Loreto College vs Pembroke School
Loreto College (Marryatville) is a catholic school and Pembroke School (Kensington Park) is a independent school. Loreto College is a girls’ school; Pembroke School is co-educational. Both teach R-12. Both take boarders. Loreto College has 717 students and Pembroke School has 1,672 (ACARA 2025). They are about 1.3 km apart in a straight line.
Photos: Loreto College: Photo: Orderinchaos, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons · Pembroke School: Photo: Shazdor (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
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 | Loreto College | Pembroke School |
|---|---|---|
| Suburb | Marryatville | Kensington Park |
| Region | Adelaide - Central and Hills | Adelaide - Central and Hills |
| Sector | Catholic | Independent |
| Students | Girls | Co-ed |
| Year levels | R-12 | R-12 |
| Religion | Catholic (Loreto) | Non-denominational |
| Boarding | Yes | Yes |
| Senior years | SACE | SACE + IB Diploma (IB World School) |
| Facilities and sport (school site) | Gym, Theatre / performing arts centre, Music centre, Boarding, Early learning centre, Library, Science / STEM labs, Tennis courts, Australian rules football, Soccer, Netball, Basketball, Rowing, Swimming, Athletics, Tennis, Hockey, Volleyball, Badminton, Water polo | Swimming pool, Oval, Boarding, Early learning centre, Australian rules football, Soccer, Netball, Cricket, Basketball, Rowing, Swimming, Athletics, Tennis, Hockey, Volleyball, Badminton, Water polo |
| Distance apart | About 1.3 km in a straight line | |
Facts from ACARA (2025) and each school’s own website.
Which suits whom
- Families wanting a single-sex school for a daughter: Loreto College takes girls only.
- Families wanting a co-educational school: Pembroke School is co-ed.
- Students wanting the IB Diploma: Pembroke School lists it on its website; Loreto College does not confirm it.
- Families choosing by faith: Loreto College is Catholic (Loreto); Pembroke School is Non-denominational.
- Size: Pembroke School is the larger school, with 955 more students.
- Smaller ratio: Pembroke School has fewer students per teacher (9.5 against 10.9, ACARA 2025).
- Listed by Loreto College but not Pembroke School: Gym, Theatre / performing arts centre, Music centre, Library, Science / STEM labs and Tennis courts.
- Listed by Pembroke School but not Loreto College: Swimming pool, Oval and Cricket.
History
Loreto College
Loreto in Adelaide began in 1905, when sisters of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM) opened a convent school in a small house on Sydenham Road, Norwood, with five students. Two years later it moved to a larger house on The Parade, and in 1921 it settled at “The Acacias”, a 5.25-acre property in Marryatville, where the ballroom became the junior school and the boarders slept upstairs.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Pembroke School
Pembroke was formed in January 1974 by bringing together two neighbouring single-sex schools in Kensington Park. Girton Girls’ School dated from 1915, and King’s College, a boys’ school, was founded in 1923 as a joint venture of the Congregational Church and the Baptist Union of South Australia.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between Loreto College and Pembroke School?
Loreto College is a girls’ school; Pembroke School is co-educational. Both teach R-12. Both take boarders.
Is Loreto College or Pembroke School co-ed?
Loreto College is a girls’ school and Pembroke School is co-educational.
Which is bigger, Loreto College or Pembroke School?
Pembroke School is bigger: 1,672 students against 717 (ACARA 2025).
How many students per teacher do Loreto College and Pembroke School have?
Loreto College has 10.9 students per teacher and Pembroke School has 9.5 (ACARA My School 2025: total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff).
Which is older, Loreto College or Pembroke School?
Loreto College is older. Loreto College was founded in 1905 and Pembroke School in 1974.
Do Loreto College and Pembroke School take boarders?
Yes, both take boarders.
How far apart are Loreto College and Pembroke School?
About 1.3 km in a straight line: Loreto College is in Marryatville and Pembroke School is in Kensington Park.
How do Loreto College and Pembroke School 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.
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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