Brisbane's inner-city schools are shrinking—and parents are rethinking the neighbourhood school run

Brisbane's inner-city primary schools are facing a quiet exodus. Enrolment at Paddington State School has dropped 12 per cent over the past three years, with 340 students now on the roll compared to 387 in 2023. Down the hill in New Farm, the story is similar. Parents who once saw proximity to the city as a bonus are now weighing up longer commutes against newer campuses on the suburban fringe, where there's grass, car parks, and space to expand.

The shift reflects a broader reshuffling of family life in Brisbane. First-home buyers—particularly those with children—are increasingly priced out of riverside suburbs like Paddington and Fortitude Valley. Meanwhile, the appeal of established inner-city schools has dimmed as families discover they can afford a proper backyard 20 minutes west, where new schools like Summergrove State School in The Gap opened in 2021 with modern facilities and room to grow. The ripple effect is reshaping which neighbourhoods feel family-friendly and which feel like they're slowly aging out.

When proximity isn't enough

Paddington State School, nestled on Given Terrace just north of the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, has been a fixture since 1876. Its Victorian sandstone buildings and heritage appeal still attract families who value walkability and character. But the school's principal acknowledges the headwinds: rising fees for after-school care, competition from private alternatives like St. Mary's Anglican Girls School a few suburbs over, and the simple fact that young families can't afford rent in Paddington anymore. A two-bedroom apartment in the suburb now rents for around $2,200 per month—double the rate of suburbs like Oxley or Kalamia, where new state schools are opening to serve the migration.

New Farm State School, standing on Merthyr Road since 1912, faces a different but related challenge. The neighbourhood has gentrified without necessarily gaining young families. Young professionals and empty-nesters now dominate the suburb's terrace housing market. School enrolments have stabilised at around 420 students, but staff point to a tighter demographic window: fewer young families means fewer siblings, fewer multi-generational bookings of the school hall, fewer reasons for extended families to stay rooted in the area.

The data tells a story of movement

Education Queensland figures released in May 2026 show that enrolments at inner-Brisbane public schools declined 8.3 per cent on average between 2023 and 2025, while outer suburban and regional schools gained students. The biggest growth occurred in schools along the Centenary Motorway corridor—Aspley, Chermside, and further west toward Ipswich. Private school enrolments in Brisbane held steady at 31 per cent, suggesting some families are switching between public systems rather than moving to independent schools.

Paddington State School's response has been practical. The school launched a subsidised breakfast program in February 2026 targeting working families, partnered with the Paddington Community Centre to offer weekend coding classes, and began marketing heavily through Brisbane's north-side parenting networks. New Farm is taking a different tack, investing in specialised disability support services to attract families with additional needs, a segment less price-sensitive and more willing to commit long-term to a school community.

For families still deciding where to settle with children, the calculation is shifting. Schools in Paddington and New Farm remain well-resourced and academically strong. But parents now ask a harder question: do we stay for the school, or does the school need to give us more reason to stay? The inner-city school run, once a marker of Brisbane sophistication, is becoming a choice rather than a default. That change, playing out across a dozen suburbs, is quietly remaking who calls Brisbane's core home.