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Updated for 2026 with the latest Western Australian Department of Education enrolment guidance, GAT (Gifted and Talented) selection-test pathway, and current local-intake-area rules.
Quick answer: which Perth public schools are the strongest?
Perth's twelve strongest public secondary schools cluster into two groups. The selective and gifted-stream schools you can apply to from anywhere in Western Australia: Perth Modern School (fully academically selective, GAT-test entry), John Curtin College of the Arts (audition-based gifted-and-talented arts streams), and the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) programs hosted at Shenton College, Willetton SHS, Rossmoyne SHS and others. The locally-zoned high-performers where address sets enrolment: Rossmoyne SHS, Willetton SHS, Shenton College, Applecross SHS, Churchlands SHS, Mount Lawley SHS, Carine SHS, Como SHS, Lynwood SHS and Belmont City College. Perth Modern leads on median ATAR; the locally-zoned schools regularly match private fees-paying schools on academic outcomes for the families inside their catchment.
How does Perth public school zoning actually work?
Almost every Western Australian public school has a designated local-intake area — a geographical zone, set by the WA Department of Education, inside which the school must accept any child who applies. If you live inside the zone, you have a guaranteed enrolment right. If you live outside it, you can still apply, but the school only takes you if it has spare places after every in-zone family is enrolled. At the high-demand Perth schools (Rossmoyne, Willetton, Shenton, Applecross, Churchlands, Mt Lawley) those spare places effectively don't exist, so out-of-zone applications are mostly declined. The exception is Perth Modern, which has no zone — it draws students from across the state via the GAT test. You can check any address against any school's intake area on the WA Department of Education's online school intake area finder.
What are the 12 best public schools in Perth?
The list below pairs Perth's standout public secondary schools with what each is genuinely known for — academic results, specialist programs, and which students it suits. Fully selective and gifted-stream schools first; locally-zoned high-performers after.
1. Perth Modern School (Subiaco) — fully academically selective
Perth Modern School is Western Australia's only fully academically selective co-educational public school. There is no zone — every student in Years 7 to 12 is selected via the Gifted and Talented Academic Test, run statewide each March of Year 5. Perth Mod consistently posts the highest median ATAR in WA (96+), runs an extensive arts and sport program alongside its academic stream, and feeds heavily into UWA, Melbourne and the Group of Eight. If your child is academically capable and you want a public-school option that doesn't depend on your suburb, this is the entry point.
2. John Curtin College of the Arts (Fremantle) — gifted-and-talented arts
John Curtin College of the Arts runs Western Australia's strongest public Gifted and Talented arts program, with audition-based entry into music, dance, drama, visual arts and media production streams. It also runs a strong general academic program and a separate Aviation specialist program. Students audition in Year 6 for Year 7 entry. For a creatively gifted child whose family doesn't want to pay private-school fees for an arts pathway, John Curtin is the WA public benchmark.
3. Shenton College (Shenton Park) — academic + GATE host
Shenton College is the largest and most consistently high-performing public secondary in Perth's western suburbs, with a tightly-drawn local-intake area covering Shenton Park, Subiaco, Daglish, Floreat and parts of Mount Claremont. Shenton hosts a Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) stream — entry by the same statewide GAT test as Perth Modern, but for students who'd rather attend a non-selective school with a gifted cohort inside it. Strong WACE results, broad subject offering, and a positive culture of student wellbeing.
4. Rossmoyne Senior High School (Rossmoyne) — top ATAR results outside Perth Modern
Rossmoyne Senior High School is consistently the highest-performing locally-zoned public school in Perth, posting median ATARs in the high 80s and outperforming most fee-paying schools in the southern suburbs. Catchment covers Rossmoyne, Willetton, Shelley, Riverton and parts of Bull Creek. Rossmoyne also hosts a GATE academic stream, language immersion in Chinese, and a respected music program. Inside the zone, this is the strongest public option in Perth's south.
5. Willetton Senior High School (Willetton) — strong academic + sport
Willetton Senior High School sits a kilometre from Rossmoyne and consistently posts top-ten public WACE results. The school runs specialist programs in football, cricket, netball and dance, plus a GATE academic stream. The local-intake area covers Willetton, Parkwood and parts of Canning Vale. A strong all-rounder for academically capable, sporty kids whose family lives in the zone.
6. Applecross Senior High School (Ardross) — riverside western-suburbs option
Applecross Senior High School serves Applecross, Ardross, Mt Pleasant, Brentwood and parts of Booragoon. Top-quartile ATAR results, well-regarded science and humanities programs, plus a soccer specialist program. The local-intake area is one of the smaller Perth catchments and competition for in-zone places at the start of Year 7 is real — confirm address eligibility early.
7. Churchlands Senior High School (Churchlands) — music specialist
Churchlands Senior High School is one of WA's largest public secondary schools and is best known for its Instrumental Music School Services (IMSS) specialist music program — auditioned entry, statewide intake. Outside the music stream, Churchlands serves a local-intake area covering Churchlands, Floreat, Wembley, Doubleview and parts of Glendalough, with strong WACE results and a wide subject choice.
