Is Fort Street High School a government, Catholic or independent school?

Fort Street High School is a government secondary school in New South Wales. Its governing body is NSW Department of Education.

What years does Fort Street High School teach?

Fort Street High School teaches Years 7 to 12, for boys and girls.

How many students are enrolled at Fort Street High School?

Fort Street High School had 917 students in 2025, according to ACARA. That is about 14.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, which is not the same as class size.

Government secondary school in Petersham

Fort Street High School

Fort Street High School is a government secondary school for boys and girls, from Year 7 to Year 12, in Petersham, New South Wales.

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About the school

What Fort Street High School is like

It has 917 students (301 girls and 616 boys) and the equivalent of 64 full-time teachers, about 14 students for each teacher.

Compared with the 9 other secondary schools within about 3 km, it is larger than most of them.

The school is a selective school, so places are offered on the results of a selective entry test.

As a government school it is run by the NSW Department of Education. Tuition is free for Australian citizens and permanent residents, although schools usually ask for a voluntary contribution and charge for some materials and activities. Many government schools have a local enrolment area (catchment), and students who live inside it are guaranteed a place.

Its ICSEA value is 1176, against a national average of 1000. ICSEA describes the educational advantage of the families a school serves, not the quality of the school; read it alongside the school's results on My School.

The nearest private school is Christian Brothers' High School Lewisham, 1.0 km away. You can enquire with private schools near Petersham in one step.

At a glance

Fort Street High School at a glance

Students: 917; 2025
Girls and boys: 33% / 67%; 301 girls, 616 boys
Teachers: 64; full-time equivalent
Students per teacher: 14.3 to 1; not the same as class size
Years: Years 7 to 12

Selective: Fully selective: entry by the NSW selective high school placement test
Local enrolment area: Check an address with School Finder (NSW Department of Education).

Students, staff and years: Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), School Profile 2025. Results are on My School, not here.

Results

NAPLAN results and the school profile

Australian schools are not given inspection grades. Each school’s NAPLAN results, finances, attendance and student background are published by ACARA on My School: Fort Street High School on My School.

Government schools are reviewed by the NSW Department of Education. Ask the school for its most recent annual report, which every Australian school publishes.

Enrolment

How to get a place

Enrol directly with the school. Most government schools have a local enrolment area: if you live inside it your child has a place, and families from outside can apply if there is room. Enrolment for Year 7 usually opens in the year before, through your child's primary school. Entry to the selective classes is by a separate test run by the state education department. See our guide to how school enrolment works.

The NSW Department of Education explains who can enrol where and what to bring: Enrolling in a NSW public school.

Questions

Common questions about Fort Street High School

Is Fort Street High School a government, Catholic or independent school?: Fort Street High School is a government secondary school in New South Wales. Its governing body is NSW Department of Education.
What years does Fort Street High School teach?: Fort Street High School teaches Years 7 to 12, for boys and girls.
How many students are enrolled at Fort Street High School?: Fort Street High School had 917 students in 2025, according to ACARA. That is about 14.3 students per full-time-equivalent teacher, which is not the same as class size.
What is the ICSEA value of Fort Street High School?: Fort Street High School has an ICSEA value of 1176, against a national average of 1000. ICSEA describes the educational advantage of the families a school serves, not the quality of the school; read it alongside the school's results on My School.

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