Cowra High School is a government co-ed secondary serving the regional community with a pastoral, tight-knit approach.
NAPLAN 37 points below national year-level averages and solid student growth; the result is a B- overall.
Cowra High School is a government co-ed secondary serving the regional community with a pastoral, tight-knit approach. The Inspire program supports high-potential and gifted learners, while dedicated Aboriginal Programs and tailored learning support serve students with additional needs. The school partners with local primary schools through its Triple O program and builds strong pastoral relationships across year groups.
Cowra High School is also known as Cowra HS and CHS Cowra.
Cowra High School draws students from the Cowra HS (and 1 more zone).
Cowra High School has an overall SchoolRank score of 41.6/100, rated "Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 39/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 884, below the national average of 1,000. Notably, the school shows strong student growth over time (62/100), meaning students tend to improve well regardless of their starting point.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Cowra High School, Year 7 students averaged 506 across the tested NAPLAN domains, below the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 529, well below the national average of 569 for that year level. National averages are specific to each year level, because NAPLAN scores are scaled so older year levels score higher, a school-wide average can't be compared with a single national figure.
Cowra High School is a small government secondary school with approximately 439 students. It offers education for years 7-12. As a government school, enrolment is generally available to students living within the school's designated catchment zone. Families outside the zone may apply for out-of-area placement subject to availability.
Cowra High School is a government school, so there are no tuition fees. Families may be asked to contribute to voluntary school fees covering materials, excursions, and activities. The school has a value score of 41/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Cowra High School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 9.3:1. This is well below the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning students generally receive more individual attention. Support staff make up 26% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 77%, which is below the national benchmark.
Cowra High School is located in Cowra, NSW, classified as a inner regional school. With an ICSEA of 884 (8th percentile), the school community's socio-educational advantage is below average, which means the school serves a community with greater socio-educational challenges. ICSEA measures the educational advantage of a school's community, not the school's quality, a lower ICSEA school with strong academic scores may indicate particularly effective teaching.