Choosing a school that fits your child
Start with your child, not with a ranking. A simple way to think through the choice.
There is no single best school. There is the school that is right for your child, at this stage of their life, for your family. This guide helps you work out what that means.
Start with your child
Before you look at any school, think about your child for a moment.
- How do they learn best? Some children thrive with lots of structure, others with room to explore.
- What do they love? Sport, music, art, being outdoors, building things, reading.
- What might they need? Extra help with learning, extra challenge, or support with a health need or a disability.
- How do they handle change? Some children settle anywhere; others do better with fewer moves between schools.
Write a few words down. They will help you see quickly which schools feel right.
Then think about your family
- Language: the language your child learns in, and the languages spoken at home.
- Getting there: how far is it, and how will your child travel each day?
- Care around school hours: aftercare, holiday care, and what happens on early-closing days.
- Cost: the yearly fee and the extras, such as uniforms, trips and transport. See school fees, no-fee schools and exemptions.
- Faith and values: whether a school's faith or ethos matters to you.
Look ahead, not just at the next step
A preschool or primary school can make the next move easier. Some schools lead naturally into others, and some families choose a first school with the high school years in mind. See catchment areas, feeder schools and routes.
Looking ahead helps, but it does not have to decide everything. Many children move schools and do very well.
Visit, and ask
A visit tells you more than any website. Watch how teachers speak to children, and ask the questions that matter for your child. Each school page on SchoolPath has a short list of questions to take with you.
Let SchoolPath do the untangling
Make a plan with your suburb and your child's birth month and year. We work out when your child can start each stage and what to apply for when, and show the schools they are the right age to join. Then use What matters for your child? to narrow the list to what suits them.