New data reveals which LGAs are home to the best secondary schools

The best suburbs to live in for access to Victoria’s top 100 best performing secondary schools has been revealed. See the full list.

The council areas that are home to the best Victorian secondary schools have been named. Picture: David Caird

The local government areas where quality high school education is only a stone’s throw away can be revealed, with one particular electorate spoiled for choice.

Families living in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs have the largest variety of top-performing secondary colleges to choose from compared to any other region, the latest Better Education analysis of 2023 data shows.

The City of Boroondara – which comprises of the suburbs Balwyn, Canterbury, Glen Iris, Hawthorn and Kew, among others – is home to 17 of the state’s 100 best high schools.

Residents living in the vicinity have access to campuses including all-boys school Camberwell Grammar and Camberwell Girls Grammar right on their doorstep.

But access to these schools doesn’t come without parents having to fork out thousands of dollars for hefty fees, with some families paying up to $40,000 each year per student.

The Better Education 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.

Schools with the same score are measured by Better Education on academic results to provide overall placings.

Fintona Girls’ School, which performed seventh-best Victoria wide, is the leading college in the Boroondara electorate.

Principal Rachael Falloon said the school’s balanced approach to wellbeing and achievement helped its highly motivated students thrive.

“Our individual approach to personalised learning and connecting with students to help them achieve their best are just two of the things that parents tell me appeals to them,” she said.

“Our smaller class sizes and quality teaching allows every student to achieve their personal best.”

Presbyterian Ladies' College ranked 5th out of 100 top performing schools in Victoria. Principal Cheryl Penberthy with students Ainsley, Ovindee, Emily and Isabella. Picture: David Caird

Students have already achieved several awards this year in a testament to the school’s commitment to its pupils and passionate staff.

Accomplished public colleges Auburn High School, Canterbury Girls’ Secondary and Kew High were also situated in the area.

Meanwhile, neighbouring local government areas (LGA) Monash and Whitehorse were both home to eight excelling secondary schools.

Presbyterian Ladies’ College – located in the Whitehorse LGA – achieved a perfect state score of 100 and ranked fifth overall.

Principal Cheryl Penberthy said the school was proud to serve its community by providing “great education that will serve (students) well for their future”.

“It’s the consistency of the PLC experience; year on year our outcomes for students are a reflection on the stimulating environment we provide that brings out the best in every girl,” she said.

The Stonnington area also had eight top-performing schools in its local government area, including selective government school Melbourne High, which ranked first and had a state overall score of 100.

Further south, Bayside had six top performing schools in its LGA, while Casey and Melbourne had access to four high-achieving schools.

In the state’s west, six council areas were home to at least one top performing school.

Selective entry government school Suzanne Cory High in Werribee was the most accomplished secondary institution in the west, followed by Westbourne Grammar School in Truganina and Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School in Brimbank.

While the majority of schools that made the top 100 were independently run, some non-selective entry government colleges on the list included Glen Waverley Secondary College, Balwyn High School and East Doncaster Secondary College.