Verified by The Daily Newcastle editorial teamLast verified: 2 July 2026
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Newcastle's school system has a number of highly regarded public secondary schools (including the selective Merewether High and the well-regarded Newcastle High), a mid-range independent school sector, and Catholic schools across the Hunter region. Families relocating to Newcastle can access good public schooling without the fee burden that characterises the Sydney or Melbourne premium sectors.
Selective and specialist public schools — Merewether High School (Merewether) is the Hunter region's most prestigious public secondary school and has a selective stream for the highest-achieving students. Hunter Sports High School (Glendale) is a selective sports-focused secondary school with State representative athletes. Newcastle High School (Cooks Hill) is a comprehensive public high school with strong tradition and good ATAR results.
Independent schools — All Saints' College (Maitland, Anglican, coeducational) is the Hunter region's most prestigious independent school. The Newminster Anglican College (Rutherford) and Hunter Christian School (East Maitland) provide mid-fee independent alternatives. Newcastle Grammar School (Waratah) is the city's traditional independent option. Fees range from $8,000 to $20,000 per year for the main independent schools.
Catholic schools — the Catholic Schools Office of Maitland-Newcastle operates 41 schools. St Joseph's College (East Maitland, boys), Mater Dei Catholic College (Edgeworth), and St Pius X High School (Adamstown) are among the main Catholic secondary schools. Hunter Catholic schools generally perform well and fees are moderate.
Public schools by area — the beach suburb schools (Merewether, Bar Beach, Cooks Hill) public primaries are well regarded. Hamilton North, Islington, and the inner suburb public primaries provide good local options. The Hunter Valley's regional public schools (Cessnock, Maitland, Raymond Terrace) vary in performance.
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