Best Schools in Newcastle

Top schools in Newcastle

1. Merewether High School
   Broadmeadow · Government · Secondary — Academic 95/100
2. Newcastle Grammar School
   The Hill · Independent · Combined — Academic 76/100
3. Charlestown South Public School
   Charlestown · Government · Primary — Academic 75/100
4. Hamilton South Public School
   Merewether · Government · Primary — Academic 70/100
5. St Philip's Christian College - Waratah
   Waratah · Independent · Combined — Academic 69/100
6. Tighes Hill Public School
   Tighes Hill · Government · Primary — Academic 69/100
7. Eleebana Public School
   Eleebana · Government · Primary — Academic 68/100
8. Hunter Valley Grammar School
   Ashtonfield · Independent · Combined — Academic 68/100

Most-listed suburbs in Newcastle

• Wallsend (7 schools) · avg academic 49/100
• Singleton (6 schools) · avg academic 47/100
• East Maitland (6 schools) · avg academic 51/100
• Charlestown (5 schools) · avg academic 61/100
• Medowie (5 schools) · avg academic 50/100
• Raymond terrace (5 schools) · avg academic 37/100
• Adamstown (5 schools) · avg academic 60/100
• Belmont (5 schools) · avg academic 55/100
• Cessnock (5 schools) · avg academic 39/100
• Mayfield (4 schools) · avg academic 51/100

Schools in Newcastle: a closer look

Newcastle benefits from NSW's selective high school system, with Merewether High School operating as the Hunter region's primary selective-entry government school. Its academic results rival many Sydney selectives, and it draws students from across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Upper Hunter. The comprehensive government sector is strong too: Newcastle High School, Lambton High School, Whitebridge High School and Callaghan College all post solid NAPLAN and HSC outcomes.

The independent sector includes Newcastle Grammar School, Hunter Valley Grammar School in Ashtonfield and Scone Grammar School further north. The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle runs a large network of primary and secondary schools, with St Pius X High School in Adamstown, St Francis Xavier's College in Hamilton and San Clemente High School in Mayfield among the better-known secondaries.

Lake Macquarie's suburban growth from Charlestown through Belmont to Swansea has created demand for additional school capacity in recent years. The region's NAPLAN results generally sit close to the NSW state average, with selective-entry and inner-Newcastle schools pulling the upper end well above that benchmark.