CensusAtlas

Forrest · Federal Electorate

Education & Qualifications in Forrest

How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.

Far fewer people in Forrest have finished high school or earned a degree compared to the state and national figures. Only 47.4% of residents completed Year 12, a figure that has fallen since 2011. While some adults have gained higher qualifications recently, the area generally sits well below the usual levels of education found across Australia.

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📍 Forrest, Federal Electorate

Where Forrest sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

16.0% —

All federal electorate areas, 2021. The marker is Forrest — lower than 72% of areas.

Forrest16.0%
Rest of WA 13.5%
Western Australia 23.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion is far below the state and national averages, and has fallen 5.6 percentage points since 2011 to 47.4%. About 26.7% of residents stopped their schooling at Year 10.

Completed Year 12

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47.4% ▼ -10.5%

Lower than 68% of federal electorate areas.

Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.

Highest year of school

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In Forrest, Year 12 is the majority at 51%; Year 10 is next at 29%.

Year 12 47.4% Year 10 26.7% Year 11 11.2% Year 9 or below 7.4%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

The proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher is 16.0%, which is far below the national figure of 26.3%. This has risen slightly since 2016, with Certificate III or IV being the most common qualification at 37.5%.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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16.0% —

Lower than 72% of federal electorate areas.

Share of people aged 15+ whose highest qualification is a bachelor degree or above (incl. graduate and postgraduate).

Highest qualification level

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In Forrest, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 46%, followed by Bachelor degree (24%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (18%).

Certificate III / IV 37.5% Bachelor degree 19.4% Advanced diploma / diploma 14.5% Postgraduate degree 3.7% Certificate I / II 3.4% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.2%

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common fields of study for qualified residents are engineering and related subjects at 17.6%, followed by management and commerce at 14.3%.

Schools

Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).

Forrest has more schools per 1,000 children than most areas, with 77 schools within 3 km. Most of these are government primary schools, though the average school size and advantage score are lower than most areas.

Schools within 3 km

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77

Higher than 78% of federal electorate areas.

Schools serving the area — within 3 km of small areas, or inside larger ones. A measure of access (catchments overlap, so don't add it across areas).

Average school ICSEA

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1,006

Lower than 64% of federal electorate areas.

Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).

Schools in and around Forrest — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Forrest

77 schools — 30,062 students, average ICSEA 1,006.

