Three Rose Bay schools have been named in a new ranking of NSW’s top 100 private primary schools in the Catholic and independent sectors. Kambala, Kincoppal-Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart, and McAuley Catholic Primary School all made the list.
Read: Rose Bay Public School Outperforms Neighbours In 2025 NAPLAN
Kambala
Kambala, located at 794 New South Head Road, was the highest-ranked of the three local schools, coming in at 26th in the state. Founded in 1887, it is an independent early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school for girls, with a current enrolment of 986 students.
The school describes its educational approach as focused on preparing students to be “agile, adaptable and aspirational,” with curriculum design centred on cognitive flexibility and emotional intelligence alongside academic outcomes. Kambala is an IB World School and a member of the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools.
View Kambala profile here
Kincoppal-Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart
Kincoppal-Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart ranked 59th, with a current enrolment of 851 students. It is an independent Roman Catholic early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school, predominantly for girls.
The school offers a full continuum of education from early childhood through to the HSC, as both a day and boarding school.
View Kincoppal-Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart profile here
McAuley Catholic Primary School
McAuley Catholic Primary School, at 8 Carlisle Street, ranked 95th with an enrolment of 273 students. The school was established in its current form in 1967 by the Sisters of Mercy and carries the motto “Seek the Truth.” It is part of the Sydney Catholic Schools system, a network of 147 low-fee Catholic schools in the Sydney Archdiocese.
The school’s principal, Mrs Karen Blacklock, describes its teaching approach as placing strong foundations in literacy and numeracy at the centre, supported by inquiry, creativity, problem-solving and collaboration. McAuley maintains a close connection to the parish of St Mary Magdalene, Rose Bay.
View McAuley Catholic Primary School profile here
NSW schools made up six of the national top 10 private primary schools in the rankings, and nearly half of the national top 250 list. The rankings were drawn from an analysis of more than 2,000 private primary schools nationwide.
Read: Kincoppal–Rose Bay Leader Appointed Head of Knox Grammar Prep
It assessed 2025 NAPLAN Year 3 and Year 5 results across five subjects, student attendance rates, student-teacher ratios, and ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) scores, with data sourced from ACARA.
Published 30-May-2026
