We may earn a commission on products you buy through our links, but we only recommend products we actually like.
The 5 Best Private Schools in Adelaide homepage

The 5 Best Private Schools in Adelaide

Academic offerings. We chose schools that can maximize their students’ learning in various areas.
 
Extracurricular activities. Learning should go beyond the classroom. To build a holistic experience for students, they must offer a wide range of sports, arts, music, and more. 
 
Fees. Even though they’re expected to be pricey, the rates of the private school must still be reasonable.
 
Facilities. This is important for making students feel comfortable in school. We examined facilities like classrooms, gymnasiums, and more.

1. Christian Brothers College, Adelaide

Christian Brothers College, Adelaide Homepage

Education for: Junior, middle, and senior school

Website: https://www.cbc.sa.edu.au/

Address: 214 Wakefield St, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia

Contact Details: +61 8 8400 4200

Operating Hours:

  • Monday: 8 AM-4 PM
  • Tuesday: 8 AM-4 PM
  • Wednesday: 8 AM-4 PM
  • Thursday: 8 AM-4 PM
  • Friday: 8 AM-4 PM
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
Google reviews score3.5/5
Total reviews5/5
Score consistency 4.8/5
Academic offerings5/5
Comprehensiveness5/5
Innovation5/5
Extracurricular activities5/5
Number of offerings5/5
Reputation5/5
Fees5/5
Facilities3/5

Pros

  • Follows Edmund Rice tradition
  • Has a new building with state-of-the-art learning facilities
  • Many extracurricular programs offered
  • Good SACE results

Cons

  • Original building’s facility is outdated
  • Co-ed offering is only for Early Education

Christian Brothers College is a Catholic college that follows the Edmund Rice Tradition. The latter is a belief centered around faith, excellence, community, and compassion. 

One of their notable facilities is The Center of Innovation and Learning. It stands out because of its crystalized geometric architecture. 

This provides state-of-the-art equipment centered around Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics or STEAM. 

Other notable features include an astronomy observatory, an ecological roof deck classroom, and an art studio. 

Their campus’ facility further stands out with its use of video walls and virtual learning rooms to make learning more interesting and interactive. 

The population is diverse, as it includes students from over 48 countries. They also have a special program for both gifted students and students with disabilities. 

Most importantly, they have a good South Australia Certificate of Education result of having 92.9% of grades within the A or B-band. 

Students have access to many extracurricular programs, including music, theater, rowing, sports, vocational education, and pilgrimages held in Southeast Asian countries. 

Overall, the school is a great choice for those who like the values it’s built on. The only issue is the great disparity between their original building and the new one. 

Specifically, this can be seen in the facilities like the canteen and classrooms. The original building can benefit from some renovations. 

Also, their co-ed offerings are limited only to Early Education programs. 

2. Pulteney Grammar School

Pulteney Grammar School Homepage

Education for: Early learning, junior, middle, and senior 

Website: https://www.pulteney.sa.edu.au/

Address: 190 South Tce, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia

Contact Details: +61 8 8216 5555

Operating Hours:

  • Monday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Tuesday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 8 AM-4:30 PMM
  • Thursday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Friday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
Facebook reviews score4.5/5
Google reviews score3/9/5
Total reviews4.5/5
Score consistency 4.5/5
Academic offerings5/5
Comprehensiveness5/5
Innovation5/5
Extracurricular activities5/5
Number of offerings5/5
Reputation5/5
Fees3/5
Facilities5/5

Pros

  • One of the most established private schools in Adelaide
  • Complete sports and arts facilities
  • Well-designed campus
  • Many opportunities for outdoor learning

Cons

  • Has minor issues with disciplinary methods
  • Pricier than other private schools

Pulteney Grammar School is one of the oldest schools in Adelaide. With more than 150 years, they’re remarkable for their efforts to increase diversity in both curriculum and population.

Our favorite aspect of the school is its offerings of extracurricular activities. For sports, they offer both competitive and noncompetitive options.

This is supported by their sports facilities, including multiple tennis courts, ovals, basketball and netball courts, and 18 hectares of recreational space. 

Their campus is a good balance between classic and modern architecture. They have resting areas that give adequate space for public studying.

Another notable offering is their experiential education, which offers many opportunities for outdoor education. It focuses on global experiences, environmental conservation, and more.

In addition, the school has good attendance records. This shows a healthy culture and high satisfaction rates from students.

This is further supported by the high qualifications of their teachers. They employ specialist staff for teaching disabled students too. 

Among all the aspects we’ve reviewed, an issue we found is that some parents have reported receiving inadequate actions for cases of bullying. 

Compared to other private schools, their fees are a bit pricier too. 

3. Concordia College

Concordia College Homepage

Education for: Early learning, junior, middle, and senior

Website: https://www.concordia.sa.edu.au/

Address: 24 Winchester St, Highgate SA 5063, Australia

Contact Details: +61 8 8272 0444

Operating Hours:

  • Monday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Tuesday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 8 AM-4:30 PMM
  • Thursday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Friday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
Google reviews score3.5/5
Total reviews4/5
Score consistency 4/5
Academic offerings5/5
Comprehensiveness5/5
Innovation5/5
Extracurricular activities5/5
Number of offerings5/5
Reputation5/5
Fees5/5
Facilities3/5

Pros

  • Notable out-of-campus programs
  • Exemplary SACE results
  • Active in serving local community
  • Accredited by International Baccalaureate

Cons

  • Issues over locker facilities
  • Some students complained of inadequate response to bullying

Concordia College is notable for being an International Baccalaureate World School. Parents are ensured that the school is up to international standards of education. 