8. Mount Lawley Senior High School (Mount Lawley) — arts + academic
Mount Lawley Senior High School covers Mount Lawley, Inglewood, Bayswater and parts of Maylands. Mt Lawley runs a separate Gifted and Talented arts program (visual arts, drama, dance) alongside academic GATE, and has a strong broader WACE record. A solid northern-corridor option that sits between the arts focus of John Curtin and the pure-academic focus of Shenton.
9. Carine Senior High School (Carine) — strong northern-suburbs all-rounder
Carine Senior High School covers Carine, Duncraig, North Beach and parts of Sorrento. Top-quartile WACE results, well-regarded English and humanities, an aviation and engineering specialist program, plus a school-of-choice culture that local families consistently rate. One of the strongest options for families in Perth's northern coastal corridor without paying private fees.
10. Como Secondary College (Como) — small school, high engagement
Como Secondary College is smaller than its big southern neighbours but consistently punches above its size on student engagement and attainment. Catchment covers Como, Manning and parts of Karawara. Strong learning-support program, modern facilities, and a culture parents in the zone report as more personal than the larger nearby schools — useful if your child does better in a smaller cohort.
11. Lynwood Senior High School (Parkwood) — specialist netball + academic
Lynwood Senior High School covers Parkwood, Lynwood, parts of Ferndale and parts of Langford. Best known for its specialist Netball Excellence program (auditioned, statewide intake), Lynwood also runs a respected academic stream and one of WA's stronger learning-support and EAL/D (English as an Additional Language) programs. A genuinely diverse school with a strong sense of community.
12. Belmont City College (Cloverdale) — STEM specialist
Belmont City College serves Belmont, Cloverdale, Ascot, Redcliffe and parts of Rivervale. The school hosts a specialist STEM program with statewide auditioned intake, alongside a strong general academic stream and an aviation aerospace program. A solid eastern-corridor option, particularly for a STEM-leaning child whose family isn't in a Rossmoyne or Willetton catchment.
How do I get into Perth Modern School?
Entry to Perth Modern is via the Academic Gifted and Talented Test (GAT), sat in March of Year 5 for Year 7 entry. The test is a half-day of multiple-choice reasoning — verbal, quantitative and abstract — built by the WA Department of Education and identical for every applicant statewide. Your child sits the test once, then ranks Perth Modern (and any other gifted streams you want — GATE at Shenton, Willetton, Rossmoyne; arts at John Curtin or Mt Lawley) on a single application form. The cut-off shifts year to year but Perth Mod typically takes the top ~190 students statewide. Practice with verbal-reasoning and pattern-completion materials matters; rote tutoring on Year-5 maths content matters less. Registration opens in late January each year on the WA Department of Education Gifted and Talented site.
How does the WA gifted-and-talented program work outside Perth Modern?
Western Australia runs two parallel gifted-and-talented pathways. The academic GATE stream sits inside otherwise-zoned schools — Shenton College, Willetton SHS, Rossmoyne SHS, Belridge Secondary College, Bunbury SHS and a handful of others — and is entered via the same GAT test as Perth Modern. Students enrolled in GATE attend their host school normally and take a full GATE-streamed timetable for English, Maths, Science and Humanities, with regular-stream subjects elsewhere. The arts GATE stream (John Curtin College of the Arts, Mt Lawley, Bunbury, Geraldton) is entered via audition, not the GAT test, with auditions held July–September of Year 6. Both streams are fully funded public-school placements with no fees attached. A child can apply to academic and arts streams in the same application cycle.
What's the difference between zoned and selective Perth public schools?
A zoned Perth public school takes every student who lives inside its local-intake area as of right — your address determines enrolment. Out-of-zone families can still apply, but only get a place if there's spare capacity (rare at the high-demand schools). A selective school (Perth Modern) takes the highest-ranking applicants from across the state via the GAT test, with no geographical zone at all. Gifted-stream schools (Shenton, Willetton, Rossmoyne, John Curtin, Mt Lawley) sit between the two: the school itself is zoned for general enrolments, but a separate gifted cohort is selected statewide via GAT or audition. If your child is academically capable but you can't move into a top zone, the GATE pathway gives you statewide access without committing to the fully-selective Perth Modern environment.
Are Perth public schools as good as private schools?
For the families inside Perth's strongest public catchments, yes — and often better value. Perth Modern, Rossmoyne, Willetton and Shenton routinely match or beat the median ATAR of mid-tier Perth private schools at zero tuition cost. The honest gap is at the top end: Perth's most selective private schools (Christ Church Grammar, St Mary's Anglican Girls', Hale, MLC) outperform the strongest public schools on median ATAR by a few points and offer extracurricular depth (boarding, full sport rosters, large-ensemble music) that public schools can't fully match. The trade-off is fees of A$25,000–A$35,000 per year. For most academically capable Perth children inside a top catchment, a public school plus targeted private tutoring through senior years is the better value-for-outcome choice — public schools handle the curriculum, a tutor handles the gaps. If your child is at a public school and needs targeted support in a specific subject, a one-to-one Perth tutor is A$65/hour at Tutero, with no contracts.
