51.4% ▲ +26.8%
Lower than 53% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 40.5%
- 2016: 45.9%
- 2021: 51.4%
Share of people whose highest year of school is Year 12 or equivalent.
Penrith · Sub-region (SA3)
Education & Qualifications in Penrith
How far people went at school, the qualifications they hold and what they studied.
Higher school completion rates are shaping daily life in Penrith, where the share of residents finishing Year 12 has jumped 11 points since 2011. While many locals have now finished school, the area still trails the state and national figures for both school and university completion.
Schooling
Highest year of school completed.
About 51.4% of residents have completed Year 12, which is well below the New South Wales and Australian figures of around 59%. This represents a significant climb from the 40.5% recorded in 2011.
Highest year of school
View on map →In Penrith, Year 12 is the majority at 55%; Year 10 is next at 29%.
Qualifications
Post-school qualifications and degrees.
The number of adults with a bachelor degree or higher rose to 18.6% since 2011, though this remains well below the national figure. The most common qualification is a Certificate III or IV, held by 34.6% of adults.
18.6% ▲ +61.9%
Lower than 54% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
- 2011: 11.5%
- 2016: 14.5%
- 2021: 18.6%
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 Penrith, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 41%, followed by Bachelor degree (25%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (19%).
Field of study
What people studied.
The most common fields of study for those with qualifications are management and commerce at 20.6%, followed by engineering and related fields at 15.2%.
Schools
Schools in the area and how many children they serve (ACARA).
Penrith has 60 schools and 28,843 enrolments, among the largest numbers for its level. However, there are 1.75 schools per 1,000 children, which is lower than most areas.
60
Higher than 91% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Number of schools in the area.
1.75
Lower than 64% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Schools per 1,000 children aged under 15.
28,843
Higher than 88% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Total students enrolled across the area's schools.
489
Higher than 56% of sub-region (sa3) areas.
Average enrolment per school in the area.
1,013
Lower than 51% 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 Penrith
60 schools — 28,843 students, average ICSEA 1,013.
By sector: Government 42 · Catholic 10 · Independent 8
By type: Primary 37 · Secondary 12 · Combined 11
| Penrith Anglican College, Orchard Hills | Independent | Combined | — | 1,214 | 1,101 |
| Xavier College, Llandilo | Catholic | Secondary | — | 1,185 | 1,025 |
| Jordan Springs Public School, Jordan Springs | Government | Primary | — | 1,119 | 1,017 |
| Caroline Chisholm College, Glenmore Park | Catholic | Secondary | — | 1,011 | 1,054 |
| St Dominic's College, Kingswood | Independent | Secondary | — | 1,010 | 1,008 |
| Kingswood High School, Kingswood | Government | Secondary | — | 1,005 | 955 |
| Glenmore Park High School, Glenmore Park | Government | Secondary | — | 956 | 976 |
| Penrith High School, Penrith | Government | Secondary | — | 930 | 1,186 |
| Cranebrook High School, Cranebrook | Government | Secondary | — | 871 | 916 |
| Jamison High School, South Penrith | Government | Secondary | — | 834 | 964 |
| St Paul's Grammar School, Cranebrook | Independent | Combined | — | 824 | 1,121 |
| Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School, Emu Plains | Government | Secondary | — | 807 | 994 |
| Penrith Christian School, Orchard Hills | Independent | Combined | — | 744 | 1,047 |
| Penola Catholic College Emu Plains, Emu Plains | Catholic | Secondary | — | 709 | 1,024 |
| Claremont Meadows Public School, Claremont Meadows | Government | Primary | — | 687 | 1,012 |
