Top 45 primary schools in Darwin (2025)

Schools offering primary years (Primary and Combined schools). Ranked by the Success Index from official ACARA data; 45 schools shown out of all eligible primary schools in Darwin.

1
77
St Paul's Catholic Primary SchoolRapid Creek · Catholic PrimaryICSEA 1077 · 221 students
2
75
Haileybury Rendall SchoolBerrimah · Independent CombinedICSEA 1082 · 970 students
3
71
St Mary's Catholic Primary SchoolDarwin · Catholic PrimaryICSEA 1076 · 180 students
4
71
The Essington SchoolRapid Creek · Independent CombinedICSEA 1128 · 782 students
5
64
Larrakeyah Primary SchoolLarrakeyah · Government PrimaryICSEA 1086 · 480 students
6
63
Parap Primary SchoolParap · Government PrimaryICSEA 1066 · 405 students
7
62
Nightcliff Primary SchoolNightcliff · Government PrimaryICSEA 1063 · 478 students
8
61
Milkwood Steiner SchoolBerrimah · Independent CombinedICSEA 1053 · 118 students
9
61
Leanyer Primary SchoolLeanyer · Government PrimaryICSEA 1024 · 538 students
10
59
Mother Teresa Catholic Primary SchoolZuccoli · Catholic PrimaryICSEA 1027 · 379 students
11
58
Alawa Primary SchoolAlawa · Government PrimaryICSEA 1011 · 259 students
12
58
Stuart Park Primary SchoolStuart Park · Government PrimaryICSEA 1054 · 492 students
13
57
Holy Spirit Catholic Primary SchoolWanguri · Catholic PrimaryICSEA 1035 · 243 students
14
53
Durack Primary SchoolDurack · Government PrimaryICSEA 1017 · 474 students
15
53
Nakara Primary SchoolNakara · Government PrimaryICSEA 1051 · 409 students
16
53
Anula Primary SchoolAnula · Government PrimaryICSEA 1006 · 388 students
17
52
Wanguri Primary SchoolWanguri · Government PrimaryICSEA 987 · 327 students
18
48
Jingili Primary SchoolJingili · Government PrimaryICSEA 997 · 235 students
19
47
Zuccoli Primary SchoolZuccoli · Government PrimaryICSEA 989 · 537 students
20
47
Good Shepherd Lutheran CollegeHoward Springs · Independent CombinedICSEA 1025 · 1,117 students
21
46
Moil Primary SchoolMoil · Government PrimaryICSEA 970 · 167 students
22
46
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary SchoolWoodroffe · Catholic PrimaryICSEA 983 · 165 students
23
44
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary SchoolHumpty Doo · Catholic PrimaryICSEA 979 · 107 students
24
40
Sattler Christian CollegeFreds Pass · Independent CombinedICSEA 997 · 245 students
25
37
Bakewell Primary SchoolBakewell · Government PrimaryICSEA 978 · 616 students
26
37
Holy Family Catholic Primary SchoolKarama · Catholic PrimaryICSEA 968 · 248 students
27
37
Palmerston Christian CollegeMarlow Lagoon · Independent CombinedICSEA 1008 · 365 students
28
35
Howard Springs Primary SchoolHoward Springs · Government PrimaryICSEA 951 · 277 students
29
35
Humpty Doo Primary SchoolHumpty Doo · Government PrimaryICSEA 924 · 362 students
30
34
Millner Primary SchoolMillner · Government PrimaryICSEA 911 · 171 students
31
33
Berry Springs Primary SchoolBerry Springs · Government PrimaryICSEA 939 · 213 students
32
33
Ludmilla Primary SchoolLudmilla · Government PrimaryICSEA 905 · 132 students
33
32
Bees Creek Primary SchoolFreds Pass · Government PrimaryICSEA 976 · 283 students
34
32
Rosebery Primary SchoolRosebery · Government PrimaryICSEA 964 · 349 students
35
32
Wagaman Primary SchoolWagaman · Government PrimaryICSEA 944 · 213 students
36
28
Marrara Christian CollegeMarrara · Independent CombinedICSEA 962 · 289 students
37
28
Girraween Primary SchoolGirraween · Government PrimaryICSEA 978 · 312 students
38
25
Driver Primary SchoolDriver · Government PrimaryICSEA 914 · 409 students
39
23
Manunda Terrace Primary SchoolKarama · Government PrimaryICSEA 792 · 189 students
40
23
Wulagi Primary SchoolWulagi · Government PrimaryICSEA 890 · 144 students
41
20
Karama Primary SchoolKarama · Government PrimaryICSEA 769 · 173 students
42
20
Woodroffe Primary SchoolWoodroffe · Government PrimaryICSEA 842 · 327 students
43
18
Moulden Primary SchoolMoulden · Government PrimaryICSEA 753 · 211 students
44
17
Malak Primary SchoolMalak · Government PrimaryICSEA 770 · 148 students
45
16
Gray Primary SchoolGray · Government PrimaryICSEA 808 · 283 students