Which Perth suburbs have the best public school catchments?
For Perth families optimising on public-school catchment, four corridors stand out. The southern corridor (Rossmoyne, Shelley, Willetton, Riverton, Bull Creek) gives access to Rossmoyne SHS and Willetton SHS — the two top non-selective public schools in WA. The western suburbs (Shenton Park, Subiaco, Daglish, Floreat, Mount Claremont, Churchlands, Wembley) give access to Shenton College and Churchlands SHS. The riverside corridor (Applecross, Ardross, Mt Pleasant, Brentwood) is zoned to Applecross SHS. The northern coastal corridor (Carine, Duncraig, North Beach, Sorrento) is zoned to Carine SHS. House prices in these catchments carry a measurable premium — research from WA Schools Online and the ACARA MySchool dataset consistently shows top-quartile public schools concentrated in higher-SES suburbs. The catchment-finder tool at education.wa.edu.au lets you check any address before you commit.
How does NAPLAN and WACE work in Perth public schools?
Western Australian public schools follow the Australian Curriculum, adapted by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). Students sit NAPLAN in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, with results reported back to families and to the MySchool public dataset. In Years 11 and 12, students work toward the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), which combines school-based assessment with externally set ATAR-course examinations in November of Year 12. The WACE ATAR pathway feeds into UWA, Curtin, Murdoch, ECU and interstate universities. For students taking a non-ATAR pathway, WACE also recognises General courses, Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications, and endorsed programs.
What if my child needs extra support at a Perth public school?
Perth's top public schools handle the curriculum well, but class sizes (typically 28–32 in lower secondary, smaller in senior subjects) mean targeted gaps can go unaddressed. The two most common moves: (1) talk to the year-level coordinator or learning-support team early — every WA public school has formal channels for academic support, and most run free in-school tutorials run by their own teachers. (2) Add one-to-one tutoring for a specific subject. Online tutoring with a Perth-based tutor matched to your child's exact year level and the WA Curriculum runs A$65/hour at Tutero — same rate primary, lower-secondary or senior, no contracts. Most families start with one weekly session in the subject the report card flags, then adjust.
The bottom line
Perth has twelve genuinely strong public secondary schools, but how you get into them is the part most families miss. Perth Modern is statewide-selective via the GAT test. John Curtin is statewide-audition for arts. The other ten are zoned by address — your suburb decides. Inside the right catchment, a Perth public school plus targeted tutoring will out-deliver most mid-tier private schools at a fraction of the cost. Outside the right catchment, the GATE and arts gifted streams give your child a public-school path without moving house.
Ready to support your child at a Perth public school?
Tutero matches your child with a 1-on-1 Perth tutor who knows the WA Curriculum, GATE pathway and WACE inside out. A$65/hour, no contracts, every year level the same rate. Find a Perth tutor.
Related reading for Perth families
Updated for 2026 with the latest Western Australian Department of Education enrolment guidance, GAT (Gifted and Talented) selection-test pathway, and current local-intake-area rules.
Quick answer: which Perth public schools are the strongest?
Perth's twelve strongest public secondary schools cluster into two groups. The selective and gifted-stream schools you can apply to from anywhere in Western Australia: Perth Modern School (fully academically selective, GAT-test entry), John Curtin College of the Arts (audition-based gifted-and-talented arts streams), and the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) programs hosted at Shenton College, Willetton SHS, Rossmoyne SHS and others. The locally-zoned high-performers where address sets enrolment: Rossmoyne SHS, Willetton SHS, Shenton College, Applecross SHS, Churchlands SHS, Mount Lawley SHS, Carine SHS, Como SHS, Lynwood SHS and Belmont City College. Perth Modern leads on median ATAR; the locally-zoned schools regularly match private fees-paying schools on academic outcomes for the families inside their catchment.
How does Perth public school zoning actually work?
Almost every Western Australian public school has a designated local-intake area — a geographical zone, set by the WA Department of Education, inside which the school must accept any child who applies. If you live inside the zone, you have a guaranteed enrolment right. If you live outside it, you can still apply, but the school only takes you if it has spare places after every in-zone family is enrolled. At the high-demand Perth schools (Rossmoyne, Willetton, Shenton, Applecross, Churchlands, Mt Lawley) those spare places effectively don't exist, so out-of-zone applications are mostly declined. The exception is Perth Modern, which has no zone — it draws students from across the state via the GAT test. You can check any address against any school's intake area on the WA Department of Education's online school intake area finder.
What are the 12 best public schools in Perth?
The list below pairs Perth's standout public secondary schools with what each is genuinely known for — academic results, specialist programs, and which students it suits. Fully selective and gifted-stream schools first; locally-zoned high-performers after.
