Best schools in New South Wales (2025)
The top five of 3,196 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index, built only from official ACARA data.
New South Wales has 3,196 schools in ACARA's 2025 data: 2,214 government (69%), 547 Catholic and 435 independent, together enrolling about 1,257,719 students. By level there are 2,088 primary schools, 546 secondary schools and 371 combined (K–12) schools.
The median ICSEA is 1006 (the national benchmark is 1000) and 538 schools, or 17%, have an ICSEA of 1100 or more, which marks a highly advantaged community. The average school has 13.0 students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Best primary schools in New South Wales
Schools offering primary years (Primary and Combined schools).
Reddam House
Woollahra · Independent combined
· ICSEA 1203
Ascham School
Edgecliff · Independent combined · K-12
1,182 students · ICSEA 1217
Ravenswood School for Girls
Gordon · Independent combined · K-12
1,451 students · ICSEA 1185
Mosman Church of England Preparatory School
Mosman · Independent primary · K-6
221 students · ICSEA 1206
The Scots College
Bellevue Hill · Independent combined · K-12
2,076 students · ICSEA 1162
Best high schools in New South Wales
Schools offering secondary years (Secondary and Combined schools).
Reddam House
Woollahra · Independent combined
· ICSEA 1203
Ascham School
Edgecliff · Independent combined · K-12
1,182 students · ICSEA 1217
Ravenswood School for Girls
Gordon · Independent combined · K-12
1,451 students · ICSEA 1185
The Scots College
Bellevue Hill · Independent combined · K-12
2,076 students · ICSEA 1162
St Andrew's Cathedral School
Sydney · Independent combined · K-12
1,436 students · ICSEA 1189
Best public schools in New South Wales
Government schools across all year levels.
Conservatorium High School
Sydney · Government high school · 7-12
156 students · ICSEA 1194
Bradfield College
St Leonards · Government high school · 11-12
322 students · ICSEA 1108
Green Square Public School
Zetlands · Government primary · K-6
107 students · ICSEA 1122
Annandale Public School
Annandale · Government primary · P-6
363 students · ICSEA 1145
Australia Street Infants School
Newtown · Government primary · P-2
104 students · ICSEA 1143
Best private schools in New South Wales
Independent and Catholic schools across all year levels.
Reddam House
Woollahra · Independent combined
· ICSEA 1203
Ascham School
Edgecliff · Independent combined · K-12
1,182 students · ICSEA 1217
Ravenswood School for Girls
Gordon · Independent combined · K-12
1,451 students · ICSEA 1185
Mosman Church of England Preparatory School
Mosman · Independent primary · K-6
221 students · ICSEA 1206
The Scots College
Bellevue Hill · Independent combined · K-12
2,076 students · ICSEA 1162
Best catholic schools in New South Wales
Catholic systemic and independent Catholic schools.
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School
Coogee · Catholic primary · K-6
205 students · ICSEA 1159
St Francis Xavier's College
Hamilton · Catholic high school · 7-12
959 students · ICSEA 1096
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School
Clifton Gardens · Catholic primary · K-6
114 students · ICSEA 1188
Galilee Catholic Primary School
Bondi Beach · Catholic primary · K-6
88 students · ICSEA 1160
Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Primary School
Epping · Catholic primary · K-6
113 students · ICSEA 1170
Best independent schools in New South Wales
Independent (non-government, non-Catholic-system) schools.
Reddam House
Woollahra · Independent combined
· ICSEA 1203
Ascham School
Edgecliff · Independent combined · K-12
1,182 students · ICSEA 1217
Ravenswood School for Girls
Gordon · Independent combined · K-12
1,451 students · ICSEA 1185
Mosman Church of England Preparatory School
Mosman · Independent primary · K-6
221 students · ICSEA 1206
The Scots College
Bellevue Hill · Independent combined · K-12
2,076 students · ICSEA 1162
Best public primary schools in New South Wales
Government schools offering primary years.
Green Square Public School
Zetlands · Government primary · K-6
107 students · ICSEA 1122
Annandale Public School
Annandale · Government primary · P-6
363 students · ICSEA 1145
Australia Street Infants School
Newtown · Government primary · P-2
104 students · ICSEA 1143
Bellevue Hill Public School
Bellevue Hill · Government primary · K-6
573 students · ICSEA 1156
Greenwich Public School
Greenwich · Government primary · K-6
367 students · ICSEA 1175
Best public high schools in New South Wales
Government schools offering secondary years.
Conservatorium High School
Sydney · Government high school · 7-12
156 students · ICSEA 1194
Bradfield College
St Leonards · Government high school · 11-12
322 students · ICSEA 1108
Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Senior Campus
Freshwater · Government high school · 11-12
647 students · ICSEA 1098
Cammeraygal High School
Crows Nest · Government high school · 7-12
905 students · ICSEA 1135
Chatswood High School
Chatswood · Government high school · 7-12
2,147 students · ICSEA 1137
Best private primary schools in New South Wales
Independent and Catholic schools offering primary years.
Reddam House
Woollahra · Independent combined
· ICSEA 1203
Ascham School
Edgecliff · Independent combined · K-12
1,182 students · ICSEA 1217
Ravenswood School for Girls
Gordon · Independent combined · K-12
1,451 students · ICSEA 1185
Mosman Church of England Preparatory School
Mosman · Independent primary · K-6
221 students · ICSEA 1206
The Scots College
Bellevue Hill · Independent combined · K-12
2,076 students · ICSEA 1162
Best private high schools in New South Wales
Independent and Catholic schools offering secondary years.
