Cranbrook School vs Northside Montessori School

	C Cranbrook School Sydney, Australia	N Northside Montessori School Sydney, Australia
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year A$1,226 - 110,190	Fees / year A$15,986 - 24,950
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 1 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational, Boys School (boarding)	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Australian Curriculum	Curriculum Australian Curriculum, IB (DP)
Pupils	Pupils 1,680	Pupils 144
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 1918	Opened 1978
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location The Cranbrook School site is located at 5 Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, NSW 2023, Australia. It is in the eastern suburbs of Sydney and overlooks Sydney Harbour, about 4km from central Sydney.	Location 42 Bobbin Head Road, Pymble, NSW 2073, Australia. The school is in Pymble, a suburb on Sydney's Upper North Shore.
Stages	Stages Pre-School to Year 12	Stages Toddler to Year 12 (Early Learning to Secondary).
School type	School type Anglican independent day and boarding school	School type Co-educational; IB World School offering the Diploma Programme (DP) and is a Diploma Programme Candidate School.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Learning Enrichment and Support provides educational support, with specialist teacher assessment reports to diagnose specific learning difficulties and recommendations for appropriate access arrangements during examinations.	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation Australia
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation Anglican	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure Core school hours are 8:15am to 3:20pm, with before- and after-school activities available.	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details Cranbrook offers subsidised private bus services in term time, operated by North Sydney Bus Charters. There are three routes: North Shore (to Seaforth via North Sydney, Cremorne and Mosman), Inner West (to Woolwich via Pyrmont, Annandale, Balmain and Drummoyne), and Eastern Suburbs (to Maroubra via Bondi, Clovelly, Randwick and Coogee). Bus passes must be purchased in advance; for enquiries email bus@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Tuition fees (K–12) — Domestic students - Tuition is billed in three equal instalments per year (charged in advance). Per-instalment and per-annum amounts are: - Kindergarten: AUD 11,842 per instalment / AUD 35,526 per annum. - Years 1–2: AUD 12,595 per instalment / AUD 37,785 per annum. - Years 3–4: AUD 13,942 per instalment / AUD 41,826 per annum. - Years 5–6: AUD 14,412 per instalment / AUD 43,236 per annum. - Years 7–10: AUD 16,826 per instalment / AUD 50,478 per annum. - Years 11–12: AUD 17,490 per instalment / AUD 52,470 per annum. Tuition fees (K–12) — International students - International tuition is higher. Per-instalment and per-annum amounts are: - Kindergarten: AUD 14,557 per instalment / AUD 43,671 per annum. - Years 1–2: AUD 15,310 per instalment / AUD 45,930 per annum. - Years 3–4: AUD 16,657 per instalment / AUD 49,971 per annum. - Years 5–6: AUD 17,127 per instalment / AUD 51,381 per annum. - Years 7–10: AUD 20,532 per instalment / AUD 61,596 per annum. - Years 11–12: AUD 21,196 per instalment / AUD 63,588 per annum. Boarding fees (Years 7–12) - Boarding fees are charged in addition to Tuition Fees. Per-instalment and per-annum amounts (Domestic and International boarders): - Years 7–12: AUD 15,534 per instalment / AUD 46,602 per annum. - Boarding fees are inclusive of GST for food where applicable. Billing schedule and payment terms - Tuition and boarding fees are charged in advance in three equal instalments, invoiced at the beginning of Terms 1, 2 and 3. Two additional fee statements are issued at the beginning and end of Term 4 to capture incidental expenses incurred during Terms 3 and 4. - Fees are shown and billed only in Australian Dollars (AUD). - Fees are due and payable within 30 days from the date of issue of the fee statement. - Fees not paid by the due date (unless another agreement is documented) incur an administrative charge of AUD 250 per account; failure to pay by the due date may result in exclusion from classes/activities or termination of enrolment. Application, enrolment and deposit fees - Application Fee (K–12 and Pre‑School): non‑refundable AUD 440 (including GST) payable when a student is registered for possible future enrolment. - Enrolment Fee (K–12): non‑refundable AUD 7,500 payable when a place is formally offered and accepted. - Pre‑School Deposit: a deposit of AUD 3,000 is payable when a place at St Mark's or St Michael's Pre‑School is offered and accepted; this deposit is refundable after the child leaves the Pre‑School provided required notice has been given and all accounts are paid. St Mark's and St Michael's Pre‑School fees (2026 schedules) - Fee Schedule A (including NSW Government Start Strong fee