8 schools · 2026 fees verified

Best Private Schools in Sydney's Lower North Shore (2026)

Sydney's Lower North Shore — Mosman, Cremorne, Neutral Bay, Kirribilli, North Sydney, Wollstonecraft, Northbridge, Lane Cove — has one of the country's densest private-school clusters. Major schools include Shore (SCEGS) at Northbridge, Wenona (North Sydney), Queenwood (Mosman), Loreto Kirribilli, Marist Sisters College and Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College North Sydney. The catchment is well-served by private bus networks and ferry services to Circular Quay (then onward to City schools).

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

Key takeaways

  • 8 schools matched, ranked by ICSEA (highest first).
  • 2026 Year 12 tuition ranges $11,280–$48,100.
  • 4 of 8 offer boarding.
  • Sourced from each school's published 2026 fee schedule. Independent — no paid placements.
Best Private Schools in Sydney's Lower North Shore (2026) — quick compare table · Click any header to sort
Provider Suburb Sector Gender ICSEA Y12 fee Boarding
Wenona School North SydneyUniting Churchgirls1201$37,650No
Loreto Kirribilli KirribilliCatholic (Loreto)girls1186$27,950Yes
Shore (Sydney Church of England Grammar) North SydneyAnglicanboys1182$48,100Yes
Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College North SydneyCatholic (Mercy)girls1170$21,680No
Saint Ignatius' College Riverview Lane CoveCatholic (Jesuit)boys1168$42,660Yes
St Ignatius' College Riverview Lane Cove NorthCatholic (Jesuit)boys1167$36,240Yes
Roseville College RosevilleAnglicangirls1163$28,140No
Marist College North Shore North SydneyCatholic (Marist)boys1138$11,280No

Top 20 by ICSEA. Independent — no paid placements.

1

Wenona School

, North Sydney
Uniting Church Girls Top tier Est. 1886

Wenona School is in North Sydney, Sydney. Uniting Church, girls, K-Year 12. $37,650/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1201. Founded 1886. Standout: Strong HSC results + creative arts.

Y12 fee 2026

$37,650/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$35,280

ICSEA

1201

Year levels

K-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • Strong HSC results + creative arts
  • North Sydney harbour-edge campus
  • Notable alumni: Quentin Bryce, Catherine Burn
2

Loreto Kirribilli

, Kirribilli
Catholic (Loreto) Girls Mid tier Boarding Est. 1901

Loreto Kirribilli is in Kirribilli, Sydney. Catholic (Loreto), girls, K-Year 12. $27,950/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1186. Founded 1901. Boarding offered. Standout: IB Diploma alongside HSC.

Y12 fee 2026

$27,950/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$25,380

ICSEA

1186

Year levels

K-Year 12

Boarding: $24,600/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • IB Diploma alongside HSC
  • Loreto Sisters Mary Ward tradition
  • Sydney Harbour campus
3
Anglican Boys Elite tier Boarding Est. 1889

Shore (Sydney Church of England Grammar) is in North Sydney, Sydney. Anglican, boys, Pre-K to Year 12. $48,100/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1182. Founded 1889. Boarding offered. Standout: GPS founding member with strong rowing on Sydney Harbour.

Y12 fee 2026

$48,100/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$45,300

ICSEA

1182

Year levels

Pre-K to Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • GPS founding member with strong rowing on Sydney Harbour
  • Northwood and Northbridge campuses with extensive sport facilities
  • Anglican formation with chapel program

Note: Shore's fee page returns 403; figures via Good Schools Guide. Boarding fee on enquiry.

4
Catholic (Mercy) Girls Mid tier Est. 1875

Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College is in North Sydney, Sydney. Catholic (Mercy), girls, Year 7-Year 12. $21,680/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1170. Founded 1875. Standout: Mercy Sisters Catherine McAuley tradition.

