Josiah College vs The Southport School
Josiah College (Carrara) and The Southport School (Southport) are both independent schools on the Gold Coast. Josiah College is co-educational; The Southport School is a boys’ school. Both teach P-12. Only The Southport School takes boarders. Josiah College has 102 students and The Southport School has 1,621 (ACARA 2025). They are about 5.4 km apart in a straight line.
Photos: Josiah 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 | Josiah 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 (multi-denominational) | Anglican |
| Boarding | No | Yes |
| Senior years | QCE (applied and vocational courses) | QCE |
| Facilities and sport (school site) | Swimming | Swimming pool, Gym, Music centre, Boarding, Early learning centre, Australian rules football, Soccer, Cricket, Basketball, Rowing, Swimming, Tennis, Volleyball |
| Distance apart | About 5.4 km in a straight line | |
Facts from ACARA (2025) and each school’s own website.
Which suits whom
- Families wanting a co-educational school: Josiah 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: Josiah College is Christian (multi-denominational); The Southport School is Anglican.
- Location: Josiah College is in Carrara (Nerang); The Southport School is in Southport (Southport).
- Size: The Southport School is the larger school, with 1,519 more students.
- Smaller ratio: Josiah College has fewer students per teacher (7.7 against 10.9, ACARA 2025).
- Listed by The Southport School but not Josiah College: Swimming pool, Gym, Music centre, Boarding, Early learning centre, Australian rules football, Soccer, Cricket, Basketball, Rowing, Tennis and Volleyball.
History
Josiah College
Josiah College is a multi-denominational Christian school for students on the autism spectrum, from Prep to Year 12. Classes have no more than 10 students, with a teacher and a full-time educational assistant in each.
Source: josiah.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 Josiah College and The Southport School?
Josiah College is co-educational; The Southport School is a boys’ school. Both teach P-12. Only The Southport School takes boarders.
Is Josiah College or The Southport School co-ed?
Josiah College is co-educational and The Southport School is a boys’ school.
Which is bigger, Josiah College or The Southport School?
The Southport School is bigger: 1,621 students against 102 (ACARA 2025).
How many students per teacher do Josiah College and The Southport School have?
Josiah College has 7.7 students per teacher and The Southport School has 10.9 (ACARA My School 2025: total enrolments divided by full-time-equivalent teaching staff).
Do Josiah College and The Southport School take boarders?
Only The Southport School takes boarders.
How far apart are Josiah College and The Southport School?
About 5.4 km in a straight line: Josiah College is in Carrara and The Southport School is in Southport.
How do Josiah 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