Knox Grammar School
🇦🇺 Sydney · Founded 1924 · National · Ages 4–18
A large, well-resourced, top-tier Sydney independent boys' day-and-boarding school with a strong HSC record and an exceptionally broad co-curricular programme. Best for families wanting a single-sex, faith-heritage environment on Sydney's Upper North Shore. HSC-only — no IB, despite occasional confusion.
Curricula
National
Age range
4–18
Languages of instruction
English
Annual fees
SGD AUD 42,640–45,120 (day, 2026)
Enrollment
2,900
Boarding
Yes
Accreditations
NESA, AHISA, HMC, CAS
Tier Profile
We only tier dimensions backed by a public inspection verdict or verifiable accreditation. Other dimensions show a data flag — never a guessed score.
BrightKey's Assessment
Knox Grammar School, founded in 1924, is an independent boys' day and boarding school in Wahroonga on Sydney's Upper North Shore. It was established by the Presbyterian Church of Australia and is now a Uniting Church school. Knox operates across three Wahroonga campuses: Knox Prep (boys, K–6), Wahroonga Prep (co-educational, Pre-K to Year 6) and Knox Senior School (boys, Years 7–12).
Academically, Knox follows the NSW curriculum culminating in the Higher School Certificate (HSC). The school publicly reports strong outcomes — a median ATAR of 89.95 for the 2025 cohort (UAC-based) — and was ranked 5th among NSW private schools in a 2026 Daily Telegraph list cited by the school. Public sources show no evidence that Knox offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma; the senior pathway is HSC-only (the IB association sometimes asserted appears to be a mix-up with the unrelated Knox College, USA).
Beyond academics, Knox is known for scale and breadth: 30+ sports, 70+ co-curricular activities and 90+ music programmes. Boarding is offered for boys from Year 7 across three boarding houses, with 200+ boarding places against a total enrolment of roughly 2,900. The school is a founding member of the Combined Associated Schools (CAS) and affiliated with AHISA and HMC.
As a single-sex, faith-heritage school with significant fees (2026 day tuition roughly AUD 42,640 at Year 7 rising to AUD 45,120 at Year 12; boarding charged separately), Knox suits families specifically seeking a traditional boys' independent education with boarding capacity. Australia has no graded national inspectorate, so the tier reflects accreditation + curriculum depth — capped at A.
Why These Ratings?
Inspection & AccreditationA — Excellent
NESA state registration plus AHISA/HMC affiliations and CAS founding membership, with a strong publicly-reported HSC record. Australia has no graded national inspectorate, so the tier reflects accreditation + curriculum depth — A.
Strengths & Trade-offs
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
- Co-educational early-years pathway via Wahroonga Prep
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
Is It Right For You?
Best 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
Not Ideal For
- ✕Families wanting co-education at secondary level
- ✕Families seeking a secular school environment
- ✕Expat families needing an internationally-portable IB curriculum
- ✕Budget-constrained families (premium fee bracket)
Curriculum
NSW curriculum / Higher School Certificate (HSC). No public evidence of IB Diploma authorisation; not represented as an IB school.
Fees
2026 day tuition reported at approximately AUD 42,640 (Year 7) to AUD 45,120 (Year 12) by a third-party aggregator (the official schedule is PDF-only). One-off fees (official): Application AUD 400, Enrolment AUD 2,750, Entrance AUD 2,400. Boarding fees are charged separately and were not shown in plain text on public pages.
Admissions
Entry by application; Entrance Fee payable two years prior to commencement (AUD 2,400), Application Fee AUD 400, Enrolment Fee AUD 2,750. CRICOS Provider Code 00399E indicates registration to enrol overseas students.
Campus Life
Three campuses in Wahroonga. Boarding for boys from Year 7 across three boarding houses (200+ places); facilities include the heritage Gillespie House and a Boarding Centre opened 2010. Broad music, sport and activity programme.
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.
Sources
Every verifiable fact carries a public source — verify it yourself.
- Knox Grammar School — official site · 2026-06
- Knox — fees/enrolment · 2026-06
- Wikipedia — Knox Grammar School · 2026-06
- compareprivateschools.com.au (2026 fee figures, aggregator) · 2026-06
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