Y12 fee 2026

$21,680/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$19,820

ICSEA

1170

Year levels

Year 7-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • Mercy Sisters Catherine McAuley tradition
  • North Sydney harbour campus
  • Mid-fee Catholic girls option
5
Catholic (Jesuit) Boys Top tier Boarding Est. 1880

Saint Ignatius' College Riverview is in Lane Cove, Sydney. Catholic (Jesuit), boys, Year 5 to Year 12. $42,660/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1168. Founded 1880. Boarding offered. Standout: Jesuit education in the Ignatian tradition.

Y12 fee 2026

$42,660/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$41,370

ICSEA

1168

Year levels

Year 5 to Year 12

Boarding: $29,565/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • Jesuit education in the Ignatian tradition
  • Largest GPS boarding school by tradition; major rowing program
  • Strong service-learning and Jesuit retreat program

Note: ICSEA value 1168 is from 2018 MySchool data (most recent surfaced).

6

St Ignatius' College Riverview

, Lane Cove North
Catholic (Jesuit) Boys Top tier Boarding Est. 1880

St Ignatius' College Riverview is in Lane Cove North, Sydney. Catholic (Jesuit), boys, Year 5-Year 12. $36,240/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1167. Founded 1880. Boarding offered. Standout: Jesuit Ignatian tradition + Magis program.

Y12 fee 2026

$36,240/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$33,680

ICSEA

1167

Year levels

Year 5-Year 12

Boarding: $28,800/yr (additional to tuition)

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • Jesuit Ignatian tradition + Magis program
  • AAGPS Head of the River rowing
  • Year 9 Outdoor Education program (Lake Mungo)
7

Roseville College

, Roseville
Anglican Girls Mid tier Est. 1908

Roseville College is in Roseville, Sydney. Anglican, girls, K-Year 12. $28,140/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1163. Founded 1908. Standout: Strong upper North Shore community.

Y12 fee 2026

$28,140/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$26,050

ICSEA

1163

Year levels

K-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • Strong upper North Shore community
  • Anglican Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent foundation
  • Strong HSC results + creative arts
8
Catholic (Marist) Boys Lower-fee Est. 1909

Marist College North Shore is in North Sydney, Sydney. Catholic (Marist), boys, Year 5-Year 12. $11,280/yr Year 12 tuition · ICSEA 1138. Founded 1909. Standout: Marist Brothers Champagnat tradition.

Y12 fee 2026

$11,280/yr

Y7 fee 2026

$9,820

ICSEA

1138

Year levels

Year 5-Year 12

Best for: Families in Sydney

Standout programs

  • Marist Brothers Champagnat tradition
  • Mid-fee Catholic boys option in Sydney North
  • Strong rugby tradition

Common questions

Why are Lower North Shore school fees so high?

Property values in the Lower North Shore drive a wealthy family demographic, supporting top-tier independent + Catholic schools that compete on facilities and ICSEA. Year 12 fees typically $36,000-$45,000. Coordinate Programs (e.g. Wenona-Loreto, Shore-Queenwood) provide cross-school programs without enrolment.

Does Shore (SCEGS) have boarding?

Yes — Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore) at Northbridge offers boarding for Years 7-12, typically 100-130 boarders. Mostly serves rural NSW + Pacific Islands families. GPS-member with rowing + rugby tradition.

What is the difference between Wenona and Queenwood?

Wenona is K-Year 12 girls, in North Sydney CBD; strong academic record + creative arts. Queenwood is K-Year 12 girls, in Mosman; strong academic + harbour-side rowing + sailing programs. Both ~$36-40k Year 12 in 2026; both highly selective.

Are there Catholic options on the Lower North Shore?

Yes — Loreto Kirribilli (girls K-12, Catholic), Marist Sisters College Woolwich (girls 7-12, Catholic), Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College North Sydney (girls 7-12, Catholic). All ~$15-25k Year 12 (lower than independent equivalents).

How do families commute from the North Shore to City schools?

Many Lower North Shore families send children to City-side schools (Sydney Grammar, SCEGGS Darlinghurst, St Vincent's) via the Harbour Bridge bus, train via North Sydney station, or private school bus. Average commute 25-45 min each way.