Who’s who at regional NSW’s top private schools: Movers, shakers and notable former students
Step into the world of regional NSW’s most prestigious schools and get the lowdown on the most notable alumni at some of the state’s most elite institutions.
Lismore
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Despite the rising cost of living, parents keep paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to educate their children at the state’s most elite and prestigious private schools.
The nation’s second-most expensive private school is elite all-girls institution Kambala School in Rose Bay, with 2023 fees topping out at $46,300 and just $144 short per year of the most expensive school – Victoria’s Geelong Grammar.
It also costs north of $40,000 to attend SCEGGS Darlinghurst, Sydney Grammar School, The Scots College, The King’s School, Ascham and PLC Sydney.
Read the who’s who of Sydney’s private schools here:
But the investment appears to keep paying off for many of Sydney’s most powerful people, with private schools producing the education, the connections and the status often required to ascend to the c-suite, the boardroom, the parliament and the most senior leadership positions in the state and nation.
Regional NSW
Bishop Druitt College, Coffs Harbour
An independent analysis of newly-released 2022 NAPLAN results revealed the Coffs Coast’s top performing secondary school was Bishop Druitt College, with a score of 596.0 as an average in the Year 5 and 9 tests.
Principal: Nick Johnstone
2022 HSC ranking: 185
Famous alumni: Basketball player Liz Cambage, pro surfer and photographer Otis Carey, cancer researcher Ryan Cross
McAuley Catholic College, Clarenza
McAuley Catholic College in Clarenza was the second best performing secondary school in the Clarence with an average score of 562.2 in the 2022 NAPLAN assessment. The College was formed in 1990 with the amalgamation of three local Catholic schools – Holy Spirit College, St Aloysius College and St Mary’s College.
Principal: Kate Thomson
2022 HSC ranking: 477
Famous alumni: country singer Troy Cassar-Daley, rugby player Jed Holloway, netball player Verity Simmons
Emmanuel Anglican College, West Ballina
The 2022 NAPLAN results which were independently analysed revealed Emmanuel Anglican College lead the charge in Ballina for primary school results, with an average of 536.2, and was second in the Northern Rivers for its secondary school, with an average score of 604.4.
Principal: Rob Tobias
2022 HSC ranking: 176
Famous alumni: AusCycling National Championship U19 Women’s Mountain Bike division title winner Hayley Oakes
MacKillop Senior College, Port Macquarie
The patron saint of MacKillop Senior College in Port Macquarie, Mary MacKillop, inspires the school’s wish to educate students who are generous in every endeavour. The school has a pastoral care program to ensure the wellbeing and happiness of all students.
Principal: Cath Eichmann
2022 HSC ranking: 152
Famous alumni: A Current Affair host Allison Langdon
Trinity Catholic College, Lismore
The Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools is set to relocate three North Coast campuses – including one of the regional city’s largest – in the wake of last year’s catastrophic floods. Trinity Catholic College Lismore principal Jesse Smith said the move would ensure “high quality Catholic education” at Trinity’s new Southern Cross University campus.
Principal: Jesse Smith
2022 HSC ranking: 181
Famous alumni: Actor Simon Baker
Xavier Catholic College, Skennars Head
Xavier Catholic College Ballina in Skennars Head was the third best performing school in the Ballina Byron region with an average score of 2997.5 in the 2022 NAPLAN assessment.
Principal: Kevin Lewis
2022 HSC ranking: 63
Famous alumni: rugby league player Mitch Aubusson
Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School, Terranora
Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School was named the top performing school in the Tweed after the 2022 NAPLAN results for Year 5 and Year 9 tests were released. The school in Terranora had better primary results than any other school in Tweed, scoring an average of 522.6 across the five test subjects.
Principal: Stuart Marquardt
2022 HSC ranking: 199
Famous alumni: Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning rugby sevens player Lily Dick
St Joseph’s College, Banora Point
St Joseph‘s College at Banora Point was the fifth best performing school in the Tweed region in the 2022 NAPLAN assessment, with a score of 575.2 for Year 9 students.
Principal: Scott Thomson
2022 HSC ranking: 276
Famous alumni: comedian Celeste Barber
Kildare Catholic College, Wagga
Kildare Catholic College upholds an unbroken 140 year tradition of Catholic education, with the arrival of the Presentation Sisters at the Mt Erin site in 1876. The long-running institution accommodates both day and boarding students.
Principal: Chris Browne
2022 HSC ranking: 401
Famous alumni: former Olympic rugby 7s medallist Alicia Lucas (nee Quirk)
The Illawarra Grammar School, Wollongong
TIGS was the second ranked secondary school in the Illawarra region with a score of 617.2 in the 2022 NAPLAN assessment. The school has recently attracted controversy over a new requirement that future school heads must oppose same sex marriage.
Principal: Judi Nealy
2022 HSC ranking: 189
Famous alumni: Olympic swimming legend Emma McKeon
Newcastle Grammar School, Newcastle
Newcastle Grammar School has recently appointed former deputy head at Barker, Matthew Macoustra, as its new principal beginning in 2023. “Mr Macoustra has a wealth of experience in the Independent Schools sector and expressed an appreciation of the School’s commitment to educational excellence,” the school’s Board Chair, Catherine Wilkinson, said in a statement.
Principal: Matthew Macoustra
2022 HSC ranking: 55
Famous alumni: Actor Susie Porter
St Edward’s Catholic College, East Gosford
The school known affectionately as “Eddies” on the Central Coast is a well-known rugby league nursery, turning out multiple top-tier and representative players, including incoming NSW Blues debutant Bradman Best.
Principal: Mark Bonnici
2022 HSC ranking: 368
Famous alumni: Rugby league players Bradman Best, Tom Starling, Jacob and Daniel Saifiti, James Moloney and Connor Watson
Central Coast Grammar School, Erina Heights
Central Coast Grammar School was the second highest performing secondary school on the Central Coast in the 2022 NAPLAN assessment. Principal Bill Low said “strong literacy and numeracy skills are crucial for the success of every student and a core focus”.
Principal: William Low
2022 HSC ranking: 81
Famous alumni: Olympic skier Matt Graham, actor Charlotte Best
Blue Mountains Grammar School, Wentworth Falls
Blue Mountains Grammar School is an Anglican coeducational day school which has been providing independent education in the Blue Mountains for more than 100 years.
Principal: Steve Coote
2022 HSC ranking: 177
Famous alumni: Television personality Andrew Denton
St Matthew’s College, Mudgee
The St Matthews Catholic School’s new secondary campus in Mudgee is a $33 million investment in the local community, entirely funded by the Catholic Diocese of Bathurst. The new school was finished ahead of time and budget in late 2022.
Principal: Angela Myles
2022 HSC ranking: 214
Famous alumni: News anchor Natarsha Belling
St John’s College, Dubbo
After six years of planning work, a massive new $4.5 million multipurpose hall got underway in 2020 at St John’s College. The new hall is one of the biggest indoor event spaces in Dubbo and includes space for 1200 people.
Principal: Nicole Morton
2022 HSC ranking: 364
Famous alumni: Penrith Panthers players Isaah Yeo and Matt Burton
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