Who’s who of Geelong private schools

With this sizeable investment, many parents expect top results for their child when it comes to finishing school and heading into their careers.

Check out the Geelong Advertiser’s who’s who of private schools.

Christian College Geelong

Christian College Geelong boasts many notable alumni, including footy legend Gary Ablett Jr.

The coeducational schools currently has 1990 students from prep through to year 12, with elite facilities including an art technology design precinct, a music, sport and performing arts centre and a sports and aquatic centre.

The school was established in 1980, welcoming 60 students from prep to year 10.

It expanded to offer years 11 and 12 in 1990-91, and began offering a rural studies program at Back Creek Farm in 1997.

Reverend Paul Stephens sits as the board chair of the college, having taken over the position from James Shirley who held the seat for a decade.

Mr Stephens was welcomed to the congregation of St Luke’s Uniting Church in Highton in 2018 and is a St Joseph’s College graduate.

He was among the first graduates from Deakin University receiving a science degree, working for a few years before being accepted for ordained ministry.

In a statement on the college website, Mr Stephens said he felt “privileged” to lead the governance team, comprised of ten other people.

Daryl Riddle OAM is the college’s chief executive, while Glen McKeeman is the principal.

Mr McKeeman joined the school in 1991, and is a board member of Independent Schools Victoria and Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia.

He is the AHISA Victoria branch chair, and is currently on leave from Christian College.

The college has campuses in Belmont, Torquay, Drysdale, Highton, and Waurn Ponds.

Notable alumni: AFL players Gary Ablett Jr, Nathan Ablett, Matt Maguire, Taylor Adams, Connor Idun, AFLW player Renee Garing, netballer Tegan Philip, and Olympian Jakara Anthony.

Clonard College

Clonard College in Herne Hill is a Kildare Education Ministries (KEM) Catholic school catering to secondary school-aged girls.

The school was founded in 1956 by the Brigidine Sisters in response to growing demand for Catholic girls education in Geelong.

It opened with a student cohort of 40, and now has more than 900 students.

Clonard now has a thriving sports program which includes participating as part of two sporting associations, Geelong Independent School Sports Association (GISSA) and Secondary Catholic Sports Association (SCSA).

The college also has a music instrumental program, and offers various other co-curricular opportunities for students.

The KEM board, which has governance over the school, is chaired by Annette Broadfoot, who recently retired after a 45-year teaching career in education.

The KEM board commenced in 2014, and has governance of six other schools, including Kilbreda College, Killester College, Marian College – Sunshine West, Marian College – Ararat, St Joseph’s College and Kildare College in Adelaide.

Luci Quinn is the principal of Clonard College, and has been in senior leadership in Catholic education for 27 years.

In March, 2022, Ms Quinn received an Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) Fellowship Award – one of ten educational leaders in the state to receive the award that year.

Clonard College is the cheapest private school in Geelong, with parents paying $4095 in 2023 per student, regardless of year level.

It was in Geelong’s top ten best performing schools in the 2022 VCE results, with a median study score of 29 and 4.5 per cent of study scores 40 or above.

Notable alumni: AFLW Cat Danielle Higgins, actor Kyla Bartholomeusz, author Kgshak Akec

Covenant College

The Bell Post Hill educator has had a change in leadership for the 2023 school year.

Joshua McEwen took over as principal of Covenant from Sue Cox, who retired at the end of 2022.

Mr McEwen was a teacher at Covenant Christian High School from 1998-2005 before moving to teach at Christian College Geelong from 2005-2013.

He moved to Covenant College in 2014, and was the vice principal until his recent promotion.

The coeducational school has 688 students from prep to year 12, and is part of Christian Education National (formerly CPCS), a group of more than 80 schools throughout the country.

Policies at Covenant College are developed by parents through CEN’s board of directors, which is chaired by Andrew Goelst.

The school was established in 1979, although was called Geelong Christian School at the time.

Covenant College has been on the current 23 acre site on Creamery Rd since 1983.

Covenant College’s school fees are in the mid-range for Geelong’s private schools, with parents charged $7210 in 2023 to send their year 12 child.

Geelong Baptist College

Established in 2002 on the site of former Chanel College in Lovely Banks, Geelong Baptist College has more than 350 students.

An analysis revealed the school had an average student-teacher ratio of 12.4, below the median ratio for its school size at 13.4.

Parents paid a comparably modest sum to send a year 12 child to the school for 2023, forking out $7180.

Mike Smith is the executive chairman of the college board, which governs the college.

The college has two principals – Judy Sobey is the primary school principal, while Andrew Liberts is the secondary principal.

Ms Sobey has more than 25 years of teaching under her belt, and has been in her position at Geelong Baptist College since 2018.

She has held various teaching and leadership roles across Christian College, Kardinia International College, and Covenant College.

Mr Liberts became the secondary principal at Geelong Baptist College this year, and before this held a number of different roles at the school including head of humanities and head of student services.

