Sydney's Best Public and Private High Schools

Choosing the best school for achieving academic goals or catering to your interests is an extremely difficult process. This aims to aid in this decision process by providing information on the top-ranked public, private and selective high schools in Sydney.

On the basis of the 2021 HSC results, we have compiled details entailing the top high schools in Sydney. Within each category, you can see the school ranking within the category, overall rank (across all types of schools) and the success rate which refers to the percentage of exams sat by each school that achieved a band 6 (Distinguished achiever).

Top Public High Schools (non-selective)

Although government schools are quickly disregarded when looking for a school that will foster academic success, many public schools in Sydney are great options for those seeking high academic achievements.

Rank	Overall Ranking 2021	School	Success rate
1	65	Willoughby Girls High School	22.6%
2	72	Northern Beaches Secondary College Balgowlah Boys Campus	21.3%
3	102	Newtown High School of Performing Arts	17.8%
4	108	Cherrybrook Technology High School	15.5%
5	110	Cumberland High School	15.3%
6	116	Cheltenham Girls High School	14.8%
7	122	Engadine High School	14.5%
8	123	Burwood Girls High School	14.4%
9	125	Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus	14.4%
10	130	St Ives High School	13.9%

Top Private schools:

Independent schools greatly dominate the top-achieving high schools with 70% of the top 150 schools in 2021 being independent schools (105 schools).

Rank	Overall Ranking 2021	School	Success rate
1	4	Sydney Grammar School	56.1%
2	6	Reddam House	52.3%
3	11	Kambala	47.7%
4	12	Meriden School	47.1%
5	15	Abbotsleigh	43.8%
6	16	Ascham School	46.3%
7	17	SCEGGS Darlinghurst	42.2%
8	18	Moriah College	40.5%
9	20	Ravenswood School for Girls	38.7%
10	21	Loreto Kirribilli	38.7%

Top Selective Schools

Selective schools tend to consistently rank extremely high, with James Ruse Agricultural High School

Rank	Overall Ranking	School	Success Rate
1	1	James Ruse Agricultural High School	70.58
2	2	North Sydney Boys High School	59.29
3	3	Baulkham Hills High School	58.24
4	4	Sydney Girls High School	53.23
5	6	Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus	51.99
6	7	Hornsby Girls High School	51
7	8	North Sydney Girls High School	49.25
8	9	Normanhurst Boys High School	49.15
9	10	Sydney Boys High School	46.55
10	13	Conservatorium High School	43.92

