Information on school zones for Victorian government schools.
Your designated neighbourhood Government school (referred to as your local school) is generally the government school closest to your child’s permanent residential address.
If your child lives in metropolitan Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo or Geelong, their local school is usually the nearest government school in a straight line from their permanent address.
In any other area of Victoria, it is usually the nearest school by the shortest practical route by road.
To find your local school and other government schools in your area:
The Find my School website is the official and most up to date source of school zone maps in Victoria. All government primary, secondary and specialist schools are on Find my School.
Visit Catholic Education Commission of Victoria and Independent Schools Victoria to find Catholic and independent schools located across the state .
Your child has a right to enrol at their local school. This right is set out in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006. This means, if your child lives within the school zone, they must be offered a place when seeking enrolment.
You have the choice to seek enrolment at a school that is not your local school.
If the school has sufficient space for all students who apply, then your child should be offered placement.
If the school has limited spaces available, applications are considered using the ‘priority order of placement’ outlined in the Placement Policy. The priority order of placement prioritises students who live within the school zone and out of zone siblings. For more information on the Placement Policy, learn about enrolling in school.
The Find my School website shows zones for the current and following school years.
Each year, a small number of school zones may change. Changes may be due to the opening of new schools, changing provision at existing schools (e.g. relocating a campus or changing year levels offered), improving school accessibility, or managing enrolment demand.
Always use the Find my School website to check school zones. The Department of Education does not endorse advice from real estate agents or other websites.
Specialist schools for students with disability do not have school zones. They do have designated transport areas. If you live in these areas, you may be able to get help with transporting your child to and from school.
Single sex schools have school zones to ensure they can cater for local children. If you are within the school zone for a single sex school, you will also be within the school zone for a co-ed school. You can seek enrolment at a single sex school, even if your child does not live within the school zone. Applications are considered in line with the Placement Policy or, where applicable, the school’s individual enrolment criteria.
Flexible learning government schools and English language schools do not have school zones, as they support more than just their local area.
Selective entry schools do not have school zones, but they have other enrolment criteria.
For answers to frequently asked questions about school zones and enrolment at Victorian government schools, including specialist schools, refer to the enrolment frequently asked questions: