Best Schools in Ballarat

Top schools in Ballarat

1. Ballarat Clarendon College
   Ballarat · Independent · Combined — Academic 92/100
2. Mount Blowhard Primary School
   Blowhard · Government · Primary — Academic 66/100
3. Ballarat Primary School (Dana Street)
   Ballarat · Government · Primary — Academic 62/100
4. Ballarat Grammar
   Wendouree · Independent · Combined — Academic 61/100
5. St Francis Xavier School
   Ballarat East · Catholic · Primary — Academic 61/100
6. Pleasant Street Primary School (Ballarat)
   Lake Wendouree · Government · Primary — Academic 60/100
7. Loreto College
   Ballarat · Catholic · Secondary — Academic 59/100
8. Haddon Primary School
   Haddon · Government · Primary — Academic 58/100

Most-listed suburbs in Ballarat

• Ballarat (9 schools) · avg academic 56/100
• Wendouree (6 schools) · avg academic 41/100
• Mount Clear (4 schools) · avg academic 50/100
• Ballarat East (4 schools) · avg academic 54/100
• Sebastopol (4 schools) · avg academic 45/100
• Creswick (3 schools) · avg academic 52/100
• Beaufort (2 schools) · avg academic 43/100
• Delacombe (2 schools) · avg academic 48/100
• Lucas (2 schools) · avg academic 52/100
• Alfredton (2 schools) · avg academic 52/100

Schools in Ballarat: a closer look

Ballarat is central Victoria's largest education centre, serving families from across the western highlands and goldfields region. The independent sector has unusual depth for a regional city: Ballarat Grammar, Ballarat Clarendon College and Ballarat and Queen's Anglican Grammar all offer K-12 programs with boarding options that draw students from pastoral properties across western Victoria.

The Catholic system is equally prominent, with St Patrick's College, Loreto College and Damascus College providing secondary pathways. Loreto and St Patrick's both have long histories in the city and remain popular choices for families in the Catholic tradition. Government secondaries include Ballarat High School, Woodmans Hill Secondary College, Mount Clear College and Phoenix P-12 Community College. Ballarat High is the strongest government performer, with NAPLAN results tracking above the state average.

NAPLAN results across Ballarat sit close to the Victorian state average, with Ballarat Clarendon College the clear academic standout; its results sit well above both regional and metropolitan averages. The established independents and Catholic colleges typically post above-average outcomes, while the government sector offers solid options across all parts of the city. The city's role as a Federation University hub adds a post-secondary dimension that influences family decisions about Year 11 and 12 subject selection. Ballarat's compact geography means most schools are within a 15-minute drive, giving families genuine access to all three sectors regardless of where they live.