Best private boarding schools in South Australia
16 schools assessed independently — no paid rankings.
Image: Pembroke School
Choosing a school is one of the biggest decisions an Australian family makes, and the private sector alone runs to hundreds of schools that differ enormously in size, character, governance and strength — from small regional colleges to century-old metropolitan institutions, each with its own account of what makes it the right choice. A prospectus or an open day rarely settles how one school actually compares with another on the things that matter most to a family.
Schools360 scores every one of them against five questions that matter to a parent choosing a school. How well does the school perform academically? How well will the school look after my child's wellbeing and individual needs? Does the school offer extensive learning opportunities for my child? Does the school offer a great environment for my child to realise their full potential? How well is the school run? The combined result places each school in one of five tiers: Elite, Distinguished, Leading, Trusted, Highly Capable. Every tier name describes a genuine strength; Schools360 publishes no failing grade.
That assessment is independent and built entirely from public information — government data, academic results, school websites, strategic plans, annual reports, teacher reviews, alumni pathways and media reporting — never a form a school fills in about itself. Any content a school does supply directly is always shown separately on its profile and clearly labelled as the school's own words, not part of the assessment.
This page assessed 16 private boarding schools in South Australia. The top 10 are ranked below; the rest are also assessed and listed beneath, without an individual rank. Read the full methodology.
Top 10
Select schools to compare them side by side.
| Rank | School | Suburb | Gender | Affiliation | S360 score | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Pembroke School | Kensington Park | Co-ed | Non-denominational | 89.0% | |
| 2 |  Wilderness School | Medindie | Girls | Christian | 88.2% | |
| 3 |  Westminster School | Marion | Co-ed | Non-denominational | 87.6% | |
| 4 |  St Peter's College | St Peters | Boys | Anglican | 86.5% | |
| 5 |  Walford Anglican School For Girls | Hyde Park | Girls | Anglican | 85.2% | |
| 6 |  Scotch College Adelaide | Torrens Park | Co-ed | Non-denominational | 82.5% | |
| 7 |  Seymour College | Glen Osmond | Girls | Non-denominational | 82.2% | |
| 8 |  Loreto College Marryatville | Marryatville | Girls | Catholic | 79.7% | |
| 9 |  Immanuel College | Novar Gardens | Co-ed | Jewish | 79.5% | |
| 10 |  St Francis De Sales College | Mount Barker | Co-ed | Catholic | 78.9% |
- Best private boarding schools in South Australia
- Rank
- 1
- School
- Pembroke School
- Suburb
- Kensington Park
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Non-denominational
- S360 score
- 89.0%
- Compare
- Rank
- 2
- School
- Wilderness School
- Suburb
- Medindie
- Gender
- Girls
- Affiliation
- Christian
- S360 score
- 88.2%
- Compare
- Rank
- 3
- School
- Westminster School
- Suburb
- Marion
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Non-denominational
- S360 score
- 87.6%
- Compare
- Rank
- 4
- School
- St Peter's College
- Suburb
- St Peters
- Gender
- Boys
- Affiliation
- Anglican
- S360 score
- 86.5%
- Compare
- Rank
- 5
- Suburb
- Hyde Park
- Gender
- Girls
- Affiliation
- Anglican
- S360 score
- 85.2%
- Compare
- Rank
- 6
- School
- Scotch College Adelaide
- Suburb
- Torrens Park
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Non-denominational
- S360 score
- 82.5%
- Compare
- Rank
- 7
- School
- Seymour College
- Suburb
- Glen Osmond
- Gender
- Girls
- Affiliation
- Non-denominational
- S360 score
- 82.2%
- Compare
- Rank
- 8
- Suburb
- Marryatville
- Gender
- Girls
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 79.7%
- Compare
- Rank
- 9
- School
- Immanuel College
- Suburb
- Novar Gardens
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Jewish
- S360 score
- 79.5%
- Compare
- Rank
- 10
- Suburb
- Mount Barker
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 78.9%
- Compare
In detail
Image: Wilderness School
Rank 1: Pembroke School
Pembroke School is a non-denominational co-educational school in Kensington Park, South Australia. It ranks 1st among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Elite tier. It is a Large school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Learning Opportunities, scoring 93%, reaching Elite tier. It is also Elite for Student Wellbeing and Learning Environment. View full profile.
Rank 2: Wilderness School
Wilderness School is a Christian girls' school in Medindie, South Australia. It ranks 2nd among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Elite tier. It is a Mid-Sized school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Student Wellbeing, scoring 90%, reaching Elite tier. It is also Elite for Learning Opportunities, Learning Environment and Institutional Excellence. View full profile.
Rank 3: Westminster School
Westminster School is a non-denominational co-educational school in Marion, South Australia. It ranks 3rd among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Elite tier. It is a Mid-Sized school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Academic Excellence, scoring 92%, reaching Elite tier. It is also Elite for Learning Environment and Institutional Excellence. View full profile.
