7 schools · 2026 fees verified

Best Private Schools in Sydney's Inner West (2026)

Sydney's Inner West catchment — Strathfield, Burwood, Croydon, Concord, Five Dock, Leichhardt, Newtown — hosts a strong cluster of independent + Catholic schools at a slightly more accessible fee tier than the Eastern Suburbs / North Shore equivalents. Major schools include Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill, boys Anglican), MLC School Burwood (girls Uniting Church), Newington College (Stanmore, boys Uniting Church), PLC Sydney (Croydon, girls Presbyterian), St Patrick's College Strathfield (boys Catholic Edmund Rice), and Santa Sabina College Strathfield (girls Catholic Dominican).

The Education Desk · Editorial team, schools + fertility + family services · Updated 17 May 2026 · How we rank · Editorial standards

Key takeaways

7 schools matched, ranked by ICSEA (highest first).
2026 Year 12 tuition ranges $7,820–$47,500.
2 of 7 offer boarding.
Sourced from each school's published 2026 fee schedule. Independent — no paid placements.

Best Private Schools in Sydney's Inner West (2026) — quick compare table · Click any header to sort
Provider ⇅	Suburb ⇅	Sector ⇅	Gender ⇅	ICSEA ⇅	Y12 fee ⇅	Boarding ⇅
Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill)	Summer Hill	Anglican	boys	1170	$47,500	Yes
St Andrew's Cathedral School	Sydney CBD	Anglican	co-educational	1166	$33,620	No
Meriden School	Strathfield	Anglican	girls	1147	$23,820	No
Trinity Grammar School	Summer Hill	Anglican	boys	1138	$35,820	Yes
St Patrick's College Strathfield	Strathfield	Catholic (Christian Brothers)	boys	1108	$10,180	No
St Mary's Cathedral College	Sydney CBD	Catholic	boys	1098	$10,820	No
Casimir Catholic College	Marrickville	Catholic	co-educational	1025	$7,820	No

Top 20 by ICSEA. Independent — no paid placements.

Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill)

, Summer Hill

Anglican Boys Elite tier Boarding Est. 1913

Trinity Grammar School (Summer Hill) is in Summer Hill, Sydney. Anglican, boys, Pre-K to Year 12 (Strathfield Prep K-6, Summer Hill K-12). $47,500/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1170. Founded 1913. Boarding offered. Standout: Strong music program (one of largest school music programs in Australia).

Y12 fee 2026

$47,500/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$42,970

ICSEA

1170

Year levels

Pre-K to Year 12 (Strathfield Prep K-6, Summer Hill K-12)

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

› Strong music program (one of largest school music programs in Australia)
› AAGPS sport member with strong rugby and rowing
› Field studies centre at Woollamia

See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

St Andrew's Cathedral School

, Sydney CBD

Anglican Co-ed Mid tier Est. 1885

St Andrew's Cathedral School is in Sydney CBD, Sydney. Anglican, co-educational, K-Year 12. $33,620/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1166. Founded 1885. Standout: Cathedral Choir + Gawura Indigenous program.

Y12 fee 2026

$33,620/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$30,240

ICSEA

1166

Year levels

K-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

› Cathedral Choir + Gawura Indigenous program
› Sydney CBD inner-city campus
› Co-educational K-12

See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

Meriden School

, Strathfield

Anglican Girls Mid tier Est. 1897

Meriden School is in Strathfield, Sydney. Anglican, girls, K-Year 12. $23,820/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1147. Founded 1897. Standout: Inner west Sydney Anglican girls school.

Y12 fee 2026

$23,820/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$21,320

ICSEA

1147

Year levels

K-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

› Inner west Sydney Anglican girls school
› Strong HSC outcomes
› Community-feel cohort

See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

Trinity Grammar School

, Summer Hill

Anglican Boys Top tier Boarding Est. 1913

Trinity Grammar School is in Summer Hill, Sydney. Anglican, boys, K-Year 12. $35,820/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1138. Founded 1913. Boarding offered. Standout: AAGPS rugby + rowing + sport.

Y12 fee 2026

$35,820/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$32,480

ICSEA

1138

Year levels

K-Year 12

Boarding: $27,600/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

› AAGPS rugby + rowing + sport
› Award-winning chamber music + symphonic program
› Inner west community focus

See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

St Patrick's College Strathfield

, Strathfield

Catholic (Christian Brothers) Boys Lower-fee Est. 1928

St Patrick's College Strathfield is in Strathfield, Sydney. Catholic (Christian Brothers), boys, Year 5-Year 12. $10,180/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1108. Founded 1928. Standout: Edmund Rice tradition.

Y12 fee 2026

$10,180/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$9,180

ICSEA

1108

Year levels

Year 5-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

› Edmund Rice tradition
› Inner west Sydney Catholic boys
› Strong rugby league + soccer

See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

St Mary's Cathedral College

, Sydney CBD

Catholic Boys Lower-fee Est. 1824

St Mary's Cathedral College is in Sydney CBD, Sydney. Catholic, boys, Year 5-Year 12. $10,820/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1098. Founded 1824. Standout: Australia's oldest Catholic school (est. 1824).

Y12 fee 2026

$10,820/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$9,420

ICSEA

1098

Year levels

Year 5-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

› Australia's oldest Catholic school (est. 1824)
› Sydney CBD adjacent St Mary's Cathedral
› Strong choral tradition

See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

Casimir Catholic College

, Marrickville

Catholic Co-ed Lower-fee Est. 1985

Casimir Catholic College is in Marrickville, Sydney. Catholic, co-educational, Year 7-Year 12. $7,820/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1025. Founded 1985. Standout: Inner west Sydney Catholic systemic co-ed.

Y12 fee 2026

$7,820/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$6,820

ICSEA

1025

Year levels

Year 7-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

› Inner west Sydney Catholic systemic co-ed
› Multicultural community focus
› Lower-fee accessible Catholic option

See full profile → School site ↗ Fee source ↗

Common questions

Are Inner West schools cheaper than Eastern Suburbs equivalents?

Slightly — Inner West independent schools typically charge $30-42k Year 12 vs $40-50k for Eastern Suburbs / Lower North Shore equivalents. Catholic systemic schools ($5-12k) and lower-fee Catholic independent ($15-25k) are well-represented.

Does Trinity Grammar Summer Hill have boarding?

No — Trinity Grammar Summer Hill is a day-only school. Boys looking for Sydney boarding typically attend Kings, Knox, Shore, Riverview, Scots or Cranbrook (small senior boarding).

What is the relationship between Newington College and Lindfield campus?

Newington College has two campuses: Stanmore (Years 7-12 boys + Years K-6 prep co-ed since 2024) and Lindfield (Years K-6 prep boys). Students typically progress from Lindfield to the Stanmore senior school.

Are there Greek Orthodox or Italian-affiliated schools in the Inner West?

Yes — St Spyridon College (Maroubra, Greek Orthodox, slightly south of the Inner West) and Aquinas College Menai have Italian-Catholic heritage. The Inner West has historically high Italian + Greek immigrant populations.