While our review process puts academic results in high regard, we ultimately believe that a strong foundation for early education is about positive experiences as much as it is about performance. Thus, our list of the best primary schools in Brisbane notably features institutions that have a proven track recond in creating holistic learning and personal development opportunities for young kids!
Click here to find the best primary school in Brisbane for your child.
Sunnybank Hills State School, Sunnybank Hills
School Type: Government
The Sunnybank Hills State School has consistently been among Brisbane’s top-performing primary school in NAPLAN (The National Assessment Program). But aside from primary school rankings, Sunnybank has earned recognition for its diverse programs in sports, music and performing arts.
Parents will also be pleased to know that funding from the school’s active Parents and Citizens Association (P&C) has made it possible for all classrooms to be fully air-conditioned, which provides a comfortable learning environment all year round.
The state-of-the-art library and resource center should also be a delight for students as it supports both traditional and e-learning methods, while also infused with dedicated learning areas for research, science and technology and so on.
Ormiston College, Ormiston
School Type: Non-government
When it comes to private schools, Ormiston College has been among the most desirable schools in Queensland at all levels. Its award-winning staff has been a shepherd for the academy’s consistent top 10 ranking for NAPLAN results and graduates, as well as catalysts to the school’s culture of innovation and holistic wellbeing.
While Christian values have shaped Ormiston’s identity, the school is non-denominational and has been an advocate of multicultural programs and diverse opportunities. For its curriculum, Ormiston prioritizes English and Mathematics while literacy and numeracy are simultaneously developed across all learning areas.
Citipointe Christian College, Carindale
School Type: Non-government
Citipointe Christian College is another one of Brisbane’s best schools that provides quality education and learning environment for young learners. The private college notably prides itself on its uncompromising Christian values and excellent teaching and learning standards.
Citipointe’s curriculum is an integrated Pathways Program where Prep and Year 2 are focused on helping children discover learning, while Years 3 to 5 are for accelerating children’s learning progress. Year 6 is then reserved for widening the students’ learning areas in preparation for secondary classes.
Somerville House, South Brisbane
School Type: Private
Somerville House for girls is recognized for its outstanding facilities not just for academics, but also for music and performing arts. It’s also become a popular choice due to its proximity to the CBD, the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Most notably, Somerville’s holistic teaching philosophy honors the importance of academic outcomes as much as the psychological, physical and spiritual well-being of its students.
St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, Corinda
School Type: Non-government
Aside from holding an excellent yearly track record in literacy, numeracy and ATAR results, St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School is also known for its wide range of subjects, co-curricular activities and educational programs for international students. Additionally, the school is recognized among the top primary schools in Brisbane for its focus and success in providing learning opportunities across ‘gender atypical’ areas of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
Rainworth State School, Rainworth
School Type: Government
Rainworth State School is one of the leading public primary schools in Brisbane with notable programs on academics, sports and performing arts.
Rainworth also has favorable and spacious sports grounds that include a basketball court, cricket practice court, adventure playground, an oval and several tennis courts. Rainworth notably organizes recreational camps for students in Years 4 to 6 each year to diversify the students’ learning environment and shared experiences.
Anglican Church Grammar, East Brisbane
School Type: Non-government
The Anglican Church Grammar School or Churchie offers holistic education for young men from Prep up to Year 12. It sports a 22-hectare campus near the heart of Brisbane with plenty of luscious greens and natural spaces for recreational activities and well-being activities. The key tenets of the Churchie are student care and personal growth which are deeply embedded in its curriculum and skills programmes.
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, Ascot
School Type: Non-government
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School is a private school for young girls teaching academics based on the Australian Curriculum as well as in developing the children’s knowledge and interest in STEM. Parents can also expect St Margaret’s curriculum to be rich in Religious and Values Education as well as opportunities to participate in the school’s Pastoral Care Programs.
Good News Lutheran School, Middle Park
School Type: Non-government
Good News Lutheran School specialises in providing education for children. The institution was founded in 1984 on principles of the Christian faith as taught by the Lutheran Church of Australia. Good News boasts excellent facilities for studies and field activities, as well as a positive and supportive environment led by staff who are trained to meet each child wherever they are in their personal journey towards learning and personal development.
Brisbane School of Distance Education, Coorparoo
School Type: Government
Brisbane School of Distance Education is a public school that offers seamless and engaging learning experiences for Prep to Year 6 students as well as expert support as children transition to secondary. The school’s educational program for Years 4 to 6 prioritises English and Mathematics along with opportunities to explore Science and Technologies, Humanities and Social Sciences and the Arts. Health and Physical Education is a staple across all levels while learning Japanese is accessible for Years 5 and 6.
