Emmanuel College vs The Southport School
Emmanuel College (Carrara) and The Southport School (Southport) are both independent schools on the Gold Coast. Emmanuel College is co-educational; The Southport School is a boys’ school. Both teach P-12. Only The Southport School takes boarders. Emmanuel College has 1,686 students and The Southport School has 1,621 (ACARA 2025). They are about 5.7 km apart in a straight line.
Photos: Emmanuel 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.
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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 | Emmanuel College | The Southport School |
|---|---|---|
| Suburb | Carrara | Southport |
| Region | Nerang | Southport |
| Sector | Independent | Independent |
| Students | Co-ed | Boys |
| Year levels | P-12 | P-12 |
| Religion | Christian | Anglican |
| Boarding | No | Yes |
| Senior years | QCE | QCE |
| Facilities and sport (school site) | Library | Swimming pool, Gym, Music centre, Boarding, Early learning centre, Australian rules football, Soccer, Cricket, Basketball, Rowing, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball |
| Distance apart | About 5.7 km in a straight line | |
Facts from ACARA (2025) and each school’s own website.
Which suits whom
- Families wanting a co-educational school: Emmanuel 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: Emmanuel College is Christian; The Southport School is Anglican.
- Location: Emmanuel College is in Carrara (Nerang); The Southport School is in Southport (Southport).
- Smaller ratio: The Southport School has fewer students per teacher (10.9 against 15.3, ACARA 2025).
- Listed by Emmanuel College but not The Southport School: Library.
- Listed by The Southport School but not Emmanuel College: Swimming pool, Gym, Music centre, Boarding, Early learning centre, Australian rules football, Soccer, Cricket, Basketball, Rowing, Swimming, Tennis and Volleyball.
History
Emmanuel College
Emmanuel College opened at Carrara in 1985 with 66 students in Years 8 and 9. Within two years it had 300 students, and its Junior School opened in 1989.
Source: emmanuel.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 Emmanuel College and The Southport School?
Emmanuel College is co-educational; The Southport School is a boys’ school. Both teach P-12. Only The Southport School takes boarders.
Is Emmanuel College or The Southport School co-ed?
Emmanuel College is co-educational and The Southport School is a boys’ school.
Which is bigger, Emmanuel College or The Southport School?
Emmanuel College is bigger: 1,686 students against 1,621 (ACARA 2025).
How many students per teacher do Emmanuel College and The Southport School have?
Emmanuel College has 15.3 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, Emmanuel College or The Southport School?
The Southport School is older. Emmanuel College was founded in 1985 and The Southport School in 1901.
Do Emmanuel College and The Southport School take boarders?
Only The Southport School takes boarders.
How far apart are Emmanuel College and The Southport School?
About 5.7 km in a straight line: Emmanuel College is in Carrara and The Southport School is in Southport.
How do Emmanuel 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