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Brisbane Secondary Schools: Understanding Historical Academic Reporting

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Brisbane high school ranking Year 12 Results

If you are researching Brisbane secondary schools and looking for academic performance comparisons, it’s important to understand what data is and is not publicly available. Queensland no longer publishes school-by-school ATAR rankings, so this article explains what the last published academic data shows and how parents can use it appropriately.

Important note for parents:
Queensland no longer publishes school-level ATAR league tables. The school comparisons in this article are based on the last publicly available Overall Position (OP) results, released before the transition to ATAR. These results do not reflect current ATAR outcomes or recent student cohorts.

This article is provided for historical and educational reference only and does not score, rank, or compare Brisbane secondary schools.

This article explains how Brisbane secondary school academic reporting worked prior to changes in public data release, and how families can interpret this historical information today.

Summary of data announced Thursday 18 December, 2025:

  • 57,909 students graduated (received a Senior Education Profile)
  • 54,087 students (93.4%) achieved a Queensland Certificate of Education
  • 1192 students (2%) received Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement
  • 30,167 (52%) students received an ATAR
  • 37 students received an ATAR of 99.95
  • 25% eligible students received an ATAR score of 90 percent or above
  • 1744 students from 229 schools will receive a Certificate of Academic Commendation for ‘A’ grades in at least six General subjects
  • 743 students from 185 schools achieved a perfect score in at least one General subject or General (Extension) subject
  • 40,760 students achieved a VET Certificate I, II, III, IV or Diploma qualification 
  • 1683 students studied a university subject while still at school

These numbers are significantly higher than in previous years – go Queensland!

Brisbane secondary school academic results – last published data

Below is a list of Brisbane secondary schools referenced in the final year Queensland published comparable school-level academic data.

This information is drawn from Year 12 Overall Position (OP) results from the last year this data was publicly released. No equivalent, comparable school-level ATAR data has been made public since the transition to the ATAR system.

Why is this the most recent comparable data?

School-by-school ATAR results from the 2025 cohort are not publicly released in a way that allows comparable school rankings for 2026.

In early May 2021, the Queensland Government announced that they would not be releasing school-by-school academic league tables based on ATAR results from previous years anymore. You can read their announcement here.

Because current ATAR results are only shared with schools if a student provides explicit consent to QTAC, any third-party 2025 rankings you see online are based on incomplete, self-reported data sets.

However, some websites continue to compile their own school lists using partial or self-reported data, which may not reflect complete or current information.

But of course, pure academic results don’t tell the whole story about what makes a school the one of the best high schools in Brisbane. Kids get so much more from school than simple academics, so if your school of choice is not highlighted in this historical dataset, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t a great place to send your child.

These are the statistics for you to draw your own conclusions. Historical OP reporting can provide context for families, but it should not be used as a measure of current school quality.  However, academic outcomes are only one part of choosing the right school and should not be viewed in isolation..

How can families interpret historical academic data for Brisbane high schools?

The results you see below are the last set of data that will be published in this way. They were drawn from the Queensland Curriculum Assessment Authority. It is a large document and we have taken only a small amount of the data to display here so it is easy to understand.

You used to be able to use the link above to the QCAA to dig deeper into all of the Queensland results. You could find the results you needed for schools outside greater Brisbane as those are not collated on our list. Below we have only collated greater Brisbane schools data from the last data set available.

It will be more important than ever to visit a Brisbane High School OPEN DAY.  We update our school Open Day dates every month. – click here.

Brisbane secondary schools frequently referenced in academic discussions

Whilst many things can make a school one of the best and different people value different things, several high schools in Brisbane are consistently recognised for their academic achievements and overall excellence.

