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Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains · Region (SA4)

Education & Qualifications in Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains

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

Certificate III or IV qualifications are the most common achievement in Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains, held by 31.7% of adults. While a growing number of people are finishing school and university, the area still trails behind state and national figures for higher education.

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📍 Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains, Region (SA4)

Where Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains sits — Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

20.7% ▲ +46.5%

All region (sa4) areas, 2021. The marker is Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains — higher than 57% of areas.

Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains20.7%
Greater Sydney 33.3%
New South Wales 27.8%
Australia 26.3%

Schooling

Highest year of school completed.

Year 12 completion rose 9.5 points since 2011 to reach 52.3%, though this is still well below the New South Wales and Australian figures of around 59%. About a quarter of the population finished Year 10 as their highest level of schooling.

Completed Year 12

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52.3% ▲ +22.2%

Higher than 55% of region (sa4) areas.

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

Highest year of school

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In Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains, Year 12 is the majority at 56%; Year 10 is next at 28%.

Year 12 52.3% Year 10 26.0% Year 9 or below 9.3% Year 11 5.9%

Qualifications

Post-school qualifications and degrees.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher make up 20.7% of the population, which is well below the state figure of 27.8%. This is an improvement from 2011, when only 14.2% of adults held these degrees.

Adults with a bachelor degree or higher

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20.7% ▲ +46.5%

Higher than 57% of region (sa4) 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 Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains, the largest group is Certificate III / IV at 38%, followed by Bachelor degree (26%) and Advanced diploma / diploma (19%).

Certificate III / IV 31.7% Bachelor degree 22.0% Advanced diploma / diploma 15.6% Postgraduate degree 8.5% Graduate diploma / certificate 3.2% Certificate I / II 2.2%

Field of study

What people studied.

The most common fields of qualification are management and commerce at 18.8%, followed by engineering and related fields at 14.2% and society and culture at 12.6%.

Schools

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

The region has 129 schools and 54,870 enrolments, both of which are higher than in about 70% of similar areas. Most students attend government schools, which account for 70.5% of the sector.

Average school ICSEA

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1,012

Lower than 51% of region (sa4) areas.

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

Schools in and around Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains — hover a marker for details. Open the full map →

Schools serving Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains

129 schools — 54,870 students, average ICSEA 1,012.

