Nightcliff High School
Updated Oct 2026 · ACARA 2025Nightcliff, Northern Territory 0810 · Darwin LGA
About Nightcliff High School
Nightcliff High School is a public high school located in Nightcliff, Northern Territory (0810), within the Darwin local government area. It caters for students from 7 to 9 and in 2025 enrolled 409 students (181 girls and 228 boys).
Nightcliff High School has an ICSEA value of 986, indicating a socio-educational profile close to the national average of 1000. That places it in the 40th percentile of Australian schools. 20% of students come from the top socio-educational quarter and 31% from the bottom quarter.
The school employs 30 teachers (29.6 full-time equivalent) and 12 non-teaching staff, giving a student-to-teacher ratio of about 13.6 to 1. Enrolments have grown by 12% over the past five years.
On the Success Index, Nightcliff High School scores 49.6 out of 100, placing it in the lower 50% of secondary schools nationally and 9th of 23 secondary schools in NT (7th of 12 in the Darwin area).
Success Index breakdown
Each component is a percentile against schools of the same type across Australia.
- Socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) (50%)ICSEA 986
- Students in the top advantage quarter (15%)20% of students
- Teacher resourcing (students per teacher) (15%)13.6 students per teacher
- Enrolment growth vs local area (5 years) (10%)+12% enrolments since 2020 (area median +4%)
- ICSEA trend (5 years) (10%)+10 ICSEA points since 2020
The Success Index summarises the academic environment of a school community using official ACARA data. It is not a measure of teaching quality or student results. Read the methodology.
Student profile
Distribution of students across socio-educational advantage (SEA) quarters, plus community characteristics.
Enrolments by year level
How Nightcliff High School's 409 students are spread across year levels in 2025.
Enrolment trend
How enrolments at Nightcliff High School have changed over the past decade.
Free academic assessment
Is your child on track at Nightcliff High School?
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Schools near Nightcliff High School
Closest schools by straight-line distance, with their Success Index.
Nightcliff Primary School
Nightcliff · Government primary · T-6
478 students · ICSEA 1063 · 295 m away
The Essington School
Rapid Creek · Independent combined · T-12
782 students · ICSEA 1128 · 511 m away
St Paul's Catholic Primary School
Rapid Creek · Catholic primary · T-6
221 students · ICSEA 1077 · 1.2 km away
Millner Primary School
Millner · Government primary · T-6
171 students · ICSEA 911 · 1.6 km away
Nemarluk School
Alawa · Government special · T-6
170 students · ICSEA 929 · 2.5 km away
Jingili Primary School
Jingili · Government primary · T-6
235 students · ICSEA 997 · 2.6 km away
Alawa Primary School
Alawa · Government primary · T-6
259 students · ICSEA 1011 · 2.8 km away
Nakara Primary School
Nakara · Government primary · T-6
409 students · ICSEA 1051 · 3.0 km away
Casuarina Senior College
Moil · Government high school · 10-12
690 students · ICSEA 949 · 3.0 km away
Moil Primary School
Moil · Government primary · T-6
167 students · ICSEA 970 · 3.3 km away
Similar schools
Government secondary schools in NT with a comparable ICSEA.
Dripstone Secondary College
Tiwi · Government high school · 7-9
605 students · ICSEA 994
Casuarina Senior College
Moil · Government high school · 10-12
690 students · ICSEA 949
Taminmin College
Humpty Doo · Government high school · 7-12
1,049 students · ICSEA 937
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
Nhulunbuy High School
Nhulunbuy · Government high school · 7-12
279 students · ICSEA 903
Frequently asked questions
Is Nightcliff High School a public or private school?
Nightcliff High School is a public (government) school run by the Northern Territory education department.
What year levels does Nightcliff High School offer?
Nightcliff High School offers 7 to 9. It is classified by ACARA as a secondary school.
How many students attend Nightcliff High School?
In 2025, Nightcliff High School had 409 enrolled students (181 girls, 228 boys), a change of 12% over five years.
What is the ICSEA of Nightcliff High School?
Nightcliff High School has an ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) of 986. The national average is 1000, so this indicates a socio-educational profile close to the national average of 1000. ICSEA reflects the school community, not teaching quality.
How does Nightcliff High School rank in NT?
Nightcliff High School ranks 9th of 23 secondary schools in Northern Territory on the Success Index (49.6/100), and 749th of 1,472 nationally.
What is the student-to-teacher ratio at Nightcliff High School?
Nightcliff High School has about 13.6 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, based on 2025 ACARA staffing data.
How big is the Year 7 cohort at Nightcliff High School?
In 2025, Nightcliff High School had 145 students in Year 7.
Is Nightcliff High School co-ed?
Yes. Nightcliff High School is a co-educational school enrolling both girls and boys.
What other schools are near Nightcliff High School?
There are 10 other schools within 15 km of Nightcliff High School in our database. Scroll up to the "Nearby schools" section to compare them by Success Index, ICSEA and enrolments, or use the Compare tool.
Where can I get tutoring near Nightcliff High School?
The closest Success Tutoring centre is Success Tutoring Windsor Gardens, about 2621 km from the school. Success Tutoring offers a free academic assessment to identify your child's strengths and learning gaps before any sessions begin.