Prior to becoming a teacher, Mr Liberts was a journalist, most notably in radio.

The college asked a mid-range sum of $7180 to send a year 12 student to the educator in 2023.

Geelong Grammar School

Geelong Grammar celebrates its many notable alumni, including King Charles III.

The monarch attended the school’s Timbertop campus in Victoria’s High Country in 1966, when he was 17 years old.

In order to send their year 12 child to Geelong Grammar, parents had to pay an eye-watering $46,020 for the 2023 school year as a day student.

The coeducational school was opened in October, 1855, and is led by a governing council.

Paddy Handbury is council chair, and is an Old Geelong Grammarian himself, having graduated from the school in 1972.

Mr Handbury is a past parent, and was re-elected to council in 2018.

He had been chair of the foundation board from 2003-2007, and was appointed current chair of council in 2020.

Rebecca Cody is principal of the school, appointed to her position in 2018.

She is a current parent of the school and is a foundation board member.

Before joining Geelong Grammar, Ms Cody was principal of Methodist Ladies’ College in Western Australia.

Prior to this she had been principal of Woodford House in New Zealand, and head of senior school at Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Western Australia.

Ms Cody has worked to support victims of historic abuse following the 2015 Royal Commission.

The school has many notable alumni across numerous industries including business, media and entertainment, medicine, politics, and sport.

Notable alumni: King Charles III, former vice chancellor of the University of Cambridge Alec Nigel Broers, co-founder of airline Qantas Sir Hudson Fysh, actor Portia de Rossi, singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, and Geelong football players including Norman Belcher, John Bell, David A. Clarke, Les Fairbairn, Charlie Gardiner, Eddy James, and Sam Newman.

Geelong Lutheran College

Geelong Lutheran College gets respectable results out of its more than 800 students, with its 2022 VCE cohort achieving a median study score of 30 – among the top ten in the region.

The school was first established in 1962, when its St John’s Newtown campus opened.

The campus now caters for learners from kindergarten years to year 6.

Parents paid $10,700 to send a child in year 12 to the school for the 2023 school year, with students benefiting from the school’s second campus in Armstrong Creek, established in 2009.

The college’s executive team is led by head of college Jill Lange-Mohr OAM.

Ms Lange-Mohr has more than 15 years experience as a principal under her belt.

She started her teaching career as a teacher of secondary art, speech and drama.

After two decades in primary and secondary education, Ms Lange-Mohr moved into the corporate sector and held roles including in marketing and public relations, and as a chief executive.

Ms Lange-Mohr joined the college in 2018.

Sue Ellis is the principal of Geelong Lutheran College, having initially started with the school as campus principal at St John’s Newtown in 2018.

Ms Ellis worked in business for 15 years, and was also a teacher within the Lutheran education system for 20 years.

Iona College Geelong

Geelong’s newest private school, Iona College opened in 2020, with its foundation year 7s set to become its first cohort of alumni.

The school has grown from its foundation enrolment numbers of 152 students, to 557 students in the 2022 school year.

Iona College is governed by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS), with school advisory councils established to connect the wider school community and school leaders.

Jo Hart is the council chair, having served as a board member since the school’s inception.

Ms Hart worked at St Joseph’s College Geelong for nine years, including as a secondary teacher, director of identity, and deputy director of mission.

Damian McKew is the foundation principal of the college, in his third stint as head of a school.

Mr McKew was head at Trinity College Colac for 4.5 years and taught at Clonard College for nine years, where he was also principal.

He has more than 25 years in leadership positions across Victoria in Catholic colleges.

Notable alumni: The school hasn’t got alumni yet.

Kardinia International College

Kardinia International College is known for holding its students to a high standard, offering both VCE and International Baccalaureate (IB) for its senior students.

The college fees are among the highest in Geelong, with parents forking out $15,129 for a year 12 student for 2023.

It was the second best performing school for 2022 VCE, with the cohort achieving a median study score of 32 and 12.5 per cent of study scores 40 or above.

Kardinia International College as it exists today opened in 1996, after it was sold to educator Yoshimaro Katsumata in 1995.

From the initial 40 students, the coeducational school has ballooned to more than 1840 students.

Catherine Lockhart has been the college principal since 2019, and has been teaching for almost 30 years.

Ms Lockhart’s leadership history includes as head of house at MLC Burwood, senior co-ordinator at Emmaus Catholic College, dean of students at Greenfield Community School in Dubai, and deputy head at Woodcroft College.

Yoshihisa Katsumata is the chairman of Kardinia’s board, and has been involved in school education for more than 40 years.

He is also board chairman at Gotemba Nishi Senior High School in Japan.

Notable alumni: Dr Stephanie Yacoub

Sacred Heart College Geelong

Sacred Heart College Geelong has operated at the same 6.6ha site since it was established in 1860.

In 2023, the secondary college has reported a cohort of 1460 students, and is known for giving students a well-rounded experience across academics and extra-curriculars.

The chairperson of the college advisory council is Jen Falco, who is also the non executive director at Womens Health & Wellbeing Barwon South West.