By sector: Government 52 · Independent 13 · Catholic 12

By type: Primary 49 · Secondary 15 · Combined 13
Capel Primary School, Capel Government Primary 12.9 km 320 979
South-West John Calvin Christian College, Capel Independent Combined 14.4 km 65 1,051
Georgiana Molloy Anglican School, Yalyalup Independent Combined 20.8 km 1,215 1,067
Busselton Primary School, Busselton Government Primary 21.6 km 180 908
St Mary's School, Donnybrook Catholic Primary 22.2 km 113 1,019
Donnybrook District High School, Donnybrook Government Combined 22.3 km 468 959
Boyanup Primary School, Boyanup Government Primary 23.3 km 123 986
Child Side School, Boyanup Independent Combined 23.8 km 72 1,048
St Mary MacKillop College, Busselton Catholic Combined 25.7 km 1,552 1,052
Geographe Primary School, Busselton Government Primary 25.8 km 413 976
Geographe Education Support Centre, Busselton Government Combined 25.8 km 62 973
Busselton Senior High School, Busselton Government Secondary 26.1 km 594 952
Cornerstone Christian College, Busselton Independent Combined 26.2 km 380 1,038
Kirup Primary School, Kirup Government Primary 26.7 km 28 916
West Busselton Primary School, Busselton Government Primary 27.1 km 347 954
Dalyellup College, Dalyellup Government Secondary 29.3 km 576 970
Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School, Gelorup Independent Combined 29.4 km 663 1,100
Dalyellup Primary School, Dalyellup Government Primary 29.9 km 448 970
Bunbury Baptist College, Dalyellup Independent Combined 29.9 km 792 1,013
Tuart Forest Primary School, Dalyellup Government Primary 30.8 km 459 967
St Joseph's Primary School, Bunbury Catholic Primary 32.8 km 418 1,041
Dardanup Primary School, Dardanup Government Primary 33.0 km 221 1,004
Our Lady of Lourdes School, Dardanup Catholic Primary 33.1 km 195 1,032
Vasse Primary School, Vasse Government Primary 33.2 km 744 997
Maidens Park Primary School, Bunbury Government Primary 33.3 km 178 823
Cape Naturaliste College, Vasse Government Secondary 33.5 km 1,168 1,023
Manea Senior College, Bunbury Government Secondary 33.9 km 547 1,033
Newton Moore Senior High School, South Bunbury Government Secondary 34.4 km 485 903
Newton Moore Education Support Centre, Bunbury Government Secondary 34.4 km 80 995
Adam Road Primary School, South Bunbury Government Primary 34.5 km 418 933
College Row School, South Bunbury Government Combined 35.0 km 46 965
Carey Park Primary School, Carey Park Government Primary 35.7 km 282 900
Djidi Djidi Aboriginal School, Bunbury Government Primary 36.3 km 98 684
Bunbury Catholic College, Bunbury Catholic Secondary 36.5 km 954 1,048
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Bunbury Catholic Primary 36.5 km 215 1,078
South Bunbury Education Support Centre, South Bunbury Government Primary 36.6 km 79 960
South Bunbury Primary School, South Bunbury Government Primary 36.6 km 393 989
Balingup Primary School, Balingup Government Primary 37.1 km 57 998
Picton Primary School, Glen Iris Government Primary 37.3 km 153 934
Cooinda Primary School, East Bunbury Government Primary 37.4 km 278 974
Grace Christian School, Glen Iris Independent Combined 37.4 km 609 1,053
Bunbury Primary School, Bunbury Government Primary 37.4 km 423 1,076
Bunbury Senior High School, Bunbury Government Secondary 38.0 km 1,033 1,008
South West Community College - Bunbury Campus, Bunbury Independent Secondary 38.4 km 170 950
Eaton Primary School, Eaton Government Primary 39.6 km 407 958
Eaton Community College, Eaton Government Secondary 40.4 km 449 949
Glen Huon Primary School, Eaton Government Primary 40.8 km 511 957
Clifton Park Primary School, Clifton Park Government Primary 41.2 km 149 969
Leschenault Catholic Primary School, Australind Catholic Primary 44.2 km 422 1,030
River Valley Primary School, Burekup Government Primary 44.4 km 70 959
Treendale Primary School, Australind Government Primary 44.6 km 553 984
Australind Primary School, Australind Government Primary 44.7 km 182 953
Australind Senior High School, Australind Government Secondary 45.0 km 1,079 964
Parkfield Primary School, Australind Government Primary 46.1 km 650 999
Our Lady of Mercy College, Australind Catholic Secondary 46.3 km 968 1,019
Hope Christian College, Roelands Independent Combined 46.5 km 408 1,004
Dunsborough Christian College, Dunsborough Independent Combined 46.9 km 48 1,028
Kingston Primary School, Australind Government Primary 47.3 km 582 969
Dunsborough Primary School, Dunsborough Government Primary 47.5 km 751 1,051
Our Lady of the Cape Primary School, Dunsborough Catholic Primary 48.5 km 331 1,070
Cowaramup Primary School, Cowaramup Government Primary 50.5 km 400 1,053
St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Brunswick Catholic Primary 50.7 km 85 1,029
Brunswick Junction Primary School, Brunswick Junction Government Primary 50.8 km 56 892
Yallingup Steiner School, Yallingup Independent Primary 53.3 km 116 1,052
Rapids Landing Primary School, Margaret River Government Primary 58.5 km 425 1,013
Margaret River Primary School, Margaret River Government Primary 58.6 km 568 1,043
Margaret River Senior High School, Margaret River Government Secondary 59.0 km 1,196 1,048
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Margaret River Catholic Primary 59.1 km 173 1,060
Margaret River Montessori School - Margaret River campus, Margaret River Independent Primary 59.5 km 141 1,094
Margaret River Independent School, Forest Grove Independent Primary 64.2 km 156 1,057
Western Australian College Of Agriculture - Harvey, Wokalup Government Secondary 66.3 km 166 1,017
St Anne's School, Harvey Catholic Primary 70.3 km 164 1,011
Harvey Senior High School, Harvey Government Secondary 70.7 km 271 942
Harvey Primary School, Harvey Government Primary 70.8 km 258 943
Karridale Primary School, Karridale Government Primary 77.2 km 55 993
Yarloop Primary School, Yarloop Government Primary 83.2 km 48 875
Augusta Primary School, Augusta Government Primary 83.3 km 110 981

Sources

  • Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
  • Australian Schools List — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025 (CC BY 4.0).

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Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Forrest [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ced/CED507/forrest/topic/education