Schools: InBrief mid-year census 2021
This bulletin was originally published 10 August 2022.
Overview
CESE’s Schools: InBrief mid year census, 2021 bulletin summarises the results of the census of students in NSW Government schools undertaken on Friday 6 August 2021, and the census of NSW non-government schools undertaken by the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment.
The mid year census includes data on NSW Government schools (preschool, primary, secondary, central/community and schools for specific purposes) and students (age at 1 July, grades, full-time, part-time, gender and Aboriginality).
From 2020, students in mainstream support classes are reported by their underlying grade of enrolment. Prior to 2020, this cohort of students was reported as ‘ungraded’ or ‘support’. From 2020 only students in schools for specific purposes (SSPs) are reported as ‘ungraded’. This resulted in a break in series, and is explained in more detail in InBrief mid-year census 2020.
Summary
NSW Government
| Full-time equivalent (FTE) enrolments | |
|---|---|
| Primary enrolments | 485,889.0 |
| Secondary enrolments | 310,421.4 |
| SSP enrolments | 5,872.0 |
| Total enrolments | 802,182.4 |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students | |
|---|---|
| Total Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander enrolments | 68,015.4 |
| Percent Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander enrolments | 8.5% |
| Part-time students | |
|---|---|
| Number of part-time students | 1,790 |
| FTE enrolments | 1,196.4 |
| Preschool students | |
|---|---|
| Number of preschool students | 4,203 |
| FTE enrolments | 2,229.5 |
| NSW government schools | |
|---|---|
| Primary and infants schools | 1,605 |
| Central/community schools | 68 |
| Secondary schools | 401 |
| Schools for specific purposes (SSPs) | 117 |
| Environmental education centres (EECs) | 23 |
| Total government schools | 2,214 |
| Preschools attached to primary/infant schools | 100 |
| Separate preschools | 1 |
| Total preschools | 101 |
NSW non-government
| Full-time equivalent (FTE) enrolments | |
|---|---|
| Primary enrolments | 215,156.7 |
| Secondary enrolments | 225,809.9 |
| Total enrolments | 440,966.6 |
| NSW non-government schools | |
|---|---|
| Primary schools | 491 |
| Secondary schools | 140 |
| Primary/secondary schools | 261 |
| Special schools | 64 |
| Total non-government schools | 956 |
For more information
- To access data, visit the NSW Education Insights Hub.
- To read our other statistical publications.
Last modified date
02/02/2026
Business unit contact email
Executive director
Jacqueline Hodges, Silva Hiendra
Executive director’s business unit
Education and Skills Reform