Knox Grammar School vs St Andrew's Cathedral School
🇦🇺 Sydney · Side-by-side comparison on verifiable public data.
Neither Knox Grammar School nor St Andrew's Cathedral 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. 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 | St Andrew's Cathedral School | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum | National | IB / National |
| Ages | 4–18 | 5–18 |
| Languages of instruction | English | English |
| Annual fees | AUD 42,640–45,120 (day, 2026) | AUD 26,699–48,137/year (2026, domestic); overseas higher |
| Enrollment | 2,900 | — |
| Boarding | Yes | Day only |
| Accreditations | NESA, AHISA, HMC, CAS | NESA, CRICOS, IB World School |
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
- ✓Genuine dual senior pathway — students pick the IB Diploma or HSC, rare and valuable for mobile families
- ✓IB MYP framework across Years 7–10, giving an internationally-coherent middle-school spine
- ✓Strong school-reported 2025 outcomes (IBDP median 37.5; 42% of cohort ATAR >90)
- ✓Exceptional languages and music depth (16 HSC subjects at 100% top-two-band in 2025)
- ✓Distinctive Gawura First Nations school and a stated K–12 First Nations strategy
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
- !No boarding — non-Sydney or overseas families must arrange their own accommodation
- !Total enrolment and class-size data are not publicly published, reducing independent transparency
- !Vertical CBD campus means limited on-site green/playing-field space versus suburban peers
- !IB Diploma carries an extra fee surcharge on top of already-high city tuition; overseas fees plus a AUD 10,000 bond are steep
- !No early-years/preschool and no PYP — entry starts at Kindergarten, so no IB continuum for younger children
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 an IB Diploma option inside a top Australian school
- • Families living or working in central Sydney who value a CBD campus
- • Musically or linguistically gifted students
- • Families seeking an Anglican, values-based co-educational environment
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, unverified: Class of 2025 — 42% of the combined HSC/IBDP cohort achieved an ATAR over 90; IBDP median score 37.5 (top-10% average ATAR 99.17); HSC median ATAR 84 (top-10% average 97.8). Figures are school-published, not independently verified.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose Knox Grammar School or St Andrew's Cathedral School?
Knox Grammar School is best for: Families wanting a single-sex boys' education on Sydney's Upper North Shore. St Andrew's Cathedral School is best for: Expat / internationally-mobile families wanting an IB Diploma option inside a top Australian school. 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 St Andrew's Cathedral School?
Knox Grammar School: AUD 42,640–45,120 (day, 2026). St Andrew's Cathedral School: AUD 26,699–48,137/year (2026, domestic); 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 St Andrew's Cathedral School offer?
Knox Grammar School: National. St Andrew's Cathedral School: IB, National.
Do Knox Grammar School or St Andrew's Cathedral School offer boarding?
Knox Grammar School: offers boarding. St Andrew's Cathedral School: 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 →