Choosing a school feels like one big decision. It is easier as a few small ones. Start with what your child needs, narrow the list to schools you could realistically get to and get into, then visit. This guide works for government, Catholic and independent schools alike.
Start with your child
Before you look at a single school, write down what matters for your child. A confident, social child may thrive somewhere large and busy; a quieter child may do better where every teacher knows their name. Think about the subjects and activities they love, any extra support they need, and how they cope with change.
Then write down what matters for your family: the trip each day, before- and after-school care, whether siblings could go to the same school and, for Catholic and independent schools, what you can afford across all of your child's years there, not just the first.
Build a realistic shortlist
Search by postcode or suburb to see every school near you. Find schools near you shows government, Catholic and independent schools together, with distances, so you can see your real options in one place.
For government schools, where you live usually decides where you have a guaranteed place. Most have a local enrolment area, often called a catchment, intake area or school zone. Our guide to school zones and catchment areas by state explains how to check yours before you fall in love with a school outside it.
For Catholic and independent schools the questions are different: entry years (most take the biggest intakes at Foundation and Year 7), waiting lists, and fees. Our private schools by area pages list them by council area.
Read the school's profile on My School
Every Australian school has a profile on My School, published by ACARA. It shows NAPLAN results, enrolments, staff numbers, the school's income and its ICSEA value. Each school page here links to it.
ICSEA (the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) describes the families a school serves, not how good the school is. Results are most telling when you compare a school with schools that serve similar families, which My School lets you do. Our guide to My School, NAPLAN and ICSEA shows how to read a profile fairly.
Visit, and ask good questions
Open days show a school at its best. If you can, also take a tour on an ordinary day and watch how students and teachers speak to each other.
- How big are classes, and how are students grouped?
- How does the school support students who need extra help, or extra challenge?
- What happens when there is bullying, and how quickly do parents hear about it?
- What do fees include, and what costs extra (uniforms, camps, devices, music)?
- How does the school communicate with families, and how often?
Then decide, and keep a back-up
Put your shortlist in order and apply to more than one school where you can. Popular Catholic and independent schools can fill their entry years well ahead, so enquire early; enquiring costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
For more detail on each stage, see choosing a primary school and choosing a secondary school.
Common questions
- When should I start looking at schools?
- For a government school, the year before your child starts is usually enough, because a place at your local school is guaranteed. For Catholic and independent schools, start earlier: popular schools can have waiting lists that families join several years ahead, especially for Year 7.
- Is a school with higher NAPLAN results a better school?
- Not necessarily. NAPLAN results reflect the students a school serves as well as the teaching. Compare a school with schools serving similar families, look at results over several years, and weigh them alongside what you see on a visit.
- How many schools should I visit?
- Visiting two or three schools of different kinds is usually enough to see the differences. Include your local government school, even if you are leaning towards a non-government school, so you are comparing real options.
- Can I apply to more than one school?
- Yes. You can apply to several Catholic and independent schools at once, and to a government school as well. Keep your local government school as a back-up until you have accepted a place elsewhere.
Sources
We check guides against official sources. Rules can change, and some details vary by area, so check with the source before you act.
Last updated 1 November 2026.