Hi Wentyl! As I write this, we're gearing up for the launch of our much-anticipated list of Australia's Top 100 Public High Schools. 

A couple of months ago we had an incredible response to our list of Australia's Top 100 Private Schools, and now we're celebrating the best schools in the government education sector.

It’s an exclusive deep dive ranking more than 1300 state secondary schools across the nation. We assessed them against a range of key benchmarks for success, including NAPLAN results, attendance levels, student-to-teacher ratios and the amount parents have to shell out in fees and charges.

We can’t reveal any of the results ahead of the release of the full list on Sunday morning, but we can tell you that the top 20 includes 12 co-ed schools, four girls’ schools and four boys’ schools.

What was impressive, and in some ways surprising, was the number of schools from rural and outer suburban areas that made the list, in many cases thanks to their low fees, excellent student-staff ratios and fine NAPLAN results. 

It’s a great opportunity to pay tribute to the hard-working students, teachers and leaders from our great state high schools, so look out for several stories we have planned tomorrow and over the next few days.

Does this look familiar? Then (like me) you're probably parenting a kidult. My condolences. FULL STORY

This week we’ve brought you hard-hitting stories about the dreadful bullying faced by some kids with disabilities, examined the worrying epidemic of students refusing to go on school camps as they’re too anxious to attend, and revealed how an Australian university is helping teens beat TikTok-fuelled eating disorders. 

From why maths is the “broccoli” of school subjects to teachers reporting a surge in racist slurs in the playground, there’s something for everyone. 

Many of you have also been in touch to say how much you enjoyed my piece about the kidults living in my house. The kidult is a unique human subspecies known for its chronic limitations in domestic situations. Its prime habitat is the family nest, which it will often refuse to vacate until it is at least 30. But while cohabiting with a kidult is an ... interesting ... experience, I wouldn't have it any other way!