Perth Modern School
Western Australia's only fully academically selective public school, and the most sought-after destination for GATE exam candidates.
About Perth Modern School
Perth Modern School, located in Subiaco, is the only fully academically selective public school in Western Australia. Established in 1911, it has a long history of academic excellence and is consistently one of the highest-performing schools in the state.
Unlike other schools with GATE programs that admit a mix of selective-entry and local-intake students, Perth Modern School is entirely selective. Every student has gained entry through the GATE exam (Academic Selective Entrance Test), creating a learning environment where all students are academically motivated and high-achieving.
The school consistently achieves outstanding results in ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) scores, with a significant proportion of students achieving ATARs above 90. Many Perth Modern graduates go on to study at top universities in Australia and internationally.
What Makes Perth Modern Special?
Fully Selective Environment
Every student at Perth Modern has been identified as academically gifted through the GATE exam. This creates a unique peer group where high achievement is the norm, collaboration is strong, and students are surrounded by like-minded learners.
Accelerated Curriculum
The school offers an accelerated and enriched curriculum that goes beyond the standard Western Australian syllabus. Students are challenged with more complex content and are encouraged to develop independent learning skills from an early age.
Breadth of Opportunities
Beyond academics, Perth Modern offers extensive co-curricular programs including music, debating, science competitions, mathematics olympiads, sports, and community service. The school values well-rounded development alongside academic excellence.
Outstanding Results
Perth Modern consistently ranks as one of the top schools in Western Australia for ATAR results. The school regularly produces a high number of General Exhibition and Subject Exhibition award winners each year.
Entry Requirements
Entry to Perth Modern School is exclusively through the GATE exam (Academic Selective Entrance Test). There is no other pathway for admission. The process works as follows:
- 1Application. Parents apply through the Department of Education website during the application period (typically May to August of the year before the exam).
- 2Sit the GATE exam. Students sit the Academic Selective Entrance Test in March. The test covers Reading Comprehension, Writing, Quantitative Reasoning, and Abstract Reasoning.
- 3Receive results. Results are released in May-June. Students receive scaled scores for each section and an overall score out of 400.
- 4Offers. Places are offered to the highest-scoring students. Perth Modern typically has approximately 200 places available for Year 7 entry each year, with several thousand students competing for those places.
What Score Do You Need?
The Department of Education does not publish a fixed cut-off score for Perth Modern School. The cut-off varies each year depending on the number of applicants and the overall performance of the cohort.
As a general guide, students who receive offers to Perth Modern typically score well above the mean across all four sections. Because Perth Modern is the most competitive GATE school, the cut-off is higher than for any other school with a GATE program.
It is important to note that the GATE exam assesses academic potential, not just current achievement. Students who demonstrate strong reasoning skills across all sections are well-positioned, even if they have not had extensive formal preparation. Learn more about how GATE scores work.
Other Selective Schools in WA
While Perth Modern is the most well-known, there are 23 other public schools in Western Australia that offer Gifted and Talented programs. These schools admit a cohort of GATE students alongside their regular student body.
How AsetPrep Helps Students Prepare
AsetPrep provides comprehensive preparation for the GATE exam with over 3,500 practice questions, 10+ full-length mock exams, and detailed writing feedback, everything a student needs to prepare for all four sections of the test.
Our mock exams use scaled scoring that mirrors the real GATE results format, giving families a realistic sense of where their child stands relative to the cohort. Combined with detailed explanations for every question, AsetPrep helps students not just practise, but genuinely improve.
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