relief, per instalment / per annum): - 5 days: AUD 7,898 / AUD 23,693. - 3 days: AUD 4,265 / AUD 12,794. - 2 days: AUD 2,805 / AUD 8,415. - Fee Schedule B (excluding the Government fee relief, per instalment / per annum): - 5 days: AUD 9,086 / AUD 27,258. - 3 days: AUD 5,453 / AUD 16,359. - 2 days: AUD 3,637 / AUD 10,911. - Fee Schedule C (equity program including fee relief, per instalment / per annum): - 5 days: AUD 6,597 / AUD 19,791. - 3 days: AUD 2,964 / AUD 8,892. - 2 days: AUD 409 / AUD 1,226. - Fee Schedule D (equity program excluding fee relief, per instalment / per annum): - 5 days: AUD 8,082 / AUD 24,247. - 3 days: AUD 4,449 / AUD 13,348. - 2 days: AUD 1,449 / AUD 4,346. Other costs and optional charges - Additional charges apply for optional subject tuition (for example, private instrument lessons), excursions, and other activities outside the normal school program; GST may be applied where exemptions do not apply. - A tax‑deductible Building Fund donation of AUD 200 per instalment is included in the fee statements; payment of this donation is voluntary. - Credit card surcharges apply for fees paid by credit card. - Administrative late payment charge is AUD 250 per account for overdue fees. Refund information - The Application Fee (AUD 440) and the K–12 Enrolment Fee (AUD 7,500) are non‑refundable. - The Pre‑School deposit of AUD 3,000 is refundable after the child leaves the Pre‑School provided required notice has been given and all accounts are paid. - Other refunds (for example where fees are prepaid and an enrolment does not proceed) are governed by the School's enrolment and fee conditions. Late or unpaid accounts may attract administrative charges and other consequences as noted above. Fee payment options - Fees are payable by BPAY or online by credit card. - Credit card surcharges apply for payments by credit card. - All billing and invoicing is in AUD.	Fee details Application & Placement Fees - Application Fee: AUD 165 (non-refundable). - Placement Fee: AUD 1,600, payable on acceptance of an offer of placement (non-refundable and non-transferrable). Tuition fees by year group (annual and per-term amounts) - Preschool (3–4 year olds, Monday–Friday 8:30am–11:45am): Annual tuition AUD 15,986; per term (annual ÷ 4) AUD 3,996.50. Annual levy AUD 1,458; per term AUD 364.50. Montessori Home Environment (11:45am–2:45pm) is charged at AUD 28 per day (charged separately). - Kindergarten: Annual tuition AUD 15,986; per term AUD 3,996.50. Annual levy AUD 1,831; per term AUD 457.75. - Years 1–6 (Primary): Annual tuition AUD 15,986; per term AUD 3,996.50. Annual levy AUD 2,035; per term AUD 508.75. - Years 7–10 (High School): Annual tuition AUD 18,427; per term AUD 4,606.75. Annual levy AUD 3,165; per term AUD 791.25. - Year 11 (International Baccalaureate): Annual tuition AUD 24,950; per term AUD 6,237.50. (No separate annual levy amount is listed for Year 11 in the published fee schedule.) - Year 12: No specific annual tuition or levy is listed for Year 12 in the 2026 fee schedule. Notes on what school fees and levies cover: School fees and levies include text resources, sporting activities (including swimming lessons), excursions and incursions, camps and overseas trips, a school-provided laptop and classroom desktops, student insurance and general classroom resources and equipment. Billing schedule and payment terms - Fees are billed in November for the following calendar/school year (billed annually). Payment is by ten (10) monthly direct debit instalments (February to November), processed from a nominated bank account on the 5th of each month. Fees unpaid by the due date attract an administration charge of AUD 25 per week overdue. Fees and levies are payable for the whole year of enrolment; no deduction is made for non-attendance. Credits for completed School Support Hours are recognised at the end of each term and applied to the next monthly direct debit instalment. OOSH and Montessori Home Environment (MHE) are billed at the end of each term and added to the next monthly instalment; Vacation Care fees are payable when the booking is made. Boarding fees - Boarding is not listed as a provision; no boarding fees are published in the school's fee schedule. The school operates day programs and offers Out of School Hours Care (OOSH), Vacation Care and Montessori Home Environment. Other costs and recurring charges - Northside Montessori Society Membership Fee: AUD 65 per family. - Fundraising raffle: AUD 300 (recoverable if raffle tickets are on-sold). - School Support Hours Program: AUD 800 (recoverable on completing the program; credits applied as described above). - Building Fund donations (voluntary, tax-deductible in Australia for donations of AUD 2 or more): suggested amount of AUD 100 per monthly instalment. Annual receipts issued in July. - Out of School Hours and related daily/session charges (additional to tuition): - Before School Care (BSC): AUD 12 per day. - After School Care (ASC): AUD 32 per day. Late pick-up fee: AUD 10 per each 5 minutes or part thereof