Top 9 independent schools in Wollongong (2025)
Independent (non-government, non-Catholic-system) schools. Ranked by the Success Index from official ACARA data; 9 schools shown out of all eligible independent schools in Wollongong.
- Primary Schools
- High Schools
- Public Schools
- Private Schools
- Catholic Schools
- Public Primary Schools
- Public High Schools
- Private Primary Schools
- Private High Schools
- Girls' Schools
- Boys' Schools
- K-12 Schools
- VCE Schools by Median Study Score
- Schools with Top ATAR Students (WA)
- VCE Schools by Study Scores of 40+
- Fastest-Growing Schools
- Schools With the Best Student–Teacher Ratio
- Largest Schools
- 180The Illawarra Grammar SchoolWollongong West · Independent CombinedICSEA 1159 · 970 students
- 277St Mary Star of the Sea CollegeWollongong · Independent SecondaryICSEA 1104 · 1,128 students
- 369Elonera Montessori SchoolMount Ousley · Independent CombinedICSEA 1108 · 187 students
- 468Edmund Rice CollegeWest Wollongong · Independent SecondaryICSEA 1083 · 1,054 students
- 564Shellharbour Anglican CollegeDunmore · Independent CombinedICSEA 1099 · 981 students
- 661Illawarra Christian SchoolCordeaux Heights · Independent CombinedICSEA 1091 · 800 students
- 760Calderwood Christian SchoolAlbion Park · Independent CombinedICSEA 1056 · 504 students
- 856Cedars Christian CollegeUnanderra · Independent CombinedICSEA 1067 · 661 students
- 931OneSchool Global NSW - IllawarraMaddens Plains · Independent CombinedICSEA 973 · 159 students
| # | School | Sector | Success Index | ICSEA | Students | Students : teacher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Illawarra Grammar School Wollongong West · Combined · K-12 | Independent | 80.3 Top 10% | 1159 | 970 | 9.7 |
| 2 | St Mary Star of the Sea College Wollongong · Secondary · 7-12 | Independent | 77.3 Top 10% | 1104 | 1,128 | 12.3 |
| 3 | Elonera Montessori School Mount Ousley · Combined · K-12 | Independent | 68.8 Top 25% | 1108 | 187 | 9.8 |
| 4 | Edmund Rice College West Wollongong · Secondary · 7-12 | Independent | 68.1 Top 25% | 1083 | 1,054 | 13.3 |
| 5 | Shellharbour Anglican College Dunmore · Combined · K-12 | Independent | 63.9 Top 50% | 1099 | 981 | 14.5 |
| 6 | Illawarra Christian School Cordeaux Heights · Combined · K-12 | Independent | 60.9 Top 50% | 1091 | 800 | 13.6 |
| 7 | Calderwood Christian School Albion Park · Combined · K-12 | Independent | 60.3 Top 50% | 1056 | 504 | 12.9 |
| 8 | Cedars Christian College Unanderra · Combined · K-12 | Independent | 55.6 Top 50% | 1067 | 661 | 12.0 |
| 9 | OneSchool Global NSW - Illawarra Maddens Plains · Combined · 3-12 | Independent | 31.1 Lower 50% | 973 | 159 | 9.9 |
There are 9 independent schools in Wollongong eligible for this list; the top 9 are shown. The Illawarra Grammar School in Wollongong West is ranked first with a Success Index of 80.3 and an ICSEA of 1159.
The top 9 independent schools in Wollongong for 2025 are: 1. The Illawarra Grammar School (Wollongong West); 2. St Mary Star of the Sea College (Wollongong); 3. Elonera Montessori School (Mount Ousley); 4. Edmund Rice College (West Wollongong); 5. Shellharbour Anglican College (Dunmore); 6. Illawarra Christian School (Cordeaux Heights); 7. Calderwood Christian School (Albion Park); 8. Cedars Christian College (Unanderra); 9. OneSchool Global NSW - Illawarra (Maddens Plains).
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best independent school in Wollongong?
The Illawarra Grammar School in Wollongong West ranks first among independent schools in Wollongong with a Success Index of 80.3 out of 100 and an ICSEA of 1159.
How are independent schools in Wollongong ranked?
Each school's Success Index combines five factors from ACARA's 2025 school profile data: ICSEA (50%), share of students in the top socio-educational quarter (15%), students per teacher (15%), five-year enrolment growth (10%) and five-year ICSEA trend (10%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type nationally. Schools with fewer than 80 students are excluded.
How many public schools are in the top 100 independent schools in Wollongong?
0 of the top 9 independent schools in Wollongong are government schools; 9 are Catholic or independent.
Do these rankings include NAPLAN or ATAR results?
Not yet. ACARA does not publish school-level NAPLAN results in bulk, and ATAR results are released by state authorities in different formats. The Success Index uses the measures ACARA publishes for every school so that all schools are compared on identical data. Where a school publishes its own results we link to its website.