Prep-12
256 students · ICSEA 977
Eaglehawk Secondary College
Eaglehawk · Government high school · 7-10
561 students · ICSEA 922
Kangaroo Flat Primary School
Kangaroo Flat · Government primary · Prep-6
313 students · ICSEA 908
Weeroona College Bendigo
Bendigo · Government high school · 7-12
812 students · ICSEA 940
Best largest schools in Bendigo
Schools with the highest total enrolments.
Bendigo Senior Secondary College
Bendigo · Government high school · 10-12
1,918 students · ICSEA 1003
Catherine McAuley College
Bendigo · Catholic high school · 7-12
1,567 students · ICSEA 1055
Marist College Bendigo
Maiden Gully · Catholic combined · Prep-12
1,203 students · ICSEA 1040
Girton Grammar School
Bendigo · Independent combined · Prep-12
1,195 students · ICSEA 1148
Bendigo South East 7-10 Secondary College
Bendigo · Government high school · 7-10
1,030 students · ICSEA 1016
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best school in Bendigo?
Girton Grammar School in Bendigo is the highest-ranked high school in Bendigo on the 2025 Success Index (72.1/100). St Ambrose's School in Woodend is the highest-ranked primary school (74.8/100). Rankings summarise community advantage and momentum, so always visit a shortlist of schools before deciding.
How many schools are in Bendigo?
82 schools appear in ACARA's 2025 data for Bendigo, of which 60 are government schools.
How are schools in Bendigo 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 Bendigo ranking cover?
Bendigo 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.