About the school
Newcastle East Public School is located in the heart of Newcastle city and is housed in beautiful heritage-listed Gothic buildings. Established in 1816, it holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously-operating school in Australia, embodying a proud heritage of providing free education to all. The school serves a diverse inner-city community, with a significant number of overseas students attending. To support these students, ESL classes are provided, ensuring that they can integrate effectively into the school environment.
Educational Excellence
The school boasts academic levels that are well above national averages. It aims to foster and nurture the development of the whole child by catering to their physical, social, emotional, creative, and academic needs. The ethos of Newcastle East Public School can be encapsulated in the phrase, 'We are a country school in the heart of the city.'
Parental and Community Involvement
Parental participation is actively encouraged, including engagement in legislative matters of school policy. The strong emphasis on student welfare is complemented by the implementation of streaming for literacy and numeracy, ensuring tailored educational support for all students.
Extra-Curricular Activities
The school offers a robust extra-curricular program that includes sports, French language classes, musical instrument lessons, creative and performing arts, environmental education, debating, and public speaking. This holistic approach ensures that students not only achieve academic success but also develop important life skills through various activities and shared experiences.
Mission
At Newcastle East Public School, they are passionate about creating a safe, supportive, and inspiring place for every child to grow and thrive. Their dedicated team nurtures curiosity, achievement, and respect, fostering a lifelong love of learning.
Location & Catchment Area
- Newcastle East Public School
Nearby or Connected Schools
- A Newcastle High School 1.7 km
- B The Junction Public School 2.0 km
- C Stockton Public School 2.2 km
- D Hamilton South Public School 2.2 km
- E Carrington Public School 2.3 km
- F Hamilton Public School 3.2 km
- G Merewether Public School 3.3 km
- H Tighes Hill Public School 3.4 km
- I Islington Public School 3.7 km
- J Merewether High School 3.9 km
- K Merewether Heights Public School 4.1 km
- L Hamilton North Public School 4.2 km
Profile (2025)
- Total enrolments
- 260 (134 girls, 126 boys)
- Enrolments (FTE) What does this mean?
- 260
- ICSEA What does this mean?
- 1112 (percentile 87)
- SEA quarters What does this mean?
- 6% / 17% / 29% / 48%
- FOEI What does this mean?
- 26
- Indigenous students
- 3%
- LBOTE What does this mean?
- 29%
- Teaching staff (FTE) What does this mean?
- 16.1
- Non-teaching staff (FTE) What does this mean?
- 2.4
Enrolments by grade (2025)
| Grade | Headcount |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten | 42 |
| Year 1 | 38 |
| Year 2 | 53 |
| Year 3 | 26 |
| Year 4 | 22 |
| Year 5 | 47 |
| Year 6 | 32 |
| Total | 260 |
Year by year
Attendance data for 2020 is unavailable — NSW schools were disrupted by COVID-19 and the Department of Education did not publish figures for that year.
| Year | Enrolments | Girls | Boys | Attendance % | ICSEA | Teaching staff (FTE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 260 | 134 | 126 | - | 1112 | 16.1 |
| 2024 | 241 | 117 | 124 | 90 | 1122 | 14.9 |
| 2023 | 253 | 114 | 139 | 90.9 | 1114 | 14.9 |
| 2022 | 233 | 98 | 135 | 89 | 1130 | 14.3 |
| 2021 | 255 | 115 | 140 | 92.3 | 1133 | 14.4 |
| 2020 | 265 | 121 | 144 | - | 1136 | 15.5 |
| 2019 | 254 | 115 | 139 | 93.1 | 1138 | 14.3 |
| 2018 | 239 | 104 | 135 | 93.9 | 1139 | 14.3 |
| 2017 | 241 | 115 | 126 | 93.9 | 1149 | 14.1 |
| 2016 | 242 | 117 | 125 | 94 | 1160 | 14 |
| 2015 | 239 | 121 | 118 | 94.8 | 1157 | 13.9 |
| 2014 | 217 | 113 | 104 | 95.4 | 1161 | 13.2 |
| 2013 | 208 | 115 | 93 | 94.3 | 1159 | 13.2 |
| 2012 | 210 | 118 | 92 | 94.5 | 1149 | 11.9 |
| 2011 | 203 | 107 | 96 | 94.1 | 1146 | 11.9 |
| 2010 | 219 | 115 | 104 | - | 1144 | 11.9 |
| 2009 | 204 | 109 | 95 | - | 1093 | 10.5 |
| 2008 | 201 | 104 | 97 | - | 1093 | 10.5 |
Attendance data for 2020 is unavailable — NSW schools were disrupted by COVID-19 and the Department of Education did not publish figures for that year.