Best schools in Darwin (2025)
Greater Darwin. The top five of 65 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index, built only from official ACARA data.
Darwin has 65 schools in ACARA's 2025 data: 45 government (69%), 10 Catholic and 10 independent, together enrolling about 24,567 students. By level there are 40 primary schools, 15 secondary schools and 7 combined (K–12) schools.
The median ICSEA is 979 (the national benchmark is 1000) and 1 schools, or 2%, have an ICSEA of 1100 or more, which marks a highly advantaged community. The average school has 12.7 students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Best primary schools in Darwin
Schools offering primary years (Primary and Combined schools).
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
Rapid Creek · Catholic primary · T-6
221 students · ICSEA 1077
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Darwin · Catholic primary · T-6
180 students · ICSEA 1076
The Essington School
Rapid Creek · Independent combined · T-12
782 students · ICSEA 1128
Larrakeyah Primary School
Larrakeyah · Government primary · T-6
480 students · ICSEA 1086
Best high schools in Darwin
Schools offering secondary years (Secondary and Combined schools).
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
The Essington School
Rapid Creek · Independent combined · T-12
782 students · ICSEA 1128
O'Loughlin Catholic College
Karama · Catholic high school · 7-12
599 students · ICSEA 1025
Milkwood Steiner School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-8
118 students · ICSEA 1053
Darwin High School
The Gardens · Government high school · U, 10-12
1,286 students · ICSEA 1050
Best public schools in Darwin
Government schools across all year levels.
Larrakeyah Primary School
Larrakeyah · Government primary · T-6
480 students · ICSEA 1086
Parap Primary School
Parap · Government primary · T-6
405 students · ICSEA 1066
Nightcliff Primary School
Nightcliff · Government primary · T-6
478 students · ICSEA 1063
Leanyer Primary School
Leanyer · Government primary · T-6
538 students · ICSEA 1024
Darwin High School
The Gardens · Government high school · U, 10-12
1,286 students · ICSEA 1050
Best private schools in Darwin
Independent and Catholic schools across all year levels.
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
Rapid Creek · Catholic primary · T-6
221 students · ICSEA 1077
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Darwin · Catholic primary · T-6
180 students · ICSEA 1076
The Essington School
Rapid Creek · Independent combined · T-12
782 students · ICSEA 1128
O'Loughlin Catholic College
Karama · Catholic high school · 7-12
599 students · ICSEA 1025
Best catholic schools in Darwin
Catholic systemic and independent Catholic schools.
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
Rapid Creek · Catholic primary · T-6
221 students · ICSEA 1077
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Darwin · Catholic primary · T-6
180 students · ICSEA 1076
O'Loughlin Catholic College
Karama · Catholic high school · 7-12
599 students · ICSEA 1025
Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School
Zuccoli · Catholic primary · T-6
379 students · ICSEA 1027
MacKillop Catholic College
Johnston · Catholic high school · 7-12
795 students · ICSEA 1001
Best independent schools in Darwin
Independent (non-government, non-Catholic-system) schools.
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
The Essington School
Rapid Creek · Independent combined · T-12
782 students · ICSEA 1128
Milkwood Steiner School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-8
118 students · ICSEA 1053
NT Christian College
Marrara · Independent high school · 11-12
93 students · ICSEA 987
Good Shepherd Lutheran College
Howard Springs · Independent combined · T-12
1,117 students · ICSEA 1025
Best public primary schools in Darwin
Government schools offering primary years.
Larrakeyah Primary School
Larrakeyah · Government primary · T-6
480 students · ICSEA 1086
Parap Primary School
Parap · Government primary · T-6
405 students · ICSEA 1066
Nightcliff Primary School
Nightcliff · Government primary · T-6
478 students · ICSEA 1063
Leanyer Primary School
Leanyer · Government primary · T-6
538 students · ICSEA 1024
Alawa Primary School
Alawa · Government primary · T-6
259 students · ICSEA 1011
Best public high schools in Darwin
Government schools offering secondary years.
