Top private schools in Sydney, 2026

Sydney Grammar School is one of Darlinghurst's most established independent (non-denominational) boys school. Founded 1857. ICSEA 1274 (well above the national average of 1,000). Consistently Sydney's top HSC academic results. Tuition: $52,410/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Sport-focused families, especially rowing and water-sports

Abbotsleigh sits among Wahroonga's top anglican girls schools. Founded 1885. ICSEA 1217 (well above the national average of 1,000). Consistently top HSC results among Sydney girls' schools. Tuition: $41,960/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Music-strong students and families

Note: Boarding fee not disclosed in public sources.

Ascham School, in Edgecliff, is a long-standing independent (non-denominational) girls school. Founded 1886. ICSEA 1217 (well above the national average of 1,000). Dalton Plan progressive education methodology (one of few in Australia). Tuition: $41,680/year (Year 12, 2026).

Boarding: $33,200/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Sport-focused families, especially rowing and water-sports

Note: Ascham does not publish tuition publicly. Contact enrolments@ascham.nsw.edu.au for current 2026 schedule.

SCEGGS Darlinghurst (Darlinghurst) is recognised as a leading anglican girls school. Founded 1895. ICSEA 1212 (well above the national average of 1,000). Consistently top-five NSW HSC ranked school. Tuition: $51,856/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Families wanting a service-leadership and faith formation focus

St Catherine's School Waverley is one of Waverley's most established anglican girls school. Founded 1856. ICSEA 1212 (well above the national average of 1,000). Australia's oldest girls' school (est. 1856). Tuition: $39,820/year (Year 12, 2026).

Boarding: $31,800/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Regional, interstate or international families needing boarding

Wenona School sits among North Sydney's top uniting church girls schools. Founded 1886. ICSEA 1201 (well above the national average of 1,000). Strong HSC results + creative arts. Tuition: $37,650/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Families seeking an established single-sex girls education

SCECGS Redlands, in Cremorne, is a long-standing anglican co-ed school. Founded 1884. ICSEA 1193 (well above the national average of 1,000). Has offered the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma since 1988 - longer than any other school in NSW - running it alongside the HSC; the Year 9 Moonbah Program is a bespoke nine-week residential experience at the school's own High Country Campus in Jindabyne. Tuition: $47,100/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Academic families wanting an IB Diploma pathway

Note: Fee year 2026. Year 7 tuition $43,800 and Year 12 tuition $47,100 (per annum) from the official 2026 Schedule of Fees PDF, excluding the Resource and Activity Fee ($375-$525) and Technology Charge ($675 Year 7). Years 9-12 all sit

Reddam House (Bondi) is recognised as a leading independent (non-denominational) co-educational school. Founded 2001. ICSEA 1188 (well above the national average of 1,000). Modern co-ed eastern suburbs. Tuition: $38,200/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Music-strong students and families

Knox Grammar School is one of Wahroonga's most established uniting church boys school. Founded 1924. ICSEA 1187 (well above the national average of 1,000). Largest GPS boys' school with broad co-curricular program. Tuition: $45,120/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Sport-focused families, especially rowing and water-sports

Note: Knox does not publish tuition publicly; figures via Good Schools Guide. Boarding fee on enquiry.

Hills Grammar School sits among Kenthurst's top independent (non-denominational) co-educational schools. Founded 1982. ICSEA 1187 (well above the national average of 1,000). North-west Sydney co-ed. Tuition: $25,820/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Co-educational families looking for a broad, balanced curriculum

Loreto Kirribilli, in Kirribilli, is a long-standing catholic (loreto) girls school. Founded 1901. ICSEA 1186 (well above the national average of 1,000). IB Diploma alongside HSC. Tuition: $27,950/year (Year 12, 2026).

Boarding: $24,600/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Academic families wanting an IB Diploma pathway

MLC School (Burwood) is recognised as a leading uniting girls school. Founded 1886. ICSEA 1184 (well above the national average of 1,000). Offers the full International Baccalaureate Diploma to all Years 11-12 as an alternative to the HSC; named No. 1 IB School in Australia in 2021 and a Top 50 Global IB School, with 70+ students achieving the perfect IB score of 45 since 2002. Tuition: $44,904/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Academic families wanting an IB Diploma pathway

Note: Fee year 2026. Year 12 domestic day tuition $44,904 for 2026 (billed as a Years 11-12 senior band), from MLC's 2026 Scale of Fees, cross-checked against Good Schools Guide. Year 7 is $41,300. Overseas Year 12 tuition is higher ($5

Loreto Normanhurst is one of Normanhurst's most established catholic (loreto) girls school. Founded 1897. ICSEA 1183 (well above the national average of 1,000). Mary Ward Loreto Sisters tradition. Tuition: $27,820/year (Year 12, 2026).

