Melbourne Schools Academic Ranking: A Comprehensive Guide -

‣ Disclaimer

This article contains information that is for general information only and should not be used for the basis of making any decisions regarding education or anything else. It is solely the writer’s opinion of the writer’s experience of one open day at the school and the writer’s interactions with the people present on that day. The writer’s article is purely subjective. Facts and information may or may not be complete, accurate, reliable or valid reflection of the school in question.

I encourage you to personally tour the school and meet the educators and students, form your own opinion and leave a comment here.

Best of luck with your search for the perfect school!

As a parent in Melbourne, I’ve spent a lot of time researching schools for my child.

During this process, like many parents I’ve looked at academic rankings of schools in Melbourne. These rankings are undoubtedly important – they give a picture of a the cohort’s academic performance each year and while results aren’t everything, they do open doors, especially to higher education.

However, I want to emphasize that while VCE scores are valuable, it’s not the whole story. Academic rankings are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to choosing the right school for our kids. There are many other factors to consider, like school culture, extracurricular activities, and teaching approaches.

This article presents a ranking of the top 100 schools in Melbourne based on VCE scores. In some cases there are also tour articles and / or podcast interviews with parents, ex-students and principals that may give some insights into what the school is like, academics aside.

I encourage all parents to use the information as a starting point, not the final word. Remember to visit schools, talk to other parents, ask our community at the Melbourne Schools Facebook Group and trust your instincts about what’s best for your child.

Note that VCE scores, while informative, have limitations as a comparative tool. These scores don’t necessarily reflect the overall quality of education or student experience. For example:

Results may be influenced by socioeconomic factors, with schools with families coming from higher economic status often correlate with higher scores.
High-performing schools may have a significant proportion of students receiving external tuition.
High-performing schools that select students based on an entry exam
Some schools offer both the IB diploma and VCE in year 12, so VCE scores don’t reflect the whole cohort

The ranking table includes the following information for each school:

Rank based on median VCE scores
Percent study scores over 40
Locality
Sector
Year 12 Fees where available
Co-educational or single-sex
Links to tour articles and / or podcast interviews

Disclaimers

Private – non-government, may be based on a religion but don’t seem to have a significant religious component to education

Fees: Fees are based on information is publicly available at time of publishing, they may or may not include levies and taxes and other additional fees. Fees change, please check for accuracy if you are interested in the school.

Sectors: The distinction between private and religious is not clear cut. I have categorized as I see them.

Jewish / Christian / Catholic / Private Religious – non-government and seeming to have a significant religious component to education
Private – non-government, may be based on a religion but don’t seem to have a significant religious component to education

Filter by Sector:

School	Fee ($)	Locality	Median VCE study score 2023	Percentage of study scores >40	Sector	Gender	Podcast/Tour
Ballarat Clarendon College	$22,470	BALLARAT	39	45.8%	Private	Co-ed	No
Bialik College	$39,990	HAWTHORN	37	34.1%	Jewish	Co-ed	No
Huntingtower School	$29,290	MOUNT WAVERLEY	37	33.8%	Private religious	Co-ed	No
Mount Scopus Memorial College	$42,335	BURWOOD	37	31.5%	Jewish	Co-ed	No
Yesodei HaTorah College	–	ORMOND	37	20%	Jewish	Co-ed	No
Ruyton Girls’ School	$39,630	KEW	37	31.4%	Private	Girls	No
Mac.Robertson Girls’ High Schl	–	MELBOURNE	36	29.3%	Public selective	Girls	Available
Melbourne High School	–	SOUTH YARRA	36	27.9%	Public selective	Boys	No
Nossal High School	–	BERWICK	36	27%	Public selective	Co-ed	No
Sacre Coeur	$31,480	GLEN IRIS	36	27%	Catholic	Girls	No
The King David School	$41,904	ARMADALE	36	26.5%	Jewish	Co-ed	No
Leibler Yavneh College	–	ELSTERNWICK	36	23.1%	Jewish	Co-ed	No
Loreto Mandeville Hall	$32,920	TOORAK	36	29.6%	Private	Girls	No
Mentone Girls’ Grammar School	$38,700	MENTONE	36	29.4%	Private	Girls	No
Korowa Anglican Girls’ School	$40,350	GLEN IRIS	36	29%	Private	Girls	No
St Catherine’s School	$41,100	TOORAK	36	28.9%	Private	Girls	No
Haileybury Girls College	$39,985	KEYSBOROUGH	36	28.6%	Private	Girls	No
Brighton Grammar School	$39,132	BRIGHTON	36	24.5%	Private	Boys	No
John Monash Science School	–	CLAYTON	35	21.5%	Public selective	Co-ed	No
Suzanne Cory High School	–	WERRIBEE	35	19%	Public selective	Co-ed	No
St Kevin’s College	$25,625	TOORAK	35	24%	Catholic	Boys	No
Camberwell Anglican Girls GS	$38,150	CANTERBURY	35	19.5%	Private religious	Girls	No
Beth Rivkah Ladies College	–	ST KILDA EAST	35	18.9%	Jewish	Girls	No
Fintona Girls School	$36,776	BALWYN	35	27.7%	Private	Girls	No
Melbourne Grammar School	$41,640	MELBOURNE	35	27.1%	Private	Boys	No
Haileybury College	$39,985	KEYSBOROUGH	35	26.3%	Private	Co-ed	Available
Trinity Grammar School	$39,948	KEW	35	25.7%	Private	Boys	No
Strathcona Baptist Girls GS	$37,294	CANTERBURY	35	23.7%	Private	Girls	No
Presbyterian Ladies’ College	$36,372	BURWOOD	35	23%	Private	Girls	No
Yarra Valley Grammar School	$32,361	RINGWOOD	35	22.3%	Private	Co-ed	No
Mentone Grammar School	$33,384	MENTONE	35	21.1%	Private	Co-ed	No
Camberwell Grammar School	$39,410	CANTERBURY	35	21%	Private	Boys	No
St Leonard’s College	$40,879	BRIGHTON EAST	35	20.7%	Private	Co-ed	No
Goulburn Valley Grammar Schl	$19,653	SHEPPARTON	35	19.2%	Private	Co-ed	No
Mallacoota P-12 College	–	MALLACOOTA	34	16.7%	Public
Corryong College	–	CORRYONG	34	15.4%	Public	Co-ed	No
Siena College	$18,236	CAMBERWELL	34	20.4%	Catholic	Girls	No
Genazzano F.C.J. College	$35,370	KEW	34	18%	Catholic	Girls	No
Yeshivah College	–	ST KILDA EAST	34	17.9%	Private religious	Boys	No
Star of the Sea College	$15,790	BRIGHTON	34	13.5%	Catholic	Girls	No
Penleigh & Essendon Grammar	–	KEILOR EAST	34	20.3%	Private	Co-ed	No
Melbourne Girls Grammar	$41,864	SOUTH YARRA	34	19.9%	Private	Girls	No
Lauriston Girls School	$46,958	ARMADALE	34	19.8%	Private	Girls	No
Firbank Grammar School	$37,467	BRIGHTON	34	18.9%	Private	Girls	No
Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School	$34,700	IVANHOE	34	18.6%	Private	Girls	No
Scotch College	$40,386	HAWTHORN	34	18.4%	Private	Boys	No
Lowther Hall Anglican GS	$38,900	ESSENDON	34	18.1%	Private	Girls	No
St Michael’s Grammar School	$38,172	ST KILDA	34	17.6%	Private	Co-ed	No
Shelford Girls’ Grammar	$37,103	CAULFIELD NORTH	34	16.1%	Private	Girls	No
Toorak College	$33,224	MOUNT ELIZA	34	15.6%	Private	Girls	No
Alice Miller School	$15,752	MACEDON	34	10.9%	Private	Co-ed	No
Ouyen P-12 College	–	OUYEN	33	21.4%	Public	Co-ed	No
McKinnon Secondary College	–	MCKINNON	33	18.4%	Public	Co-ed	No
Braybrook College	–	BRAYBROOK	33	16.9%	Public	Co-ed	No
East Doncaster Sec College	–	DONCASTER EAST	33	16%	Public	Co-ed	No
Melbourne Girls’ College	–	RICHMOND	33	14.4%	Public	Girls	No
Glen Waverley Sec College	–	GLEN WAVERLEY	33	13.5%	Public	Co-ed	No
Cranbourne East Sec College	–	CRANBOURNE EAST	33	9.5%	Public	Co-ed	No
Oxley Christian College	$17,125	CHIRNSIDE PARK	33	16.4%	Private religious	Co-ed	No
Xavier College	$35,115	KEW	33	15.7%	Catholic	Boys	No
Waverley Christian College	$12,280	WANTIRNA SOUTH	33	11.4%	Private religious	Co-ed	No
Our Lady of Sion College	$10,260	BOX HILL	33	9.3%	Catholic	Girls	No
Methodist Ladies College	$38,790	KEW	33	19.6%	Private	Girls	No
St Margaret’s School	$32,755	BERWICK	33	18.9%	Private	Co-ed	No
Caulfield Grammar School	$42,822	WHEELERS HILL	33	18.8%	Private	Co-ed	No
Caulfield Grammar School	$42,822	ST KILDA EAST	33	17.2%	Private	Co-ed	No
Alphington Grammar School	$22,890	ALPHINGTON	33	16.6%	Private	Co-ed	No
Tintern Grammar	$33,216	RINGWOOD EAST	33	16.2%	Private	Co-ed	Available
Girton Grammar School	$15,116	BENDIGO	33	15.9%	Private	Co-ed	No
Ivanhoe Grammar School	$32,000	MERNDA	33	15.6%	Private	Co-ed	No
Kilvington Grammar School	$34,068	ORMOND	33	15.2%	Private	Co-ed	No
Westbourne Grammar School	$24,692	TRUGANINA	33	13.6%	Private	Co-ed	No
Ivanhoe Grammar School	$32,000	IVANHOE	33	13.4%	Private	Co-ed	No
The Geelong College	$34,480	NEWTOWN	33	13.4%	Private	Co-ed	No
Billanook College	$26,460	MOOROOLBARK	33	12.5%	Private	Co-ed	No
The Knox School	$28,437	WANTIRNA SOUTH	33	11.7%	Private	Co-ed	No
Berwick Grammar School	$32,755	OFFICER	33	11.4%	Private	Co-ed	No
Carey Baptist Grammar School	$40,824	KEW	33	11.2%	Private	Co-ed	No
Balwyn High School	–	BALWYN NORTH	32	16.5%	Public	Co-ed	No
Canterbury Girls Sec College	–	CANTERBURY	32	12.8%	Public	Girls	Available
Mentone Girls’ Sec College	–	MENTONE	32	11.4%	Public	Girls	No
Ashwood High School	–	ASHWOOD	32	10.1%	Public	Co-ed	No
Koonung Secondary College	–	MONT ALBERT NORTH	32	9.9%	Public	Co-ed	No
Frankston High School	–	FRANKSTON	32	9.8%	Public	Co-ed	No
Glen Eira College	–	CAULFIELD EAST	32	9.1%	Public	Co-ed	No
Dromana Secondary College	–	DROMANA	32	8.7%	Public	Co-ed	No
Darul Ulum College of Victoria	$3,995	FAWKNER	32	13.4%	Islamic	Co-ed	No
Mazenod College	$9,630	MULGRAVE	32	12.6%	Catholic	Boys	Available
Luther College	$18,916	CROYDON HILLS	32	11.8%	Private religious	Co-ed	No
OneSchool Global Vic	–	MELTON WEST	32	9.9%	Private religious	Co-ed	No
Catholic Ladies College	$12,890	ELTHAM	32	9.3%	Catholic	Girls	No
Al Siraat College	$3,553	EPPING	32	8.9%	Islamic	Co-ed	No
Our Lady of Mercy College	$11,184	HEIDELBERG	32	7.7%	Catholic	Girls	No
Haileybury Rendall School	$16,765	BERRIMAH	32	13.1%	Private	Co-ed	No
Eltham College	$33,832	RESEARCH	32	12.6%	Private	Co-ed	No
Kardinia Internatl College	$18,733	BELL POST HILL	32	12.4%	Private	Co-ed	No
Bacchus Marsh Grammar	$13,876	BACCHUS MARSH	32	11.4%	Private	Co-ed	No
Geelong Grammar School	$88,500	CORIO	32	10.1%	Private	Co-ed	No
Ballarat Grammar	$24,540	WENDOUREE	32	9.4%	Private	Co-ed	No