Darwin High School
The Gardens · Government high school · U, 10-12
1,286 students · ICSEA 1050
Darwin Middle School
The Gardens · Government high school · 7-9
663 students · ICSEA 1065
Dripstone Secondary College
Tiwi · Government high school · 7-9
605 students · ICSEA 994
Nightcliff High School
Nightcliff · Government high school · 7-9
409 students · ICSEA 986
Northern Territory School of Distance Education
The Gardens · Government high school · 9-12
252 students · ICSEA 837
Best private primary schools in Darwin
Independent and Catholic schools offering primary years.
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
Rapid Creek · Catholic primary · T-6
221 students · ICSEA 1077
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Darwin · Catholic primary · T-6
180 students · ICSEA 1076
The Essington School
Rapid Creek · Independent combined · T-12
782 students · ICSEA 1128
Milkwood Steiner School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-8
118 students · ICSEA 1053
Best private high schools in Darwin
Independent and Catholic schools offering secondary years.
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
The Essington School
Rapid Creek · Independent combined · T-12
782 students · ICSEA 1128
O'Loughlin Catholic College
Karama · Catholic high school · 7-12
599 students · ICSEA 1025
Milkwood Steiner School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-8
118 students · ICSEA 1053
MacKillop Catholic College
Johnston · Catholic high school · 7-12
795 students · ICSEA 1001
Best K-12 schools in Darwin
Combined schools offering both primary and secondary years, so a child can stay from Foundation to Year 12.
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
The Essington School
Rapid Creek · Independent combined · T-12
782 students · ICSEA 1128
Milkwood Steiner School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-8
118 students · ICSEA 1053
Good Shepherd Lutheran College
Howard Springs · Independent combined · T-12
1,117 students · ICSEA 1025
Sattler Christian College
Freds Pass · Independent combined · T-10
245 students · ICSEA 997
Best fastest-growing schools in Darwin
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.
Zuccoli Primary School
Zuccoli · Government primary · T-6
537 students · ICSEA 989
Sattler Christian College
Freds Pass · Independent combined · T-10
245 students · ICSEA 997
Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School
Zuccoli · Catholic primary · T-6
379 students · ICSEA 1027
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
St John's Catholic College
The Gardens · Catholic high school · 7-12
287 students · ICSEA 957
Best schools with the best student–teacher ratio in Darwin
Schools with 200+ students and the fewest full-time-equivalent students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Berry Springs Primary School
Berry Springs · Government primary · T-6
213 students · ICSEA 939
MacKillop Catholic College
Johnston · Catholic high school · 7-12
795 students · ICSEA 1001
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
St John's Catholic College
The Gardens · Catholic high school · 7-12
287 students · ICSEA 957
Woodroffe Primary School
Woodroffe · Government primary · T-6
327 students · ICSEA 842
Best largest schools in Darwin
Schools with the highest total enrolments.
Darwin High School
The Gardens · Government high school · U, 10-12
1,286 students · ICSEA 1050
Palmerston College
Driver · Government high school · 7-12
1,267 students · ICSEA 884
Good Shepherd Lutheran College
Howard Springs · Independent combined · T-12
1,117 students · ICSEA 1025
Taminmin College
Humpty Doo · Government high school · 7-12
1,049 students · ICSEA 937
Haileybury Rendall School
Berrimah · Independent combined · T-12
970 students · ICSEA 1082
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best school in Darwin?
Haileybury Rendall School in Berrimah is the highest-ranked high school in Darwin on the 2025 Success Index (75.0/100). St Paul's Catholic Primary School in Rapid Creek is the highest-ranked primary school (76.8/100). Rankings summarise community advantage and momentum, so always visit a shortlist of schools before deciding.
How many schools are in Darwin?
65 schools appear in ACARA's 2025 data for Darwin, of which 45 are government schools.
How are schools in Darwin 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 Darwin ranking cover?
Darwin 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.