8 schools · 2026 fees verified

Best Private Schools in Sydney's Hills District (2026)

Sydney's Hills District — Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Cherrybrook, Carlingford and the rapidly-growing Norwest / Bella Vista / Rouse Hill corridor — has an expanding private-school market reflecting demographic growth. Major schools include William Clarke College (Kellyville, co-ed Anglican), Tara Anglican School for Girls (North Parramatta, girls Anglican), Pacific Hills Christian School (Dural, co-ed Christian Community Schools), Oakhill College (Castle Hill, boys Catholic Lasallian), and Tangara School for Girls (Cherrybrook, girls Catholic Opus Dei).

The Education Desk · Editorial team, schools + fertility + family services · Updated 11 June 2026 · How we rank · Editorial standards

Key takeaways

  • 8 schools matched, ranked by ICSEA (highest first).
  • 2026 Year 12 tuition ranges $13,054–$49,980.
  • 3 of 8 offer boarding.
  • Sourced from each school's published 2026 fee schedule. Independent — no paid placements.
Best Private Schools in Sydney's Hills District (2026) — quick compare table · Click any header to sort
Provider ⇅ Suburb ⇅ Sector ⇅ Gender ⇅ ICSEA ⇅ Y12 fee ⇅ Boarding ⇅
Tangara School for Girls CherrybrookCatholic (Opus Dei)girls1183$17,820No
Barker College HornsbyAnglicanco-ed1179$44,720Yes
The King's School North ParramattaAnglicanboys1164$49,980Yes
William Clarke College KellyvilleAnglicanco-educational1138$21,620No
Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta ParramattaCatholicgirls1121$15,720No
Tara Anglican School for Girls North ParramattaAnglicangirls1109$26,420Yes
Pacific Hills Christian School DuralChristianco-educational1100$14,820No
Oakhill College Castle HillCatholicco-ed1092$13,054No

Top 20 by ICSEA. Independent — no paid placements.

1

Tangara School for Girls

, Cherrybrook
Catholic (Opus Dei) Girls Lower-fee Est. 1982

Tangara School for Girls is in Cherrybrook, Sydney. Catholic (Opus Dei), girls, K-Year 12. $17,820/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1183. Founded 1982. Standout: Opus Dei Personal Prelature affiliated.

Y12 fee 2026

$17,820/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$15,920

ICSEA

1183

Year levels

K-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • › Opus Dei Personal Prelature affiliated
  • › Strong HSC academic outcomes
  • › Single-sex Catholic girls north-west Sydney
See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗
2

Barker College

, Hornsby
Anglican Co-ed Top tier Boarding Est. 1890

Barker College is in Hornsby, Sydney. Anglican, co-ed, Pre-K to Year 12. $44,720/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1179. Founded 1890. Boarding offered. Standout: ICSEA 1179 (around the 98th percentile nationally) - one of NSW's most academically advantaged independent schools.

Y12 fee 2026

$44,720/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$42,300

ICSEA

1179

Year levels

Pre-K to Year 12

Boarding: $38,830/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • › ICSEA 1179 (around the 98th percentile nationally) - one of NSW's most academically advantaged independent schools
  • › Completed transition to full co-education in 2022 after introducing girls in senior years in 1975; now Pre-K to Year 12 co-ed on a single Hornsby campus
  • › Boarding for Years 9-12 ($38,830) drawing rural and international students; notable alumni include Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett, film director Philip Noyce and cricketer Lisa Sthalekar
See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

Note: Fee year 2026. Year 12 fee of $44,720 is the official 2026 'Tuition' line (day tuition, excluding the Activity Charge, Technology Levy and boarding) taken directly from Barker's own fee schedule. Year 12 TOTAL fixed fees per annum

3

The King's School

, North Parramatta
Anglican Boys Elite tier Boarding Est. 1831

The King's School is in North Parramatta, Sydney. Anglican, boys, Pre-K to Year 12. $49,980/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1164. Founded 1831. Boarding offered. Standout: Australia's oldest independent school.

Y12 fee 2026

$49,980/yr

Y7 fee 2026

—

ICSEA

1164

Year levels

Pre-K to Year 12

Boarding: $35,856/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • › Australia's oldest independent school
  • › One of the largest GPS boarding schools (~430 boarders)
  • › Strong rugby and cadet program tradition
See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

Note: Year 7 tuition not extracted from PDF; Year 12 confirmed at $49,980.

4

William Clarke College

, Kellyville
Anglican Co-ed Mid tier Est. 1988

William Clarke College is in Kellyville, Sydney. Anglican, co-educational, Pre-K-Year 12. $21,620/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1138. Founded 1988. Standout: North-west Sydney Anglican co-ed.

