Parents hoping to get their kids into Sydney’s best performing high schools are being slugged with millions in premiums due to exorbitant house prices in each catchment area.
Suburbs in the catchment of the best non-selective government secondary schools have median house prices up to $5.29m.
Killara High, Cheltenham Girls, Epping Boys and Northern Beaches Secondary College were among the top 10 performing secondary state schools in Sydney, with house prices in these zones priced between $3.4m to $4.7m – between $2m to $3m over the median house price.
House prices in the catchment zones of the best public schools were sometimes $2m – $3m over the median house price.
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New data prepared exclusively for The Daily Telegraph by PRD real estate reveals almost all of Sydney’s best non-selective government schools catchment zones were deemed “unaffordable” for average earners.
PRD’s chief economist Dr Diaswati Mardiasmo said it was “quite sad to see” most of the suburbs were unobtainable for many parents.
“In Sydney there is some hope if you buy a unit,” Dr Mardiasmo said. “With the best chance being for a secondary school.”
Willoughby, Greenwich and Epping had affordable unit prices under Sydney’s unit median of
Parramatta High School was the most affordable catchment, with house prices in Parramatta and Westmead priced around $1.55m-$1.73m.
SEARCH SCHOOLS AND SUBURBS: SEE FULL LIST OF TOP TEN CATCHMENTS AND THEIR HOUSE PRICES HERE
Epping home sold for $2.8m in Feb 2025, in the catchment for Carlingford High and Cheltenham Girls.
Specialist schools like Newtown Performing Arts and Conservatorium High School also had friendlier house prices – starting from $1.44m – yet were audition based and catered towards students gifted in music, drama and dance.
“For parents it is a tough call, do you then move from being a buyer to a renter to get your child into that favourite school or that top 10 school … renting would be the only (affordable) way to get into these catchments,” Dr Mardiasmo.
Some parents also weighed up saving on housing to then fund private schooling instead, she added.
“If I want to send my child to a particular school, but its $1m more than where I bought, when a private school fee lets say could be $50,000 a year – that’s roughly $600,000 for 12 years of schooling.
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Newtown Performing Arts High was one of the top performing but required an audition and was catered towards gifted students in dance, drama and music.
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“At least with property it’ll still be part of my equity, and the way the property market is going there is the possibility of my property making an extra $1m is also high,” she said.
For the best primary schools, buyers would still be looking at a minimum of $1.92m, -$500,000 above the median – with Matthew Pearce, Artarmon and Woollahra Primary Schools the top performing.
Belinda Hill principal of McGrath Beecroft said school catchment zones were a “huge part” of the north shore market, making the suburb extremely tightly held.
“Families move to the area for the schools, then they don’t want to leave so they upsize and downsize within the area,” she said.
“It’s a prime driving force for many of our buyers and (catchments) can have a significant impact on the sales price,” she said.
A recent McGrath Beecroft sale sold for $2.95m in March 2025.
Cheltenham Girls, Epping Boys, Carlingford High and Beecroft were the sought after schools in the area that Ms Hill said they often referred to as “the Holy trinity,” of schools.
“There are certain little pockets, if they hit two or three (school catchments) it’s like winning the lottery,” she said.
Finance professional Kieran Morell and his wife Nikita Morell, a copywriting and marketing agency owner, are currently searching for their “forever home,” in Beecroft.
They purchased in the area 10 years ago and now with four young kids, they’re hoping to upsize within the same area.
“We found that it (the suburb) was leafy and surrounded by nature and most importantly it has some of the best schools in the state,” Mr Morell said.
Kieran and Nikita Morell with their four children Allira, Mason, Rio and baby Nalani are searching to buy in Beecroft with in the top school’s catchments.
“We had heard a lot of positive things about Beecroft Public School, it’s got a good reputation for academic success in the NAPLAN results and all these extra-curricular activities for a public school is quite remarkable,” he said.
They were also drawn to the high performing secondary schools in the area including Epping Boys and Cheltenham Girls, which he said were top contenders for their kids future.
“There is certainly a premium being in the catchments …. And it’s quite difficult to get a house in those catchments, so we are continuing that (searching) journey,” he said.
The Morell’s now want to stay in Beecroft but upgrade to a larger home as their family has grown.
Dr Mardiasmo said that it came down to personal preference, “when it comes to choosing – the data will say one thing, but it can be used as a guide, it comes down to what suits your child and your family.”
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