after 6:00pm. - Vacation Care: AUD 75 per day; Vacation Care with incursion AUD 95 per day. - Montessori Home Environment (MHE) for 3–4 year olds: AUD 28 per day (11:45am–2:45pm). - Toddler Program (walking to 36 months) and Toddler & Transition Program fees (term-based) are published for infant programs (examples from the infant program listing: AUD 360 per 10-week term; AUD 380 per 10-week term for certain sessions). These additional program charges are billed separately as described above. - Co-curricular activities (music, sport, languages, robotics, etc.) are charged in addition and are paid directly to the activity provider. Sibling discounts - Sibling discounts apply to school tuition fees only and are allocated to the oldest child in the family (not available for siblings enrolled in the Infant Community Program). The published discounts are: 2nd child 25% of school fees; 3rd child 50% of school fees; 4th child 75% of school fees; 5th and subsequent child 100% of school fees. Refunds, cancellation and withdrawal terms - Application Fee: non-refundable. Placement Fee: non-refundable and non-transferrable. - Withdrawal notice: withdrawal of a student requires at least one (1) full term's written notice to the Principal to expire at the end of a term. If the required notice is not given, one (1) school full term's fee is payable in lieu of the required notice. For a student leaving at the end of Year 6, an extended notice period of at least three (3) full terms' notice is required (to be given by the end of Term 1); failure to provide the required notice will similarly attract one term's fee in lieu. Credits for completed School Support Hours are applied to the next instalment as described above. Fee payment methods and processing - Regular tuition and levies are collected by ten (10) monthly direct debit instalments from a nominated bank account (processed on the 5th of each month, February–November). OOSH and MHE are billed at the end of each term and added to the next monthly direct debit instalment; Vacation Care fees are payable at the time of booking. No other specific payment methods (credit card, BPAY, bank transfer) are listed in the published fee schedule.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details The school is an IB Continuum School and offers the International Baccalaureate across the Senior School. Years 7–10 are taught using the NSW curriculum through the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), with a common curriculum in Years 7–8 and language study across two languages chosen from French, Latin and Mandarin. The Years 7 and 8 programs cover English, Mathematics, Science, PDHPE, History, Geography, Music, Visual Arts, Drama, Design and Technology, Religious Studies, and two languages. In Years 9–10 students add two electives to the common curriculum while continuing core subjects and a continuing language. In Years 11–12 students choose between the IB Diploma Programme and the Higher School Certificate (HSC), with the HSC requiring English plus a range of other subjects and the IB Diploma Programme structured around six subject groups plus core components such as Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and CAS. The school also runs a Gifted & High Potential Programme delivered through the Honours Curriculum for Years 7–10, using in‑class differentiation, acceleration and enrichment, with mathematics acceleration, English enrichment and opportunities for external competitions and seminar‑style learning.	Curriculum details Authentic Montessori education across Early Learning, Primary and Secondary. The High School commenced in 2022 with Year 7 and will continue to add years up to Year 12 by 2027. Years 7–10 work toward the NSW RoSA, with all coursework meeting NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) requirements. For Years 11–12, the school is NESA registered and offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Our teachers are accredited with NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) and have Montessori qualifications, and our senior high school teachers are IB trained.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented Gifted & High Potential Programme is delivered through the Honours Curriculum for Years 7–10, with in‑class differentiation, acceleration and enrichment. Identification uses standardised tests, psychometric assessments, parent and teacher nominations and interviews; opportunities include Mathematics acceleration, English enrichment, external competitions such as Olympiads and Da Vinci Decathlon, and term seminars on topics such as Introduction to Psychology, Defining Fascism, The Mini‑MBA and The Philosophy of Science.	