Rank 4: St Peter's College
St Peter's College is a Anglican boys' school in St Peters, South Australia. It ranks 4th among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Distinguished tier. It is a Large school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Learning Opportunities, scoring 90%, reaching Elite tier. It is also Elite for Academic Excellence. View full profile.
Rank 5: Walford Anglican School For Girls
Walford Anglican School For Girls is a Anglican girls' school in Hyde Park, South Australia. It ranks 5th among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Distinguished tier. It is a Boutique school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Learning Environment, scoring 88%, reaching Elite tier. View full profile.
Rank 6: Scotch College Adelaide
Scotch College Adelaide is a non-denominational co-educational school in Torrens Park, South Australia. It ranks 6th among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Distinguished tier. It is a Mid-Sized school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Learning Environment, scoring 92%, reaching Elite tier. View full profile.
Rank 7: Seymour College
Seymour College is a non-denominational girls' school in Glen Osmond, South Australia. It ranks 7th among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Distinguished tier. It is a Boutique school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Academic Excellence, scoring 85%. View full profile.
Rank 8: Loreto College Marryatville
Loreto College Marryatville is a Catholic girls' school in Marryatville, South Australia. It ranks 8th among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Leading tier. It is a Boutique school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Student Wellbeing, scoring 87%. View full profile.
Rank 9: Immanuel College
Immanuel College is a Jewish co-educational school in Novar Gardens, South Australia. It ranks 9th among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Leading tier. It is a Mid-Sized school by enrolment, teaching Year 7 to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Academic Excellence, scoring 85%. View full profile.
Rank 10: St Francis De Sales College
St Francis De Sales College is a Catholic co-educational school in Mount Barker, South Australia. It ranks 10th among private boarding schools in South Australia and sits in the Leading tier. It is a Mid-Sized school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Student Wellbeing, scoring 85%. View full profile.
Other private boarding schools in South Australia (6)
| School | Suburb | Gender | Affiliation | S360 score | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Prince Alfred College | Kent Town | Boys | No religious affiliation | 78.2% | |
 Rostrevor College | Woodforde | Boys | Catholic | 74.4% | |
 St Mark's College | Port Pirie | Co-ed | Catholic | 74.2% | |
 Sacred Heart College | Somerton Park | Co-ed | Catholic | 69.3% | |
 St Joseph's School Port Lincoln | Port Lincoln | Co-ed | Catholic | 67.4% | |
 Caritas College | Port Augusta West | Co-ed | Catholic | 64.5% |
- Best private boarding schools in South Australia
- School
- Prince Alfred College
- Suburb
- Kent Town
- Gender
- Boys
- Affiliation
- No religious affiliation
- S360 score
- 78.2%
- Compare
- School
- Rostrevor College
- Suburb
- Woodforde
- Gender
- Boys
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 74.4%
- Compare
- School
- St Mark's College
- Suburb
- Port Pirie
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 74.2%
- Compare
- School
- Sacred Heart College
- Suburb
- Somerton Park
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 69.3%
- Compare
- Suburb
- Port Lincoln
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 67.4%
- Compare
- School
- Caritas College
- Suburb
- Port Augusta West
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 64.5%
- Compare
Every Schools360 ranking uses the same independent, five-block assessment — explore how it plays out across other cohorts.
More rankings
Best private boys schools in South Australia
See the full ranking
Best private girls schools in South Australia
See the full ranking
Best private co-ed schools in South Australia
See the full ranking
Best Catholic schools in South Australia
See the full ranking
Best Catholic girls schools in South Australia
See the full ranking
Best Catholic co-ed schools in South Australia
See the full ranking
Common questions
How many schools are included in this ranking?
16 private boarding schools in South Australia clear the minimum size for a published ranking. The top 10 are shown by position; the rest are listed under "Other private boarding schools in South Australia", ordered by score but without an individual rank.
Why do only the top 10 schools get a numbered position?
Numbered positions reflect how confident Schools360 is in fine score differences near the top of private boarding schools in South Australia. Every school assessed still appears on the page: those beyond position 10 are listed under "Other private boarding schools in South Australia", ordered by score, without an individual rank attached.
What do the tiers mean?
Every school is placed in one of five tiers based on its Schools360 score: Elite, Distinguished, Leading, Trusted, Highly Capable. Every tier name is a positive outcome; there is no failing grade on Schools360. See the methodology page for the full tier thresholds.
How is the Schools360 score calculated?
Each school is scored across five building blocks, each made up of three factors scored out of 20. The building blocks are weighted and combined into a single percentage. See the methodology page for the full weighting and data sources.
When does this ranking next update?
This is the 2026 edition. Once published, a ranking is frozen: a later score correction updates the school's own profile immediately, but the ranking order itself only changes at the next edition.