Top 40 public high schools in Northern Territory (2025)
Government schools offering secondary years. Ranked by the Success Index from official ACARA data; 40 schools shown out of all eligible public high schools in Northern Territory.
- Primary Schools
- High Schools
- Public Schools
- Private Schools
- Catholic Schools
- Independent Schools
- Public Primary Schools
- Private Primary Schools
- Private High Schools
- Girls' Schools
- Boys' Schools
- K-12 Schools
- VCE Schools by Median Study Score
- Schools with Top ATAR Students (WA)
- VCE Schools by Study Scores of 40+
- Fastest-Growing Schools
- Schools With the Best Student–Teacher Ratio
- Largest Schools
- 160Darwin High SchoolThe Gardens · Government SecondaryICSEA 1050 · 1,286 students
- 258Darwin Middle SchoolThe Gardens · Government SecondaryICSEA 1065 · 663 students
- 352Dripstone Secondary CollegeTiwi · Government SecondaryICSEA 994 · 605 students
- 450Nightcliff High SchoolNightcliff · Government SecondaryICSEA 986 · 409 students
- 534Katherine School Of The AirKatherine · Government CombinedICSEA 931 · 137 students
- 633Gunbalanya SchoolGunbalanya · Government CombinedICSEA 668 · 231 students
- 731Northern Territory School of Distance EducationThe Gardens · Government SecondaryICSEA 837 · 252 students
- 830Ngukurr SchoolNgukurr · Government CombinedICSEA 676 · 207 students
- 928Alyangula Area SchoolAlyangula · Government CombinedICSEA 888 · 203 students
- 1028Top End School of Flexible LearningMalak · Government SecondaryICSEA 789 · 123 students
- 1128Maningrida CollegeManingrida · Government CombinedICSEA 601 · 584 students
- 1228Borroloola SchoolBorroloola · Government CombinedICSEA 665 · 169 students
- 1327Shepherdson CollegeGaliwinku · Government CombinedICSEA 664 · 458 students
- 1426Milingimbi SchoolMilingimbi · Government CombinedICSEA 645 · 236 students
- 1526Laynhapuy Homelands SchoolYirrkala · Government CombinedICSEA 639 · 120 students
- 1626Centralian Middle SchoolAlice Springs · Government SecondaryICSEA 816 · 338 students
- 1725Centralian Senior CollegeAlice Springs · Government SecondaryICSEA 879 · 351 students
- 1825Nhulunbuy High SchoolNhulunbuy · Government SecondaryICSEA 903 · 279 students
- 1925Jabiru Area SchoolJabiru · Government CombinedICSEA 778 · 149 students
- 2025Taminmin CollegeHumpty Doo · Government SecondaryICSEA 937 · 1,049 students
- 2125Tennant Creek High SchoolTennant Creek · Government SecondaryICSEA 754 · 142 students
- 2224Yirrkala SchoolYirrkala · Government CombinedICSEA 624 · 132 students
- 2323Casuarina Senior CollegeMoil · Government SecondaryICSEA 949 · 690 students
- 2423Kalkaringi SchoolKalkarindji · Government CombinedICSEA 593 · 164 students
- 2522Palmerston CollegeDriver · Government SecondaryICSEA 884 · 1,267 students
- 2622Batchelor Area SchoolBatchelor · Government CombinedICSEA 723 · 105 students
- 2721Lajamanu SchoolLajamanu · Government CombinedICSEA 598 · 164 students
- 2821Nganmarriyanga SchoolNganmarriyanga · Government CombinedICSEA 596 · 99 students
- 2920Gapuwiyak SchoolGapuwiyak · Government CombinedICSEA 596 · 205 students
- 3020Ntaria SchoolHermannsburg · Government CombinedICSEA 613 · 155 students
- 3119Barunga SchoolBarunga · Government CombinedICSEA 614 · 81 students
