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Enrolment in an ACT public school is determined by a child or young person’s place of residence. The ACT is divided into Priority Enrolment Areas (PEAs) which are defined geographical areas. Every child residing within a school’s PEA is guaranteed a place at that school (kindergarten to year 12). If a school has capacity available after accepting students from its PEA, it may enrol ACT students who live outside the PEA, subject to the enrolment criteria.

Use the ACT Schools Map External Link to search by home address or by school name to confirm your local school.

Alternatively, you can check the PEA by suburb or school level in the below documents. Please note that some suburbs are split across more than one PEA.

Priority Enrolment Area Shared Zones

Some suburbs are zoned to more than one school. Where your residential address is in a Shared Zone, the ACT Schools Map External Link will show multiple schools.

If you live in a Shared Zone, you are guaranteed a place for your child in one of the schools in the Shared Zone, but not necessarily your first preference school. Principals of Shared Zone schools work collaboratively in line with the Kindergarten to Year 12 PEA Shared Zone Management Plan to balance enrolments within a Shared Zone, to ensure all schools can meet the needs of their students. This means your application may be referred to the other Shared Zone schools.

More information is available in the Kindergarten to year 12 PEA Shared Zone Management Plan MS Word File (43kb)

Shirley Smith High School – Kenny, East Gungahlin

  • Enrolments for Shirley Smith High School in Kenny opened on 26 April 2023 ahead of the 2024 school opening.
  • From 2024, residents of the following suburbs will be in the high school’s Priority Enrolment Area (PEA) and are guaranteed enrolment at the new school.
    • Kenny (all)
    • Throsby (all)
    • Any future residential development (from 2024) in specific areas of Lyneham (Thoroughbred Park, Yowani & Kamberra), north of Thurbon Road, east of Sullivans Creek, east of Barton Highway, south of Randwick Road and west of Flemington Road.
  • A One-Way PEA Shared Zone has been established for residents in the following suburbs. This means residents of these PEAs continue to be guaranteed enrolment at their existing PEA school, and also have the option to enrol at the new Shirley Smith High School.
    • Harrison (all) – Residents also continue to be guaranteed a place at Harrison School 7-10
    • Forde (south of Helen Leonard Crescent and east of Amy Ackman Street) – Residents also continue to be guaranteed a place at Harrison School 7-10
    • Franklin (all) – Residents also continue to be guaranteed a place at Harrison School 7-10.
    • Gungahlin (all) – Residents also continue to be guaranteed a place at Harrison School 7-10
    • Mitchell (all) – Residents also continue to be guaranteed a place at Harrison School 7-10
    • Watson (all) – Residents also continue to be guaranteed a place at Lyneham High School or Campbell High School*
    • Downer (all) – Residents also continue to be guaranteed a place at Lyneham High School
    • Ngunnawal (Kurrama Close, Margany Close and Jaru place only) – Residents also continue to be guaranteed a place at Harrison School.

College PEA Impacts

  • There are no changes to College PEAs in Downer, Lyneham and Watson. These suburbs remain in PEA for Dickson College
  • Kenny, Throsby, Harrison, Forde, Franklin, Gungahlin and Mitchell remain in the PEA Shared Zone for Gungahlin College and Dickson College*

*In line with the Kindergarten to Year 12 PEA Shared Zone Management Plan

Priority Enrolment Area map for Shirley Smith High School. See details above the image on the page.

Changes to Priority Enrolment Area map for Shirley Smith High School pdf icon (1Mb)

Richardson Primary School – PEA clarification

  • From 2024, Ackland Place, Beattie Crescent, Longman Street, Gonzaga Place, Onians Place, Tuck Place in Richardson will be included in the PEA for Richardson Primary School.
  • This change brings the PEA in line with Calwell High School’s PEA which includes all of Richardson.

Caroline Chisholm School (preschool to year 6) – PEA clarification

  • From 2024, Ackland Place, Beattie Crescent, Longman Street, Gonzaga Place, Onians Place, Tuck Place in Richardson will be included in the PEA for Richardson Primary School.
  • This section was in the PEA for Caroline Chisholm School (P-6). This change brings the PEA in line with Calwell High School’s PEA which includes all of Richardson.

Harrison School

  • Kenny and Throsby were in the PEA for Harrison School years 7-10. From 2024, this arrangement will cease as they will be included in the new PEA for the new Shirley Smith High School.
  • From 2024 Harrison School years 7-10 PEA will be: Forde (south of Helen Leonard Crescent and east of Amy Ackman Street), Franklin, Gungahlin, Harrison, Mitchell, Ngunnawal (Kurrama Close, Margany Close and Jaru place only). Residents also have the option to enrol at Shirley Smith High School through the One-Way PEA Shared Zone.

Lyneham High School

  • The existing Lyneham High School PEA will remain the same for 2024 however residents in Downer and Watson will also have the option to enrol at Shirley Smith High School through the One-Way PEA Shared Zone.
  • However, any future residents arising from any residential development from 2024 in the area north of Thurbon Road, east of Sullivans Creek, east of Barton Highway, south of Randwick Road and west of Flemington Road will not be in Lyneham High School’s PEA.

Campbell High School

  • Campbell High School PEA will remain the same for 2024 however residents in Watson will also have the option to enrol at Shirley Smith High School.