Ipswich Grammar School, Ipswich
School Type: Non-government
Ipswich Grammar School is a leading educational institution for boys known for its flexible learning programs for primary education. Early learners from Prep to Year 2 are taught literacy and numeracy skills in engaging and expressive formats, while Years 3 to 6 are introduced to a wider curriculum, new challenges and shared experiences.
St Peters Lutheran College, Indooroopilly
School Type: Non-government
St Peters Lutheran College is one of Queensland’s historic Christian co-education schools for kids. The school follows the Christian Studies Framework, developed by Lutheran Education Australia. Primary education in the Indooroopilly campus incorporates Lower Primary (Prep to Year 4) and Upper Primary (Years 5 and 6) with a focus on age-appropriate curriculum and activities, including pastoral activities and a variety of music and sports opportunities.
Ashgrove State School, Ashgrove
School Type: Government
Ashgrove State School is one of Queensland’s longstanding advocates for The Arts and is home to the annual Ashgrove Arts and Literature Festival.
When it comes to its teaching methods, Ashgrove employs the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model where teachers initially demonstrate a skill or strategy, briefly let students practice with support, and then observe as they begin practicing on their own.
Ironside State School, St Lucia
School Type: Government
St Lucia’s Ironside State School follows the standard Australian curriculum with a focus on learning areas such as English, Science, Mathematics, The Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education, and Digital and Design and Technologies. By large, Ironside uses an inquiry-based approach to engage students in deeper thinking and more creative learning experiences.
St Finbarr’s School, Ashgrove
School Type: Non-government
St Finbarr’s School follows the Vision for Religious Education articulated by the Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE) which focuses on religious literacy and personal faith. Outside of academics, students can pursue interests in sports, creative and performing arts as well as chess. Additionally, Years 2 to 6 can join Junior Engineer weekly classes both hands-on and online experiences in STEM, robotics, and coding.
Eagle Junction State School, Clayfield
School Type: Non-government
Eagle Junction State School champions a framework based on The Dimensions of Teaching and Learning to shape its curriculum, assessment, and reporting plans. Aside from its evidenced-based and feedback-oriented approach to teaching, Eagle Junction is recognized in the community for its diverse extracurricular sports programs that include hockey, swimming, martial arts, netball, Australian-rules football, soccer, softball, tennis and more.
Robertson State School, Robertson
School Type: Non-government
The curriculum in Robertson State School is mainly shaped by the Australian Curriculum with specialist classes on Health and Physical Education, Music, and Chinese available to students from Years 1 to 6. Additionally, the school offers support for extracurricular activities like basketball, tennis, chess, public speaking, drama and piano. Religious Instruction (Christian RI) is also offered though not compulsory.
Sinai College, Burbank
School Type: Non-government
Burbank’s Sinai College has historically thrived and took pride in its small class (12:1 teacher ratio) structure that employs an individualised teaching method from Prep to Year 6. As a school with deep ties to the Jewish community and ethos, Hebrew is taught through primary school as well as Jewish history and traditions. In general, Sinai runs a play-based pedagogy that encourages creativity as well as social and emotional resilience in all children throughout the school’s Early Years Program.
Brisbane Boys’ College, Toowong
School Type: Non-government
Aside from teaching foundation skills in literacy and numeracy, Brisbane Boys’ College supports specialist lessons in Visual Art, Christian Education, Technology, Physical Education and Music in its primary school curriculum.
On the other hand, the college’s overall learning style which combines structured and play-based learning experiences simultaneously accelerates early development and promotes social and emotional well-being among students on top of their academic milestones.
Indooroopilly State School, Indooroopilly
With attending students that comes from over 50 countries, Indooroopilly State School is one of the leading schools in Brisbane for children who have multicultural background and English as their second language.
The “honor above all” motto means that the school holds its students in the highest standards when it comes to academics, sporting and music programs and behaviour. Meanwhile, Indooroopilly State’s curriculum is significantly influenced by Curiosity and Powerful Learning’s ten Theories of Action which promotes inquiry-based teaching methods and learning activities.
Choosing the Best Primary School in Brisbane
Beyond this list, other schools like Lakes College in the North Lakes and Fig Tree Pocket State School are also making headway when it comes to primary education and child care. Overall, we see a bright future when it comes to Brsibane’s educational landscape due to an impressive mix of outstanding public and private educational institutions.
Finally, don’t forget to bookmark this post since we are periodically updating our lists to reflect current trends and recent feedback!
To look up Brisbane schools, click here.
To look up schools in Gold Coast, click here.
