Sydney's inner ring has three fully selective schools with some of the longest histories in NSW. Sydney Boys High and Sydney Girls High face each other near Moore Park, and Fort Street High, founded in 1849, is in Petersham. There are also five partially selective schools across Balmain, Leichhardt, Tempe, Rose Bay and Alexandria.
The schools at a glance
| School | Suburb | Students | Type | Year 7 places | 2025 HSC rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Boys High School | Surry Hills | Boys | Fully selective | 180 | 6 |
| Sydney Girls High School | Surry Hills | Girls | Fully selective | 180 | 13 |
| Fort Street High School | Petersham | Co-ed | Fully selective | 150 | 20 |
| Sydney Secondary College, Balmain Campus | Rozelle | Co-ed | Partially selective | 60 | n/a |
| Sydney Secondary College, Leichhardt Campus | Leichhardt | Co-ed | Partially selective | 60 | n/a |
| Tempe High School | Tempe | Co-ed | Partially selective | 60 | n/a |
| Rose Bay Secondary College | Dover Heights | Co-ed | Partially selective | 60 | n/a |
| Alexandria Park Community School | Alexandria | Co-ed | Partially selective | 30 | n/a |
Sydney Boys and Sydney Girls
Both schools were founded in 1883 and have 180 places each, the largest selective intakes in NSW. Sydney Boys ranked sixth in NSW in 2025 (54.2%), up from ninth. It's the only government school in the GPS sporting association, so rowing and rugby are a big part of school life. Sydney Girls ranked 13th (44.2%), up from 17th.
Read our guides to Sydney Boys and Sydney Girls, and compare them with the North Shore: Sydney Boys vs North Sydney Boys and North Sydney Girls vs Sydney Girls.
Fort Street High School
Fort Street, in Petersham, is the oldest public high school in Australia and the only co-ed fully selective school in the inner city, with 150 places. It ranked 20th in NSW in 2025, up from 28th. Read our Fort Street guide.
Partially selective schools
- Sydney Secondary College has partially selective Years 7 to 10 campuses at Balmain (Rozelle) and Leichhardt, with 60 places each. Students move to the Blackwattle Bay campus for Years 11 and 12.
- Tempe High School: 60 places
- Rose Bay Secondary College in Dover Heights: 60 places, the only selective option in the eastern suburbs
- Alexandria Park Community School: 30 places, in a school that runs from Kindergarten to Year 12
Opportunity classes in the area
OC classes for Years 5 and 6 run at Ashfield, Balmain, Earlwood, Summer Hill, Wilkins (Marrickville), Alexandria Park, Maroubra Junction and Woollahra. See our OC schools list.
Choosing between them
- Single-sex: Sydney Boys or Sydney Girls. Both are close to Central station.
- Co-ed, fully selective: Fort Street is the only one in the area. The next nearest are Caringbah to the south and Baulkham Hills and James Ruse to the north-west.
- Partially selective near home: Balmain, Leichhardt, Tempe and Rose Bay suit families who want a shorter trip.
See all Sydney selective schools by region and the NSW selective schools ranking.
Preparing for the test
Applications for 2028 entry open on 5 November 2026 and close on 15 February 2027. The test is on 13 and 14 May 2027. See our NSW Selective practice tests and selective test sample questions.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a selective school in the eastern suburbs? Rose Bay Secondary College is partially selective. The nearest fully selective schools are Sydney Boys and Sydney Girls near Moore Park.
Is Fort Street co-ed? Yes. It's the only co-ed fully selective school in the inner city.
Which is the oldest selective school in Sydney? Fort Street High School, founded in 1849, is the oldest public high school in Australia.
Sources: NSW Department of Education, selective school list and places for 2027 entry; 2025 HSC rankings compiled from the NESA Distinguished Achievers list; school websites. Not affiliated with the NSW Department of Education or any school.