Boarding: $24,600/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Regional, interstate or international families needing boarding

Tangara School for Girls sits among Cherrybrook's top catholic (opus dei) girls schools. Founded 1982. ICSEA 1183 (well above the national average of 1,000). Opus Dei Personal Prelature affiliated. Tuition: $17,820/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Families seeking an established single-sex girls education

Shore (Sydney Church of England Grammar), in North Sydney, is a long-standing anglican boys school. Founded 1889. ICSEA 1182 (well above the national average of 1,000). GPS founding member with strong rowing on Sydney Harbour. Tuition: $48,100/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Sport-focused families, especially rowing and water-sports

Note: Shore's fee page returns 403; figures via Good Schools Guide. Boarding fee on enquiry.

Emanuel School (Randwick) is recognised as a leading jewish co-ed school. Founded 1983. ICSEA 1182 (well above the national average of 1,000). Heralded as the first Pre-school-to-Year-12 Progressive (Liberal) Jewish co-educational day school in the world, founded 1983 by Rabbi Brian Fox and the Temple Emanuel Woollahra community; PM Bob Hawke officially opened the Randwick campus in 1986. Tuition: $35,650/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Academic families wanting an IB Diploma pathway

Note: Fee year 2026. Year 12 fee $35,650 and Year 7 fee $28,110 are the combined TOTAL tuition (Secular tuition $31,370 + Liberal Jewish Day School tuition $4,280 for Year 12) from the official 2026 Schedule of Annual Fees PDF, excludin

Cranbrook School is one of Bellevue Hill's most established anglican co-educational school. Founded 1918. ICSEA 1181 (well above the national average of 1,000). IB Diploma offered alongside HSC. Tuition: $49,521/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Academic families wanting an IB Diploma pathway

St Aloysius' College sits among Milsons Point's top catholic (jesuit) boys schools. Founded 1879. ICSEA 1180 (well above the national average of 1,000). Jesuit Magis + Ignatian formation. Tuition: $28,480/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Families wanting a service-leadership and faith formation focus

International Grammar School, in Ultimo, is a long-standing independent (non-denominational) co-educational school. Founded 1984. ICSEA 1180 (well above the national average of 1,000). Bilingual program (Mandarin, French, German, Italian). Tuition: $31,980/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Academic families wanting an IB Diploma pathway

Ravenswood School for Girls (Gordon) is recognised as a leading uniting church girls school. Founded 1901. ICSEA 1179 (well above the national average of 1,000). IB World School (PYP and Diploma). Tuition: $42,160/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Academic families wanting an IB Diploma pathway

Barker College is one of Hornsby's most established anglican co-ed school. Founded 1890. ICSEA 1179 (well above the national average of 1,000). ICSEA 1179 (around the 98th percentile nationally) - one of NSW's most academically advantaged independent schools. Tuition: $44,720/year (Year 12, 2026).

Boarding: $38,830/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Regional, interstate or international families needing boarding

Note: Fee year 2026. Year 12 fee of $44,720 is the official 2026 'Tuition' line (day tuition, excluding the Activity Charge, Technology Levy and boarding) taken directly from Barker's own fee schedule. Year 12 TOTAL fixed fees per annum

Pymble Ladies' College sits among Pymble's top uniting church girls schools. Founded 1916. ICSEA 1178 (well above the national average of 1,000). IB Primary Years and HSC offered. Tuition: $45,820/year (Year 12, 2026).

Boarding: $34,592/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Sport-focused families, especially rowing and water-sports

Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill), in Summer Hill, is a long-standing anglican boys school. Founded 1913. ICSEA 1170 (well above the national average of 1,000). Strong music program (one of largest school music programs in Australia). Tuition: $47,500/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Sport-focused families, especially rowing and water-sports

Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College (North Sydney) is recognised as a leading catholic (mercy) girls school. Founded 1875. ICSEA 1170 (well above the national average of 1,000). Mercy Sisters Catherine McAuley tradition. Tuition: $21,680/year (Year 12, 2026).

Best for: Families seeking an established single-sex girls education

Saint Ignatius' College Riverview is one of Lane Cove's most established catholic (jesuit) boys school. Founded 1880. ICSEA 1168 (well above the national average of 1,000). Jesuit education in the Ignatian tradition. Tuition: $42,660/year (Year 12, 2026).

Boarding: $29,565/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Sport-focused families, especially rowing and water-sports

Note: ICSEA value 1168 is from 2018 MySchool data (most recent surfaced).