New South Wales
2,184 public schools. Senior certificate: HSC. 48 selective and 87 opportunity-class schools.
Top 10% of public high schools by HSC results, 2025
The Education Act 1990 (NSW) allows only a top-10% list based on NESA's merit lists; no other NSW ranking is shown.
| # | School | Suburb | Band 6 / E4 results (count) | ICSEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Ruse Agricultural High School | Carlingford | 705 | 1,222 |
| 2 | North Sydney Boys High School | North Sydney | 664 | 1,195 |
| 3 | Sydney Boys High School | Moore Park | 653 | 1,189 |
| 4 | Baulkham Hills High School | Baulkham Hills | 623 | 1,203 |
| 5 | North Sydney Girls High School | Crows Nest | 549 | 1,203 |
| 6 | Sydney Girls High School | Surry Hills | 442 | 1,193 |
| 7 | Normanhurst Boys High School | Normanhurst | 433 | 1,207 |
| 8 | Merewether High School | Broadmeadow | 403 | 1,206 |
| 9 | Cherrybrook Technology High School | Cherrybrook | 391 | 1,146 |
| 10 | Penrith High School | Penrith | 382 | 1,186 |
Selective high schools & OC
Selective high schools (48)
- Alexandria Park Community School Partially
- Armidale Secondary College Partially
- Auburn Girls High School Partially
- Aurora College Partially
- Baulkham Hills High School Fully
- Blacktown Boys High School Partially
- Blacktown Girls High School Partially
- Bonnyrigg High School Partially
- Caringbah High School Fully
- Chatswood High School Partially
- Elizabeth Macarthur High School Partially
- Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School Agricultural
- Fort Street High School Fully
- Girraween High School Fully
- Gorokan High School Partially
- Gosford High School Fully
- Grafton High School Partially
- Granville Boys High School Partially
- Hornsby Girls High School Fully
- Hurlstone Agricultural High School Agricultural
- James Ruse Agricultural High School Agricultural
- Karabar High School Partially
- Kooringal High School Partially
- Macquarie Fields High School Partially
- Merewether High School Fully
- Moorebank High School Partially
- Normanhurst Boys High School Fully
- North Sydney Boys High School Fully
- North Sydney Girls High School Fully
- Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus Fully
- Parramatta High School Partially
- Peel High School Partially
- Penrith High School Fully
- Prairiewood High School Partially
- Richmond High School Partially
- Rose Bay Secondary College Partially
- Ryde Secondary College Partially
- Sefton High School Partially
- Smiths Hill High School Fully
- St George Girls High School Fully
- Sydney Boys High School Fully
- Sydney Girls High School Fully
- Sydney Secondary College Balmain Campus Partially
- Sydney Secondary College Blackwattle Bay Campus Partially
- Sydney Secondary College Leichhardt Campus Partially
- Sydney Technical High School Fully
- Tempe High School Partially
- Yanco Agricultural High School Agricultural
Opportunity class schools (87)
- Alexandria Park Community School
- Alstonville Public School
- Armidale City Public School
- Artarmon Public School
- Ashfield Public School
- Aurora College
- Balgowlah Heights Public School
- Balmain Public School
- Bathurst West Public School
- Beecroft Public School
- Biraban Public School
- Blacktown South Public School
- Blacktown West Public School
- Blaxcell Street Public School
- Blaxland East Public School
- Bradbury Public School
- Brookvale Public School
- Camden South Public School
- Caringbah North Public School
- Casula Public School
- Cessnock West Public School
- Chatswood Public School
- Colyton Public School
- Coonabarabran Public School
- Cudgegong Valley Public School
- Dubbo West Public School
- Dural Public School
- Earlwood Public School
- Ermington Public School
- Georges Hall Public School
- Glenbrook Public School
- Goonellabah Public School
- Gosford Public School
- Goulburn West Public School
- Greenacre Public School
- Greystanes Public School
- Harrington Street Public School
- Holsworthy Public School
- Hurstville Public School
- Illaroo Road Public School
- Ironbark Ridge Public School
- Jewells Primary School
- Kingswood Public School
- Leumeah Public School
- Lindfield East Public School
- Lithgow Public School
- Maroubra Junction Public School
- Maryland Public School
- Matthew Pearce Public School
- Miranda Public School
- Mona Vale Public School
- Moree Public School
- Moss Vale Public School
- Neutral Bay Public School
- New Lambton South Public School
- Newbridge Heights Public School
- North Rocks Public School
- Penrith Public School
- Picnic Point Public School
- Port Macquarie Public School
- Quakers Hill Public School
- Queanbeyan South Public School
- Richmond Public School
- Rutherford Public School
- Ryde Public School
- Smithfield Public School
- Soldiers Point Public School
- South Grafton Public School
- St Andrews Public School
- St Clair Public School
- St Johns Park Public School
- Sturt Public School
- Summer Hill Public School
- Sutherland Public School
- Tahmoor Public School
- Tamworth Public School
- Tamworth South Public School
- Tighes Hill Public School
- Toongabbie Public School
- Toormina Public School
- Wahroonga Public School
- Waitara Public School
- Wentworth Falls Public School
- Wilkins Public School
- Wollongong Public School
- Woollahra Public School
- Wyong Public School
Browse by region
Largest public schools
| School | Suburb | Type | Students | ICSEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ponds High School | The Ponds | Public high school · 7-12 | 2,318 | 1,118 |
| Chatswood High SchoolPartially | Chatswood | Public high school · 7-12 | 2,146 | 1,137 |
| Cherrybrook Technology High School | Cherrybrook | Public high school · 7-12 | 2,097 | 1,146 |
| Riverbank Public School | The Ponds | Public primary · K-6 | 2,030 | 1,141 |
| Castle Hill High School | Castle Hill | Public high school · 7-12 | 1,842 | 1,121 |
Guides for NSW families
- NSW opportunity classes explained
How NSW opportunity classes work in Years 5 and 6, how the placement test and equity places work, and where to find one. - NSW selective high schools explained
The difference between fully and partially selective schools, agricultural high schools, Aurora College and how the Year 7 test works. - NSW public school catchments and intake areas explained
How NSW local enrolment areas work, when out-of-area applications are possible, and what proof of address you'll need.