At a glance
Strathcona opened in 1924 and was purchased by the Baptist Union in 1942, which gave the school its present name and character as a Baptist girls school. It is one of Melbourne's smaller well established girls schools, with around 800 students from the early years to Year 12 spread across three campuses in the inner east. The main campus is in Canterbury, the primary school sits in a purpose built site nearby, and Year 9 girls spend the year at Tay Creggan, a historic riverside house at Hawthorn used for a distinct middle years programme. The school is registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority and is an authorised IB World School, offering the IB Diploma alongside the VCE in the senior years. Our hub on IB schools in Melbourne sets Strathcona beside its peers, and the wider Melbourne city hub places it in context for families arriving in the city.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and programmes | Victorian curriculum to middle years; IB Diploma Programme or VCE in the senior years |
| Stages | Early years to Year 12 (ages 3 to 18), girls |
| Founded | 1924 |
| Accreditation | Registered with the VRQA; authorised IB World School |
| Fee band | Premium (see the Melbourne fees guide) |
| Campus | Canterbury (main) and Tay Creggan, Hawthorn (Year 9) |
Curriculum and academics
The academic path at Strathcona follows the Victorian curriculum through the junior and middle years, with a distinctive Year 9 programme based at the Tay Creggan campus on the Yarra, before the senior choice opens in Years 11 and 12. At that point girls elect either the VCE or the IB Diploma Programme, which matters for relocating families: a girl who has studied the Diploma overseas can continue it, while one aiming at a Victorian or interstate university can sit the VCE, all within the same school. As a smaller school, Strathcona emphasises a close, well known student body and pastoral care alongside the academic offer. 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 Strathcona compares on stage and intake.
Strathcona Baptist Girls' Grammar fees
Strathcona 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, though as a smaller school it can sit a little below the largest grammar schools. 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 Tay Creggan Year 9 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.
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Admissions
Admission to Strathcona 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 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 girl's prior subjects and results, particularly where she 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
Strathcona's main campus sits in Canterbury, one of Melbourne's established inner eastern suburbs, with the Year 9 Tay Creggan campus a short distance away on the Yarra River at Hawthorn. The catchment is the leafy eastern arc of the city, from Canterbury and Camberwell through Balwyn, Kew and the surrounding suburbs, well served by trains, trams and the school's own bus routes. The community is close knit and largely local, in keeping with the school's smaller size, with a steady thread of relocating and returning families drawn by the IB Diploma offer and the pastoral focus. For families weighing a Canterbury base against the bayside or northern suburbs, 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 Strathcona Baptist Girls' Grammar, 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 Strathcona Baptist Girls' Grammar fees?
Strathcona 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 Strathcona Baptist Girls' Grammar a good school?
Strathcona is an established girls IB World School founded in 1924, offering both the IB Diploma and the VCE across three campuses in Melbourne's inner east. Whether it suits your child depends on stage, budget, the single sex setting in Canterbury and your view of the IB against the VCE.
What curriculum does Strathcona Baptist Girls' Grammar follow?
Strathcona follows the Victorian curriculum through the junior and middle years, then offers senior students a choice between the IB Diploma Programme and the Victorian Certificate of Education in Years 11 and 12.
When do Strathcona Baptist Girls' Grammar applications open?
Strathcona takes enrolment applications well in advance of the late January start of the Australian school year, and popular entry points such as the early years, Prep and Year 7 fill early. Families relocating to Melbourne should register interest as soon as possible.
Is Strathcona a girls school?
Yes. Strathcona is a Baptist day school for girls from the early years to Year 12, with its main campus in Canterbury and a Year 9 campus, Tay Creggan, on the Yarra River at Hawthorn.
