Top High Schools in ACT

High school education in Australia provides various pathways for tertiary education and is a significant time in a student’s life. The ACT schooling system comprises 5 stages – preschool, preparatory (or kindergarten), primary school, secondary school (or high school), and senior secondary school (or college).

High school in ACT starts from Year 7 and continues until Year 12. The best high schools in ACT provide a comprehensive range of programs that offers all students a balanced curriculum suited to the needs and interests of the individual, the challenges of secondary college, and life as a productive and contributing member of the community.

There are around 262 schools in the ACT, with about 79 schools in Canberra alone. The majority of ACT and Canberra schools are co-educational, with a small number of ACT and Canberra schools either boys’ schools or girls’ schools only. The majority of Canberra schools are government schools. Canberra Catholic schools are the next largest group, followed by Canberra Independent schools.

Government schools in ACT and Canberra are non-denominational. Among non-government schools there are Catholic schools, then there are Independent schools that represent a range of religious faiths or no denomination at all.

Best High Schools in ACT 2022

Canberra Girls Grammar School, Deakin, ACT
Canberra Grammar School, Red Hill, ACT
Radford College, Bruce, ACT
Brindabella Christian College, Lyneham, ACT
Telopea Park School, Barton, ACT
Burgmann Anglican School, Gungahlin, ACT
Lyneham High School, Lyneham, ACT
Marist College Canberra, Pearce, ACT
Canberra High School, Macquarie, ACT
Alfred Deakin High School, Deakin, ACT

*This ranking is based on the 2021 results of ACT high schools for Years 7-10.

Curriculum followed by Top High Schools in ACT

High schools in ACT follow the Australian curriculum to plan student learning programs, monitor their assessments, report their progress and support their wellbeing.

The Australian Curriculum areas include the following:

English
Mathematics
Science
Humanities and social sciences – history, geography, economics and business, civics and citizenship
The arts – dance, drama, music, media arts, visual arts
Technologies – design and technologies, Digital technologies
Health and physical education
Languages

The Australian Curriculum also includes 7 general capabilities that help students in developing their overall skills. These general capabilities are:

critical and creative thinking

literacy
numeracy
information and communication technology capability
personal and social capability
ethical understanding
intercultural understanding

The best high schools in Canberra and other regions of ACT also focus on 3 cross-curriculum priorities that provide global, national and regional dimensions to develop students’ knowledge, understanding and skills relating to:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
Sustainability.

Year 11 and 12 students undertaking the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate study accredited Board of Senior Secondary Studies courses. This is a student-centric curriculum that integrates project-based learning, formative assessment and teacher autonomy.

This curriculum includes 8 types of courses:

- A Courses: These courses are sound and appropriate for students in Years 11 and 12.
- T Courses: These courses prepare students for higher education.

M Courses: These courses are appropriate for students who satisfy specific intellectual disability criteria.

V Courses: These courses lead to the Vocational Certificate or Statement of Attainment.

C Courses: These are accredited vocational and training courses delivered and assessed by Registered Training Organisations.

H Courses: These courses are designed and accredited by an Australian higher education provider and the ACT BSSS.

R Courses: These courses are designed for personal development, and recreational or community service activities.

E Courses: These courses are vocational programs registered with the BSSS and lead to a nationally recognised vocational qualification (Certificate or Statement of Attainment). They are delivered by an external Registered Training Organisation.

Things to Consider while Selecting the Best High School in ACT

CrunchGrade experts have provided some tips that will help you in choosing the best high school in the ACT region for your secondary education.

Location: One of the major aspects of selecting a school during secondary or senior secondary years is the location. If it takes a 1-hour commute to reach the school, no matter how highly reputed the school is, it is better to consider another option.

It is true that one can do a lot of studying or finish their assignments during the commute, but practically it is not always possible. It is better to choose a school that is near your home so that you can save your time and energy in commuting.

Programs offered: The ACT curriculum provides a variety of learning programs and subjects. You must decide which programs/ courses/ subjects you want to study in high school and make a list of top schools in the ACT that provide them. This way, you can apply on time to those schools and study the subjects of your choice.

Different types of high schools in the ACT operate with different educational philosophies in mind. For instance, public schools focus more on studying for tests. Independent schools, on the other hand, tend to have a more flexible curriculum inclined towards creativity.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the best schools in Canberra?

A: Many best high schools in Canberra cover all aspects of top-quality education. Some of these schools are mentioned above, including Kingsford Smith School, Emmaus Christian School and Burgmann Anglican School.

Q: What is the biggest high school in Canberra?

A: Canberra Grammar School with 1953 enrolments in the year 2020 is one of the biggest high schools in Canberra.

Q: Are there any selective schools in Canberra?

A: There are not many selective schools here in Canberra, Australia, as per the ACT and falling under the solid academic list. However, Lyneham High School runs selective academic and sporting high achievers programs.

Q: What is a Category A school in Canberra?

A: Category A schools are the schools that are generally not able to accept students from out of their area primarily due to their capacity for students both now and in the near future.

Q: What is the difference between Selective and Non-Selective Schools?

A: A selective school, both private and public, offers spaces based on a child’s academic abilities. There are also ultra-selective schools that attract the country’s best academic minds. Many prep schools are non-selective, but just a few secondary schools are. Non-selective schools are the ones that enrol all students who live in the surrounding area and others on a first-come, first-served basis.

December 22, 2022