1. Perth Modern School (Subiaco) — fully academically selective
Perth Modern School is Western Australia's only fully academically selective co-educational public school. There is no zone — every student in Years 7 to 12 is selected via the Gifted and Talented Academic Test, run statewide each March of Year 5. Perth Mod consistently posts the highest median ATAR in WA (96+), runs an extensive arts and sport program alongside its academic stream, and feeds heavily into UWA, Melbourne and the Group of Eight. If your child is academically capable and you want a public-school option that doesn't depend on your suburb, this is the entry point.
2. John Curtin College of the Arts (Fremantle) — gifted-and-talented arts
John Curtin College of the Arts runs Western Australia's strongest public Gifted and Talented arts program, with audition-based entry into music, dance, drama, visual arts and media production streams. It also runs a strong general academic program and a separate Aviation specialist program. Students audition in Year 6 for Year 7 entry. For a creatively gifted child whose family doesn't want to pay private-school fees for an arts pathway, John Curtin is the WA public benchmark.
3. Shenton College (Shenton Park) — academic + GATE host
Shenton College is the largest and most consistently high-performing public secondary in Perth's western suburbs, with a tightly-drawn local-intake area covering Shenton Park, Subiaco, Daglish, Floreat and parts of Mount Claremont. Shenton hosts a Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) stream — entry by the same statewide GAT test as Perth Modern, but for students who'd rather attend a non-selective school with a gifted cohort inside it. Strong WACE results, broad subject offering, and a positive culture of student wellbeing.
4. Rossmoyne Senior High School (Rossmoyne) — top ATAR results outside Perth Modern
Rossmoyne Senior High School is consistently the highest-performing locally-zoned public school in Perth, posting median ATARs in the high 80s and outperforming most fee-paying schools in the southern suburbs. Catchment covers Rossmoyne, Willetton, Shelley, Riverton and parts of Bull Creek. Rossmoyne also hosts a GATE academic stream, language immersion in Chinese, and a respected music program. Inside the zone, this is the strongest public option in Perth's south.
5. Willetton Senior High School (Willetton) — strong academic + sport
Willetton Senior High School sits a kilometre from Rossmoyne and consistently posts top-ten public WACE results. The school runs specialist programs in football, cricket, netball and dance, plus a GATE academic stream. The local-intake area covers Willetton, Parkwood and parts of Canning Vale. A strong all-rounder for academically capable, sporty kids whose family lives in the zone.
6. Applecross Senior High School (Ardross) — riverside western-suburbs option
Applecross Senior High School serves Applecross, Ardross, Mt Pleasant, Brentwood and parts of Booragoon. Top-quartile ATAR results, well-regarded science and humanities programs, plus a soccer specialist program. The local-intake area is one of the smaller Perth catchments and competition for in-zone places at the start of Year 7 is real — confirm address eligibility early.
7. Churchlands Senior High School (Churchlands) — music specialist
Churchlands Senior High School is one of WA's largest public secondary schools and is best known for its Instrumental Music School Services (IMSS) specialist music program — auditioned entry, statewide intake. Outside the music stream, Churchlands serves a local-intake area covering Churchlands, Floreat, Wembley, Doubleview and parts of Glendalough, with strong WACE results and a wide subject choice.
8. Mount Lawley Senior High School (Mount Lawley) — arts + academic
Mount Lawley Senior High School covers Mount Lawley, Inglewood, Bayswater and parts of Maylands. Mt Lawley runs a separate Gifted and Talented arts program (visual arts, drama, dance) alongside academic GATE, and has a strong broader WACE record. A solid northern-corridor option that sits between the arts focus of John Curtin and the pure-academic focus of Shenton.
9. Carine Senior High School (Carine) — strong northern-suburbs all-rounder
Carine Senior High School covers Carine, Duncraig, North Beach and parts of Sorrento. Top-quartile WACE results, well-regarded English and humanities, an aviation and engineering specialist program, plus a school-of-choice culture that local families consistently rate. One of the strongest options for families in Perth's northern coastal corridor without paying private fees.
10. Como Secondary College (Como) — small school, high engagement
Como Secondary College is smaller than its big southern neighbours but consistently punches above its size on student engagement and attainment. Catchment covers Como, Manning and parts of Karawara. Strong learning-support program, modern facilities, and a culture parents in the zone report as more personal than the larger nearby schools — useful if your child does better in a smaller cohort.
11. Lynwood Senior High School (Parkwood) — specialist netball + academic
Lynwood Senior High School covers Parkwood, Lynwood, parts of Ferndale and parts of Langford. Best known for its specialist Netball Excellence program (auditioned, statewide intake), Lynwood also runs a respected academic stream and one of WA's stronger learning-support and EAL/D (English as an Additional Language) programs. A genuinely diverse school with a strong sense of community.
