Haileybury vs Melbourne Grammar School
π¦πΊ Melbourne Β· Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Neither Haileybury nor Melbourne Grammar School sits in a market with a public inspectorate, so both are assessed on verifiable accreditation, curriculum authorisation, and published data rather than an official quality rating. Both run the same curriculum (National), so the differences come down to pathway detail, campus culture, and specific language/boarding arrangements rather than the curriculum framework itself.
Key Facts
| Haileybury | Melbourne Grammar School | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | National | National |
| Ages | 3β18 | 5β18 |
| Languages of instruction | English | English |
| Annual fees | not public | not public |
| Enrollment | 4,686 | 1,782 |
| Boarding | Yes | Yes |
| Accreditations | VRQA, AISV, APS, CRICOS | VRQA, CRICOS, AHISA, IPSHA, ABSA, AISV, APS |
Strengths
- βVerifiable top-tier VCE outcomes (Girls 5th, Boys 13th statewide β Better Education)
- βDistinctive parallel-education model β co-ed campus, single-gender academic classes
- βAustralian School of the Year 2019; reputation as a leading independent
- βMassive resourcing and breadth from being Australia's largest independent (~4,686 students)
- βMultiple Melbourne campuses plus online (Pangea) give geographic/format flexibility
- βHeritage and prestige: founded 1858, founding APS member, one of Australia's most recognised independent schools
- βFlagship South Yarra campus on St Kilda Road opposite the Royal Botanic Gardens
- βStrong, publicly listed VCE outcomes (2025 state rank 9 per Better Education; school-reported)
- βDay plus genuine boarding pathway for boys (Years 7β12) with structured entry points
- βBroad scholarship programme β Academic, Music, Boarding, General Excellence and First Nations
Trade-offs
- !Very large, multi-campus scale β less intimate than boutique elite peers
- !Parallel-education (single-gender classes) won't suit families wanting fully integrated co-ed teaching
- !Melbourne campuses are day-only; boarding exists solely in Darwin
- !High fees (typical for this tier) but not publicly itemised β verify directly (the school fees page returned 404 at review)
- !VCE-only β no verified IB pathway for IB-seeking families
- !Boys-only from Year 7 β families wanting co-education throughout secondary are not served (co-ed ends after Year 6 at Grimwade House)
- !Explicitly Anglican β a faith-based identity that may not suit secular or other-faith families
- !Premium fees: specific AUD tuition/boarding figures were not publicly retrievable, but Melbourne APS-tier schools sit at the top of the market
- !VCE-only senior pathway β no IB Diploma, limiting families who want an internationally-portable curriculum
- !A median VCE study score of 36 (Better Education 2025) is solid but not the very top of the state despite the rank-9 listing β read the public aggregate cautiously
Best Fit For
- β’ Families wanting elite VCE results in a co-ed setting with single-gender academic focus
- β’ Multi-child families valuing scale and resources
- β’ Families near Keysborough, Brighton East, Berwick or the City campus
- β’ Families on a non-IB (VCE) pathway
- β’ Families seeking a heritage Anglican boys' school with a strong VCE track record
- β’ Boarding families (domestic regional or international) needing Year 7 or Year 9 entry
- β’ Co-ed-in-early-years families comfortable transitioning boys to a single-sex secondary
- β’ Internationally-mobile families wanting a CRICOS-registered, established Melbourne institution
University Placement
School-reported Β· not independently verified
School/ranking-reported, third-party-sourced (Better Education, ~2023 cohort): Haileybury College Girls ranked 5th (31.2% of study scores 40+, median 36); Boys ranked 13th (26.5% at 40+, median 35). University-placement destinations are not publicly itemised β unverified.
School-reported, unverified: Better Education 2025 VCE rankings list the school at state rank 9, median VCE study score 36, 29.3% of scores at 40+, Unit 3β4 cohort 377 β aggregated and not verified against primary records.
More Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose Haileybury or Melbourne Grammar School?
Haileybury is best for: Families wanting elite VCE results in a co-ed setting with single-gender academic focus. Melbourne Grammar School is best for: Families seeking a heritage Anglican boys' school with a strong VCE track record. The right choice depends on target curriculum, budget, and family priorities β the two are not linearly comparable.
How do fees compare between Haileybury and Melbourne Grammar School?
Haileybury: not public. Melbourne Grammar School: not public. Verify against each school's own published fees; some figures are sourced from third-party aggregators.
What curricula do Haileybury and Melbourne Grammar School offer?
Haileybury: National. Melbourne Grammar School: National.
Do Haileybury or Melbourne Grammar School offer boarding?
Haileybury: offers boarding. Melbourne Grammar School: offers boarding.
This comparison is BrightKey's independent assessment using verifiable public data only. University-placement figures are school-reported and not independently verified. BrightKey takes no payments from schools. Our method β