#	School	Sector	Success Index	ICSEA	Students	Students : teacher
1	St Paul's Catholic Primary School Rapid Creek · Primary · T-6	Catholic	76.8 Top 10%	1077	221	11.9
2	Haileybury Rendall School Berrimah · Combined · T-12	Independent	75.0 Top 25%	1082	970	10.6
3	St Mary's Catholic Primary School Darwin · Primary · T-6	Catholic	71.3 Top 25%	1076	180	13.4
4	The Essington School Rapid Creek · Combined · T-12	Independent	71.1 Top 25%	1128	782	12.2
5	Larrakeyah Primary School Larrakeyah · Primary · T-6	Government	64.0 Top 50%	1086	480	17.9
6	Parap Primary School Parap · Primary · T-6	Government	63.0 Top 50%	1066	405	15.4
7	Nightcliff Primary School Nightcliff · Primary · T-6	Government	62.2 Top 50%	1063	478	16.4
8	Milkwood Steiner School Berrimah · Combined · T-8	Independent	61.0 Top 50%	1053	118	8.1
9	Leanyer Primary School Leanyer · Primary · T-6	Government	60.9 Top 50%	1024	538	14.8
10	Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School Zuccoli · Primary · T-6	Catholic	59.4 Top 50%	1027	379	15.7
11	Alawa Primary School Alawa · Primary · T-6	Government	57.9 Top 50%	1011	259	13.5
12	Stuart Park Primary School Stuart Park · Primary · T-6	Government	57.7 Top 50%	1054	492	15.1
13	Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School Wanguri · Primary · T-6	Catholic	57.0 Top 50%	1035	243	14.0
14	Durack Primary School Durack · Primary · T-6	Government	52.7 Top 50%	1017	474	17.4
15	Nakara Primary School Nakara · Primary · T-6	Government	52.6 Top 50%	1051	409	16.2
16	Anula Primary School Anula · Primary · T-6	Government	52.5 Top 50%	1006	388	14.2
17	Wanguri Primary School Wanguri · Primary · T-6	Government	52.4 Top 50%	987	327	11.2
18	Jingili Primary School Jingili · Primary · T-6	Government	48.4 Lower 50%	997	235	15.6
19	Zuccoli Primary School Zuccoli · Primary · T-6	Government	47.1 Lower 50%	989	537	13.4
20	Good Shepherd Lutheran College Howard Springs · Combined · T-12	Independent	46.8 Lower 50%	1025	1,117	12.4
21	Moil Primary School Moil · Primary · T-6	Government	45.6 Lower 50%	970	167	11.9
22	Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Woodroffe · Primary · T-6	Catholic	45.5 Lower 50%	983	165	12.1
23	St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School Humpty Doo · Primary · T-6	Catholic	43.9 Lower 50%	979	107	12.6
24	Sattler Christian College Freds Pass · Combined · T-10	Independent	39.6 Lower 50%	997	245	15.5
25	Bakewell Primary School Bakewell · Primary · T-6	Government	37.4 Lower 50%	978	616	14.2
26	Holy Family Catholic Primary School Karama · Primary · T-6	Catholic	37.2 Lower 50%	968	248	16.1
27	Palmerston Christian College Marlow Lagoon · Combined · T-10	Independent	36.7 Lower 50%	1008	365	15.0
28	Howard Springs Primary School Howard Springs · Primary · T-6	Government	35.1 Lower 50%	951	277	14.4
29	Humpty Doo Primary School Humpty Doo · Primary · T-6	Government	34.5 Lower 50%	924	362	13.0
30	Millner Primary School Millner · Primary · T-6	Government	34.1 Lower 50%	911	171	13.3
31	Berry Springs Primary School Berry Springs · Primary · T-6	Government	33.3 Lower 50%	939	213	10.0
32	Ludmilla Primary School Ludmilla · Primary · T-6	Government	32.5 Lower 50%	905	132	12.4
33	Bees Creek Primary School Freds Pass · Primary · T-6	Government	32.1 Lower 50%	976	283	15.5
34	Rosebery Primary School Rosebery · Primary · T-6	Government	31.8 Lower 50%	964	349	16.1
35	Wagaman Primary School Wagaman · Primary · T-6	Government	31.7 Lower 50%	944	213	13.8
36	Marrara Christian College Marrara · Combined · T-10	Independent	28.2 Lower 50%	962	289	12.8
37	Girraween Primary School Girraween · Primary · T-6	Government	27.7 Lower 50%	978	312	15.9
38	Driver Primary School Driver · Primary · T-6	Government	25.1 Lower 50%	914	409	14.5
39	Manunda Terrace Primary School Karama · Primary · T-6	Government	23.2 Lower 50%	792	189	15.7
40	Wulagi Primary School Wulagi · Primary · T-6	Government	23.0 Lower 50%	890	144	11.3
41	Karama Primary School Karama · Primary · T-6	Government	19.5 Lower 50%	769	173	12.8
42	Woodroffe Primary School Woodroffe · Primary · T-6	Government	19.5 Lower 50%	842	327	10.9
43	Moulden Primary School Moulden · Primary · T-6	Government	18.1 Lower 50%	753	211	12.3
44	Malak Primary School Malak · Primary · T-6	Government	16.6 Lower 50%	770	148	12.1
45	Gray Primary School Gray · Primary · T-6	Government	16.1 Lower 50%	808	283	14.7

