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Schools in Darwin NT 2026, Public & Private Guide

Complete Darwin schools guide 2026: public, private and Catholic options, enrollment zones, NAPLAN results and how to find the best schools in Northern Territory.

By Darwin Daily · Published 20 July 2026

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This article was written by AI from the linked sources and was not reviewed by a journalist before publishing. The Daily Darwin is part of The Daily Network and follows our reasonable editorial care.

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Schools in Darwin 2026, Overview

Darwin's school system is managed by the NT Department of Education. The NT has a distinctive school landscape shaped by the large defence community, a mobile population (many families are on short postings) and the diverse multicultural character of the Territory. Here's a guide to Darwin schools in 2026. education.nt.gov.au

NT Government Schools

NT government primary and middle schools use local enrolment zones, check education.nt.gov.au for your local school. Darwin's government high schools include Darwin High School (Stuart Park, Darwin's primary government secondary school), Palmerston Senior College and Casuarina Senior College. education.nt.gov.au

Darwin High School

Darwin High School (Gilruth Avenue, Stuart Park) is Darwin's most established government secondary school, strong academic programs and well-connected to the NT's multicultural community. Casuarina Senior College (Trower Road, Casuarina) is the largest NT government secondary school by enrolment. darwinhigh.nt.edu.au

Independent and Catholic Schools

Darwin's independent sector includes St John's Catholic College (Milner), Essington School (Darwin, international-focused, strong academic track record), Good Shepherd Lutheran College and Kormilda College. The defence community often favours independent schools due to their experience with mobile families. ais.nt.edu.au

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