  1. Brisbane State High School: Renowned for its strong academic programs, diverse extracurricular activities, and central location, providing students with a well-rounded education.
  2. Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology (QASMT): Focused on science, mathematics, and technology education, QASMT is recognized for its academic excellence and rigorous curriculum.
  3. St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace: A private boys’ school with a commitment to academic excellence, offering a comprehensive education and fostering a strong sense of community.
  4. St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School: Known for academic achievement and a supportive community, St Aidan’s places emphasis on a holistic education, including strong cultural programs.
  5. St Peter’s Lutheran College: Committed to academic excellence and pastoral care, St Peter’s provides a comprehensive education with a focus on character development.
  6. Brisbane Grammar School: A prestigious boys’ school with a long history, Brisbane Grammar is recognized for its academic achievements, leadership programs, and diverse extracurricular options.
  7. Somerville House: Known for its academic rigor, Somerville House emphasizes a holistic education, including strong arts and sports programs.
  8. Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie): Churchie is esteemed for its academic standards, emphasis on character development, and a wide range of extracurricular activities.
  9. Brisbane Girls Grammar School: Renowned for its academic achievements and emphasis on the development of well-rounded individuals through a range of extracurricular and leadership opportunities.
  10. Marist College Ashgrove: Recognized for its commitment to academic excellence, Marist College Ashgrove also places importance on fostering a sense of community and providing a supportive environment for students.

Brisbane secondary schools referenced in historical OP reporting

The following list includes Brisbane secondary schools referenced in the final published OP data from 2019, prior to the transition to ATAR.

Schools at the higher end of this dataset recorded a greater proportion of OP 1–5 results, while schools lower in the dataset showed a broader distribution of outcomes.

Schools referenced in Brisbane OP reporting (2019)

These figures represent historic academic data only and should not be interpreted as a current ranking of Brisbane schools.

What does this historical academic data show?

Remember, this historical OP-based dataset reflects only one outcome measure from a single year of reporting. Any league table based on any single outcome measure tells very little about the effectiveness of a school program or what students really get out of their 13 years at school. Such lists fail to recognise that a good education is more than just preparation for exams. Schools design their curriculum to meet the particular needs of their students and help them to reach their potential.

This table does not take into account the other ranges of OP scores – to see a larger sample with the range of OP Scores 1-15 use the link above to the QCAA results for the whole of Queensland (be ready, it is a HUGE document!!)

Catchment, school reviews and other Brisbane school information

Map of Brisbane school catchment areas

Many state primary and secondary schools in Brisbane have a catchment limitation.  This means that if you’re not in the area, you’re likely not in the school!  Learn more about primary & secondary school catchments here. 

Families Magazine also provides Parent Fact Sheets on top schools in the greater Brisbane area which give an overview of many primary and secondary schools – visit our schools & education articles to find all the information you need when considering a school for your child. If you’re considering a school that doesn’t have a fact sheet, please comment below – we’ll get right on it!

Again, just because these schools appear in historical academic reporting, doesn’t mean that another school wouldn’t be a wonderful match for your child.  Secondary school rankings only rate one area of school life! At Families Magazine, we believe that education is a life long journey, not a test result!

What’s the difference between the OP rank and ATAR?

The ATAR is a finer-grained rank order of students than the OP and is commonly used in other states and territories. It’s a number between 0.00 and 99.95 with increments of 0.05, whereas the OP consists of 25 bands. The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) is responsible for calculating students’ ATARs.

Find out about how the ATAR  system will affect your child by reading our detailed article here.

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Janine Mergler

Janine Mergler is a veteran Queensland teacher, graduating from QUT with a BEd majoring in Social Sciences. After many years in the classroom, Janine moved on to academia. She has proudly trained new generations of teachers in her role as a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Education. She has also worked in the Queensland Government as an education specialist, developing education resources and delivering community awareness programs to help families conserve water. Currently she is the owner and editor of Families Magazine, a publication specifically targeted at parents who value a quality education for children.  Janine leads a team of professionals who write about family lifestyle, early childhood, schools and education information and family-friendly events.

4 thoughts on “Brisbane Secondary Schools: Understanding Historical Academic Reporting”

  2. How was the performance in ATAR of Westside Christian college (Goodman) in 2022?

    Is the school academically strong?

    Thank you!

    Reply

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