Kiama schools and colleges for families moving to the area

Compare the schools around Kiama at a glance

Kiama is a small town, so the school list is short and easy to work through. Within the Kiama Council area there are five NSW public schools (four primary schools and one high school) and one Catholic primary school. Catholic high schools, independent colleges, TAFE and university are a short drive north in Shellharbour, Albion Park and Wollongong. Here is each one, with its distance from Kiama Ridge Waters at 2 Surfleet Place.

Drive times are by road with no traffic, so allow extra time for the school run. This guide does not rank schools. Visit, ask questions and read each school's own website to find the right fit for your child.

Walk to Kiama High School in about 20 minutes

Kiama High School is the town's public high school, on Saddleback Mountain Road on the southern side of Kiama. It is the closest school to Kiama Ridge Waters: about a 20-minute walk (1.4 km) or a 3-minute drive (2 km). The school describes itself as offering a comprehensive education for Year 7 to Year 12 students, with strong links to local primary schools to help with the move from Year 6.

For gifted and high-potential students, the school runs the Ad Altiora Extension Class. Ask the school directly how students are placed in it, and about subjects, sport and support for your child.

Start primary school in town at Kiama Public School

Kiama Public School is at 67 Bong Bong Street in the centre of town. NSW Department of Education records date its first teacher to 1861, which makes it one of the oldest schools on this list. It teaches Kindergarten to Year 6 under the motto "Let Your Deeds Shine".

The school website talks about outdoor classrooms, vegetable gardens, chickens and bee hives, alongside high potential programs, nature play and creative arts. From Kiama Ridge Waters it is about a 35-minute walk (2.6 km) or a 4-minute drive.

Choose a Catholic primary at Ss Peter and Paul

Ss Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School is Kiama's Catholic parish primary school, run within the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong system. It sits at 96-98 Manning Street, which the school describes as right on the beach, and is about a 20-minute walk (1.6 km) or a 3-minute drive from Kiama Ridge Waters.

The school website lists Out of School Hours Care and a Kindergarten transition program, and it says it is enrolling for 2027. Call the office on (02) 4232 2442 for enrolment details and a tour.

Look north to Minnamurra Public School

Minnamurra Public School is on Charles Avenue in Minnamurra, at the northern end of the Kiama area near Kiama Downs and the Minnamurra River. NSW Department of Education records show it opened in 1976. It teaches Kindergarten to Year 6 and says it serves the Minnamurra community, with hands-on learning and a range of extracurricular activities.

It is about a 12-minute drive (9.1 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters. If you are weighing up where to live, read our guides to Minnamurra and Kiama Downs.

Head south to Gerringong Public School

Gerringong Public School is on Archibald Road in Gerringong, the coastal village south of Kiama. It teaches Kindergarten to Year 6. Its website mentions the Burri Burri Playgroup, On Country learning with local Elders, a High Potential and Gifted Education program, debating, public speaking and sport.

From Kiama Ridge Waters it is about a 10-minute drive (9.7 km) down the highway. See our Gerringong guide for the village itself.

Try a small country school at Jamberoo Public School

Jamberoo Public School is on Churchill Street in Jamberoo, the village in the valley west of Kiama. The school says it has served the community since 1878 and calls itself a small school with a close-knit community. It teaches Kindergarten to Year 6.

It is about a 15-minute drive (11.9 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters. Read our Jamberoo guide for the village, or see accommodation near Jamberoo.

Drive to Corpus Christi Catholic High School in Oak Flats

Kiama has no Catholic high school of its own. The nearest, Corpus Christi Catholic High School, is at 100 Industrial Road, Oak Flats, in the Shellharbour area. It is part of the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong system and is about a 17-minute drive (18.5 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters. Ask the school about enrolment and school bus options from Kiama.

Consider St Joseph's Catholic High School in Albion Park

St Joseph's Catholic High School is at 16 Macquarie Street, Albion Park, also in the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong system. It is about a 19-minute drive (23.7 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters. Contact the school for enrolment details and how students from Kiama usually travel.

Look at Shellharbour Anglican College for Kindergarten to Year 12

Shellharbour Anglican College is an independent school at the corner of Piper Drive and Dunmore Road, Dunmore, run by the Anglican Schools Corporation. It takes students from Prep and Kindergarten through to Year 12, so siblings can stay at one school. It is about a 13-minute drive (15.1 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters. Independent schools charge fees, so ask the college for its current fee schedule.

Visit Calderwood Christian School in the Calderwood Valley

Calderwood Christian School is an independent Christian school at 234 Calderwood Road, Calderwood, west of Albion Park. Its website describes a community from Pre-K to Year 12, with a Junior School for Kindergarten to Year 6 and a Senior School for Years 7 to 12. It is about a 21-minute drive (24.9 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters. The school lists bus routes on its travel information page, so check there for Kiama.

Find a preschool or early learning centre

Kiama, Kiama Downs and Jamberoo all have preschools and long day care centres, run by community groups and private providers. Vacancies and fees change often, and many centres keep waiting lists, so start looking early if you are moving with a toddler.

The national Starting Blocks finder, run by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority, lists every approved service near a postcode, with its quality rating. Search for 2533 for Kiama and 2534 for Gerringong, then call the centres you like.

Study at TAFE NSW Shellharbour or the University of Wollongong

For school leavers and adults, TAFE NSW Shellharbour is the closest TAFE campus, at 11 College Avenue, Oak Flats, about a 19-minute drive (19.4 km). TAFE NSW also has two campuses in Wollongong. The University of Wollongong's main campus is on Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, about a 33-minute drive (44.1 km) from Kiama Ridge Waters. Kiama station, a 27-minute walk from the apartments, is on the South Coast Line to Wollongong. Plan train trips on Transport NSW.

Check your public school intake zone before you sign a lease

Many NSW public schools have a local enrolment area, or intake zone, set by the NSW Department of Education. Schools keep places for children who live in their zone. The department notes your designated local school may not be the closest one to your home. If a school has room, it may accept students from outside its zone, but when local demand fills the places, out-of-area enrolments are not available.

So before you rent or buy, type the exact street address into the official NSW School Finder. It shows which public primary and high school serve that address. Then call the school to ask what proof of address it needs, as rules for families renting can differ. Catholic and independent schools set their own enrolment rules, so contact them directly.

Plan the school run and free school travel

Transport for NSW runs the School Student Transport Scheme, which gives free or subsidised travel to eligible students. Students in Kindergarten to Year 2 have no minimum distance. Older students qualify if they live far enough from school, measured by Transport for NSW (more than 1.6 km in a straight line for Years 3 to 6 and more than 2 km for Years 7 to 12). Check the current rules and apply on Transport NSW school travel.

Once you have settled in, our guides to things to do in Kiama with kids and Kiama playgrounds cover the weekends.

Rent or buy close to Kiama High School

At Kiama Ridge Waters, Kiama High School and Ss Peter and Paul are both about a 20-minute walk from your front door. Each of our three-bedroom apartments at 2 Surfleet Place sleeps six, with two bathrooms, a full kitchen, a laundry and garage parking for two cars. Easts Beach is a 15-minute walk.

If you need somewhere to live while you look at schools, ask about long-term rentals in Kiama, or see our family accommodation in Kiama for a trial stay during term. If you are thinking of buying, register interest and view the plans on own in Kiama.

This guide is general information only. School zones, enrolment rules and fees change, so confirm with each school and the NSW Department of Education, and get independent legal and financial advice before you rent or buy.