41.6% ▲ +28.8%
Lower than 75% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 32.3%
- 2016: 36.5%
- 2021: 41.6%
Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Lake Macquarie - West · Sub-region (SA3)
Education & Qualifications in Lake Macquarie - West
How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.
More people in Lake Macquarie - West have finished high school and earned degrees than a decade ago. While these numbers have risen, the area still sees far fewer residents with university degrees compared to the state and national figures. It is an area where trade qualifications are currently more common than degrees.
Schooling
Highest year of school completed.
Only 41.6% of residents finished Year 12, which is far below the New South Wales figure of 58.9%. However, this has improved over time, rising 9.3 percentage points since 2011.
Highest year of school
View on map →In Lake Macquarie - West, the largest group is Year 12 at 44%, followed by Year 10 (35%) and Year 9 or below (13%).
Qualifications
Post-school qualifications and degrees.
The typical resident is more likely to hold a Certificate III or IV (39.6%) than a university degree. Only 15.9% of adults have a bachelor degree or higher, which is far below the Australian average of 26.3%.
15.9% ▲ +44.3%
Lower than 64% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 11.0%
- 2016: 13.1%
- 2021: 15.9%
Share of people aged 15+ whose highest qualification is a bachelor degree or above (incl. graduate and postgraduate).
Highest qualification level
View on map →In Lake Macquarie - West, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 48%, followed by Bachelor degree (21%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (18%).
Field of study
What people studied.
Among those with qualifications, the most common fields of study are Engineering and related fields at 18.8% and Management and commerce at 17.4%.
Schools
Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).
The area has 37 schools, which is more than about 72% of similar areas. Most of these are government schools (73%), and the majority are primary schools.
37
Higher than 71% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Number of schools in the area.
2.42
Higher than 57% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Schools per 1,000 children aged under 15.
11,339
Higher than 58% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Total students enrolled across the area's schools.
306
Lower than 69% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Average enrolment per school in the area.
979
Lower than 69% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Enrolment-weighted average ICSEA — an index of socio-educational advantage, centred near 1000 (context, not a quality ranking).
Schools serving Lake Macquarie - West
37 schools — 11,339 students, average ICSEA 979.
By sector: Government 27 · Independent 6 · Catholic 4
By type: Primary 25 · Secondary 7 · Combined 5
| Avondale School, Cooranbong | Independent | Combined | — | 977 | 1,055 |
| Toronto High School, Toronto | Government | Secondary | — | 952 | 961 |
| Charlton Christian College, Fassifern | Independent | Combined | — | 831 | 1,063 |
| Morisset High School, Morisset | Government | Secondary | — | 687 | 929 |
| Edgeworth Public School, Edgeworth | Government | Primary | — | 647 | 967 |
| St Paul's Catholic College, Booragul | Catholic | Secondary | — | 636 | 1,026 |
| West Wallsend High School, West Wallsend | Government | Secondary | — | 632 | 940 |
| Heritage College Lake Macquarie, Morisset | Independent | Combined | — | 511 | 1,002 |
| Lake Macquarie High School, Booragul | Government | Secondary | — | 435 | 925 |
| Bonnells Bay Public School, Bonnells Bay | Government | Primary | — | 376 | 925 |
| St Benedict's Primary School, Edgeworth | Catholic | Primary | — | 357 | 1,037 |
| Cooranbong Public School, Cooranbong | Government | Primary | — | 330 | 948 |
| Rathmines Public School, Rathmines | Government | Primary | — | 311 | 996 |
| Edgeworth Heights Public School, Edgeworth | Government | Primary | — | 305 | 969 |
| Barnsley Public School, Barnsley | Government | Primary | — | 276 | 950 |
| West Wallsend Public School, West Wallsend | Government | Primary | — | 268 | 950 |
| Coal Point Public School, Coal Point | Government | Primary | — | 245 | 1,065 |
| Blackalls Park Public School, Blackalls Park | Government | Primary | — | 217 | 966 |
| Booragul Public School, Booragul | Government | Primary | — | 206 | 931 |
| Toronto Public School, Toronto | Government | Primary | — | 201 | 910 |
| St Joseph's Primary School, Kilaben Bay | Catholic | Primary | — | 194 | 1,023 |
| Wyee Public School, Wyee | Government | Primary | — | 193 | 955 |
| Wangi Wangi Public School, Wangi Wangi | Government | Primary | — | 181 | 987 |
| Arcadia Vale Public School, Arcadia Vale | Government | Primary | — | 171 | 971 |
| Biraban Public School, Toronto | Government | Primary | — | 163 | 871 |
| Fennell Bay Public School, Fennell Bay | Government | Primary | — | 159 | 889 |
| Morisset Public School, Morisset | Government | Primary | — | 156 | 919 |
| Dora Creek Public School, Dora Creek | Government | Primary | — | 139 | 939 |
| St John Vianney Primary School, Morisset | Catholic | Primary | — | 118 | 961 |
| Teralba Public School, Teralba | Government | Primary | — | 111 | 959 |
| Brightwaters Christian College, Brightwaters | Independent | Combined | — | 106 | 1,001 |
| Fassifern Public School, Fassifern | Government | Primary | — | 59 | 947 |
| Five Islands School, Booragul | Government | Combined | — | 51 | 890 |
| Toronto Adventist School, Toronto | Independent | Primary | — | 43 | 1,173 |
| North Academy, West Wallsend | Independent | Secondary | — | 35 | 966 |
| Wakefield School, Wakefield | Government | Secondary | — | 31 | 869 |
| Awaba Public School, Awaba | Government | Primary | — | 29 | 940 |
Sources
More for Lake Macquarie - West
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Lake Macquarie - West [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/11102/lake-macquarie-west/topic/education