The Northern Rivers is a majestic area of the New South Wales coast and is known for its Pacific surf beaches, fertile valleys around rivers, and world heritage rainforests. It has a history of strong community connections with its land, culture, and people.
If you have a young family and you are considering relocating, one of the first considerations is available schools in the area. Research has shown that finding the right school determines the happiness and welfare of the children and your family. Therefore, one of the biggest challenges you will face is finding the right school, which is a key to settlement and contentment when relocating.
Some schools offer a wide range of choices to ensure that their new pupils receive the help they need, whether through providing education consistency or supporting wellbeing issues they may experience as part of the relocation process.
Transition Activities
Here’s a list of successful transition activities that a school may or may not offer to support you in the selection process:
- Sending out new parent guides to the school and location in advance
- Having a specific new parent liaison member on the Parent Group
- Providing opportunities for new parents and families to meet
- Running support groups, both via social media and face to face
- Providing a buddy system for pupils
- Mentoring of new pupils by a peer or teacher
- Providing volunteer opportunities for parents
- Detailed curriculum information before enrolment
Other considerations may include the availability of public transport, or is there a safe cycling route, or is the school within walking distance from your new home?
Resources
Following are helpful resources and information to assist with your plan to relocate and find a suitable school in the Northern Rivers.
There are 140 schools in the Northern NSW district, with most of them located in the Clarence Valley, Lismore, and the Tweed LGA’s
Kingscliff High School in Tweed is the largest government school in the Northern NSW district (996.8 FTE enrolments) and the smallest in Afterlee Public School in Kyogle (9 FTE enrolments).
The school with the highest Indigenous population is Cabbage Tree Island Public School in the Ballina LGA (100% Indigenous).
The school with the highest LBOTE population is Tabulam Public School in the Kyogle LGA (70%).
The government school in Northern NSW with the highest ISCEA is Bangalow Public School in the Byron LGA (1093), and the school with the lowest is Southern Cross School of Distance Education (548), followed by Cabbage Tree Island Public School (637).
The school with the lowest school attendance is Tyalgum Public School in the Tweed LGA, and the school with the highest school attendance is Cowper Public School in the Clarence Valley LGA (97.6).
Check out the School Profiles in the area
List of Schools in the Northern Rivers
Private Schools in the Northern Rivers
Search by map location
Research the insights of each school
If you are wanting to make the move to the Northern Rivers, read more about buying or renting.