12. Belmont City College (Cloverdale) — STEM specialist
Belmont City College serves Belmont, Cloverdale, Ascot, Redcliffe and parts of Rivervale. The school hosts a specialist STEM program with statewide auditioned intake, alongside a strong general academic stream and an aviation aerospace program. A solid eastern-corridor option, particularly for a STEM-leaning child whose family isn't in a Rossmoyne or Willetton catchment.
How do I get into Perth Modern School?
Entry to Perth Modern is via the Academic Gifted and Talented Test (GAT), sat in March of Year 5 for Year 7 entry. The test is a half-day of multiple-choice reasoning — verbal, quantitative and abstract — built by the WA Department of Education and identical for every applicant statewide. Your child sits the test once, then ranks Perth Modern (and any other gifted streams you want — GATE at Shenton, Willetton, Rossmoyne; arts at John Curtin or Mt Lawley) on a single application form. The cut-off shifts year to year but Perth Mod typically takes the top ~190 students statewide. Practice with verbal-reasoning and pattern-completion materials matters; rote tutoring on Year-5 maths content matters less. Registration opens in late January each year on the WA Department of Education Gifted and Talented site.
How does the WA gifted-and-talented program work outside Perth Modern?
Western Australia runs two parallel gifted-and-talented pathways. The academic GATE stream sits inside otherwise-zoned schools — Shenton College, Willetton SHS, Rossmoyne SHS, Belridge Secondary College, Bunbury SHS and a handful of others — and is entered via the same GAT test as Perth Modern. Students enrolled in GATE attend their host school normally and take a full GATE-streamed timetable for English, Maths, Science and Humanities, with regular-stream subjects elsewhere. The arts GATE stream (John Curtin College of the Arts, Mt Lawley, Bunbury, Geraldton) is entered via audition, not the GAT test, with auditions held July–September of Year 6. Both streams are fully funded public-school placements with no fees attached. A child can apply to academic and arts streams in the same application cycle.
What's the difference between zoned and selective Perth public schools?
A zoned Perth public school takes every student who lives inside its local-intake area as of right — your address determines enrolment. Out-of-zone families can still apply, but only get a place if there's spare capacity (rare at the high-demand schools). A selective school (Perth Modern) takes the highest-ranking applicants from across the state via the GAT test, with no geographical zone at all. Gifted-stream schools (Shenton, Willetton, Rossmoyne, John Curtin, Mt Lawley) sit between the two: the school itself is zoned for general enrolments, but a separate gifted cohort is selected statewide via GAT or audition. If your child is academically capable but you can't move into a top zone, the GATE pathway gives you statewide access without committing to the fully-selective Perth Modern environment.
Are Perth public schools as good as private schools?
For the families inside Perth's strongest public catchments, yes — and often better value. Perth Modern, Rossmoyne, Willetton and Shenton routinely match or beat the median ATAR of mid-tier Perth private schools at zero tuition cost. The honest gap is at the top end: Perth's most selective private schools (Christ Church Grammar, St Mary's Anglican Girls', Hale, MLC) outperform the strongest public schools on median ATAR by a few points and offer extracurricular depth (boarding, full sport rosters, large-ensemble music) that public schools can't fully match. The trade-off is fees of A$25,000–A$35,000 per year. For most academically capable Perth children inside a top catchment, a public school plus targeted private tutoring through senior years is the better value-for-outcome choice — public schools handle the curriculum, a tutor handles the gaps. If your child is at a public school and needs targeted support in a specific subject, a one-to-one Perth tutor is A$65/hour at Tutero, with no contracts.
Which Perth suburbs have the best public school catchments?
For Perth families optimising on public-school catchment, four corridors stand out. The southern corridor (Rossmoyne, Shelley, Willetton, Riverton, Bull Creek) gives access to Rossmoyne SHS and Willetton SHS — the two top non-selective public schools in WA. The western suburbs (Shenton Park, Subiaco, Daglish, Floreat, Mount Claremont, Churchlands, Wembley) give access to Shenton College and Churchlands SHS. The riverside corridor (Applecross, Ardross, Mt Pleasant, Brentwood) is zoned to Applecross SHS. The northern coastal corridor (Carine, Duncraig, North Beach, Sorrento) is zoned to Carine SHS. House prices in these catchments carry a measurable premium — research from WA Schools Online and the ACARA MySchool dataset consistently shows top-quartile public schools concentrated in higher-SES suburbs. The catchment-finder tool at education.wa.edu.au lets you check any address before you commit.
How does NAPLAN and WACE work in Perth public schools?
Western Australian public schools follow the Australian Curriculum, adapted by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). Students sit NAPLAN in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, with results reported back to families and to the MySchool public dataset. In Years 11 and 12, students work toward the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), which combines school-based assessment with externally set ATAR-course examinations in November of Year 12. The WACE ATAR pathway feeds into UWA, Curtin, Murdoch, ECU and interstate universities. For students taking a non-ATAR pathway, WACE also recognises General courses, Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications, and endorsed programs.
