Canberra's schools are finally catching up with the city's growth – and parents are noticing the difference

Three years ago, Sarah Chen packed up her family and moved from inner-city Fyshwick to the outer suburbs of Casey. The decision had nothing to do with affordability – it was about finding a school that didn't have prefab classrooms and a waitlist stretching into next year. Today, she wouldn't make that choice. Canberra's schools have transformed since 2023, and it's changing where families actually want to live.

The shift matters because Canberra's education system spent years playing catch-up. Population growth hit the city hard in the early 2020s, and the school infrastructure didn't follow. Parents felt the squeeze. Overcrowding at established schools like Lyneham High School forced families into difficult choices: drive further south, pay for private education, or accept overcrowded classrooms. Some simply left for Sydney. But the last two years have seen substantial investment reverse the trend, with new facilities opening and enrolment strategies finally matching demographic reality.

Building what families actually need

The opening of two new government primary schools in the Whitlam and Molonglo precinct has changed the calculus. Whitlam Primary, which opened in 2024, absorbed pressure from the established Melba primary catchment and gave families in northwest suburbs genuine choice. Meanwhile, Molonglo Primary, scheduled for its final intake phase this year, has attracted young families specifically because parents know spots exist. Local real estate agents report that school capacity is now a selling point again rather than a liability.

What surprised many Canberra parents is that the ACT government actually followed through on funding commitments. The $150 million education facilities program announced in 2022 delivered tangible results. Upgrades at schools like Gowrie Primary and Fadden Primary included new STEM facilities and improved playground infrastructure – not just cosmetic fixes. Gowrie, which sits in the central suburb of the same name, recently completed a $3.2 million expansion of its learning spaces. The difference is visible: classrooms that don't feel like shipping containers.

Parents in Canberra's inner suburbs are particularly vocal about staying. Margot Blyth, a teacher at Canberra College's Woden campus, observes that her colleagues no longer talk about working toward Sydney transfers. "The conversation has changed," she says. "Five years ago, teachers treated Canberra as temporary. Now they're buying houses here."

Data backs the stability claim

Enrolment figures show the trend clearly. The ACT Education Directorate reported a 2.3 percent increase in primary school enrolments across 2025, the strongest growth since 2019. Secondary enrolments have stabilised rather than declining, which marks a genuine reversal. At the same time, international student numbers at Canberra schools have increased, suggesting the city's education reputation is improving globally.

The property market has responded. Median house prices in family-friendly suburbs like Kew, Gowrie, and Greenway – all with newly upgraded or less-pressured schools – rose 4.8 percent year-on-year through 2025, outpacing broader ACT growth. Schools remain the primary driver of location decisions for 67 percent of families with children, according to ACT Real Estate Institute data released in May this year.

Going forward, the pressure shifts. Two more schools are planned for the Molonglo Valley as building continues, and the ACT government has committed to reviewing secondary capacity at schools in south Canberra by 2027. The question now is whether investment keeps pace with growth, or whether Canberra repeats the overcrowding cycle. For families currently choosing where to settle, that answer will determine whether they stay.