Australia's Top 100 public and private schools get NAPLAN boost as migrant enrolments soar – explore the data

The nation’s most desirable schools are seeing a huge rise in students from non-English speaking backgrounds, data reveals. Search the list of over 250 top schools.

Enterprising migrant families are flocking to top public and private schools, leading to changing demographics and higher academic results, new data shows.

Migrant students have increased four-fold at some schools over the past decade, exclusive analysis of enrolment trends shows.

Some large private schools now have seven out of 10 students from language background other than English (LBOTE) families – many of them from China.

Many of the leading public schools in the country have as many as 97 per cent of students coming from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Analysis of the changing demographics at the Top 100 private schools in the nation shows the proportion of such students has increased in 86 out of 100 schools over the past decade.

Nationally, the school with the biggest jump of migrant enrolments – 52 per cent between 2014 and 2024 – is Redeemer Lutheran College in Queensland, bringing its proportion of non-English speaking background students to 66 per cent.

Marrara Christian College in the Northern Territory saw LBOTE students increase over the last decade to 42 per cent in 2024 from none at all in 2014 – although a significant proportion of this is attributable to the enrolment of Indigenous students.

The third-biggest increase nationally is at Presbyterian Ladies College in Victoria, which has increased from 35 per cent of non-English speaking background students in 2014 to 71 per cent in 2024.

The South Australian Top 100 private school with the highest percentage of migrant students overall is St Peter’s Girls’ School, which has increased from 8 per cent to 42 per cent over the past decade.

A similar trend is also seen in Top 100 public schools. SA’s top-ranked Glenunga International High School has seen its migrant enrolments rise to 58 per cent in 2024.

The NSW Top 100 private school with the highest proportion of non-English speaking background students is the Meriden School in Strathfield, at 79 per cent; while public school Parramatta High has 97 per cent of its students from an LBOTE family.

School leaders and migrant families say these choices are driven by academic excellence and the high value migrant families place on education.

Many migrant students overperform in NAPLAN, helping raise the performance of the schools they attend while also enriching their culture, exclusive analysis of year 7 and 9 NAPLAN results by News Corp Australia shows.

Despite English often being a second or third language, LBOTE students outperform their peers across the country. Since 2008, the gap between these students has exploded from just two points to 21.

Independent Schools Australia CEO Graham Catt said independent schools “reflect the cultural diversity of modern Australia, and around one in three independent students have a language background other than English”.

“This diversity is reflected in school cultures, enriching the learning experience and helping to prepare all students for a global future,” Mr Catt said.

“We know that the biggest reason families choose a school is because it aligns with their values, and their aspirations for their children.”

Cecilia Luo and her family, who live in Beijing.

The demographic shift is led by Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC) students such as year 12 student Cecilia Luo, and her mother Claire Wang, 44.

Beijing-based Dr Wang sent her daughter Cecilia to board at PLC for its safety and academic reputation. Each term Cecilia travels independently from Beijing to attend the high-performing girls’ school in Melbourne.

Dr Wang said her family places a high value on education, and had been saving for Cecilia’s studies since she was born.

“Education has been a transformative force in my own life,” she said.

PLC principal Dr Emma Burgess said her school was proud of the contribution of LBOTE students, but reiterated every student, regardless of background, makes up “one exceptional cohort”.

“We see their contribution most clearly in the richness they bring to our culture,” Dr Burgess said.

“I believe this stems from families who deeply value education and actively prioritise time and support for their children to pursue excellence across the curriculum and co-curriculum.”

PLC student Cecilia Luo is one of many migrant students at the high-performing school.

Fiona McAuliffe, principal of Good News Lutheran College in Victoria, said her school was “experiencing rapid growth as more families move into Melbourne’s fast-growing western corridor”.

“Enrolments continue to grow year on year, and, in response to overwhelming demand, this year we opened a second campus in Mambourin. Many migrant families moving into the area are looking for schools that share their values, offer strong learning pathways, and provide a safe and supportive community,” she said.

“With low fees and dedicated teachers, the school is ideal for hardworking families who are prioritising education.”

Gurveen, Gurnaz and Gurshaan at Good News Lutheran School in Tarneit, Victoria, with their mum Amanbir and principal Fiona McAuliffe. Picture: David Crosling

In South Australia, the Heights School principal Alina Page said her school’s enrolments were “reflecting new migration patterns”.

“We have seen communities seek opportunities for children and they’ve seen the opportunities The Heights has to offer,” she said. “The success of the children has bred further success.”

The school has a variety of different cultural backgrounds which Ms Page says is “a real representation of modern Australia”.

“It’s really a lovely mix of cultures that thrive together,” she said.

The Heights School in South Australia has increased its proportion of migrant students from 16 per cent to 51 per cent – including Muhammad and Minha at the front, and Paarth and Abbas at the back. Picture: Dean Martin

NSW schools with high migrant enrolments include Canley Vale Public School, where 97 per cent of students come from a language background other than English, representing 35 language groups.

Canley Vale Public School principal Margaret Creagh said: “With so many different languages, everyone is accepting of every culture. We have a beautiful school culture where a strong sense of belonging, and inclusiveness exists. This is certainly something that I am proud of.”

Education Minister Prue Car said: “Our NSW public schools are high quality learning environments where each student is supported for their unique abilities, including their language background. It is fantastic to see students from some of our most linguistically diverse schools achieving academic success, particularly in Western Sydney.”

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Originally published as Australia's Top 100 public and private schools get NAPLAN boost as migrant enrolments soar – explore the data