Reddam House
Woollahra · Independent combined
· ICSEA 1203
Ascham School
Edgecliff · Independent combined · K-12
1,182 students · ICSEA 1217
Ravenswood School for Girls
Gordon · Independent combined · K-12
1,451 students · ICSEA 1185
The Scots College
Bellevue Hill · Independent combined · K-12
2,076 students · ICSEA 1162
St Andrew's Cathedral School
Sydney · Independent combined · K-12
1,436 students · ICSEA 1189
Best girls' schools in New South Wales
Single-sex schools enrolling girls only (based on ACARA enrolment counts).
Ascham School
Edgecliff · Independent combined · K-12
1,182 students · ICSEA 1217
Ravenswood School for Girls
Gordon · Independent combined · K-12
1,451 students · ICSEA 1185
St Vincent's College
Potts Point · Independent high school · 7-12
755 students · ICSEA 1145
Kambala
Rose Bay · Independent combined · K-12
986 students · ICSEA 1169
Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College
North Sydney · Independent high school · 7-12
1,186 students · ICSEA 1179
Best boys' schools in New South Wales
Single-sex schools enrolling boys only (based on ACARA enrolment counts).
Mosman Church of England Preparatory School
Mosman · Independent primary · K-6
221 students · ICSEA 1206
The Scots College
Bellevue Hill · Independent combined · K-12
2,076 students · ICSEA 1162
Newington College
Stanmore · Independent combined · K-12
2,072 students · ICSEA 1182
St Joseph's College
Hunters Hill · Independent high school · 7-12
1,100 students · ICSEA 1130
Cranbrook School
Bellevue Hill · Independent combined · K-12
1,693 students · ICSEA 1181
Best K-12 schools in New South Wales
Combined schools offering both primary and secondary years, so a child can stay from Foundation to Year 12.
Reddam House
Woollahra · Independent combined
· ICSEA 1203
Ascham School
Edgecliff · Independent combined · K-12
1,182 students · ICSEA 1217
Ravenswood School for Girls
Gordon · Independent combined · K-12
1,451 students · ICSEA 1185
The Scots College
Bellevue Hill · Independent combined · K-12
2,076 students · ICSEA 1162
St Andrew's Cathedral School
Sydney · Independent combined · K-12
1,436 students · ICSEA 1189
Best fastest-growing schools in New South Wales
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.
Inner Sydney High School
Surry Hills · Government high school · 7-12
1,161 students · ICSEA 1104
Santa Sophia Catholic College (Secondary)
Gables · Catholic high school · 7-12
999 students · ICSEA 1078
Oran Park High School
Oran Park · Government high school · 7-12
1,579 students · ICSEA 1002
St Vincent's College Ashfield
Ashfield · Catholic combined · K-12
1,092 students · ICSEA 1043
St Anthony of Padua Catholic College
Austral · Catholic combined · K-11
1,539 students · ICSEA 1037
Best schools with the best student–teacher ratio in New South Wales
Schools with 200+ students and the fewest full-time-equivalent students per full-time-equivalent teacher.
Moree Secondary College
Moree · Government high school · 7-12
369 students · ICSEA 771
Moruya High School
Moruya · Government high school · 7-12
356 students · ICSEA 922
Condobolin High School
Condobolin · Government high school · 7-12
205 students · ICSEA 834
The Rivers Secondary College, Kadina High Campus
Goonellabah · Government high school · 7-12
262 students · ICSEA 884
Jindabyne High School
Jindabyne · Government high school · 7-12
277 students · ICSEA 1009
Best largest schools in New South Wales
Schools with the highest total enrolments.
Malek Fahd Islamic School
Greenacre · Independent combined · K-12
3,352 students · ICSEA 1063
Knox Grammar School
Wahroonga · Independent combined · K-12
3,345 students · ICSEA 1187
Barker College
Hornsby · Independent combined · K-12
2,856 students · ICSEA 1166
Amity College
Prestons · Independent combined · K-12
2,588 students · ICSEA 1096
Australian Christian College - Marsden Park
Riverstone · Independent combined · K-12
2,523 students · ICSEA 1101
Free academic assessment
Is your child on track?
Rankings tell you about a school community. A free Success Tutoring assessment tells you about your child: exactly where they are in English and Maths, where the gaps are, and a plan to close them. Small-group, Australian-curriculum tutoring with no lock-in contracts.
- Personalised learning plan mapped to the Australian Curriculum
- English & Maths from Kindergarten to Year 12
- Flexible memberships, no lock-in contracts
- Centres across NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA and ACT
Frequently asked questions
What is the best school in New South Wales?
Reddam House in Woollahra is the highest-ranked high school in New South Wales on the 2025 Success Index (93.4/100). Reddam House in Woollahra is the highest-ranked primary school (93.4/100). Rankings summarise community advantage and momentum, so always visit a shortlist of schools before deciding.
How many schools are in New South Wales?
3,196 schools appear in ACARA's 2025 data for New South Wales, of which 2,214 are government schools.
How are schools in New South Wales 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.