Y12 fee 2026

$21,620/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$19,280

ICSEA

1138

Year levels

Pre-K-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • › North-west Sydney Anglican co-ed
  • › Kellyville campus
  • › Strong music + drama programs
See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗
5

Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta

, Parramatta
Catholic Girls Lower-fee Est. 1889

Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta is in Parramatta, Sydney. Catholic, girls, 7-12. $15,720/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1121. Founded 1889. Standout: ICSEA 1121 (around 90th percentile) — a strong-performing Catholic girls' school and one of the oldest girls' schools in Western Sydney.

Y12 fee 2026

$15,720/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$13,530

ICSEA

1121

Year levels

7-12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • › ICSEA 1121 (around 90th percentile) — a strong-performing Catholic girls' school and one of the oldest girls' schools in Western Sydney
  • › Founded in 1889 by the Sisters of Mercy; a Years 7-12 girls' day college in the heart of Parramatta with a long Mercy education heritage
  • › Notably affordable for its ICSEA standing — 2026 Year 12 tuition of just 15,720, well below comparable high-ICSEA independent schools
See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

Note: Fee year 2026. Verified: Year 12 tuition 2026 = 15,720 and Year 7 = 13,530 (school's official 2026 fees page, olmc.nsw.edu.au). ICSEA 1121 (ACARA MySchool, ~90th percentile). Girls-only Years 7-12 day school, no boarding. Founded

6

Tara Anglican School for Girls

, North Parramatta
Anglican Girls Mid tier Boarding Est. 1897

Tara Anglican School for Girls is in North Parramatta, Sydney. Anglican, girls, K-Year 12. $26,420/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1109. Founded 1897. Boarding offered. Standout: Western Sydney Anglican girls school.

Y12 fee 2026

$26,420/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$23,900

ICSEA

1109

Year levels

K-Year 12

Boarding: $24,200/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • › Western Sydney Anglican girls school
  • › Boarding house for rural NSW + ACT families
  • › Strong music + drama programs
See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗
7

Pacific Hills Christian School

, Dural
Christian Co-ed Lower-fee Est. 1978

Pacific Hills Christian School is in Dural, Sydney. Christian, co-educational, K-Year 12. $14,820/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1100. Founded 1978. Standout: CSA Christian co-ed school.

Y12 fee 2026

$14,820/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$13,280

ICSEA

1100

Year levels

K-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • › CSA Christian co-ed school
  • › North-west Sydney bushland campus
  • › Lower-fee Christian option
See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗
8

Oakhill College

, Castle Hill
Catholic Co-ed Lower-fee Est. 1936

Oakhill College is in Castle Hill, Sydney. Catholic, co-ed, Years 7 to 12. $13,054/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1092. Founded 1936. Standout: Run by the De La Salle Brothers in the Lasallian tradition of Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle; began 1936 and formally opened 1 February 1937 (originally with boarders). One of the largest Catholic schools in NSW, with roughly 1,600-2,000 students across Years 7-12.

Y12 fee 2026

$13,054/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$11,846

ICSEA

1092

Year levels

Years 7 to 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • › Run by the De La Salle Brothers in the Lasallian tradition of Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle; began 1936 and formally opened 1 February 1937 (originally with boarders). One of the largest Catholic schools in NSW, with roughly 1,600-2,000 students across Years 7-12
  • › Boys in Years 7-10, becoming co-educational (boys and girls) for the senior school in Years 11-12 - a distinctive single-sex-then-co-ed structure
  • › Notable alumni include Most Rev Julian Porteous (Auxiliary Bishop), novelist Brian Castro, Umbilical Brothers performer David Collins, Olympic swimmer Grant Brits and Paralympic gold medallist Bart Bunting; strong vocational (VET) offerings in Construction, Hospitality, Entertainment and Primary Industries
See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

Note: Fee year 2026. Year 7 tuition $11,846 and Year 12 tuition $13,054 from the official 2026 Schedule of Fees and Charges PDF, excluding the Year Levy (~$1,309 in Year 12), Technology Fee ($400), Capital Levy ($525/family) and volunta

Common questions

How does William Clarke College compare to other Anglican schools?

William Clarke College (Kellyville) is one of the larger Sydney co-educational Anglican schools, founded 1989 and now serving Pre-K through Year 12. ICSEA ~1100. Year 12 fees ~$22-28k — significantly more affordable than North Shore Anglican equivalents (Knox, Abbotsleigh).

Does Tara Anglican School for Girls have boarding?

Yes — Tara Anglican School for Girls (North Parramatta) is one of Sydney's major girls boarding schools, accepting boarders from Year 7. Boarders mostly from rural NSW. Around $32-38k Year 12 day fees + ~$30k boarding.

Are there James Ruse-feeder private schools in the Hills?

James Ruse Agricultural High School (Carlingford) is selective public; private-school feeders aren't formal but Beecroft / Cherrybrook private schools commonly send students who later sit selective entry. The Hills District has the highest density of selective-school applicants in NSW.

What is Pacific Hills Christian School?

Pacific Hills Christian School (Dural) is part of the Christian Community Schools network — Pentecostal/non-denominational Christian. Around $13-18k Year 12 in 2026 — among the more affordable Christian school options. Strong music + creative arts program.

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