At a glance
St Leonard's College began in 1914 with a small class in a church hall and has grown into one of Melbourne's most established co-educational schools, on a single campus in Brighton East. It became fully co-educational in 1972 and teaches from the early learning years to Year 12. The school holds a distinctive place in the city's IB history: it was the first school in Victoria to offer the IB Diploma, introduced in 1982, and it was later authorised to run the IB Primary Years Programme as well, which makes it one of the more experienced IB providers in the state rather than a recent adopter. It is registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority and is an authorised IB World School. Senior students choose between the IB Diploma and the VCE. Our hub on IB schools in Melbourne sets St Leonard's beside its peers, and the wider Melbourne city hub places it in context for families arriving in the city.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and programmes | IB Primary Years Programme in the junior years; IB Diploma or VCE in the senior years |
| Stages | Early learning to Year 12 (ages 3 to 18), co-educational |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Accreditation | Registered with the VRQA; authorised IB World School |
| Fee band | Premium (see the Melbourne fees guide) |
| Campus | Brighton East, bayside south eastern Melbourne |
Curriculum and academics
The academic path at St Leonard's is built around the International Baccalaureate from the start. Younger children work in the IB Primary Years Programme, an inquiry led framework, before moving through the middle years and into the senior choice in Years 11 and 12, where students elect either the IB Diploma Programme or the VCE. Because St Leonard's was the first Victorian school to run the Diploma, in 1982, it has deep experience of the qualification, which matters for relocating families: a child who has studied the Diploma overseas can continue it here, while a child aiming at a Victorian or interstate university can sit the VCE, all within the same school. The middle school adds elective options and an experiential learning programme in Year 9. Teaching is in English, and the senior programme is supported by careers and tertiary guidance covering Australian and international university entry. Families weighing the Diploma route should read our guide to the IB schools in Melbourne for the wider field and how St Leonard's compares on stage and intake.
St Leonard's College fees
St Leonard's fees sit in the premium band for Melbourne independent schools, with annual tuition rising by year level and the senior years priced at the top of the schedule. We do not publish a single headline figure here because the school revises fees each year and lists the current schedule on its own admissions pages; you can sense check the band against our guide to international school fees in Melbourne. Beyond tuition, plan for an application fee, a refundable enrolment deposit, a building or capital levy and optional extras such as bus travel, camps and the Year 9 experiential programme. These first year costs are standard across premium Melbourne schools and worth modelling before you commit, since the levy and the deposit can add a meaningful sum to the first invoice.
Work out the real cost of a place
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Admissions
Admission to St Leonard's runs ahead of the Australian school year, which starts in late January, and the school encourages families to register interest early because the most popular entry points fill well in advance. The main intakes are the early learning years, Prep and Year 7, with places at other year levels offered as they become available. Assessment is age appropriate: a settling visit and observation for the youngest children, and a review of previous school reports, references and, for some year levels, an entry assessment for older applicants. Entry into the senior years takes account of a student's prior subjects and results, particularly where a child intends to take the IB Diploma, since the Diploma requires study across subject groups. The school asks for school records and usually meets the family before confirming a place.
Location and who goes there
St Leonard's sits in Brighton East, a bayside suburb in Melbourne's south east, on a single campus served by trains, buses and the school's own bus routes, a short distance from the beach and the Nepean Highway. The catchment is the bayside arc, from Brighton and Hampton through Bentleigh, Caulfield and the surrounding suburbs, well placed for families who want a coastal rather than an inner eastern base. The community is broad and largely local, with a steady thread of relocating and returning families drawn by the long IB pedigree and the co-educational, all through structure. For families weighing a bayside base against the inner east or the city, and for the full picture of where relocating families settle and what each area costs, return to the Melbourne city hub.
Reviews
No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish parent reviews only once they are verified. If your child attends or has attended St Leonard's College, you can submit a review to help other relocating families. We never display a star rating without real, checked reviews behind it.
Frequently asked questions
How much are St Leonards College fees?
St Leonard's College fees sit in the premium band for Melbourne independent schools, rising by year level with the senior years priced at the top of the schedule. The school publishes its current fee schedule each year. Budget separately for an application fee, an enrolment deposit, a building levy and optional bus travel.
Is St Leonards College a good school?
St Leonard's is an established co-educational IB World School founded in 1914, the first school in Victoria to offer the IB Diploma, with the IB Primary Years Programme as well as the VCE. Whether it suits your child depends on stage, budget, the Brighton East location and your view of the IB against the VCE.
What curriculum does St Leonards College follow?
St Leonard's offers the IB Primary Years Programme in the junior years, then a senior choice between the IB Diploma Programme and the Victorian Certificate of Education. It was the first Victorian school to offer the IB Diploma, in 1982.
When do St Leonards College applications open?
St Leonard's takes enrolment applications well in advance of the late January start of the Australian school year, and popular entry points such as the early learning years, Prep and Year 7 fill early. Families relocating to Melbourne should register interest as soon as possible.
Where is St Leonards College located?
St Leonard's is in Brighton East, a bayside suburb in Melbourne's south east, on a single campus served by trains, buses and the school's own bus network.
