Official data on parents’ education and level of social advantage reveals huge demographic shifts in Australian schools

Official data for every Australian school reveals some have recorded a meteoric rise in the social status of their families over the past decade. Explore the stats for your school.

Socially mobile parents and skilled migrants are changing the face of school communities, as analysis reveals the most upwardly mobile campuses across the country.

Data on the parent population at Australia’s public and private schools shows how demographics have shifted over the past decade.

Some schools have seen huge growth in the proportion of parents who are highly educated or work in skilled professions – and are therefore more socially advantaged.

The greatest increase was at St Mary of the Cross School in Brisbane – a rise of 78, from just four to 82 – followed by Islington Public School in Newcastle, NSW, where the percentile jumped by 75, from eight to 83.

The analysis is based on the index of community socio-educational advantage (ICSEA) which takes into account the education level of a school’s parent population, such as whether they finished high school or attended university. It also assesses the fields or professions in which parents work, how remote a campus is and the proportion of Indigenous students enrolled.

Schools are given an ICSEA percentile, of between zero and 100 – the higher the percentile, the more advantaged the school population.

We’ve analysed how the ICSEA percentile changed for every school around the country between 2014 and 2024, based on data published by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

DATA FOR NSW, VIC, QLD AND SA

* Schools have been omitted from this list if they did not exist in 2014, or data was not available for that year

The index can also be an indicator of the gentrification of surrounding suburbs. Experts say this can have an affect on a school’s academic performance.

Other top increases include:

ST JOHN’S School in Footscray, Victoria, up 57 (from 34 to 91).

NORTH WEST Christian School in Penguin, northern Tasmania up 47 (from five to 52).

MECKERING Primary School, 130km east of Perth, up 46 (from 11 to 57).

BLACKFRIARS Priory School in Adelaide up 44 (from 19 to 63).

HAILEYBURY Rendall School in Darwin up 42 (from 38 to 80).

BELCONNEN High School in Canberra up 23 (from 56 to 79).

In Greenacres in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, Hampstead Primary School’s index rose from 23 a decade ago to 61 last year.

Hampstead Primary School students Drushti, 11, Adara, 12, James, 12, and Sultan, 11. Picture: RoyVPhotography

Hampstead Primary School principal Lee VanDerHoek believes the intensive English language program, which attracts many skilled migrants, is part of the reason for increase in socio-economic advantage level.

Migrant students attend the school for the language program and once they graduate from it, they can leave to another site, but Mr VanDerHoek says changes in the last couple of years meant they were staying.

“We have staff in here that value what these students bring, their culture, their attitudes,” he said.

Year 6 student Drushti came to Adelaide from India in 2024 with her dad, who works in IT, and her mum, who is learning English at TAFE.

“Every single person is welcomed here no matter who they are or what they look like,” the 11-year-old said.

“We got a lot of support because we were new and I was nervous.”

She hopes to stay in Adelaide and become a doctor after school.

Hampstead Primary School students Drushti, 11, Adara, 12, James, 12 and Sultan, 11. Pic RoyVPhotography

Flinders University education analyst professor John Halsey said many factors fed into the characteristics of a school population.

“You’ve got property prices, you’ve got wage increases, year 12 completion rates or equivalent, those sorts of things factor in,” he said.

“Certain overseas cohorts will move into an area (because) housing might be cheaper or more plentiful. Often first generation immigrants bring a strong commitment to education.”

Flinders University Professor John Halsey.

Professor Halsey said this shifting parent population could mean more children enrolling who are “well supported on the home front, who are keen to learn”.

“Among the many factors that impact on your learning is who you learn with,” he said.

“Who comes in the front (school) gate has an enormous impact. Success breeds success.”

The ICSEA does not take into account the income or wealth of parents, or the financial resources of the school.

DATA FOR WA, TAS, NT AND ACT

* Schools have been omitted from this list if they did not exist in 2014, or data was not available for that year

Originally published as Official data on parents’ education and level of social advantage reveals huge demographic shifts in Australian schools