Best private regional schools in South Australia
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 12 private regional 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 |  St Mark's College | Port Pirie | Co-ed | Catholic | 74.2% | |
| 2 |  Tenison Woods College | Mount Gambier | Co-ed | Catholic | 73.9% | |
| 3 |  Investigator College | Victor Harbor | Co-ed | Anglican | 73.6% | |
| 4 |  Harvest Christian College | Kadina | Co-ed | Christian | 72.3% | |
| 5 |  Faith Lutheran College | Tanunda | Co-ed | Non-denominational | 72.0% | |
| 6 |  Samaritan College | Whyalla | Co-ed | Catholic | 72.0% | |
| 7 |  St Martins Lutheran College | Mount Gambier | Co-ed | Christian | 71.3% | |
| 8 |  Unity College | Murray Bridge | Co-ed | Non-denominational | 69.6% | |
| 9 |  Encounter Lutheran College | Victor Harbor | Co-ed | Christian | 68.3% | |
| 10 |  St Joseph's School Port Lincoln | Port Lincoln | Co-ed | Catholic | 67.4% |
- Best private regional schools in South Australia
- Rank
- 1
- School
- St Mark's College
- Suburb
- Port Pirie
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 74.2%
- Compare
- Rank
- 2
- School
- Tenison Woods College
- Suburb
- Mount Gambier
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 73.9%
- Compare
- Rank
- 3
- School
- Investigator College
- Suburb
- Victor Harbor
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Anglican
- S360 score
- 73.6%
- Compare
- Rank
- 4
- Suburb
- Kadina
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Christian
- S360 score
- 72.3%
- Compare
- Rank
- 5
- School
- Faith Lutheran College
- Suburb
- Tanunda
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Non-denominational
- S360 score
- 72.0%
- Compare
- Rank
- 6
- School
- Samaritan College
- Suburb
- Whyalla
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 72.0%
- Compare
- Rank
- 7
- Suburb
- Mount Gambier
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Christian
- S360 score
- 71.3%
- Compare
- Rank
- 8
- School
- Unity College
- Suburb
- Murray Bridge
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Non-denominational
- S360 score
- 69.6%
- Compare
- Rank
- 9
- Suburb
- Victor Harbor
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Christian
- S360 score
- 68.3%
- Compare
- Rank
- 10
- Suburb
- Port Lincoln
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 67.4%
- Compare
In detail
Rank 1: St Mark's College
St Mark's College is a Catholic co-educational school in Port Pirie, South Australia. It ranks 1st among private regional 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 80%. View full profile.
Rank 2: Tenison Woods College
Tenison Woods College is a Catholic co-educational school in Mount Gambier, South Australia. It ranks 2nd among private regional schools in South Australia and sits in the Leading tier. It is a Large school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Student Wellbeing, scoring 80%. View full profile.
Rank 3: Investigator College
Investigator College is a Anglican co-educational school in Victor Harbor, South Australia. It ranks 3rd among private regional 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 Learning Environment, scoring 83%. View full profile.
Rank 4: Harvest Christian College
Harvest Christian College is a Christian co-educational school in Kadina, South Australia. It ranks 4th among private regional schools in South Australia and sits in the Trusted tier. It is a Boutique school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Student Wellbeing, scoring 80%. View full profile.
Rank 5: Faith Lutheran College
Faith Lutheran College is a non-denominational co-educational school in Tanunda, South Australia. It ranks 5th among private regional schools in South Australia and sits in the Trusted tier. It is a Mid-Sized school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Learning Environment, scoring 77%. View full profile.
Rank 6: Samaritan College
Samaritan College is a Catholic co-educational school in Whyalla, South Australia. It ranks 6th among private regional schools in South Australia and sits in the Trusted tier. It is a Boutique school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Student Wellbeing, scoring 75%. View full profile.
Rank 7: St Martins Lutheran College
St Martins Lutheran College is a Christian co-educational school in Mount Gambier, South Australia. It ranks 7th among private regional schools in South Australia and sits in the Trusted tier. It is a Boutique school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Student Wellbeing, scoring 75%. View full profile.
Rank 8: Unity College
Unity College is a non-denominational co-educational school in Murray Bridge, South Australia. It ranks 8th among private regional schools in South Australia and sits in the Trusted tier. It is a Boutique school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Learning Environment, scoring 78%. View full profile.
Rank 9: Encounter Lutheran College
Encounter Lutheran College is a Christian co-educational school in Victor Harbor, South Australia. It ranks 9th among private regional schools in South Australia and sits in the Trusted tier. It is a Boutique school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Student Wellbeing, scoring 73%. View full profile.
Rank 10: St Joseph's School Port Lincoln
St Joseph's School Port Lincoln is a Catholic co-educational school in Port Lincoln, South Australia. It ranks 10th among private regional schools in South Australia and sits in the Trusted tier. It is a Mid-Sized school by enrolment, teaching Prep to Year 12. Its strongest building block is Learning Opportunities, scoring 72%. View full profile.
Other private regional schools in South Australia (2)
| School | Suburb | Gender | Affiliation | S360 score | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Caritas College | Port Augusta West | Co-ed | Catholic | 64.5% | |
 Mid North Christian College | Port Pirie | Co-ed | Christian | 64.3% |
- Best private regional schools in South Australia
- School
- Caritas College
- Suburb
- Port Augusta West
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Catholic
- S360 score
- 64.5%
- Compare
- Suburb
- Port Pirie
- Gender
- Co-ed
- Affiliation
- Christian
- S360 score
- 64.3%
- Compare
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?
12 private regional 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 regional 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 regional schools in South Australia. Every school assessed still appears on the page: those beyond position 10 are listed under "Other private regional 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.