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10 Best Suburbs for Primary Schools
Choosing the right primary school sets the foundation for your child's education. We went beyond suburb-level averages and looked directly at primary school NAPLAN scores to find the suburbs where early education truly excels.
How we ranked these suburbs
Instead of using the overall suburb education score (which blends primary and secondary), we queried individual school data and filtered for Primary and Combined (K-12) schools only. For each suburb, we calculated:
- Average primary NAPLAN percentile — the mean NAPLAN score across all primary/combined schools in the suburb, on a 0-100 scale relative to all WA schools
- Primary school count — how many primary/combined schools contributed to the average
This approach means suburbs are ranked by how their primary schools specifically perform — not dragged up or down by a high school in the same suburb.
Why direct school scores matter
A suburb with one exceptional high school and mediocre primary schools might score well on an overall education metric. But if you're choosing a suburb for your 5-year-old starting Kindy, the high school's NAPLAN results are irrelevant right now.
By isolating primary school performance, this list gives parents of young children a clearer picture of where the best early education outcomes are happening.
What to look for
Suburbs with multiple high-scoring primary schools are the strongest picks — they offer choice and consistency. A suburb with one outstanding school and one underperformer is riskier, since catchment zones or enrolment caps may push your child to the weaker option.
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is Perth's most iconic wealthy suburb, synonymous with riverfront mega-mansions, old money, and tree-lined streets. People consistently use it as shorthand for the top end of Perth's socioeconomic scale. Residents praise the quiet, leafy feel and proximity to the city and river, but outsiders frequently note the suburb's exclusivity and perceived elitism. While undeniably prestigious, some visitors find the older homes underwhelming, and limited local shops make it car-dependent.
Glendalough
Glendalough sits quietly on Perth's inner north, anchored by its busy train station on the Joondalup-Yanchep line. It draws attention mainly for its excellent freeway bike path, the local IGA shopping centre, and its status as an affordable entry point into the inner suburbs. The Herdsman Glendalough precinct redevelopment looms on the horizon, hinting at future densification. The suburb rarely makes news for bad reasons, and its low profile is arguably its appeal.
Nedlands
Nedlands wears its prestige quietly but unmistakably. Old-money streets, the Swan River foreshore at Matilda Bay, UWA on the doorstep, and major hospitals nearby make it one of Perth's most coveted addresses. The suburb is better known for what it keeps out: fast food chains, apartment blocks, and change of almost any kind. A drawn-out council saga gave Nedlands a national profile for the wrong reasons. For residents, it remains leafy, safe, and walkable.
Wattle Grove
Wattle Grove is a quiet, established outer-eastern suburb where residents describe a leafy residential feel alongside real bushfire risk: the area has faced multiple fire emergencies along its Tonkin Highway corridor. Locals note heavy car dependence with no train link and major roads as the main arteries. People say basic retail like ALDI is nearby, but cafes, nightlife and public transport remain sparse.
Subiaco
Subiaco is one of Perth's most livable inner-western suburbs, anchored by a lively strip of cafes, restaurants, and a beloved weekly farmers market along Rokeby Road. Well-connected by train and highly walkable, it attracts young professionals and families who prize the heritage streetscapes and genuine community atmosphere. A surge of new apartment developments — including ambitious plans for the former oval site — signals rapid change, but the suburb's polished dining scene and established character keep it among Perth's most sought-after addresses.
Bull Creek
Bull Creek is a well-established south-of-river suburb anchored by the Mandurah train line and the much-loved RAAFA Aviation Heritage Museum. It draws a mixed crowd: retirees on the Air Force Memorial Estate, commuting professionals, and families around All Saints College. Quiet and largely car-dependent, it sits comfortably in Perth's middle-ring southern suburbs, affordable, familiar, and a touch sentimental about its aviation heritage.
East Fremantle
East Fremantle is one of Perth's most coveted riverside addresses: leafy, well-established, and built around the Swan River. Residents enjoy dog beaches, riverside walking trails, Blackwall Reach, and the local yacht club, while the Canning Highway strip provides upscale dining and bars. It is a quieter alternative to neighbouring Fremantle, attracting families and long-term owner-occupiers who prize green space, community cohesion, and proximity to the coast over nightlife or urban density.
