Mary MacKillop College vs Pembroke School
Mary MacKillop College (Kensington) is a catholic school and Pembroke School (Kensington Park) is a independent school. Mary MacKillop College is a girls’ school; Pembroke School is co-educational. Mary MacKillop College teaches 7-12 and Pembroke School teaches R-12. Only Pembroke School takes boarders. Mary MacKillop College has 291 students and Pembroke School has 1,672 (ACARA 2025). They are about 0.8 km apart in a straight line.
Photos: Mary MacKillop College (school website) · 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 | Mary MacKillop College | Pembroke School |
|---|---|---|
| Suburb | Kensington | Kensington Park |
| Region | Adelaide - Central and Hills | Adelaide - Central and Hills |
| Sector | Catholic | Independent |
| Students | Girls | Co-ed |
| Year levels | 7-12 | R-12 |
| Religion | Catholic (Josephite) | Non-denominational |
| Boarding | No | Yes |
| Senior years | SACE (VET options) | SACE + IB Diploma (IB World School) |
| Facilities and sport (school site) | Gym, Theatre / performing arts centre, Music centre, Library, Science / STEM labs, Australian rules football, Soccer, Netball, Basketball, Athletics, Tennis, Volleyball, Badminton | 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 0.8 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: Mary MacKillop College takes girls only.
- Families wanting a co-educational school: Pembroke School is co-ed.
- Families needing boarding: only Pembroke School takes boarders.
- Students wanting the IB Diploma: Pembroke School lists it on its website; Mary MacKillop College does not confirm it.
- Families choosing by faith: Mary MacKillop College is Catholic (Josephite); Pembroke School is Non-denominational.
- Size: Pembroke School is the larger school, with 1,381 more students.
- Smaller ratio: Pembroke School has fewer students per teacher (9.5 against 10.8, ACARA 2025).
- Listed by Mary MacKillop College but not Pembroke School: Gym, Theatre / performing arts centre, Music centre, Library and Science / STEM labs.
- Listed by Pembroke School but not Mary MacKillop College: Swimming pool, Oval, Boarding, Early learning centre, Cricket, Rowing, Swimming, Hockey and Water polo.
History
Mary MacKillop College
Mary MacKillop lived and worked at Kensington for many years and opened the first Josephite school there in 1872. The college itself began in 1944, during the Second World War, when the Sisters of St Joseph brought together the secondary girls from their parish schools in Queen Street, Norwood.
Source: marymackillop.sa.edu.au
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 Mary MacKillop College and Pembroke School?
Mary MacKillop College is a girls’ school; Pembroke School is co-educational. Mary MacKillop College teaches 7-12 and Pembroke School teaches R-12. Only Pembroke School takes boarders.
Is Mary MacKillop College or Pembroke School co-ed?
Mary MacKillop College is a girls’ school and Pembroke School is co-educational.
Which is bigger, Mary MacKillop College or Pembroke School?
Pembroke School is bigger: 1,672 students against 291 (ACARA 2025).
How many students per teacher do Mary MacKillop College and Pembroke School have?
Mary MacKillop College has 10.8 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, Mary MacKillop College or Pembroke School?
Mary MacKillop College is older. Mary MacKillop College was founded in 1944 and Pembroke School in 1974.
Do Mary MacKillop College and Pembroke School take boarders?
Only Pembroke School takes boarders.
How far apart are Mary MacKillop College and Pembroke School?
About 0.8 km in a straight line: Mary MacKillop College is in Kensington and Pembroke School is in Kensington Park.
How do Mary MacKillop 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