Kotara High is a co-educational government secondary school in Adamstown with distinctive strengths in Japanese language and Marine Studies.
NAPLAN modestly above national year-level averages; the result is a B- overall.
Kotara High is a co-educational government secondary school in Adamstown with distinctive strengths in Japanese language and Marine Studies. The school runs a rigorous Inspire program for high-potential students alongside strong support structures including a dedicated learning support team and wellbeing services. Families work with staff to co-design learning plans suited to each student. Known for an academic but pastoral environment, Kotara builds a tight-knit community where students have access to experiential fieldwork opportunities, particularly through its Marine Studies program. It suits families seeking genuine specialisation in languages or marine science, combined with attentive pastoral care.
Kotara High School draws students from the Kotara HS (and 1 more zone).
Kotara High School has an overall SchoolRank score of 53.6/100, rated "Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 57/100, indicating moderate performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 1066, well above the national average of 1,000.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Kotara High School, Year 7 students averaged 556 across the tested NAPLAN domains, above the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 573, in line with the national average of 569 for that year level. Relative to national year-level averages, the school's strongest domain is Numeracy. 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.
Kotara High School is a large government secondary school with approximately 1,130 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.
Kotara 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 60/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Kotara High School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.2:1. This is around the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning class sizes are typical for Australian schools. Support staff make up 20% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 86%, which is moderate.
Kotara High School is located in Adamstown, NSW, classified as a major cities school. With an ICSEA of 1066 (74th percentile), the school community's socio-educational advantage is around the national average. 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.