Ms Falco has experience across a range of businesses, including as a manager at Barwon Water, and senior business specialist at Telstra.

Anna Negro is college principal, and has held the position for a decade, joining in 2013.

Prior to this, Ms Negro was deputy principal at the college from 2001-2011, before moving to Clonard College as assistant principal from 2012-2013.

Ms Negro is an alumni of Sacred Heart herself.

In 2023, parents of year 12 students paid $8400 each.

This investment could pay off, with the 2022 VCE cohort achieving the fourth highest median study score of all Geelong schools, with 31.

Notable alumni: Peta Credlin, track and field star Mia Gross, AFLW footballers Lucy McEvoy and Olivia Purcell.

Saint Ignatius College Geelong

Among Saint Ignatius College Geelong’s alumni are professional sports players, including a netballer and footballer.

The school has a strong sport program, evidenced by its alumni achievements, as well as a performing arts program.

The coeducational school in Drysdale was formed in 1991, as a merger of all girls school Goold College, and all boys school St Mary’s Technical School.

Saint Ignatius is governed by MACS, like Iona College, and has the same advisory council chaired by Jo Hart.

Dr Brenden Maxwell Borosh is president of the college, while Michael Exton is the principal.

Mr Exton has overseen the development of a new MacKillop Senior School Centre which started construction in August, 2022.

The anticipated completion date for the project, which received $1m in state government funding, is January, 2024.

Once complete, the aim of the centre is to provide improved learning and teaching areas for senior students, including 16 general learning areas, a 400-seat lecture theatre with associated spaces, a learning deck, staff offices, and staff and student amenities.

The school had an enrolment of 1363 students in the 2022 school year, and parents paid $5900 to send a year 12 there for 2023 – making it the second cheapest private school in Geelong.

Notable alumni: Netballer Emily Mannix, AFL footballer Jhye Clark

St Joseph’s College Geelong

Known for its football, it’s no surprise that St Joseph’s College Geelong has many notable alumni who went on to play the game professionally including as Cats.

The college was founded in 1935 as a day school, and added a boarding school in 1940 – however it has now reverted back to being a day school only.

The school opened with 128 enrolled students, and in 2022 had almost 1800.

St Joseph’s is governed by an advisory council which establishes policy, strategies and direction for the college.

Tony Paatsch is college principal and executive officer of the advisory council.

Mr Paatsch has taught at many Catholic boys’ schools throughout his career, including at De La Salle College in Malvern and Mazenod College in Mulgrave.

He was appointed deputy principal of St Joseph’s 2000, holding the position for nine years until being appointed as principal at St Bernard’s College Essendon.

He rejoined St Joseph’s as principal in 2016, and is a past parent of the college.

Parents are charged an annual tuition fee of $6495, regardless of year level.

Notable alumni: Geelong Cats footballers Jimmy Bartel, Damian Bourke, Tim Bourke, Tim Darcy, Cameron Ling, and Tom Stewart, soccer player Matthew Spiranovic, Supreme Court judge Bernard Bongiorno AO, and folk singer Xavier Rudd.

The Geelong College

The Geelong College is one of the oldest schools in the region, founded in 1861, and quickly established itself as having high achieving students.

In 1866, the college topped Victorian schools with the highest number of students successfully going on to the Melbourne University Examinations.

Five of the 25 statewide students to pass the exam that year were from Geelong College.

The school has maintained its high achieving reputation, with its 2022 VCE cohort achieving the best median study score – 32 – and 12.7 per cent of study scores 40 or above.

Parents who send their children to Geelong College paid the second highest school fees in the region, forking out $32,544 for a child to complete year 12 in 2023.

The Newtown school has expanded over the years, undergoing numerous redevelopments to offer improved facilities possible for its more than 1400 prep to year 12 students.

Geelong College is governed by the college council, chaired by Dr Richard Page.

Dr Page is an orthopaedic shoulder and upper limb surgeon, and director of orthopaedic surgery at Barwon Health.

He has two children currently enrolled at the college, and had one child graduate from the school in 2017.

Dr Peter Miller is college principal, joining in 2016 following the resignation of Andrew Barr, the 11th principal.

Dr Miller’s teaching experience includes as a teacher at SHORE School, head of middle school at Barker College, and head of college at All Saints’ College, all in New South Wales before moving to Geelong for his current position.

He holds a Masters and a Doctorate in education.

The college has many notable alumni across academia, business, entertainment and media, medicine and science, politics, religion, and sport.

Notable alumni: Pilot Ryan Gill, former managing director of Ford Australia and chairman of Qantas Bill Dix, cinematographer Russell Boyd, actor Guy Pearce, biologist and winner of the Nobel Prize for Medicine Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, Paralympian Richard Colman, Olympian Josh Dunkley-Smith, and AFL footballers Tim Callan, David Clarke, Zaine Cordy, Tom Atkins, and Edward ‘Carji’ Greeves.

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