Choosing a high school for your child can be difficult, especially when there are so many competing factors and different sources of information. In this blog, we compare the private and selective school systems in NSW on the grounds of admission, academic performance and extra-curricular opportunities. 

Admission

The admission process for both types of schools are relatively self-explanatory, though navigating around the private school entry requirements may sometimes be slightly more difficult. 

To enter a Selective School, students must sit the Selective School Placement Test in Year 6 in which they will receive a mark that determines their ranking between candidates. Parents are able to choose up to three school preferences from the list of selective schools, and the child is offered a place at the school of their highest preference in which they meet the minimum entry requirement.

School fees for Selective schools (including uniform and textbook fees in addition to costs associated with programs and events) typically do not amount to more than a few hundred dollars per year. 

Admission into the private school system, on the other hand, varies between each school. Most private schools will accept any prospective student but typically require a security deposit as well as potentially requiring information from parents regarding occupation & lifestyle. To my knowledge, Sydney Grammar School is the only academically selective private school in New South Wales and accepts students based on an exam, their CV and/or through an interview depending on the students’ age.

Understandably, private school fees can approach/exceed $40,000 per year due to their investment in equipment and resources. Less prestigious private schools usually offer cheaper fees as well as co-educational & Catholics schools which are subsidised by the Church. Many schools also offer scholarships which usually cover 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of the full academic tuition fees (excluding textbooks, uniforms etc.). These scholarships are typically acquired through a scholarship test (for academic scholarship) or through other fields such as sports.

Academic Performance

A common misconception is that attending a selective school guarantees good, if not better, HSC marks in comparison to a private school. However, this is not always the case.

When examining the list of top 50 high schools based on HSC marks, a large portion are taken up by private schools (31 schools as of 2020 results) while selective schools only account for 17 of those schools. However, within the top 10 schools, 8 of them are selective schools. From this, we can see that private schools do not perform as well as the very top selective schools but do just as well, if not better, than their lower performing selective counterparts.

Some factors such as academic competition within the school could also affect students' marks in the HSC. Since 50% of the HSC depends on school marks, which is determined by a student’s academic performance in relation to their cohort, students in top selective schools could potentially suffer by losing only a few marks. Strong competition could also cause negative mental impacts on students such as burnout earlier on in high school. However, private schools have their own types of competitive environments that often go beyond academics.

Teachers and support are also factors that sets the two systems apart. Selective schools are randomly allocated DET teachers who, from my experience, tend to be knowledgeable but students will often encounter situations where self-directed learning is necessary. On the other hand, private schools select teachers who tend to be just as, if not more knowledgeable, and typically are more invested in their fields. For example, Sydney Grammar employs teachers such as Bill Pender and David Sadler (co-authors of the infamous Cambridge Maths textbooks) – such opportunities are seldom seen in selective schools. 

Resource-wise, private schools have an obvious financial advantage, often boasting state of the art equipment and the latest textbooks. Selective schools on the other hand will sometimes struggle to find funding to invest in the newest technologies but have their own ways to ensure their students have access to the basic resources they need.

Ultimately, on the grounds of academics, you will need to consider which environment will help your child thrive the most and whether or not factors such as competition, support and resources will affect their learning process. 

Extra-Curricular

While usually not at the forefront of many parents’ minds, extra-curriculars such as sport, inter-school opportunities and excursions make up a large part of a student’s high school experience. Schools within both private and selective systems have different strengths when it comes to extracurriculars so it is important to research into which fields your child has interest/excels in to determine the school best suited for your child. However, it is generally accepted that private schools are more well-rounded and invested in their extra-curricular activities.

For example, students who are intent on pursuing sports at a more professional level will most likely receive more support as well as resources such as training facilities, dedicated coaches and equipment from a private school. However, it is key to note that schools such as Sydney Boys also have similar levels of strong focus on sports, despite having lower funding and resources.

Selective schools and private schools use different systems and this blog is just a brief overview of some of the key points to consider. Ultimately, there is no system that is better than the other and rather which one will better suit your child.

For more information about the selective school system, the Selective High School Placement Test and application process, please read our Selective schools guide or contact us for a free consultation.

Published 21 August 2021.