List of schools in Illawarra and the South East

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This article explains the basic setup of schools in the Illawarra, South Coast, Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, Monaro and Snowy Mountains regions of New South Wales (NSW). In NSW, schooling typically runs from primary to high school: primary covers Kindergarten to Year 6 (ages about 5–12), and high school covers Year 7 to Year 12 (ages about 12–18). Some rural areas have central or community schools that run from Kindergarten to Year 12. In recent years, some high schools have become multi-campus colleges with separate junior and senior campuses after mergers.

Key points
- Most NSW schools are comprehensive, meaning they take all students in their area. Some are selective (entrance criteria or exams) or specialist (focus on particular subjects).
- In Illawarra and the South East, examples of selective and specialist schools include Karabar (Queanbeyan), Smith’s Hill (Wollongong), Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts, and Illawarra Sports High School.
- A small number of NSW students (about 2,000) attend schools in the Australian Capital Territory, which runs its own system. NSW students can still apply to NSW universities after finishing Year 12 via the University Admissions Centre (UAC).
- Special schools exist for students with chronic disabilities or other needs and operate within public education.
- Catholic education: Catholic primary schools are typically linked to a parish. Most were originally founded by religious orders, but lay staff took over many roles by around 1995. The Catholic Education Office coordinates policy and administration for Catholic schools in the Canberra-Goulburn and Broken Bay dioceses. Enrolment preference goes to Catholic students from the parish or local area, though non-Catholic students may enrol if there is space.
- Prescribed Non-Government Schools: NSW recognizes this registration category for privately run schools that serve similar purposes to Special Schools.