What if my child needs extra support at a Perth public school?
Perth's top public schools handle the curriculum well, but class sizes (typically 28–32 in lower secondary, smaller in senior subjects) mean targeted gaps can go unaddressed. The two most common moves: (1) talk to the year-level coordinator or learning-support team early — every WA public school has formal channels for academic support, and most run free in-school tutorials run by their own teachers. (2) Add one-to-one tutoring for a specific subject. Online tutoring with a Perth-based tutor matched to your child's exact year level and the WA Curriculum runs A$65/hour at Tutero — same rate primary, lower-secondary or senior, no contracts. Most families start with one weekly session in the subject the report card flags, then adjust.
The bottom line
Perth has twelve genuinely strong public secondary schools, but how you get into them is the part most families miss. Perth Modern is statewide-selective via the GAT test. John Curtin is statewide-audition for arts. The other ten are zoned by address — your suburb decides. Inside the right catchment, a Perth public school plus targeted tutoring will out-deliver most mid-tier private schools at a fraction of the cost. Outside the right catchment, the GATE and arts gifted streams give your child a public-school path without moving house.
Ready to support your child at a Perth public school?
Tutero matches your child with a 1-on-1 Perth tutor who knows the WA Curriculum, GATE pathway and WACE inside out. A$65/hour, no contracts, every year level the same rate. Find a Perth tutor.
Related reading for Perth families
FAQ
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Online maths tutoring at Tutero is catering to students of all year levels. We offer programs tailored to the unique learning curves of each age group.
We also have expert NAPLAN and ATAR subject tutors, ensuring students are well-equipped for these pivotal assessments.
We recommend at least two to three session per week for consistent progress. However, this can vary based on your child's needs and goals.
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Yes, we offer a range of resources and materials, including interactive exercises and practice worksheets.
Updated for 2026 with the latest Western Australian Department of Education enrolment guidance, GAT (Gifted and Talented) selection-test pathway, and current local-intake-area rules.
Quick answer: which Perth public schools are the strongest?
Perth's twelve strongest public secondary schools cluster into two groups. The selective and gifted-stream schools you can apply to from anywhere in Western Australia: Perth Modern School (fully academically selective, GAT-test entry), John Curtin College of the Arts (audition-based gifted-and-talented arts streams), and the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) programs hosted at Shenton College, Willetton SHS, Rossmoyne SHS and others. The locally-zoned high-performers where address sets enrolment: Rossmoyne SHS, Willetton SHS, Shenton College, Applecross SHS, Churchlands SHS, Mount Lawley SHS, Carine SHS, Como SHS, Lynwood SHS and Belmont City College. Perth Modern leads on median ATAR; the locally-zoned schools regularly match private fees-paying schools on academic outcomes for the families inside their catchment.
How does Perth public school zoning actually work?
Almost every Western Australian public school has a designated local-intake area — a geographical zone, set by the WA Department of Education, inside which the school must accept any child who applies. If you live inside the zone, you have a guaranteed enrolment right. If you live outside it, you can still apply, but the school only takes you if it has spare places after every in-zone family is enrolled. At the high-demand Perth schools (Rossmoyne, Willetton, Shenton, Applecross, Churchlands, Mt Lawley) those spare places effectively don't exist, so out-of-zone applications are mostly declined. The exception is Perth Modern, which has no zone — it draws students from across the state via the GAT test. You can check any address against any school's intake area on the WA Department of Education's online school intake area finder.
What are the 12 best public schools in Perth?
The list below pairs Perth's standout public secondary schools with what each is genuinely known for — academic results, specialist programs, and which students it suits. Fully selective and gifted-stream schools first; locally-zoned high-performers after.
1. Perth Modern School (Subiaco) — fully academically selective
Perth Modern School is Western Australia's only fully academically selective co-educational public school. There is no zone — every student in Years 7 to 12 is selected via the Gifted and Talented Academic Test, run statewide each March of Year 5. Perth Mod consistently posts the highest median ATAR in WA (96+), runs an extensive arts and sport program alongside its academic stream, and feeds heavily into UWA, Melbourne and the Group of Eight. If your child is academically capable and you want a public-school option that doesn't depend on your suburb, this is the entry point.
2. John Curtin College of the Arts (Fremantle) — gifted-and-talented arts
John Curtin College of the Arts runs Western Australia's strongest public Gifted and Talented arts program, with audition-based entry into music, dance, drama, visual arts and media production streams. It also runs a strong general academic program and a separate Aviation specialist program. Students audition in Year 6 for Year 7 entry. For a creatively gifted child whose family doesn't want to pay private-school fees for an arts pathway, John Curtin is the WA public benchmark.
3. Shenton College (Shenton Park) — academic + GATE host
Shenton College is the largest and most consistently high-performing public secondary in Perth's western suburbs, with a tightly-drawn local-intake area covering Shenton Park, Subiaco, Daglish, Floreat and parts of Mount Claremont. Shenton hosts a Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) stream — entry by the same statewide GAT test as Perth Modern, but for students who'd rather attend a non-selective school with a gifted cohort inside it. Strong WACE results, broad subject offering, and a positive culture of student wellbeing.
