Menu
Education
Global Search

Why choose public education?

The best education money can't buy

For 175 years, NSW public schools have been at the heart of education, preparing today's children to succeed and build better communities for tomorrow.

Why you should choose public schools

Student success

  • Our schools offer high-quality education that's well-rounded and tuition fee-free, providing a strong foundation for lifelong learning and success.
  • Our schools consistently feature as the most successful performers in the NSW HSC results, while our students achieve above the national average in NAPLAN.
  • More than 50 of our students topped the state in their 2023 HSC subjects.
  • Over 90% of our graduates go into further education, training or employment. You will find public school alumni leading the way in almost every industry – from Reserve Bank governors to High Court judges, international film and sports stars, to experts in health, academia, science and construction.

A world of opportunities

  • We have more than 140,000 teachers and school support staff who are dedicated to student learning and success.
  • We offer students a wealth of resources and opportunities to help them thrive. From STEM, sports, arts and beyond, our broad curriculum fosters curiosity and critical thinking.
  • We offer a variety of schools, including high schools with selective or enrichment streams, specialist arts, drama and music programs, and schools for specific purposes. Every student can find the school that suits their needs and interests.
  • Our students have access to cutting-edge technology, innovative learning tools and a vast pool of resources across our large network of schools.

Diverse communities

  • With more than 2,200 schools in cities, towns and rural communities across the state, we offer incredible diversity and choice.
  • Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds, with more than 37% coming from homes where languages other than English are spoken.
  • We celebrate this diversity, which helps our local communities create well-rounded global citizens.
  • We broaden our students' horizons through language programs, cultural exchanges, work experience and international competitions.
  • Our students can also participate in specialty programs covering sports, vocational education, dance, drama, music, visual arts, literature, debating and public speaking.

Support for all learners

  • Our schools cater to the needs of all students and we have specialist educators for students who need additional support.
  • We offer comprehensive support systems, including career guidance and wellbeing programs. Every high school student also has access to a school counsellor and a student support officer.
  • We offer strong transition programs from school into the workplace or further study, drawing on collaborations with universities and industry.
  • Our individualised learning plans ensure all of our students are prepared for the challenges of the future and can grow with confidence and resilience.
  • We drive innovation and improvement to enhance student learning, such as trialling a purpose-built generative artificial intelligence app and our new policy that prohibits students using mobile phones at school.

How to find my school

Find the right school close to your home by entering your address or school name into School Finder tool. Refine your search with tailored filters like outside school hours care, opportunity classes or speciality areas to meet your child’s unique study and lifestyle needs

Use School Finder

Spotlight on our success

Our achievers
Students' classroom experiments take off into space
Casula High School students are contributing to advancing space exploration and improving life on Earth with experiments they developed in their classrooms. Scientists will test their experiments on the International Space Station later this year.
Our students
The NSW public school students at an international Olympiad
A trio of Year 10 public school students were selected Australia’s national team at the 2023 International Junior Science Olympiad.
Our alumni
Dr Jordan Nguyen, inventor of the mind controlled wheelchair
Meet the scientist and public school graduate whose innovations in assistive technology are transforming the lives of people with disabilities.
Our schools
Public school teachers honoured with national awards
Two of our teachers, Joshua Barden and Lien Chai, were named among Australia's top 12 outstanding teachers at the 2023 Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards.

Discover why our students love their schools

A glimpse into why you should choose a public school for your child.

The video features a montage of public school students participating in diverse activities such as sports, cultural exercises, competitions, and extra-curricular learning experiences. The scenes are accompanied by lively classical music, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

Return to top of page Back to top