- 3219Minyerri SchoolMiniyeri · Government CombinedICSEA 653 · 134 students
- 3319Ramingining SchoolRamingining · Government CombinedICSEA 660 · 263 students
- 3419Sanderson High SchoolMalak · Government SecondaryICSEA 863 · 328 students
- 3519Ampilatwatja SchoolAmpilatwatja · Government CombinedICSEA 616 · 92 students
- 3619Arlparra SchoolUtopia · Government CombinedICSEA 595 · 165 students
- 3719Numbulwar SchoolNumbulwar · Government CombinedICSEA 597 · 113 students
- 3819Yuendumu SchoolYuendumu · Government CombinedICSEA 632 · 157 students
- 3919Wugularr SchoolBeswick · Government CombinedICSEA 585 · 138 students
- 4012Katherine High SchoolKatherine East · Government SecondaryICSEA 797 · 468 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index | ICSEA | Students | Students : teacher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darwin High School The Gardens · Secondary · U, 10-12 | Government | 60.4 Top 50% | 1050 | 1,286 | 14.6 |
| 2 | Darwin Middle School The Gardens · Secondary · 7-9 | Government | 57.5 Top 50% | 1065 | 663 | 16.5 |
| 3 | Dripstone Secondary College Tiwi · Secondary · 7-9 | Government | 51.7 Top 50% | 994 | 605 | 14.2 |
| 4 | Nightcliff High School Nightcliff · Secondary · 7-9 | Government | 49.6 Lower 50% | 986 | 409 | 13.6 |
| 5 | Katherine School Of The Air Katherine · Combined · T-9 | Government | 34.1 Lower 50% | 931 | 137 | 7.3 |
| 6 | Gunbalanya School Gunbalanya · Combined · T-12 | Government | 32.6 Lower 50% | 668 | 231 | 9.2 |
| 7 | Northern Territory School of Distance Education The Gardens · Secondary · 9-12 | Government | 30.6 Lower 50% | 837 | 252 | 2.8 |
| 8 | Ngukurr School Ngukurr · Combined · T-12 | Government | 29.5 Lower 50% | 676 | 207 | 8.0 |
| 9 | Alyangula Area School Alyangula · Combined · T-11 | Government | 28.3 Lower 50% | 888 | 203 | 10.2 |
| 10 | Top End School of Flexible Learning Malak · Secondary · 5-12 | Government | 28.2 Lower 50% | 789 | 123 | 3.6 |
| 11 | Maningrida College Maningrida · Combined · T-12 | Government | 27.8 Lower 50% | 601 | 584 | 6.3 |
| 12 | Borroloola School Borroloola · Combined · T-12 | Government | 27.7 Lower 50% | 665 | 169 | 9.0 |
| 13 | Shepherdson College Galiwinku · Combined · T-12 | Government | 27.0 Lower 50% | 664 | 458 | 8.8 |
| 14 | Milingimbi School Milingimbi · Combined · T-12 | Government | 26.1 Lower 50% | 645 | 236 | 9.3 |
| 15 | Laynhapuy Homelands School Yirrkala · Combined · T-12 | Government | 25.9 Lower 50% | 639 | 120 | 4.2 |
| 16 | Centralian Middle School Alice Springs · Secondary · 7-9 | Government | 25.7 Lower 50% | 816 | 338 | 9.0 |
| 17 | Centralian Senior College Alice Springs · Secondary · 10-12 | Government | 25.3 Lower 50% | 879 | 351 | 9.1 |
| 18 | Nhulunbuy High School Nhulunbuy · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 25.2 Lower 50% | 903 | 279 | 10.2 |
| 19 | Jabiru Area School Jabiru · Combined · T-12 | Government | 24.9 Lower 50% | 778 | 149 | 10.7 |
| 20 | Taminmin College Humpty Doo · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 24.9 Lower 50% | 937 | 1,049 | 12.3 |
| 21 | Tennant Creek High School Tennant Creek · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 24.5 Lower 50% | 754 | 142 | 7.4 |
| 22 | Yirrkala School Yirrkala · Combined · T-12 | Government | 24.3 Lower 50% | 624 | 132 | 6.6 |