4. Rossmoyne Senior High School (Rossmoyne) — top ATAR results outside Perth Modern
Rossmoyne Senior High School is consistently the highest-performing locally-zoned public school in Perth, posting median ATARs in the high 80s and outperforming most fee-paying schools in the southern suburbs. Catchment covers Rossmoyne, Willetton, Shelley, Riverton and parts of Bull Creek. Rossmoyne also hosts a GATE academic stream, language immersion in Chinese, and a respected music program. Inside the zone, this is the strongest public option in Perth's south.
5. Willetton Senior High School (Willetton) — strong academic + sport
Willetton Senior High School sits a kilometre from Rossmoyne and consistently posts top-ten public WACE results. The school runs specialist programs in football, cricket, netball and dance, plus a GATE academic stream. The local-intake area covers Willetton, Parkwood and parts of Canning Vale. A strong all-rounder for academically capable, sporty kids whose family lives in the zone.
6. Applecross Senior High School (Ardross) — riverside western-suburbs option
Applecross Senior High School serves Applecross, Ardross, Mt Pleasant, Brentwood and parts of Booragoon. Top-quartile ATAR results, well-regarded science and humanities programs, plus a soccer specialist program. The local-intake area is one of the smaller Perth catchments and competition for in-zone places at the start of Year 7 is real — confirm address eligibility early.
7. Churchlands Senior High School (Churchlands) — music specialist
Churchlands Senior High School is one of WA's largest public secondary schools and is best known for its Instrumental Music School Services (IMSS) specialist music program — auditioned entry, statewide intake. Outside the music stream, Churchlands serves a local-intake area covering Churchlands, Floreat, Wembley, Doubleview and parts of Glendalough, with strong WACE results and a wide subject choice.
8. Mount Lawley Senior High School (Mount Lawley) — arts + academic
Mount Lawley Senior High School covers Mount Lawley, Inglewood, Bayswater and parts of Maylands. Mt Lawley runs a separate Gifted and Talented arts program (visual arts, drama, dance) alongside academic GATE, and has a strong broader WACE record. A solid northern-corridor option that sits between the arts focus of John Curtin and the pure-academic focus of Shenton.
9. Carine Senior High School (Carine) — strong northern-suburbs all-rounder
Carine Senior High School covers Carine, Duncraig, North Beach and parts of Sorrento. Top-quartile WACE results, well-regarded English and humanities, an aviation and engineering specialist program, plus a school-of-choice culture that local families consistently rate. One of the strongest options for families in Perth's northern coastal corridor without paying private fees.
10. Como Secondary College (Como) — small school, high engagement
Como Secondary College is smaller than its big southern neighbours but consistently punches above its size on student engagement and attainment. Catchment covers Como, Manning and parts of Karawara. Strong learning-support program, modern facilities, and a culture parents in the zone report as more personal than the larger nearby schools — useful if your child does better in a smaller cohort.
11. Lynwood Senior High School (Parkwood) — specialist netball + academic
Lynwood Senior High School covers Parkwood, Lynwood, parts of Ferndale and parts of Langford. Best known for its specialist Netball Excellence program (auditioned, statewide intake), Lynwood also runs a respected academic stream and one of WA's stronger learning-support and EAL/D (English as an Additional Language) programs. A genuinely diverse school with a strong sense of community.
12. Belmont City College (Cloverdale) — STEM specialist
Belmont City College serves Belmont, Cloverdale, Ascot, Redcliffe and parts of Rivervale. The school hosts a specialist STEM program with statewide auditioned intake, alongside a strong general academic stream and an aviation aerospace program. A solid eastern-corridor option, particularly for a STEM-leaning child whose family isn't in a Rossmoyne or Willetton catchment.
How do I get into Perth Modern School?
Entry to Perth Modern is via the Academic Gifted and Talented Test (GAT), sat in March of Year 5 for Year 7 entry. The test is a half-day of multiple-choice reasoning — verbal, quantitative and abstract — built by the WA Department of Education and identical for every applicant statewide. Your child sits the test once, then ranks Perth Modern (and any other gifted streams you want — GATE at Shenton, Willetton, Rossmoyne; arts at John Curtin or Mt Lawley) on a single application form. The cut-off shifts year to year but Perth Mod typically takes the top ~190 students statewide. Practice with verbal-reasoning and pattern-completion materials matters; rote tutoring on Year-5 maths content matters less. Registration opens in late January each year on the WA Department of Education Gifted and Talented site.
How does the WA gifted-and-talented program work outside Perth Modern?
