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Sydney Schools Guide: Public, Catholic, Independent Options Explained

A guide to Sydney's public, Catholic, and independent schools, selective school entry, and how to choose the right school.

By Sydney Daily · Published 1 July 2026

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Produced with AI assistance and reviewed against our editorial standards. Sources are linked where available. Spotted an error or need a correction? Contact [email protected].

Sydney Schools Guide: Public, Catholic, Independent Options Explained — Photo by Max Ravier on Pexels

Schools in Sydney

Sydney is home to Australia's largest and most diverse school system, with thousands of public, Catholic, and independent schools across the greater metropolitan area. Choosing the right school for your family depends on location, values, budget, and academic goals.

Government Schools

NSW public schools are run by the NSW Department of Education. Sydney has a number of prestigious selective government high schools that consistently top state academic results: James Ruse Agricultural High School (Carlingford), North Sydney Boys and North Sydney Girls High Schools, Sydney Girls High School (Surry Hills), Sydney Boys High School (Moore Park), and Fort Street High School (Petersham). Entry to selective schools is via the Selective High School Placement Test (HSPT) in Year 6.

Comprehensive government high schools are enrolled by local catchment. Some suburbs have very well-regarded comprehensive schools that rival independent school results.

Catholic Schools

Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta, Diocese of Sydney (Sydney Catholic Schools), and the Diocese of Broken Bay all operate networks across Sydney. St Aloysius' College (Milsons Point), St Ignatius Riverview (Lane Cove), Loreto Kirribilli, Mercy Catholic College Chatswood, and Marist Brothers Eastwood are among the well-regarded Catholic schools.

Independent Schools

Sydney has some of Australia's most prestigious independent schools, with fees ranging from $10,000 to $45,000 per year. The Great Public Schools (GPS) network includes Sydney Grammar (Darlinghurst), King's School (North Parramatta), Shore (North Sydney), Knox Grammar (Wahroonga), Cranbrook (Bellevue Hill), and others. The PSSA and CAS networks compete in sport and co-curricular activities. Waiting lists at top schools can begin at birth.

Finding and Enrolling

Government school enrolments go through the NSW Department of Education (education.nsw.gov.au). Selective school applications close mid-year for the following year's entry. Contact Catholic and independent schools directly for enrolment information.

This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.