Top 150 Schools

School	2021 Rank	2020 Rank	Success Rate 2021 (%)
James Ruse Agricultural High School	1	1	70.58
North Sydney Boys High School	2	3	59.29
Baulkham Hills High School	3	2	58.24
Sydney Grammar School	4	5	56.13
Sydney Girls High School	5	9	53.23
Reddam House	6	12	52.34
Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus	7	13	51.99
Hornsby Girls High School	8	6	51
North Sydney Girls High School	9	4	49.25
Normanhurst Boys High School	10	7	49.15
Kambala	11	21	47.68
Meriden School	12	17	47.09
Sydney Boys High School	13	10	46.55
Conservatorium High School	14	8	43.92
Abbotsleigh	15	16	43.79
Ascham School	16	11	43.77
SCEGGS Darlinghurst	17	14	42.15
Moriah College	18	41	40.47
Girraween High School	19	27	39.43
Ravenswood School for Girls	20	58	38.73
Loreto Kirribilli	21	23	38.67
Fort Street High School	22	18	38.65
St Catherine’s School	23	29	38.42
Wenona School	24	15	38.26
Pymble Ladies’ College	25	31	36.67
Al-Faisal College	26	54	36.19
St Aloysius’ College	27	20	36.06
Kincoppal – Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart	28	56	34.81
St Clare’s College	29	86	33.74
Knox Grammar School	30	19	32.95
Alpha Omega Senior College	31	55	32.69
Al Noori Muslim School	32	32	32.47
Penrith High School	33	37	32.36
Tara Anglican School for Girls	34	28	31.82
Cranbrook School	35	36	31.71
Emanuel School	36	38	31.18
Tangara School for Girls	37	25	30.89
Loreto Normanhurst	38	26	30.3
MLC School	39	51	29.71
Hurlstone Agricultural High School	40	33	29.65
St Luke’s Grammar School	41	24	29.55
Sydney Technical High School	42	42	29.17
Roseville College	43	35	29.14
Caringbah High School	44	30	28.95
St George Girls High School	45	39	27.76
Frensham School	46	67	27.62
Sefton High School	47	70	27.53
Presbyterian Ladies’ College Sydney	48	22	27.28
Queenwood	49	65	26.44
Merewether High School	50	50	26.21
The King’s School	51	34	25.7
Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College	52	53	25.69
Parramatta Marist High School	53	46	25.53
SHORE – Sydney Church of England Grammar School	54	40	25.38
Barker College	55	47	25.13
Newcastle Grammar School	56	45	25
Smiths Hill High School	57	68	24.64
Brigidine College Randwick	58	49	24.62
Danebank – An Anglican School for Girls	59	75	24.35
Chatswood High School	60	69	24.16
International Grammar School	61	96	23.22
Santa Sabina College	62	48	23.11
Bethany College	63	80	22.92
Saint Ignatius’ College	64	44	22.67
Willoughby Girls High School	65	59	22.59
Brigidine College St Ives	66	62	21.95
St Mary and St Mina’s Coptic Orthodox College	67	0	21.85
Masada College	68	113	21.75
St Ursula’s College	69	77	21.64
St Vincent’s College	70	52	21.45
Arden Anglican School	71	79	21.43
Northern Beaches Secondary College Balgowlah Boys Campus	72	60	21.31
St Augustine’s College Sydney	73	66	20.67
Freeman Catholic College	74	110	20.46
Central Coast Grammar School	75	83	20.42
Marist College Kogarah	76	117	20.38
The Scots College	77	63	20.28
Emmanuel Anglican College	78	149	20.26
St Spyridon College	79	74	20.11
Prairiewood High School	80	181	19.82
Clancy Catholic College	81	214	19.26
Mount St Benedict College	82	126	19.25
St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox College	83	88	19.2
Macarthur Anglican School	84	78	19.07
Cerdon College	85	163	19.01
Gosford High School	86	72	19
Marist Sisters’ College Woolwich	87	128	18.96
MacKillop College Port Macquarie	88	175	18.79
Macquarie Fields High School	89	124	18.76
Marist Catholic College Penshurst	90	129	18.73
The Hills Grammar School	91	106	18.18
Amity College	92	119	18.1
Norwest Christian College	93	0	18.09
Newington College	94	179	17.64
Marist College Eastwood	95	105	17.35
Stella Maris College	96	100	17.31
Aquinas Catholic College	97	102	17.24
Australian International School Malaysia	98	145	17.02
Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta	99	81	16.67
St Columba Anglican School	100	139	16.64
William Clarke College	101	94	16.3
Newtown High School of Performing Arts	102	91	15.81
St George Christian School	103	107	15.81
St Charbel’s College	104	141	15.74
Malek Fahd Islamic School	105	152	15.73
Patrician Brothers’ College Fairfield	106	190	15.73
Mercy Catholic College	107	93	15.6
Cherrybrook Technology High School	108	90	15.53
Scots All Saints College	109	165	15.51
Cumberland High School	110	243	15.34
Blacktown Boys High School	111	272	15.05
Maronite College of the Holy Family – Parramatta	112	316	14.97
Rosebank College	113	156	14.87
Mount St Patrick College	114	232	14.81
Oxford Falls Grammar School	115	73	14.78
Cheltenham Girls High School	116	84	14.75
St John Bosco College	117	158	14.69
St Philip’s Christian College – Waratah	118	85	14.62
Pacific Hills Christian School	119	138	14.53
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College	120	99	14.46
Holy Cross College	121	297	14.45
Engadine High School	122	201	14.45
Burwood Girls High School	123	82	14.43
Domremy Catholic College	124	220	14.41
Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus	125	43	14.4
SCECGS Redlands	126	151	14.32
Marcellin College	127	116	14.15
Tempe High School	128	166	13.91
St Patrick’s Marist College	129	174	13.89
St Ives High School	130	111	13.85
Xavier Catholic College Ballina	131	146	13.78
St Patrick’s College (Strathfield)	132	125	13.75
Carlingford High School	133	97	13.74
St Euphemia College	134	104	13.66
Covenant Christian School	135	134	13.65
Redeemer Baptist School	136	0	13.41
Canley Vale High School	137	279	13.4
Epping Boys High School	138	76	13.39
Mary MacKillop Catholic College	139	241	13.39
Rose Bay Secondary College	140	95	13.38
St Pius X College	141	114	13.34
Blakehurst High School	142	176	13.24
All Saints Grammar	143	233	13.23
Menai High School	144	164	13.08
Blacktown Girls High School	145	203	13.05
Al Amanah College	146	0	13.04
Killarney Heights High School	147	87	12.79
St Joseph’s College (Hunters Hill)	148	71	12.73
Blue Mountains Grammar School	149	115	12.65
Bonnyrigg High School	150	221	12.62

Looking Past Academics

In addition to looking at the previous lists, it is essential to look past just the academic success of the school as it is also imperative to consider other factors which may cater to particular individuals.

Notably, some schools may excel in sports, which would appeal to athletically driven students. For instance, Endeavour Sports High School and Hills Sports High School are some of the many high schools which specialise in sports.

Another factor that may be overlooked is inquiring into the student-to-teacher ratio at schools of interest. This is important when determining the quality of education that will be received as lower quantities of students per class enable a more personalised experience and greater opportunity for assistance to each individual student.

The location and pricing of schools are also important to consider. A good school may require excessive travel which may be tiring for students and deplete their ability to complete study/school work. Besides travel time, consider transportation options if students cannot be dropped off and picked up. Is it easily accessible by public transport? Moreover, private schools greatly excel in results, however, they may not be financially accessible for you. Hence, you may consider scholarship opportunities or high ranking public schools.

High school can really be a lot of work, so why not get some support? Explore our top high school tutors.

Written by KIS Academics Tutor Sandrine Maximous, for HSC Legal Studies, Maths and more! Sandrine is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Actuarial Studies and Information Technology (majoring in Data Science) at MQU. You can view Sandrine's profile here and request her as a tutor.