Conclusion

While VCE scores provide valuable insight, choosing the right school for your child involves considering a multitude of factors. Here are nine key aspects to evaluate in your search:

Child’s Individual Needs: Every child is unique, with their own strengths, challenges, interests, and learning styles. Understanding your child’s specific needs—whether they require additional academic support, excel in certain subjects, or need a nurturing environment to build confidence—is crucial in selecting a school that will provide the right level of attention and encouragement.
Facilities: The quality and range of a school’s facilities can significantly impact a child’s learning experience. Modern classrooms, science labs, libraries, sports facilities, and creative arts spaces can enhance education by providing students with the resources and environments needed to explore different areas of interest and develop new skills.
Resources: Beyond physical facilities, resources include access to technology, learning materials, specialised programs and support services. Well-resourced schools can offer a broader and more enriched educational experience, helping students to thrive academically and personally. This may be especially relevant if you have a child who is academically ahead or needs learning support.
Student-to-Teacher Ratio: The student-to-teacher ratio indicates how many students there are for each teacher. Lower ratios often mean more personalised attention for each student, allowing teachers to better understand and cater to individual learning needs. This can lead to more effective teaching and a stronger student-teacher relationship.
Extracurricular Activities: Extracurricular activities like sports, arts, clubs and other programs provide students with opportunities to explore interests outside of the academic curriculum. Think about the activities your child enjoys and ensure the school you choose offers a wide range of options. It’s also important to evaluate the quality of these programs—make sure they are well-organised and that your child will benefit from them fully.
Location and Cost: When selecting a school, location is key—it impacts commute time, daily stress, and the availability of extracurricular activities. A nearby school can allow for more focus on studies and easier transitions, especially if it’s close to your child’s primary school.

Cost is another crucial factor. Whether considering private or public education, weigh the financial commitment against the value offered, ensuring it fits comfortably within your budget. Keep in mind that central schools are often pricier, while public schools generally cost less than private ones.

Well-Being Support: A school’s commitment to student well-being is crucial for fostering a supportive and healthy learning environment. This includes access to counsellors, mental health resources, anti-bullying programs, and a focus on social-emotional learning. Schools that prioritise well-being help students develop resilience, emotional intelligence and coping strategies.

Culture: School culture, which includes the values, traditions, norms, and social environment, is a vital aspect to consider as it will shape your child’s daily experience. To understand it better, visit the school, explore its mission statement, and learn about its core values and religious affiliations, if any.

Remember there’s no “perfect” school – focus on finding the best fit for your family.

By considering these factors holistically, you’ll be well-equipped to make an informed decision that sets your child up to thrive both academically and personally.

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