Christian Brothers College vs Rostrevor College
Christian Brothers College (Adelaide) and Rostrevor College (Woodforde) are both catholic schools in Adelaide. Both are a boys’ school. Both teach R-12. Only Rostrevor College takes boarders. Christian Brothers College has 990 students and Rostrevor College has 985 (ACARA 2025). They are about 7.5 km apart in a straight line.
Photos: Christian Brothers College (school website) · Rostrevor College (school website)
See both schools’ full fees, ATAR results and cost to Year 12
Every year level’s fees from each school’s own schedule, the results each school publishes, and the total cost to Year 12, side by side.
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Key numbers
Students, ICSEA, students per teacher and girls/boys: ACARA My School 2025 (students per teacher is total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff; it isn’t class size).
Fees and results
Side by side
| Fact | Christian Brothers College | Rostrevor College |
|---|---|---|
| Suburb | Adelaide | Woodforde |
| Region | Adelaide - Central and Hills | Adelaide - Central and Hills |
| Sector | Catholic | Catholic |
| Students | Boys | Boys |
| Year levels | R-12 | R-12 |
| Religion | Catholic (Edmund Rice) | Catholic (Edmund Rice) |
| Boarding | No | Yes |
| Senior years | SACE (VET options) | SACE |
| Facilities and sport (school site) | Gym, Oval, Theatre / performing arts centre, Music centre, Early learning centre, Library, Science / STEM labs, Tennis courts, Australian rules football, Soccer, Netball, Cricket, Basketball, Rowing, Swimming, Athletics, Tennis, Hockey, Volleyball, Badminton, Water polo | Gym, Oval, Boarding, Tennis courts, Australian rules football, Soccer, Cricket, Basketball, Swimming, Athletics, Tennis, Volleyball, Badminton, Water polo |
| Distance apart | About 7.5 km in a straight line | |
Facts from ACARA (2025) and each school’s own website.
Which suits whom
- Families needing boarding: only Rostrevor College takes boarders.
- Smaller ratio: Christian Brothers College has fewer students per teacher (12.3 against 13.6, ACARA 2025).
- Listed by Christian Brothers College but not Rostrevor College: Theatre / performing arts centre, Music centre, Early learning centre, Library, Science / STEM labs, Netball, Rowing and Hockey.
- Listed by Rostrevor College but not Christian Brothers College: Boarding.
History
Christian Brothers College
Christian Brothers College grew out of the work of the Christian Brothers, the order Edmund Rice founded in Waterford, Ireland, in 1802. In Adelaide, Brother Ambrose Treacy led the fundraising for a Catholic boys’ school that could also take boys from the country, and CBC opened in Wakefield Street in 1878.
Source: cbc.sa.edu.au
Rostrevor College
Rostrevor College was founded by the Christian Brothers in 1923 to take the overflow of boarders from Christian Brothers College in Wakefield Street. Under its first headmaster, Brother Purton, the first students arrived on 6 May 1923 and the boarders lived on the top floor of Rostrevor House, a mansion built in 1858.
Source: rostrevor.sa.edu.au
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between Christian Brothers College and Rostrevor College?
Both are a boys’ school. Both teach R-12. Only Rostrevor College takes boarders.
Is Christian Brothers College or Rostrevor College co-ed?
Both are a boys’ school.
Which is bigger, Christian Brothers College or Rostrevor College?
Christian Brothers College is bigger: 990 students against 985 (ACARA 2025).
How many students per teacher do Christian Brothers College and Rostrevor College have?
Christian Brothers College has 12.3 students per teacher and Rostrevor College has 13.6 (ACARA My School 2025: total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff).
Which is older, Christian Brothers College or Rostrevor College?
Christian Brothers College is older. Christian Brothers College was founded in 1878 and Rostrevor College in 1923.
Do Christian Brothers College and Rostrevor College take boarders?
Only Rostrevor College takes boarders.
How far apart are Christian Brothers College and Rostrevor College?
About 7.5 km in a straight line: Christian Brothers College is in Adelaide and Rostrevor College is in Woodforde.
How do Christian Brothers College and Rostrevor College fees compare?
Each school publishes its own fee schedule. Members see both schedules year by year, the results each school reports and the total cost to Year 12. Always confirm current fees with the school.
Related comparisons
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- Pembroke School vs Rostrevor College
School profiles
Get the full picture: fees, ATAR results and cost to Year 12
Every year level’s fees from each school’s own schedule, the results each school publishes, and the total cost to Year 12, side by side.
Compare these schools in full →A$9.99 a year, cancel anytimeSecure payment by Stripe
Source and date
Enrolment, ICSEA, students per teacher and girls/boys: ACARA My School 2025. Other facts: each school’s website, checked 21 October 2026. Distance is a straight line between the schools’ map points, not travel distance. Check details with the schools before deciding. Methodology