| Montgrove College, Orchard Hills | Independent | Combined | — | 675 | 1,106 |
| Cambridge Park High School, Cambridge Park | Government | Secondary | — | 633 | 916 |
| Wollemi College, Werrington | Independent | Combined | — | 565 | 1,107 |
| Nepean Christian School, Mulgoa | Independent | Combined | — | 541 | 1,049 |
| Bethany Catholic Primary School, Glenmore Park | Catholic | Primary | — | 540 | 1,058 |
| Penrith Public School, Penrith | Government | Primary | — | 524 | 986 |
| Cambridge Park Public School, Cambridge Park | Government | Primary | — | 523 | 926 |
| Regentville Public School, Regentville | Government | Primary | — | 523 | 1,003 |
| Samuel Terry Public School, Cranebrook | Government | Primary | — | 521 | 980 |
| Werrington Public School, Werrington | Government | Primary | — | 519 | 963 |
| Corpus Christi Primary School, Cranebrook | Catholic | Primary | — | 518 | 1,025 |
| York Public School, South Penrith | Government | Primary | — | 515 | 973 |
| Kingswood Public School, Kingswood | Government | Primary | — | 499 | 1,048 |
| Glenmore Park Public School, Glenmore Park | Government | Primary | — | 455 | 994 |
| Penrith South Public School, Penrith | Government | Primary | — | 441 | 958 |
| Warragamba Public School, Warragamba | Government | Primary | — | 434 | 958 |
| Surveyors Creek Public School, Glenmore Park | Government | Primary | — | 424 | 1,007 |
| Nangamay Public School, Glenmore Park | Government | Primary | — | 413 | 1,050 |
| Emu Plains Public School, Emu Plains | Government | Primary | — | 406 | 993 |
| St Mary MacKillop Primary School, South Penrith | Catholic | Primary | — | 398 | 1,040 |
| Cambridge Gardens Public School, Cambridge Park | Government | Primary | — | 341 | 965 |
| Braddock Public School, Cranebrook | Government | Primary | — | 332 | 880 |
| The Lakes Christian College, Castlereagh | Independent | Combined | — | 330 | 1,022 |
| Our Lady of The Way Primary School, Emu Plains | Catholic | Primary | — | 328 | 1,047 |
| Werrington County Public School, Werrington | Government | Primary | — | 319 | 961 |
| Jamisontown Public School, South Penrith | Government | Primary | — | 317 | 980 |
| St Joseph's Primary School, Kingswood | Catholic | Primary | — | 310 | 1,019 |
| Kingswood South Public School, Kingswood | Government | Primary | — | 304 | 956 |
| Holy Family Primary School, Luddenham | Catholic | Primary | — | 256 | 1,012 |
| Orchard Hills Public School, Orchard Hills | Government | Primary | — | 242 | 995 |
| Emu Heights Public School, Emu Plains | Government | Primary | — | 237 | 1,006 |
| Henry Fulton Public School, Cranebrook | Government | Primary | — | 219 | 998 |
| Leonay Public School, Emu Plains | Government | Primary | — | 191 | 1,049 |
| St Nicholas of Myra Primary School, Penrith | Catholic | Primary | — | 169 | 1,068 |
| Kingswood Park Public School, Penrith | Government | Primary | — | 166 | 810 |
| Llandilo Public School, Llandilo | Government | Primary | — | 155 | 941 |
| Fernhill School, Glenmore Park | Government | Combined | — | 129 | 956 |
| Castlereagh Public School, Castlereagh | Government | Primary | — | 126 | 968 |
| Kurrambee School, Werrington | Government | Combined | — | 104 | 946 |
| Mulgoa Public School, Mulgoa | Government | Primary | — | 103 | 980 |
| Putland School, Werrington | Government | Secondary | — | 65 | 871 |
| Wallacia Public School, Wallacia | Government | Primary | — | 53 | 959 |
| Penrith Valley Learning Centre, Werrington | Government | Combined | — | 39 | 873 |
| Luddenham Public School, Luddenham | Government | Primary | — | 35 | 911 |
| Penrith Lakes Environmental Education Centre, Castlereagh | Government | Combined | — | — | — |
Sources
More for Penrith
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Education & Qualifications in Penrith [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/12403/penrith/topic/education