| 23 | Casuarina Senior College Moil · Secondary · 10-12 | Government | 23.3 Lower 50% | 949 | 690 | 14.4 |
| 24 | Kalkaringi School Kalkarindji · Combined · T-11 | Government | 23.2 Lower 50% | 593 | 164 | 6.0 |
| 25 | Palmerston College Driver · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 22.2 Lower 50% | 884 | 1,267 | 11.4 |
| 26 | Batchelor Area School Batchelor · Combined · T-12 | Government | 22.1 Lower 50% | 723 | 105 | 12.3 |
| 27 | Lajamanu School Lajamanu · Combined · T-12 | Government | 21.2 Lower 50% | 598 | 164 | 10.8 |
| 28 | Nganmarriyanga School Nganmarriyanga · Combined · T-12 | Government | 20.8 Lower 50% | 596 | 99 | 9.0 |
| 29 | Gapuwiyak School Gapuwiyak · Combined · T-12 | Government | 19.7 Lower 50% | 596 | 205 | 7.6 |
| 30 | Ntaria School Hermannsburg · Combined · T-12 | Government | 19.6 Lower 50% | 613 | 155 | 7.4 |
| 31 | Barunga School Barunga · Combined · T-11 | Government | 19.4 Lower 50% | 614 | 81 | 9.7 |
| 32 | Minyerri School Miniyeri · Combined · T-11 | Government | 19.4 Lower 50% | 653 | 134 | 13.3 |
| 33 | Ramingining School Ramingining · Combined · T-12 | Government | 19.4 Lower 50% | 660 | 263 | 14.1 |
| 34 | Sanderson High School Malak · Secondary · 7-9 | Government | 19.4 Lower 50% | 863 | 328 | 11.0 |
| 35 | Ampilatwatja School Ampilatwatja · Combined · T-12 | Government | 19.3 Lower 50% | 616 | 92 | 15.3 |
| 36 | Arlparra School Utopia · Combined · T-12 | Government | 19.2 Lower 50% | 595 | 165 | 10.2 |
| 37 | Numbulwar School Numbulwar · Combined · T-12 | Government | 19.0 Lower 50% | 597 | 113 | 7.5 |
| 38 | Yuendumu School Yuendumu · Combined · T-12 | Government | 19.0 Lower 50% | 632 | 157 | 6.5 |
| 39 | Wugularr School Beswick · Combined · T-12 | Government | 18.7 Lower 50% | 585 | 138 | 17.2 |
| 40 | Katherine High School Katherine East · Secondary · 7-12 | Government | 11.8 Lower 50% | 797 | 468 | 12.5 |
There are 40 public high schools in Northern Territory eligible for this list; the top 40 are shown. Darwin High School in The Gardens is ranked first with a Success Index of 60.4 and an ICSEA of 1050. 40 of the top 40 are government schools and 0 are Catholic or independent; the median ICSEA across the list is 672.
The top 10 public high schools in Northern Territory for 2025 are: 1. Darwin High School (The Gardens); 2. Darwin Middle School (The Gardens); 3. Dripstone Secondary College (Tiwi); 4. Nightcliff High School (Nightcliff); 5. Katherine School Of The Air (Katherine); 6. Gunbalanya School (Gunbalanya); 7. Northern Territory School of Distance Education (The Gardens); 8. Ngukurr School (Ngukurr); 9. Alyangula Area School (Alyangula); 10. Top End School of Flexible Learning (Malak).
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best public secondary school in Northern Territory?
Darwin High School in The Gardens ranks first among public high schools in Northern Territory with a Success Index of 60.4 out of 100 and an ICSEA of 1050.
How are public high schools in Northern Territory 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 public high schools in Northern Territory?
40 of the top 40 public high schools in Northern Territory are government schools; 0 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.