When it comes to choosing a school for your child, can be one of the most difficult decisions to make. There are lots of schools in Victoria to choose from and many offer a great education. But which ones are the best? We’ve got a summary of the top public and private high schools in Melbourne based on VCE rankings and beyond. Or if you're hoping to gain a spot in a selective school, check out Australia's top Selective School tutoring.
Looking beyond the VCE Ranking
VCE ranking is of course very important to consider when choosing a school and we’ve compiled a summary of the top public and private high schools based on these rankings for you. But if you're looking for a school that offers a well-rounded education, you must search beyond the rankings and academic recognition.
Here are some other important factors (in no order) to consider when choosing a school for your child:
➢ The overall environment
One important aspect to know when choosing a school is its learning environment. Not only how its students perform, but what the learning environment and the atmosphere is like.
Does the school encourage a more independent learning style or are teachers more involved? Are students invested in their learning and challenge each other to excel?
After all, your child will be spending most of their time at school, so it’s important that they enjoy the overall environment!
➢ Facilities and resources
Something else to consider is the facilities and resources the school offers to students.
What are classroom technologies like? Is there a good range of VCE subjects offered to cater to different students’ learning? Are the libraries and laboratories well-equipped with learning tools?
All these resources can help supplement your child’s learning as they progress through to VCE.
➢ Quality of teaching
Without a doubt, the quality of teaching is paramount when it comes to choosing a school for your child. The student-to-teacher ratio can give you an indication of the approximate individual attention your child will receive.
An average lower student-to-teacher ratio means students are afforded more individual time from teachers and can ask for more help or guidance.
However, this is only a numerical measure, the true quality is very difficult to definitively assess but can be gauged by the number of student improvements.
➢ Cost and expenses
You will also need to consider the cost. Such as where the school is located.
Will you need to travel a long way to get there? Is there any public transport close to your house that’s accessible? All this will be factored into the travel expenses. And of course, private school fees tend to be much heftier than public schools.
➢ Extra-curriculars
Growth and development are not just about academics, the best schools in Melbourne also offer a wide range of extracurricular activities.
Whether your child is interested in sports, music, drama, debating or technology, it’s important to choose a school that offers a wide selection that includes the main interests of your child.
The amount of leadership opportunities offered by the school is also an important aspect to consider because it will provide an invaluable opportunity for your child to go out of their comfort zone and develop new skills.
VCE Rankings
Now we’ll break down the most recent VCE rankings for you.
How to Read the VCE Rankings:
❖ Median VCE score: if all the VCE scores from the school were ordered from lowest to highest, this would be the middle score. Scaling is also very important as it takes into account the difficulty of a subject so everyone is on a level playing field, check out 2022's scaling report for more information on each subject's scaling.
❖ Percentage of study scores 40 or above: this is the percentage of VCE study scores that were 40 or above, out of all the VCE study scores from that school
Best Public Schools in Melbourne
There are many public schools in Melbourne to choose from. Here is a list of the top 10 public schools:
Melbourne’s Selective School Rankings
4 selective schools:
● Melbourne High School (boys only) in South Yarra.
● The Mac.Robertson Girls' High School (girls only) in Melbourne CBD.
● Nossal High School (co-ed) in Berwick.
● Suzanne Cory High School (co-ed) in Werribee.
Best Private Schools in Melbourne
There are some great private schools in Melbourne. Here is a list of the top 10 private schools:
Finally…
It can feel as though there are so many schools to choose from in Melbourne. Choosing the right school for your child can be a very challenging and arduous process. Although VCE rankings are an important aspect to research and consider, there are many other factors that play an important role in this decision.
The most important thing is that your child is happy at school and enjoys their learning. Your child will be spending 6 hours a day at school, so it’s important to make sure they’re comfortable and enjoy the school culture and environment. There’s no such thing as a perfect school- it all depends on your child and which school is a good fit for them!
Ultimately, a good fit means that your child is engaged with their learning at school and has the support they need. A learning environment that addresses their individual learning needs and challenges them to reach their full potential is highly important.
High school can really be a lot of work, so why not get some support? Explore our top high school tutors. We hope this article has been helpful in providing you with some insight into Melbourne's best public and private high schools!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you’re after resources to understand Selective School tutoring, please check out the KIS Academics Selective School Page. Additionally, you can also check out the KIS Academics Scholarship Tutoring Page.
Written by KIS Academics Tutor, Margery Zhang. Margery is currently pursuing a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne. You can view Margery’s profile here if you would like to find out more about her or request her as a private tutor.
