Victoria’s best primary and secondary schools ranked

Victoria’s top 100 high schools have been revealed, with several government schools in the suburbs outperforming private campuses that charge big fees. See the best.

Box Hill High School is one of the state’s top performing schools, beating many private schools that charge high fees.

Victoria’s four selective high schools have been named the state’s best, joining three private schools with a perfect score of 100.

The Better Education analysis of 2020 VCE and other academic outcomes shows Melbourne High School, Mac. Robertson Girls’ High School in Melbourne, Nossal High School in Berwick and Suzanne Cory High School in Werribee all received top scores, showing they are the state’s best performers.

While money spent on fees might buys results - with Ballarat Clarendon College, Presbyterian Ladies’ College and Haileybury also topping the list - public schools such as Box Hill High (98), Balwyn High (97), McKinnon Secondary College (96) and Vermont Secondary College (95) are also outperforming many elite schools.

The website is run independently and describes its aim as providing “informative and comparative school results, including school rankings or ratings and lists of best performing schools, to parents wanting to make ­choices about schooling for their children”.

The best overall score is an index of performance, not a ranking, the best score is 100 and the worst is 60, according to the independent website.

Schools close by on 99 are a “who’s who” of Melbourne’s elite private schools, including Scotch College, Trinity Grammar, Melbourne Grammar and Ruyton Girls’ School.

The Mac. Robertson Girls' High School was among the state’s best performing schools. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Students sit the VCE exams at McKinnon Secondary College in 2020. McKinnon is one of the top 100 schools in the state. Picture: Nicole Cleary

Xavier College, Kew, was also in the top 100 with a rating of 96. Picture: Mark Stewart

The top-performing schools with the broadest socio-economic mix of students include Adass Israel School, Mildura Christian College and Whycheproof P-12 College.
Entering the prestigious top 100 list this year are St Paul’s Anglican, Beth Rivkah Ladies College, Glenvale School and Brentwood Secondary College.

The highest-ranked outer suburban school is Waverley Christian College in Wantirna.

It joins the International School in Kilmore on 98, Heathdale Christian College in Werribee on 97 and Donvale Christian College, also on 97.

The most successful non-selective secondary colleges were Box Hill High, Glen Waverley Secondary College and University High.

The state’s top scoring ­primary schools include Presbyterian Ladies’ College, ­Haileybury College, St Andrews Christian College in Wantirna, Huntingtower School Mt Waverley and ­Beverley Hills Primary School in Doncaster East.

Other high-achieving primary schools with a perfect score of 100 include Oakleigh South Primary School, Burwood East Primary School and Doncaster Gardens Primary School. Camberwell Primary School, Mount View Primary School and the prestigious St Kevin’s College in Toorak all scored 99.

The top-performing primary schools with the broadest socio-economic mix of students include Lumineer Academy in Williamstown, Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar in ­Essendon and Woorinen District Primary School.

Some of the schools that ranked in the state’s top 5 per cent include Mount Waverley Primary School, Kilvington Grammar School in Ormond and Holy Trinity Primary School in Eltham North.

Glen Waverley Secondary College principal Joanne ­Wastle said one of the most ­important aspects of quality education was a “strategic focus on what matters most – student outcomes”.

“We educate the child as a whole and have a focus on both academics and student wellbeing,” she said.

Ruth Jones, principal of Good Shepherd School in Wheelers Hill said “innovative and dedicated teachers, backed by strong partnerships between school and families, are key to providing the supportive environment for students to achieve their best”.