Aquinas College vs The Southport School
Aquinas College (Ashmore) is a catholic school and The Southport School (Southport) is a independent school. Aquinas College is co-educational; The Southport School is a boys’ school. Aquinas College teaches 7-12 and The Southport School teaches P-12. Only The Southport School takes boarders. Aquinas College has 805 students and The Southport School has 1,621 (ACARA 2025). They are about 3.1 km apart in a straight line.
Photos: Aquinas College (school website) · The Southport School (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.
Compare these schools in full →A$9.99 a year, cancel anytimeSecure payment by Stripe
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 | Aquinas College | The Southport School |
|---|---|---|
| Suburb | Ashmore | Southport |
| Region | Southport | Southport |
| Sector | Catholic | Independent |
| Students | Co-ed | Boys |
| Year levels | 7-12 | P-12 |
| Religion | Catholic | Anglican |
| Boarding | No | Yes |
| Senior years | QCE | QCE |
| Facilities and sport (school site) | Gym, Library, Australian rules football, Soccer, Netball, Basketball, Swimming, Athletics, Tennis, Volleyball | Swimming pool, Gym, Music centre, Boarding, Early learning centre, Australian rules football, Soccer, Cricket, Basketball, Rowing, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball |
| Distance apart | About 3.1 km in a straight line | |
Facts from ACARA (2025) and each school’s own website.
Which suits whom
- Families wanting a co-educational school: Aquinas College is co-ed.
- Families wanting a single-sex school for a son: The Southport School takes boys only.
- Families needing boarding: only The Southport School takes boarders.
- Families choosing by faith: Aquinas College is Catholic; The Southport School is Anglican.
- Size: The Southport School is the larger school, with 816 more students.
- Smaller ratio: The Southport School has fewer students per teacher (10.9 against 12.8, ACARA 2025).
- Listed by Aquinas College but not The Southport School: Library, Netball and Athletics.
- Listed by The Southport School but not Aquinas College: Swimming pool, Music centre, Boarding, Early learning centre, Cricket and Rowing.
History
Aquinas College
Aquinas College traces its roots to 1901, when the Sisters of Mercy opened Star of the Sea College at Southport. The Christian Brothers opened Aquinas as a boys’ college in 1964.
Source: aquinas.qld.edu.au
The Southport School
The Southport School was founded in 1901 by the Reverend Horace Dixon and has grown into a large Anglican school for boys, with a preschool and preparatory school as well as its senior campus at Southport.
Source: tss.qld.edu.au
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between Aquinas College and The Southport School?
Aquinas College is co-educational; The Southport School is a boys’ school. Aquinas College teaches 7-12 and The Southport School teaches P-12. Only The Southport School takes boarders.
Is Aquinas College or The Southport School co-ed?
Aquinas College is co-educational and The Southport School is a boys’ school.
Which is bigger, Aquinas College or The Southport School?
The Southport School is bigger: 1,621 students against 805 (ACARA 2025).
How many students per teacher do Aquinas College and The Southport School have?
Aquinas College has 12.8 students per teacher and The Southport School has 10.9 (ACARA My School 2025: total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff).
Which is older, Aquinas College or The Southport School?
The Southport School is older. Aquinas College was founded in 1964 and The Southport School in 1901.
Do Aquinas College and The Southport School take boarders?
Only The Southport School takes boarders.
How far apart are Aquinas College and The Southport School?
About 3.1 km in a straight line: Aquinas College is in Ashmore and The Southport School is in Southport.
How do Aquinas College and The Southport 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