New High School at North Gungahlin in Taylor

  • Enrolments for the new High School in Taylor will open in 2024 ahead of the new school opening in 2025.
  • A name for the school will soon be announced.
  • The PEA for the new high school will be the same as for Margaret Hendry School.
  • From 2025, residents of the following suburbs will be in the high school’s Priority Enrolment Area (PEA) and are guaranteed enrolment at the new school:
    • Taylor (all)
    • Moncrieff (all)
    • Jacka (North of Appleford Ave)

Priority enrolment map for new high school in North Gungahlin mapping out suburbs of Taylor, Jacka and Moncrieff

Amaroo School (years 7-10)

  • Moncrieff and part of Jacka (North of Appleford Ave) will be removed from the PEA for Amaroo School (years 7-10). Moncrieff and Jacka (north of Appleford Ave) will be included in the PEA for the new North Gungahlin High School.
  • From 2025 Amaroo School PEA will be Amaroo, Bonner, Jacka (South of Appleford Ave) and Ford (north of Helen Leonard Crescent and sest of Amy Ackman Street).

Gold Creek School (years 7-10)

  • From 2025 Taylor will be removed from the PEA for Gold Creek School (years 7-10). Taylor will be included in the PEA for the new North Gungahlin High School.
  • From 2025 Gold Creek School PEA will be Casey, Crace, Hall (as well as the surrounding rural area within ACT), Ngunnawal (excluding Kurrama Close, Margany Close and Jaru place only), Nicholls and Palmerston.

College PEA impacts

  • There are no changes to College PEAs for Taylor, Moncrieff and Jacka. They remain in area for Gungahlin College and Dickson College*

* In line with the Kindergarten to Year 12 PEA Shared Zone Management Plan

Strathnairn Primary School (ECEC – 6)

  • Enrolments for the new primary school in Strathnairn will open in 2025 ahead of the new school opening in 2026.
  • From 2026, residents of the following suburbs will be in the primary school’s Priority Enrolment Area and are guaranteed enrolment at the new school:
    • Strathnairn (all)
    • Macnamara (all)
    • Ginninderry Stage 3 (all)
    • Part of Holt (west of the golf course bounded by Fullston Way and Lionel Rose Street)

Strathnairn Primary School (ECEC – 6) priority enrolment map From 2026, residents of the following suburbs will be in the primary school’s Priority Enrolment Area and are guaranteed enrolment at the new school: oStrathnairn (all) oMacnamara (all) oGinninderry Stage 3 (all) oPart of Holt (West of the golf course bounded by Fullston Way and Lionel Rose Street).

Whitlam Primary School (ECEC-6)

  • Enrolments for the new primary school in Whitlam will open in 2025 ahead of the new school opening in 2026.
  • From 2026, residents of the following suburbs will be in the primary school’s Priority Enrolment Area and are guaranteed enrolment at the new school:
    • Molonglo North (Whitlam and Molonglo Valley ‘Stage 3 East’)

Whitlam Priority Enrolment Area map - *From 2026, residents of the following suburbs will be in the primary school’s Priority Enrolment Area and are guaranteed enrolment at the new school: oMolonglo North (Whitlam and Molonglo Valley ‘Stage 3 East’)

Macgregor Primary School (P- 6)

  • Strathnairn will be removed from the PEA for Macgregor Primary School (Kindergarten – 6). Strathnairn will be included in the PEA for the new Strathnairn primary school.
  • This means from 2026 Macgregor Primary School PEA will be Macgregor.

Kingsford Smith School (P - 6)

  • Holt (west of the golf course bounded by Fullston Way and Lionel Rose Street) will be removed from the PEA for Kingsford Smith School (P – 6). Holt (west of the golf course bounded by Fullston Way and Lionel Rose Street) will be included in the PEA for the new Strathnairn primary school.
  • Strathnairn will be removed from the PEA for Kingsford Smith School (Kindergarten – 6). Strathnairn will be included in the PEA for the new Strathnairn primary school. From 2026 Kingsford Smith School PEA will be Higgins and Holt (west of the golf course bounded by Fullston Way and Lionel Rose Street).

Evelyn Scott School (P - 6)

  • Whitlam will be removed from the PEA for Evelyn Scott School (P - 6), Whitlam will be included in the PEA for the new Whitlam Primary School.
  • From 2026 Evelyn Scott School PEA will be Denman Prospect, Molonglo and Wright (north of Opperman Ave is a shared PEA with Charles Weston School).

Frequently asked questions

Once you reside in the ACT or the immediate surrounding NSW region, you can submit an online enrolment form External Link. To find your local school use the ACT Schools Map.

Applications from overseas or interstate (outside the immediate NSW region) cannot be processed.

If you have moved to the ACT and have a temporary residential address, you are eligible to enrol at the local school for that address. If you subsequently move, you can choose to continue to stay at the current school or enrol in your new local school.

Some suburbs are zoned to more than one school. If you live in a ‘shared zone’, you are guaranteed a place for your child in one of the designated schools, but not necessarily your preferred school.

The principals of the local school can provide more information about which school may have capacity available to accept your application.

Some suburbs are zoned to more than one school. PEAs are detailed above, including where One-Way Shared Zone arrangements where applicable.

In a One-Way Shared Zone, you are guaranteed a place for your child at a school in their PEA, and also have the option to apply to enrol at the one-way Shared Zone school. This arrangement is not reciprocated as a One-Way Shared Zone does not go both ways. For example, residents of Majura Primary School can enrol at either Majura Primary or Ainslie Primary through the one-way Shared Zone, however residents of Ainslie Primary PEA are not offered enrolment at Majura Primary.

You are guaranteed enrolment if you live in a school's Priority Enrolment Area and your residential address within the PEA can be confirmed by the school.

If you are applying to enrol outside of your Priority Enrolment Area, the school needs to confirm ACT or NSW residency to determine which enrolment criteria apply.

The Directorate has implemented a points-based verification process for Proof of Residential Address at all schools in the ACT. Find out more at Accepting my offer?

For assistance

If you require further information about your PEA contact the Education Directorate on (02) 6205 5429 or email education.enrolment@act.gov.au.