Schools with a full GSGI review are noted with a
By full GSGI review, we mean school write-ups that are completely selected, researched, visited and written by our own editors. Our final reviews take the good with the bad, warts and all, but we look for a preponderance of good before we drill down for in-depth details and descend on the school for an exhaustive visit. We are aware of the other schools on this page and we continually add or remove schools, as deemed appropriate.
West Australian Curriculum/ WACE; ages 4-18; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 1,260 students
Founded in 1981 and the first of Perth’s independent Anglican schools to become co-educational. Located on a green, architectural award-winning campus to the south of the central business district.
West Australian Curriculum/ WACE; ages 3-18; boys; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,335 students
Originally founded in 1894 by the Christian Brothers and known as CBC Perth, it opened under its present name and in its present location, at Salter Point, in 1938. Boarding is available from year 7 and the school has expanded to include kindergarten to year 12.
Montessori; ages 3-15; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 220 students
Opened nearly fifty years ago and now operating on a site in Mosman Park, with specially trained Montessori teachers and materials. The school also features a special needs department, offering individual or small group tuition.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 4-18; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 460 students
Describing itself as a ‘private modern Orthodox Jewish’ school, it features a Jewish studies curriculum and there is a trip to Israel for all year 10 students. Rigorous academics have resulted in extremely high rankings amongst independent schools.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 5-18; boys; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,645 students
Founded in 1910 and one of only two schools in Western Australia to be accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS). The school combines with Methodist Ladies’ College and St Hilda’s for music and drama productions and some shared lessons.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 3-18; co-ed; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,350 students
Over 125 years old and located on a stunning,100-hectare campus on the Swan River, containing independent sites for the junior and senior schools. Boarders are accepted from years 7-12 within a world-class co-educational boarding precinct.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 6-18; boys; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,600 students
Founded in 1858, making it the oldest independent boys’ school as well as the first high school in Western Australia. Comparisons (both to the good and the bad points) have been made with traditional public schools in the UK. Now providing scholarships for indigenous students and continuing to produce very high achievers in both the academic and sporting worlds.
PYP/ MYP/ IB Diploma/ AP; ages 4-18; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 315 students
The only school in Western Australia to offer, exclusively, the full International Baccalaureate Programme (barring the Careers option). Catering to over 40 different nationalities and sending graduates to a wide range of global universities.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 12-18; girls; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 960 students
The senior all-girls department of a Catholic school founded in 1907 by five Presentation Sisters from Co. Kildare in Ireland. Now under the governance of the Archbishop of Perth and whilst giving preference to children from Catholic families, they also provide places for non-Catholics.
West Australia Curriculum; ages 4-11; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 230 students
A strongly Catholic educational grounding, combined with the Reggio Emilia approach but co-educational unlike the senior school.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 4-18; co-ed; day; independent; private non-profit; 1,460 students
Opened in 1977 as an amalgamation of Loreto College and St Louis School for Boys. Part of the network of eight Loreto Roman Catholic schools across Australia. Located in Mount Claremont with its high ratio of trees and parks.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 4-18 ; girls; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,060 students
Founded in 1907 by the Methodist Church of Australian and now affiliated with the Uniting Church in Australia (Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational) as is the school of the same name in Melbourne. Regularly in the top 10 ATAR rankings for the state and also provides a co-educational early learning centre.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 4-18; girls; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,015 students
An Anglican school located in the suburb of Mount Lawley, including 100 plus boarders from years 7-12. One of the oldest independent girls’ schools in Western Australia and expanding into a third year 5 class in 2021.
PYP/ West Australia Curriculum/ WACE/ IB Diploma; ages 4-18; girls; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,100 students
Rare in Western Australia to offer three different graduating options, WACE, VET (Vocational Education and Training) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Founded in 1915 and the link to its Scottish heritage is evident in the girls’ Blackwatch tartan uniform and the Pipe Band. Also providing a co-educational early learning centre.
West Australian Curriculum/ WACE/ PYP/ MYP/ IB Diploma; ages 4-18;boys; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,430 students
One of three schools in Australia, of the same name, all affiliated to the Uniting Church. Holding firmly to its roots, with a traditional cadet force and kilted Pipe Band and offering boarding in the senior school. One of only two schools in Western Australia to teach the International Baccalaureate programme from start to finish and highly successful academically.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 3-18; girls; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,100 students
A non-selective school founded at the very end of the 19th century and featuring distinctive buildings built in the 1930’s. The school includes a co-educational early learning centre and a boarding house for 120 girls in years 7-12.
West Australian Curriculum/ WACE; ages; girls 4-18; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,415 students
Originally founded in 1921 as St Mary’s Church of England School and moved to its present site, in the suburb of Karrinyup, in 1970. Rigorously academic and consistently producing graduates in the top 0.5% in Western Australia.
West Australia Curriculum/ WACE; ages 4-18; boys (co-ed to year 6); day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 1,300 students
Founded in 1923 and composed of three separate schools (junior, middle and senior) on the same riverside campus in South Perth. A very well-established all-round school that has regularly produced both international sportsmen and Rhodes scholars.
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Find top international, British, IB and American schools in over 40 countries. The Good Schools Guide International publishes impartial and forthright reviews of international schools across the world.
We examined the value-added from KS2 to GCSE for 2022 to see which state selective grammar schools added the most value to their offspring. A note of caution - the more highly selective a grammar school, the less scope there will be to add value.
Grammar schools are state-funded, academically selective senior schools. The education a child receives at grammar school is paid for by the state unlike at private schools which provide education for a fee. There are currently around 163 located in 36 English local authorities, with around 167,000 pupils between them. Northern Ireland has a further 67 grammar schools, but there are none in Wales or Scotland. A word of caution: there are private schools that have the word 'grammar' in their name but this is purely for historical reasons.
At specialist music, dance or performing arts schools, the arts aren't optional extras. They’re intrinsic to the school curriculum. Students are expected to fit in high level training and hours of practice alongside a full academic provision. It's a lot to ask any child to take on, but for those with exceptional performing ability this kind of education can be transformative.