Are you interested in learning more about Gold Coast high schools that families commonly consider when choosing secondary education? Parents and their children have important decisions to make when it comes to choosing the best high school for their child.
Different families will value different things – some may be very academically focused, some may prioritise sport and activities and some may be interested in pastoral care and development. There are many elements to consider when it comes to choosing a good school.
Families often look at publicly available information, including curriculum offerings, school profiles and community feedback, when comparing high schools. This information can provide useful context, but it does not make one school “better” than another. Choosing the right school is about fit, priorities and individual student needs.
If your student shows particular skill or aptitude in certain areas you may also want to consider applying for a scholarship at a Gold Coast school.
Gold Coast high schools frequently researched by families
How to read this list:
This is a non-ranked, editorial list of secondary schools commonly researched by families on the Gold Coast. School names are included for reference only and are not ordered, scored or compared. Academic testing data is not used to assess or rank schools in this article.
- Somerset College, Mudgeerabaa
- All Saints Anglican School, Merrimac
- A B Paterson College – see the A B Paterson College parent fact sheet here
- Emmanuel College, Carrara see the Emmanuel College parent fact sheet here
- The Southport School
- St Hilda’s School, Southport
- Saint Stephen’s College, Upper Coomera
- Hillcrest Christian College, Reedy Creek – see the Hillcrest Christian College parent fact sheet here
- Benowa State High School
- St Andrew’s Lutheran College, Tallebudgera
- Coomera Anglican College
- Marymount College, Burleigh Waters
- Trinity Lutheran College, Ashmore
- King’s Christian College, Reedy Creek
- Gold Coast Christian College, Reedy Creek
- Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District, Pimpama
- Southport State High School
- Varsity College
- Assisi Catholic College, Upper Coomera
Tweed and Byron secondary schools families often ask about
This data is from 2014. Principals have not publicly released their latest data. Individual schools will be able to give you a more accurate update with their latest information.
- Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School
- Mount St Patrick College
- Byron Bay High School
- Cape Byron Rudolph Steiner School
- Tweed Valley Adventist College
- St Joseph’s College
- Mullumbimby High School
- Kingscliff High School
- Wollumbin High School
- Banora Point High School
- Tweed River High School
- Murwillimbah High School
- Pacific Coast Christian School
The importance of an informed decision
The schools listed above reflect secondary schools commonly researched by families on the Gold Coast and surrounding regions. It is not the only piece of the puzzle in terms of making one of the most important decisions of your child’s young life. You should also attend open days, ask for private tours, view prospectus and syllabus information and talk to your community to get a more accurate, complete picture of what the school is like. Good luck!
Data reference:
This article does not reproduce NAPLAN or ATAR datasets. Any references to academic reporting are explanatory only and are included to help parents understand education frameworks, not to evaluate school performance.
You need to consider the best performing high school in SEQ, Queensland Academy for Health Sciences, a state school on the Gold Coast which won’t count in your ratings as it only has students from Years 10-12. The Academy teaches the IB programme and is outstanding, gaining higher achievement levels than Somerset or Brisbane’s top schools, based on 2015 results.
Hi Christine, thank you for your comments. You’re absolutely right – the data for this article comes from Year Nine Naplan results, so that’s why Queensland Academy for Health Sciences doesn’t feature. But please stay tuned – we have a ranking post based on OP scores coming, and Queensland Academy for Health Sciences will feature there – we’d love to let our readers know all about you!