Western Australia runs two parallel gifted-and-talented pathways. The academic GATE stream sits inside otherwise-zoned schools — Shenton College, Willetton SHS, Rossmoyne SHS, Belridge Secondary College, Bunbury SHS and a handful of others — and is entered via the same GAT test as Perth Modern. Students enrolled in GATE attend their host school normally and take a full GATE-streamed timetable for English, Maths, Science and Humanities, with regular-stream subjects elsewhere. The arts GATE stream (John Curtin College of the Arts, Mt Lawley, Bunbury, Geraldton) is entered via audition, not the GAT test, with auditions held July–September of Year 6. Both streams are fully funded public-school placements with no fees attached. A child can apply to academic and arts streams in the same application cycle.
What's the difference between zoned and selective Perth public schools?
A zoned Perth public school takes every student who lives inside its local-intake area as of right — your address determines enrolment. Out-of-zone families can still apply, but only get a place if there's spare capacity (rare at the high-demand schools). A selective school (Perth Modern) takes the highest-ranking applicants from across the state via the GAT test, with no geographical zone at all. Gifted-stream schools (Shenton, Willetton, Rossmoyne, John Curtin, Mt Lawley) sit between the two: the school itself is zoned for general enrolments, but a separate gifted cohort is selected statewide via GAT or audition. If your child is academically capable but you can't move into a top zone, the GATE pathway gives you statewide access without committing to the fully-selective Perth Modern environment.
Are Perth public schools as good as private schools?
For the families inside Perth's strongest public catchments, yes — and often better value. Perth Modern, Rossmoyne, Willetton and Shenton routinely match or beat the median ATAR of mid-tier Perth private schools at zero tuition cost. The honest gap is at the top end: Perth's most selective private schools (Christ Church Grammar, St Mary's Anglican Girls', Hale, MLC) outperform the strongest public schools on median ATAR by a few points and offer extracurricular depth (boarding, full sport rosters, large-ensemble music) that public schools can't fully match. The trade-off is fees of A$25,000–A$35,000 per year. For most academically capable Perth children inside a top catchment, a public school plus targeted private tutoring through senior years is the better value-for-outcome choice — public schools handle the curriculum, a tutor handles the gaps. If your child is at a public school and needs targeted support in a specific subject, a one-to-one Perth tutor is A$65/hour at Tutero, with no contracts.
Which Perth suburbs have the best public school catchments?
For Perth families optimising on public-school catchment, four corridors stand out. The southern corridor (Rossmoyne, Shelley, Willetton, Riverton, Bull Creek) gives access to Rossmoyne SHS and Willetton SHS — the two top non-selective public schools in WA. The western suburbs (Shenton Park, Subiaco, Daglish, Floreat, Mount Claremont, Churchlands, Wembley) give access to Shenton College and Churchlands SHS. The riverside corridor (Applecross, Ardross, Mt Pleasant, Brentwood) is zoned to Applecross SHS. The northern coastal corridor (Carine, Duncraig, North Beach, Sorrento) is zoned to Carine SHS. House prices in these catchments carry a measurable premium — research from WA Schools Online and the ACARA MySchool dataset consistently shows top-quartile public schools concentrated in higher-SES suburbs. The catchment-finder tool at education.wa.edu.au lets you check any address before you commit.
How does NAPLAN and WACE work in Perth public schools?
Western Australian public schools follow the Australian Curriculum, adapted by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). Students sit NAPLAN in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, with results reported back to families and to the MySchool public dataset. In Years 11 and 12, students work toward the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), which combines school-based assessment with externally set ATAR-course examinations in November of Year 12. The WACE ATAR pathway feeds into UWA, Curtin, Murdoch, ECU and interstate universities. For students taking a non-ATAR pathway, WACE also recognises General courses, Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications, and endorsed programs.
What if my child needs extra support at a Perth public school?
Perth's top public schools handle the curriculum well, but class sizes (typically 28–32 in lower secondary, smaller in senior subjects) mean targeted gaps can go unaddressed. The two most common moves: (1) talk to the year-level coordinator or learning-support team early — every WA public school has formal channels for academic support, and most run free in-school tutorials run by their own teachers. (2) Add one-to-one tutoring for a specific subject. Online tutoring with a Perth-based tutor matched to your child's exact year level and the WA Curriculum runs A$65/hour at Tutero — same rate primary, lower-secondary or senior, no contracts. Most families start with one weekly session in the subject the report card flags, then adjust.
The bottom line
Perth has twelve genuinely strong public secondary schools, but how you get into them is the part most families miss. Perth Modern is statewide-selective via the GAT test. John Curtin is statewide-audition for arts. The other ten are zoned by address — your suburb decides. Inside the right catchment, a Perth public school plus targeted tutoring will out-deliver most mid-tier private schools at a fraction of the cost. Outside the right catchment, the GATE and arts gifted streams give your child a public-school path without moving house.
Ready to support your child at a Perth public school?
Tutero matches your child with a 1-on-1 Perth tutor who knows the WA Curriculum, GATE pathway and WACE inside out. A$65/hour, no contracts, every year level the same rate. Find a Perth tutor.
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