Sydney’s Best High Schools: Public, Private & Selective Rankings (UPDATED 2025 ✅)
Choosing the right high school is one of the most important decisions for any family. Whether you’re looking for a strong academic track record, values-based education, or elite selective entry, Sydney has a wide range of excellent options. In this guide, we break down the top public (non-selective), private, and selective high schools in Sydney — and finish with a full list of the Top 100 schools based on academic performance.
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🏫 Best Non-Selective Public High Schools:
- Willoughby Girls High School – Strong HSC results and well-rounded programs.
- Cherrybrook Technology High School – A large, high-performing school with a STEM focus.
- Epping Boys High School – Excellent academic and sporting programs.
- Chatswood High School – Consistently good NAPLAN and HSC outcomes.
- Caringbah High School (Partially Selective) – Offers a mix of selective and local enrolments.
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🌟 Best Private High Schools:
- Reddam House, Bondi – Ranked #1 in HSC results multiple years.
- Sydney Grammar School – Renowned for its academic focus and classical education.
- Pymble Ladies’ College – One of the top-performing girls’ schools in NSW.
- The King’s School – Historic school with a strong academic and leadership program.
- Abbotsleigh, Wahroonga – Frequently among the top 5 girls' schools in Sydney.
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Top Selective High Schools in Sydney
Selective high schools admit students based on their academic performance, usually through the Selective Schools Test. These schools often dominate HSC performance rankings.
🎯 Top Selective Schools:
- James Ruse Agricultural High School – Australia’s #1 academic school for 25+ years.
- North Sydney Boys High School
- Baulkham Hills High School
- Sydney Girls High School
- Hornsby Girls High School
- Normanhurst Boys High School
- Sydney Boys High School
- Fort Street High School
Selective schools provide an academically challenging environment that pushes students to excel. But getting in is competitive — preparation is key.
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Top 100 High Schools in Sydney (Based on 2024 HSC Rankings)
The following list is based on academic performance data, such as Band 6 percentages from the 2024 HSC. It includes public, private, and selective schools.
Rank | School Name | Type | 2024 Success Rate (%) | Band 6 Count | Exam Entries |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | North Sydney Boys High School | Selective Public | 64.9 | 564 | 869 |
2 | James Ruse Agricultural High School | Selective Public | 62.9 | 647 | 1,029 |
3 | Sydney Grammar School | Private | 56.4 | 667 | 1,183 |
4 | Normanhurst Boys High School | Selective Public | 55.0 | 433 | 788 |
5 | Reddam House, Bondi | Private | 54.9 | 406 | 739 |
6 | Baulkham Hills High School | Selective Public | 54.1 | 661 | 1,221 |
7 | Hornsby Girls High School | Selective Public | 52.0 | 353 | 679 |
8 | North Sydney Girls High School | Selective Public | 50.1 | 450 | 899 |
9 | Sydney Boys High School | Selective Public | 49.4 | 604 | 1,223 |
10 | Abbotsleigh | Private | 48.9 | 514 | 1,052 |
11 | Meriden School | Private | 48.1 | 419 | 872 |
12 | Kambala | Private | 45.9 | 236 | 514 |
13 | St Aloysius’ College | Private | 44.7 | 438 | 979 |
14 | Northern Beaches Secondary College – Manly Campus | Public Comprehensive | 44.6 | 350 | 785 |
15 | SCEGGS Darlinghurst | Private | 44.3 | 300 | 678 |
16 | Sydney Girls High School | Selective Public | 43.1 | 444 | 1,030 |
17 | Knox Grammar School | Private | 42.9 | 890 | 2,077 |
18 | Alpha Omega Senior College | Private | 42.5 | 293 | 689 |
19 | Loreto Kirribilli | Private | 41.5 | 333 | 802 |
20 | Pymble Ladies’ College | Private | 41.5 | 663 | 1,597 |
21 | Al‑Faisal College – Auburn | Private | 41.4 | 285 | 688 |
22 | Ascham School | Private | 40.7 | 250 | 615 |
23 | St Catherine’s School – Waverley | Private | 39.5 | 288 | 729 |
24 | Roseville College | Private | 39.4 | 253 | 643 |
25 | SHORE – Sydney Church of England Grammar School | Private | 39.3 | 461 | 1,173 |
26 | Wenona School | Private | 39.3 | 336 | 856 |
27 | Fort Street High School | Selective Public | 38.2 | 334 | 875 |
28 | Merewether High School | Non‑Selective Public | 35.7 | 372 | 1,042 |
29 | Penrith Selective High School | Selective Public | 35.3 | 324 | 919 |
30 | Northholm Grammar School | Private | 35.1 | 78 | 222 |
31 | Girraween High School | Selective Public | 35.1 | 282 | 803 |
32 | Moriah College | Private | 34.6 | 244 | 705 |
33 | The King’s School | Private | 34.3 | 459 | 1,340 |
34 | Presbyterian Ladies’ College – Sydney | Private | 33.6 | 310 | 923 |
35 | Queenwood | Private | 33.6 | 153 | 456 |
36 | Masada College | Private | 32.6 | 59 | 181 |
37 | St George Girls High School | Selective Public | 32.2 | 258 | 801 |
38 | Al Noori Muslim School | Private | 30.4 | 164 | 540 |
39 | Ravenswood School for Girls | Private | 29.9 | 193 | 646 |
40 | The Scots College | Private | 29.2 | 306 | 1,049 |