Floreat
Floreat is an affluent, established western suburb defined by its stunning beach, sweeping bushland in Bold Park, and generous residential blocks. Families and professionals are drawn by the coastal lifestyle, excellent schools nearby, and quiet tree-lined streets, though car dependence is the norm and the price of entry is steep. Community life tends toward the private side, with sports clubs filling the social calendar rather than a buzzing strip.
Jolimont
Jolimont is a compact, leafy inner suburb tucked between Subiaco and the Floreat Athetic precinct. Its tree-lined streets and rail access make it a quiet but well-connected address popular with renters and apartment owners. The suburb leans residential and established, with a modest local food scene, Moss Black Cafe earns a mention among Perth's best, and easy reach of Subiaco's wider amenities. New development is slowly reshaping parts of the suburb.
Shelley
Shelley sits quietly on the southern bank of the Canning River, best known for its scenic foreshore, Shelley Beach Park, and the popular riverside walking and cycling trails. It reads as an established, owner-occupier suburb, unpretentious, well-kept, and genuinely pleasant for families and active residents. Property values have pushed firmly into the seven-figure range for larger blocks, reflecting real demand despite limited local retail and some aircraft noise overhead.
Individual schools vs. suburb averages
Remember that these are averages across primary schools in each suburb. A suburb ranked #8 might contain a single primary school that outscores anything in the top 3. Conversely, a top-ranked suburb might have one excellent school pulling up a mediocre peer.
For individual school NAPLAN scores, attendance rates, and ICSEA data, use our school ratings explorer.
Beyond NAPLAN
NAPLAN captures literacy and numeracy fundamentals — it doesn't measure everything that makes a primary school great:
- Teaching quality and staff retention
- Class sizes and learning support
- Specialist programs (languages, arts, STEM)
- Playground facilities and pastoral care
- Community and parent involvement
Visit schools in person and talk to other parents before committing. For a ranking that includes safety alongside education, see our Best Suburbs for Families guide. Looking for high school data? See our Best Suburbs for High Schools ranking.
Data & methodology
Suburbs are ranked by the average NAPLAN percentile score of primary schools in each suburb (highest first). We query the schools table directly, filtering for schools with type = 'Primary' or type = 'Combined' (K-12 schools that include primary years). Each school's percentile score (0-100) reflects NAPLAN performance in reading, writing, numeracy, grammar, and spelling relative to all WA schools.
For each suburb, we average the percentile scores across all qualifying primary/combined schools with NAPLAN data. Suburbs need at least one primary or combined school with a score, a population above 500, and must be in Perth metro.
Both government and non-government (independent, Catholic) schools are included. Data is sourced from ACARA via MySchool and refreshes annually.
Data sources: ACARA/MySchool (individual school NAPLAN results), ABS Census 2021 (population), real estate websites + WA Rental Bonds (rent context).
Nick Lilleyman
Founder & Data Lead, Burb Score
Nick built Burb Score to give Perth families a data-driven view of where to live. He works directly with the ACARA, WA Police, ABS Census, WA Rental Bonds and real estate datasets that power every ranking on this site. Rankings are generated programmatically from official data sources, not opinions, and refresh automatically. No sponsored content or paid placements.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the overall suburb school rating?
The overall suburb school rating averages NAPLAN scores across all schools — primary, secondary, and combined. This ranking isolates primary and combined (K-12) schools only, so suburbs aren't boosted or penalised by their high schools. It's a more targeted metric for parents of primary-age children.
Are private primary schools included?
Yes. Government, independent, and Catholic primary schools are all included — any school that reports NAPLAN data through ACARA. The suburb average blends all school sectors together.
What year levels does "primary" cover?
Primary schools in WA cover Kindergarten through Year 6. NAPLAN is tested in Years 3 and 5 at the primary level. Combined (K-12) schools also teach primary years and are included in this ranking.
What if a suburb only has one primary school?
Suburbs with a single primary school can still rank well if that school performs strongly. However, suburbs with multiple high-scoring schools offer more choice and resilience — if one school doesn't suit your child, there's an alternative nearby.
Do expensive suburbs always have better primary schools?
There's a correlation via ICSEA (socio-educational advantage), but it's not absolute. Several mid-priced suburbs achieve primary school scores that rival or exceed much more expensive areas. The data on this page highlights those suburbs.
Explore these suburbs further