By sector: Government 91 · Catholic 21 · Independent 17

By type: Primary 84 · Secondary 27 · Combined 18
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
St Columba's Catholic College, Springwood Catholic Secondary — 1,112 1,088
Bede Polding College, South Windsor Catholic Secondary — 1,101 1,007
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
Blaxland High School, Blaxland Government Secondary — 998 1,065
Glenmore Park High School, Glenmore Park Government Secondary — 956 976
Penrith High School, Penrith Government Secondary — 930 1,186
St Marys Senior High School, St Marys Government Secondary — 926 1,052
Cranebrook High School, Cranebrook Government Secondary — 871 916
Katoomba High School, Katoomba Government Secondary — 862 1,034
Erskine Park High School, Erskine Park Government Secondary — 835 962
Jamison High School, South Penrith Government Secondary — 834 964
St Paul's Grammar School, Cranebrook Independent Combined — 824 1,121
Colo High School, North Richmond Government Secondary — 807 1,001
Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School, Emu Plains Government Secondary — 807 994
Colyton High School, St Marys Government Secondary — 765 922
Richmond High School, Richmond Government Secondary — 750 987
Penrith Christian School, Orchard Hills Independent Combined — 744 1,047
St Clair High School, St Clair Government Secondary — 718 956
Penola Catholic College Emu Plains, Emu Plains Catholic Secondary — 709 1,024
Winmalee High School, Winmalee Government Secondary — 698 1,040
Claremont Meadows Public School, Claremont Meadows Government Primary — 687 1,012
Montgrove College, Orchard Hills Independent Combined — 675 1,106
Bennett Road Public School, Colyton Government Primary — 646 912
Cambridge Park High School, Cambridge Park Government Secondary — 633 916
Oxley Park Public School, St Marys Government Primary — 601 953
Chifley College Dunheved Campus, North St Marys Government Secondary — 586 870
Wycliffe Christian School, Warrimoo Independent Combined — 586 1,100
Springwood High School, Springwood Government Secondary — 566 1,027
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
Blue Mountains Grammar School, Wentworth Falls Independent Combined — 512 1,140
Kingswood Public School, Kingswood Government Primary — 499 1,048
James Erskine Public School, Erskine Park Government Primary — 486 980
Blackwell Public School, St Clair Government Primary — 480 980
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
Banks Public School, St Clair Government Primary — 417 971
Nangamay Public School, Glenmore Park Government Primary — 413 1,050
Chisholm Catholic Primary School, Bligh Park Catholic Primary — 411 1,005
Clairgate Public School, St Clair Government Primary — 409 982
Emu Plains Public School, Emu Plains Government Primary — 406 993
St Mary MacKillop Primary School, South Penrith Catholic Primary — 398 1,040
Blaxland East Public School, Blaxland East Government Primary — 379 1,068
Springwood Public School, Springwood Government Primary — 370 1,059
Wentworth Falls Public School, Wentworth Falls Government Primary — 370 1,074
Faulconbridge Public School, Faulconbridge Government Primary — 368 1,063
Our Lady of The Rosary Primary School, St Marys Catholic Primary — 368 1,032
St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Springwood Catholic Primary — 368 1,095
Winmalee Public School, Winmalee Government Primary — 359 1,043
Hazelbrook Public School, Hazelbrook Government Primary — 356 1,044
Hobartville Public School, Hobartville Government Primary — 355 959
St Marys North Public School, North St Marys Government Primary — 345 873
Cambridge Gardens Public School, Cambridge Park Government Primary — 341 965
Glenbrook Public School, Glenbrook Government Primary — 338 1,120
Windsor South Public School, South Windsor Government Primary — 333 858
Braddock Public School, Cranebrook Government Primary — 332 880
Holy Spirit Primary School, St Clair Catholic Primary — 331 1,043
The Lakes Christian College, Castlereagh Independent Combined — 330 1,022
Our Lady of The Way Primary School, Emu Plains Catholic Primary — 328 1,047
St Clair Public School, St Clair Government Primary — 325 975
St Marys South Public School, St Marys Government Primary — 319 945
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
Richmond North Public School, North Richmond Government Primary — 309 984
Kingswood South Public School, Kingswood Government Primary — 304 956
St Matthew's Primary School, Windsor Catholic Primary — 303 1,021
Richmond Public School, Richmond Government Primary — 298 1,047
Bligh Park Public School, Bligh Park Government Primary — 283 933
Ellison Public School, Springwood Government Primary — 283 1,051
Korowal School, Hazelbrook Independent Combined — 259 1,084
St Marys Public School, St Marys Government Primary — 258 954
Holy Family Primary School, Luddenham Catholic Primary — 256 1,012
Blackheath Public School, Blackheath Government Primary — 254 1,050
St Monica's Primary School, Richmond Catholic Primary — 252 1,032
Orchard Hills Public School, Orchard Hills Government Primary — 242 995
Emu Heights Public School, Emu Plains Government Primary — 237 1,006
Londonderry Public School, Londonderry Government Primary — 235 939
Mount Riverview Public School, Mount Riverview Government Primary — 231 1,050
Windsor Park Public School, South Windsor Government Primary — 231 949
Henry Fulton Public School, Cranebrook Government Primary — 219 998
Katoomba Public School, Katoomba Government Primary — 210 1,035
Leura Public School, Leura Government Primary — 199 1,055
Lawson Public School, Lawson Government Primary — 196 1,000
Leonay Public School, Emu Plains Government Primary — 191 1,049
Mountains Christian College, Blackheath Independent Combined — 169 1,040
St Nicholas of Myra Primary School, Penrith Catholic Primary — 169 1,068
Kingswood Park Public School, Penrith Government Primary — 166 810
St Finbar's Primary School, Glenbrook Catholic Primary — 166 1,110
Lapstone Public School, Glenbrook Government Primary — 158 1,113
Llandilo Public School, Llandilo Government Primary — 155 941
Warrimoo Public School, Warrimoo Government Primary — 146 1,052
Blaxland Public School, Blaxland Government Primary — 137 1,068
Fernhill School, Glenmore Park Government Combined — 129 956
Katoomba North Public School, Katoomba Government Primary — 128 986
Castlereagh Public School, Castlereagh Government Primary — 126 968
Windsor Public School, Windsor Government Primary — 125 944
Our Lady of The Nativity Primary School, Lawson Catholic Primary — 115 1,076
Kindlehill School, Wentworth Falls Independent Combined — 114 1,077
Kurrambee School, Werrington Government Combined — 104 946
Mulgoa Public School, Mulgoa Government Primary — 103 980
OneSchool Global NSW - Mount Victoria, Mount Victoria Independent Combined — 87 976
St Mary's Flexible School, St Marys Independent Secondary — 80 832
Blue Mountains Steiner School, Hazelbrook Independent Primary — 69 1,073
St Canice's Primary School, Katoomba Catholic Primary — 67 1,020
Putland School, Werrington Government Secondary — 65 871
Mount Victoria Public School, Mount Victoria Government Primary — 56 1,039
Wallacia Public School, Wallacia Government Primary — 53 959
Penrith Valley Learning Centre, Werrington Government Combined — 39 873
Wycliffe Hope School, Warrimoo Independent Combined — 39 1,037
Luddenham Public School, Luddenham Government Primary — 35 911
Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Education, Richmond Government Secondary — 11 1,098
Megalong Public School, Megalong Valley Government Primary — 3 1,046
Penrith Lakes Environmental Education Centre, Castlereagh Government Combined — — —

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 Sydney - Outer West and Blue Mountains [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa4/124/sydney-outer-west-and-blue-mountains/topic/education