Public, GATE entry Shenton Park, Perth Public Year 7-12

Shenton College.

Public co-educational senior high in Shenton Park, with a Gifted and Talented Education program (GATE) that takes 64 students per year through annual centralised testing. Routinely the top non-selective public school in WA.

Inside Shenton

Shenton College is a public co-educational senior high school in Shenton Park, an inner western suburb of Perth. The school occupies a substantial campus near UWA and serves the standard local catchment plus a state-wide stream of students entering through the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program.

The GATE program at Shenton takes 64 places (two classes) in each incoming Year 7 cohort. Entry is via the centrally-administered annual GATE test that all WA students sit in Year 6, the same test that determines entry to Perth Modern. Shenton sits one rung below Perth Modern in selectivity (it's not fully selective like Perth Modern, but the GATE stream is) and competition for those 64 places is significant.

Beyond GATE, Shenton runs a High Performing Learning (HPL) program for academically capable students who didn't enter through the GATE test, plus extension and enrichment opportunities in the core MESH subjects (Mathematics, English, Science, Humanities). Students from any stream can choose ATAR, General, or VET courses in senior years.

What Shenton is known for

GATE program with 64 places per year

Two classes of 64 GATE students per Year 7 cohort, selected through the centralised state-wide test. The GATE stream changes the academic dynamic of the school's top end.

Highest non-selective public ATAR

Outside Perth Modern (which is fully selective), Shenton is consistently the top-ranking public school in WA by ATAR median. Its results approach mid-tier private schools without the fees.

Free, public school

No tuition fees. Standard public-school voluntary contributions only. For high-performing students whose families don't want or can't afford private fees, Shenton is one of the strongest options in WA.

Inner-west location near UWA

Shenton Park is close to UWA, which means university outreach programs (lectures, mentorship, summer schools) are unusually accessible compared to suburban schools.

Things to consider

Shenton isn't the right fit for every student. Here are the genuine tradeoffs to think through, drawn from publicly available information about the school.

GATE entry is competitive

Around 10,000 students sit the GATE test for ~280 places across all GATE schools. Of those, Shenton's 64 are highly contested. Have a fallback plan.

Public school resourcing

While Shenton is well-run, the resourcing is public-school standard. Don't expect the campus or co-curricular depth of top private schools.

HPL and GATE differ in tier

GATE classes are explicitly accelerated; HPL is enrichment within the standard cohort. The two programs offer different experiences. Understand which one your child is enrolled in.

North of the river

Shenton Park is on the north side of the Swan. For students south of the river, the daily commute is significant.

The ATAR pathway at Shenton

Shenton GATE and HPL students take strong ATAR plates. Most common: Pre-medicine (Methods + Chemistry + Human Bio + English), Pure STEM (Methods + Specialist + Physics + Chemistry), Music + ATAR (Music + Methods + a science + English), and Humanities / Law (Literature + History + a Language + Methods).

UWA is the dominant destination. Shenton's proximity to UWA and its university outreach connections mean a meaningful fraction of graduates enter UWA's higher-tier courses (medicine, law, engineering).

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From Shenton to our Bentley centre

About 11 km from our Bentley centre and 18 minutes via Underwood Avenue and Manning Road. Curtin students sometimes help younger siblings travel via the 998 bus.

Tutoring built for Shenton students.

Small-group ATAR classes at our Bentley centre or live online, for the subjects Shenton students are actually sitting. Free trial class, no card required.

Shenton College questions

Common questions from Shenton College families

How far is Shenton College from Educatta's centres?

About 11 km from our Bentley centre and 18 minutes via Underwood Avenue and Manning Road. Curtin students sometimes help younger siblings travel via the 998 bus.

Does Educatta tutor the subjects Shenton College students typically take?

Yes. Educatta tutors all the major ATAR subjects Shenton College students are sitting: Mathematics Methods, Mathematics Applications, English, Chemistry, Physics, and Human Biology. Year 11 and 12 students from Shenton College can attend small-group classes at our Bentley centre, or live online from anywhere in WA.

Can Shenton College students attend Educatta classes after school?

Yes. Most of our weekly classes run between 4:00pm and 8:30pm on weekdays, with weekend slots also available. Shenton College's school day finishes in time for students to arrive at our Bentley centre for after-school weekly classes.