Knox Grammar School vs Reddam House
🇦🇺 Sydney · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Neither Knox Grammar School nor Reddam House 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. One practical difference: Knox Grammar School offers boarding while the other is day-only — decisive for families who need a residential option. Verify current fees against each school's own figures (see the table below).
Key Facts
| Knox Grammar School | Reddam House | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | National | National |
| Ages | 4–18 | 1–18 |
| Languages of instruction | English | English |
| Annual fees | AUD 42,640–45,120 (day, 2026) | AUD 30,840–49,315 (domestic, 2026; overseas higher) |
| Enrollment | 2,900 | 1,102 |
| Boarding | Yes | Day only |
| Accreditations | NESA, AHISA, HMC, CAS | NESA |
Strengths
- ✓Strong, publicly reported HSC academic record (2025 median ATAR 89.95)
- ✓Exceptionally broad co-curricular offering — 30+ sports, 70+ activities, 90+ music programmes
- ✓Full boarding provision for boys from Year 7 across three boarding houses (200+ places)
- ✓Large, well-resourced school across three campuses
- ✓Long-established (1924) with strong CAS/AHISA standing
- ✓Exceptional HSC results for a non-selective school — repeated NSW top-10 (and reported top-5) finishes
- ✓Co-educational and fully secular/non-denominational — rigour without religious affiliation or single-sex structure
- ✓Full continuity — Early Learning (age 1) through Year 12 on linked Eastern Suburbs campuses
- ✓Modern, non-traditional ethos — contemporary pedagogy versus heritage-school conservatism
- ✓Global network access via Inspired (including premium boarding schools worldwide)
Trade-offs
- !Boys-only at primary and secondary — no co-education above early years
- !Uniting Church / Presbyterian faith heritage may not suit secular or other-faith families (a fit consideration, not a judgement)
- !High fees (≈AUD 42,640–45,120/yr day in 2026, boarding extra)
- !No IB Diploma pathway verifiable — HSC only, less internationally portable for mobile expat families
- !Day fees are aggregator-sourced (official schedule is PDF-only); boarding fee not public in plain text
- !For-profit ownership (Inspired Education Group since 2019) — commercial operator priorities differ from not-for-profit/trust-governed peers; reportedly forgoes government funding
- !Younger institution (founded 2000/2001) — lacks the alumni network, endowment and heritage of century-old Sydney independents
- !High fees with a steep overseas-student premium (2026 senior fees ~AUD 49,315 domestic rising to ~AUD 58,080 for overseas students)
- !No on-site boarding — relies on the Inspired network for boarding access
- !Strong HSC reputation is largely school- and media-reported; tertiary-destination claims are not independently published
Best Fit For
- • Families wanting a single-sex boys' education on Sydney's Upper North Shore
- • Boarding families (domestic regional or expat) needing Year 7+ boarding for boys
- • Students seeking a very broad sport/music/co-curricular programme
- • Families comfortable with a Uniting Church-affiliated school
- • Expat / internationally mobile families wanting a co-ed, secular, academically strong HSC pathway
- • Families prioritising HSC performance without academic-selection entry barriers
- • Households in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs seeking a single school from early years to Year 12
- • Families who value a modern, less traditional school culture
University Placement
School-reported · not independently verified
School-reported, unverified: 2025 median ATAR 89.95 (UAC-based). A third-party directory cited a 2024 median ATAR of 92.3. University-destination data is not public. No IB results exist to cite.
School-reported and media-cited, unverified: 'Top 10 for HSC results in NSW for the last 5 consecutive years' (official); media records NSW top-10 across multiple years and top-5 in 2022–2024 — described as the only non-selective school to reach top-10 in those years. Independent aggregators were unreachable, so exact success-rate figures are not re-verified.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose Knox Grammar School or Reddam House?
Knox Grammar School is best for: Families wanting a single-sex boys' education on Sydney's Upper North Shore. Reddam House is best for: Expat / internationally mobile families wanting a co-ed, secular, academically strong HSC pathway. The right choice depends on target curriculum, budget, and family priorities — the two are not linearly comparable.
How do fees compare between Knox Grammar School and Reddam House?
Knox Grammar School: AUD 42,640–45,120 (day, 2026). Reddam House: AUD 30,840–49,315 (domestic, 2026; overseas higher). Verify against each school's own published fees; some figures are sourced from third-party aggregators.
What curricula do Knox Grammar School and Reddam House offer?
Knox Grammar School: National. Reddam House: National.
Do Knox Grammar School or Reddam House offer boarding?
Knox Grammar School: offers boarding. Reddam House: day school only.
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 →