Orara High is a co-ed government school in Coffs Harbour with a close, caring community feel.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages and growth below the national median; the result is a C overall.
Orara High is a co-ed government school in Coffs Harbour with a close, caring community feel. The school offers Inspire classes for high-potential and gifted students, plus dedicated support for those needing extra help, including targeted programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Volleyball is a standout here through the Orara Thunder program. Families value the school's strong pastoral culture and tight-knit atmosphere.
Orara High School is also known as Orara HS and OHS Coffs Harbour.
Orara High School draws students from the Orara HS (and 1 more zone).
Orara High School has an overall SchoolRank score of 23.3/100, rated "Below Average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school scores 38/100, indicating developing performance relative to other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 896, below the national average of 1,000.
In 2025 NAPLAN testing at Orara High School, Year 7 students averaged 491 across the tested NAPLAN domains, well below the national average of 540 for that year level, and Year 9 students averaged 518, 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.
Orara High School is a medium-sized government secondary school with approximately 858 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.
Orara 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 40/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Orara High School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.2:1. This is below the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning students generally receive more individual attention. Support staff make up 21% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 76%, which is below the national benchmark.
The Year 12 completion rate is 57%.
Orara High School is located in Coffs Harbour, NSW, classified as a inner regional school. With an ICSEA of 896 (10th 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.