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions Step 1 – Application. Begin with the online application by creating an account and submitting the form. You will provide essential information about your child and family. Cranbrook accepts entry at Pre-School, Kindergarten, Year 3, Year 7 and Year 11, with other grades considered only if vacancies exist. Step 2 – Visit the School. Attending an Open Day helps you learn about Cranbrook and meet key staff. Open Days offer an opportunity to ask questions and observe the school environment. A visit is a helpful precursor before progressing to assessments. Step 3 – Admissions Activities. Observations and assessments vary by entry point. Pre-School and Kindergarten involve your child participating in an observation session up to 12 months before commencement. Year 3 and Year 7 require an academic assessment up to 2.5 years before commencement. Year 11 involves assessments and interviews up to 12 months before entry. Step 4 – Interview. After observations and assessments, parents and/or applicants may be invited to an interview. Not all candidates will be invited to interview due to the number of applications. Step 5 – Offer. Applications are reviewed and enrolment decisions are made. You will be notified in writing if an offer is made or if the application is unsuccessful. Step 6 – Acceptance of Place. A place is secured when the enrolment documentation and the non-refundable enrolment fee or Pre-School deposit are paid. Step 7 – Welcome to Cranbrook. You will be notified of Orientation Days and other information regarding starting at Cranbrook in the term prior to commencement.	Admissions 1. Enquire: Prospective families use the enquiry form to request further information about enrolling with Northside Montessori School and to speak with the Enrolments Registrar (EI). This step initiates the enrolment process and helps families understand how their child can flourish within the Montessori program. The Registrar provides information to guide the next steps. The enquiry does not commit the family to enrolment. 2. Book a Tour: Northside Montessori School invites families to visit so they can see the campus in action and learn about the Montessori approach. It is an opportunity to explore the school, meet students and staff, and ask questions about how the program supports a love of learning. The visit helps families decide if the school is the right fit. 3. Apply: Applications for entry are made online and are a pre-requisite for enrolment but do not guarantee a place. A non-refundable Application Fee per child is payable at the time of application, and payments are made via the secure system. The school gives preference to siblings of current students, children transferring from other Montessori schools, and to children currently enrolled in the Montessori Toddler program; application date and balance of ages and genders in multi-age classes are considered. 4. Interview with the Principal: If suitable, the school contacts families to arrange an interview with the Principal. The interview provides an opportunity to discuss expected Montessori outcomes and the family's understanding of the Montessori approach. All enrolments are subject to the outcome of the enrolment interview. 5. Acceptance and Attend Orientation Day: Following a successful interview, an enrolment offer is made and a non-refundable Placement Fee is payable upon acceptance. Before starting, families receive an invitation to attend an orientation in the classroom and meet the teacher. Parents must keep their address and contact details current; if the school cannot contact them and there is no response, the enrolment may be cancelled.
Scholarships	Scholarships Cranbrook School offers a selection of scholarships to recognise gifted and talented students and to provide pathways to benefit from Cranbrook's programs. Awards are based on the Cranbrook School Scholarship Examination (conducted by Academic Assessment Services), the submission of supporting materials, and an interview. Scholarships are available only to Australian citizens. Applications for 2027 Cranbrook Scholarships are now closed; 2028 scholarships will open later this year. The Old Cranbrookians' Association (OCA) Scholarship is also offered.	Scholarships Bursaries and financial support: Northside Montessori School provides bursaries to families in necessitous circumstances. This assistance applies to tuition fees only; levies and other charges must be paid in full. Bursary decisions are made by the Bursary Committee, and the Principal may grant a fee discount or waiver up to half a year's full tuition for one student; greater relief requires Board approval. All bursary applications are confidential and awarded based on means testing and commitment to Montessori education, with annual review. Further details can be found in the Bursary Policy.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist Waitlist: If you wish to defer the entry date to a date later than the initial accepted date, the School will advise whether it is able to agree to this. If the School is unable to agree, the student's date of application will be amended to the date the deferment was requested. The student will then be placed on a waiting list for the new requested date; however, enrolment cannot be guaranteed.
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