41 | Emanuel School | Private | 28.6 | 134 | 468 |
42 | Cranbrook School | Private | 28.6 | 259 | 905 |
43 | Hurlstone Agricultural High School | Selective Public | 28.6 | 299 | 1,047 |
44 | St Luke’s Grammar School | Private | 28.2 | 210 | 744 |
45 | Central Coast Grammar School | Private | 28.1 | 184 | 654 |
46 | Barker College | Private | 27.6 | 529 | 1,920 |
47 | St Clare’s College | Private | 27.5 | 145 | 528 |
48 | Pittwater House Schools | Private | 27.0 | 131 | 485 |
49 | Frensham School | Private | 27.0 | 96 | 356 |
50 | Sydney Tech High School | Public Comprehensive | 26.8 | 220 | 821 |
51 | Danebank – An Anglican School for Girls | Private | 26.8 | 154 | 575 |
52 | Gosford High School | Selective Public | 26.0 | 299 | 1,149 |
53 | Smiths Hill High School | Selective Public | 25.5 | 179 | 702 |
54 | Willoughby Girls High School | Non‑Selective Public | 25.3 | 211 | 834 |
55 | Newtown High School of Performing Arts | Public Specialised | 25.3 | 233 | 922 |
56 | Cheltenham Girls High School | Non‑Selective Public | 25.2 | 313 | 1,242 |
57 | Chatswood High School | Non‑Selective Public | 25.1 | 364 | 1,452 |
58 | Parramatta Marist High School | Private | 25.1 | 182 | 726 |
59 | Epping Boys High School | Non‑Selective Public | 24.9 | 250 | 1,003 |
60 | St Augustine’s College Sydney | Private | 24.2 | 268 | 1,106 |
61 | Loreto Normanhurst | Private | 23.9 | 238 | 996 |
62 | Northern Beaches Secondary College – Balgowlah Boys Campus | Public Comprehensive | 23.8 | 169 | 710 |
63 | Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College | Private | 23.6 | 182 | 772 |
64 | Tara Anglican School for Girls | Private | 23.5 | 131 | 558 |
65 | Brigidine College Randwick | Private | 23.5 | 150 | 639 |
66 | Kincoppal – Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart | Private | 23.4 | 142 | 606 |
67 | The Hills Grammar School | Private | 23.2 | 95 | 410 |
68 | Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta | Private | 22.8 | 196 | 861 |
69 | Saint Ignatius’ College | Private | 22.7 | 299 | 1,318 |
70 | Carlingford High School | Non‑Selective Public | 22.3 | 265 | 1,183 |
71 | Arden Anglican School | Private | 22.3 | 117 | 525 |
72 | Marist Catholic College North Shore | Private | 21.4 | 110 | 515 |
73 | Mount St Benedict College | Private | 21.1 | 150 | 712 |
74 | Macarthur Anglican School | Private | 21.0 | 113 | 537 |
75 | International Grammar School | Private | 20.8 | 129 | 620 |
76 | Caringbah High School | Selective Public | 20.7 | 189 | 915 |
77 | St Spyridon College | Private | 20.7 | 82 | 397 |
78 | Bethany College | Private | 20.3 | 179 | 883 |
79 | Newcastle Grammar School | Private | 20.2 | 118 | 585 |
80 | St Vincent’s College | Private | 20.1 | 135 | 672 |
81 | Santa Sabina College | Private | 20.0 | 106 | 529 |
82 | Tangara School for Girls | Private | 20.0 | 54 | 270 |
83 | St Joseph’s College (Hunters Hill) | Private | 19.6 | 220 | 1,123 |
84 | St Patrick’s College, Strathfield | Private | 19.4 | 196 | 1,013 |
85 | Killara High School | Selective Public | 19.2 | 280 | 1,457 |
86 | All Saints Grammar | Private | 19.0 | 31 | 163 |
87 | St Ursula’s College | Private | 19.0 | 170 | 896 |
88 | Redfield College | Private | 18.9 | 34 | 180 |
89 | Cherrybrook Technology High School | Selective Public | 18.8 | 349 | 1,854 |
90 | Brigidine College St Ives | Private | 18.7 | 134 | 716 |
91 | Stella Maris College | Private | 18.6 | 139 | 749 |
92 | Marist Catholic College Penshurst | Private | 18.1 | 131 | 722 |
93 | Ryde Secondary College | Public Comprehensive | 18.1 | 161 | 891 |
94 | Parramatta High School | Selective Public | 18.0 | 179 | 994 |
95 | Strathfield Girls High School | Public Comprehensive | 17.2 | 163 | 948 |
96 | Burwood Girls High School | Public Comprehensive | 17.1 | 163 | 956 |
97 | St Columba Anglican School | Private | 16.8 | 95 | 567 |
98 | Castle Hill High School | Public Comprehensive | 16.7 | 275 | 1,648 |
99 | St George Christian School | Private | 16.6 | 59 | 356 |
100 | Rose Bay Secondary College | Public Comprehensive | 16.4 | 150 | 916 |
Summary & Insights
- Dominance of selective schools: The top 10 are all selective public schools and leading private institutions separating themselves academically.
- Non-selective standouts: Carlingford High (rank 70), Chatswood High (57), Epping Boys (59), and Cheltenham Girls (56) are the highest-ranking non-selective public schools.
- Private school performance: Prestigious private schools like Reddam House (#5), Abbotsleigh (#10), Knox Grammar (#17), and SHORE (#25) maintain strong academic results.
- Regional growth: Western Sydney schools like Penrith Selective High (#29) are noted for rapid improvements in HSC performance
Choosing the Right High School in Sydney
While academic results are important, also consider:
- School culture and values
- Distance from home
- Co-curricular opportunities
- Teaching quality
- Support services
✅ Whether you’re preparing for selective school entry or just want to improve grades, KIS Academics can help. Get matched with a top tutor today.
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