There are 45 primary schools in Darwin eligible for this list; the top 45 are shown. St Paul's Catholic Primary School in Rapid Creek is ranked first with a Success Index of 76.8 and an ICSEA of 1077. 31 of the top 45 are government schools and 14 are Catholic or independent; the median ICSEA across the list is 983.

The top 10 primary schools in Darwin for 2025 are: 1. St Paul's Catholic Primary School (Rapid Creek); 2. Haileybury Rendall School (Berrimah); 3. St Mary's Catholic Primary School (Darwin); 4. The Essington School (Rapid Creek); 5. Larrakeyah Primary School (Larrakeyah); 6. Parap Primary School (Parap); 7. Nightcliff Primary School (Nightcliff); 8. Milkwood Steiner School (Berrimah); 9. Leanyer Primary School (Leanyer); 10. Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School (Zuccoli).

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best primary school in Darwin?

St Paul's Catholic Primary School in Rapid Creek ranks first among primary schools in Darwin with a Success Index of 76.8 out of 100 and an ICSEA of 1077.

How are primary schools in Darwin ranked?

Each school's Success Index combines five factors from ACARA's 2025 school profile data: ICSEA (50%), share of students in the top socio-educational quarter (15%), students per teacher (15%), five-year enrolment growth (10%) and five-year ICSEA trend (10%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type nationally. Schools with fewer than 80 students are excluded.

How many public schools are in the top 100 primary schools in Darwin?

31 of the top 45 primary schools in Darwin are government schools; 14 are Catholic or independent.

Do these rankings include NAPLAN or ATAR results?

Not yet. ACARA does not publish school-level NAPLAN results in bulk, and ATAR results are released by state authorities in different formats. The Success Index uses the measures ACARA publishes for every school so that all schools are compared on identical data. Where a school publishes its own results we link to its website.