We like the Unlocking Futures learning approach that centers education around modern global problems. Specifically, their critical thinking, ethics, creativity, and problem-solving are improved. 

They make learning more modern and convenient by giving access to education modes through iPads and Surface Pros. These devices come with updated educational software.

Many will like their co-curricular program that focuses on student leadership. Here, students are given the opportunity to become captains, council members, and leaders. 

In addition, their out-of-campus programs are among the most unique we’ve seen. Their overseas opportunities include travel to Fuji and South Africa. 

They’re also working in collaboration with various organizations such as Australian Lutheran World Service, 40 Hour Famine, and Red Shield Appeal for student outreach programs. 

One of their most important achievements is having a 100% completion rate for SACE. 

In addition, they have 26 merit students who achieved perfect scores.

As for possible concerns, a complaint some students had was having inadequate locker facilities. 

Additionally, some students were not pleased about receiving an inadequate response from faculty regarding complaints of bullying. 

4. Immanuel College

Immanuel College Homepage

Education for: Early learning, junior, middle, and senior

Website: https://www.immanuel.sa.edu.au/

Address: 32 Morphett Rd, Novar Gardens SA 5040, Australia

Contact Details: +61 8 8375 1700

Operating Hours:

  • Monday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Tuesday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 8 AM-4:30 PMM
  • Thursday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Friday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
Facebook reviews score4/5
Google reviews score4/5
Total reviews5/5
Score consistency 4.5/5
Academic offerings5/5
Comprehensiveness5/5
Innovation5/5
Extracurricular activities5/5
Number of offerings5/5
Reputation5/5
Fees5/5
Facilities5/5

Pros

  • Good for musically-inclined students
  • Offers boarding 
  • Offers many SACE subjects
  • Complete and high-quality facilities

Cons

  • Often crowded
  • Limited boarding slots 

Immanuel College is a great choice for those looking for both day class and boarding offerings. After all, they’re one of the oldest boarding schools in Adelaide, running for more than 100 years. 

Their boarding culture is remarkable for its inclusivity and its family style. Many students praised the staff for being quick to respond to facility issues, too. 

The campus’ facilities are conducive for music and performance arts. Their Century Theater has state-of-the-art audio and lighting technology. 

Aside from this, students can perform in many areas, such as the Rock Form, Apple Music Technology Suite, and their concert spaces. 

They even have their own music label named 32records, which gives students many opportunities for music production and recording. 

We also like the Margaret Ames Center built for Senior School because of its wide halls and eye-catching architecture. Its educational facilities are complete, too. 

Their curriculum is rich, with 54 SACE subjects offered to ensure the best performance for students. Their advisers guide students well in choosing subjects that best match their skills. 

While they’re a great choice for boarding, an issue however is that it’s quite limited in capacity. It’s hard to find a spot because it can accommodate less than 200 boarders. 

Another downside is that the campus is often crowded, which is especially evident in their halls and their parking spaces. This gets worse particularly when there are ongoing sports events. 

5. Mercedes College

Mercedes College Homepage

Education for: Junior, middle, and senior

Website: https://www.mercedes.catholic.edu.au/

Address: 540 Fullarton Rd, Springfield SA 5062, Australia

Contact Details: +61 8 8372 3200

Operating Hours:

  • Monday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Tuesday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Wednesday: 8 AM-4:30 PMM
  • Thursday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Friday: 8 AM-4:30 PM
  • Saturday: Closed
  • Sunday: Closed
Facebook reviews score5/5
Google reviews score3.8/5
Total reviews4.5/5
Score consistency 4/5
Academic offerings5/5
Comprehensiveness5/5
Innovation5/5
Extracurricular activities5/5
Number of offerings5/5
Reputation5/5
Fees3/5
Facilities5/5

Pros

  • Great track record for both IB and SACE
  • Good use of technology
  • Accessible location
  • Great variety in clubs 

Cons

  • Issues with parent-teacher collaboration
  • Charges many extra fees

Mercedes College is also a great choice because of their great track record for results for both IB and SACE.

Specifically, they’ve received many merits for subjects including French B SL, Biology HL, Essential English, Visual Arts – Design, Business Innovation, and more. 

Their curriculum is crafted to be competitive internationally. They make this possible through a unique framework based on IB standards, which improve critical thinking and research skills.

Technology aids students through the different platforms of the school. These include SeeSaw, ManageBac, and Microsoft Teams.

Students will also know how accessible the college is, both via bus and car. Many parents are fond of their Kiss and Drop zones because they’re safe and child-friendly.

We also appreciate their initiative to open a Second Hand Uniform Shop to help families with less financial capability. 

Their music lessons are well-made because of how easy they are to tailor to your child’s needs. In addition, they plan music ensemble performances well. 

Clubs and societies are one of their strengths because of their diversity in objectives. This includes craft, debating, chess, social justice, and more. 

In the end, there are only a couple of downsides we see with them. First is that they charge many extra fees that are separate from the tuition fee initially reported to you.

Next is that some parents found it hard to collaborate with other teachers regarding issues with their children because of slow response from their office. 

FAQs about Private Schools in Adelaide

Related topics