International Grammar School

What International Grammar School does

International Grammar School (IGS) is an independent, coeducational, secular school operating from a single campus at 4-8 Kelly Street, Ultimo NSW, near Sydney's CBD, on Gadigal Land of the Eora Nation. Founded in 1984 by the late Professor Reg St Leon OAM, IGS offers continuous education from Preschool (Early Learning Centre) through Year 12 under a "Unity Through Diversity" philosophy, with bilingual education, languages, music, and the arts positioned as core curriculum pillars. The school delivers differentiated programs including SAGE Week (annual experiential learning for Years 7-10), the Indigenous Scholarship Program (operational since 2003, supporting 20+ First Nations students K-12), Koori Club, university pathway partnerships (UTS, UNSW, Western Sydney), and the Day of AI Australia curriculum delivered in partnership with UNSW and MIT. The school does not operate proprietary technology platforms; its technology footprint is limited to a website (WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliant), virtual campus tour, online enrollment system, parent engagement portal, and standard social media presence.

IGS generates revenue primarily through recurring annual tuition fees charged to enrolled families (subscription model), supplemented by philanthropic donations managed through The IGS Foundation (launched November 2025), which consolidates the Indigenous Scholarship Fund, Building Fund, Library Fund, and World Ready Scholarship Fund. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The customer base is a distributed set of individual families in the Sydney metropolitan area (single-country, single-region market), with 101-250 employees supporting the campus operations. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer via the school website, Open Mornings, and on-campus tours; no digital/online learning product or multi-site delivery model exists. The school is a non-profit entity governed by a School Board chaired by Emeritus Professor Shirley Alexander AM, with operational leadership from Principal Shauna Colnan.

Name

International Grammar School

Legal name

International Grammar School

Website

https://igssyd.nsw.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

International Grammar School is an independent, coeducational, secular K-12 school in Ultimo, Sydney, founded in 1984. It delivers bilingual education from Preschool to Year 12 under a "Unity Through Diversity" philosophy, with emphasis on languages, music, arts, and Indigenous scholarship programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ultimo

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: IGS generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged to enrolled families. The school offers quality teaching for early learning, primary and high school students through to Year 12.
2. Philanthropy and Donations: The IGS Foundation manages philanthropic initiatives including the Indigenous Scholarship Fund, Building Fund, Library Fund, and World Ready Scholarship Fund. Donations are tax-deductible and support scholarships and facility improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

International Grammar School is an independent, coeducational, secular school that delivers bilingual education from Preschool through Year 12, emphasising languages, music, and the arts under its 'Unity Through Diversity' philosophy. The school operates Early Learning, Primary, and High School programs on its Ultimo campus in Sydney, supported by scholarship programs (including the Indigenous Scholarship Program) and the IGS Foundation philanthropic arm.

Product overview

International Grammar School is an independent, coeducational, secular school offering quality bilingual education from Preschool to Year 12. The school operates a unified educational platform comprising Early Learning Centre, Primary School, and High School programs, unified by its 'Unity Through Diversity' philosophy and focus on languages, music, and arts. Supporting the core educational offerings are the Indigenous Scholarship Program (established 2003), the IGS Foundation (philanthropic arm managing scholarships and building funds), and SAGE Week (experiential learning program). The school also offers various scholarship programs for academic excellence, creative arts, and sporting achievement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The IGS Foundation: Philanthropic arm of the school managing scholarships including Indigenous Scholarship Fund, Building Fund, Library Fund, and World Ready Scholarship Fund.

Products and services

• Bilingual Education Program A globally-focused bilingual education program offering quality teaching from early learning through to Year 12, emphasising languages, music, and the arts as core components of the curriculum. Targeted at families seeking bilingual, globally-oriented schooling in Sydney.
• Early Learning Centre (Preschool to Kindergarten) Early childhood education program for Preschool and Kindergarten students, offering immersive bilingual language learning and foundational academic preparation. Designed for families seeking quality early childhood education in central Sydney.
• Primary School Program (Years 3-6) Primary education program covering Years 3 to 6 with extensive language classes, performing arts, and student leadership opportunities. Targeted at families seeking academically rigorous primary education with a global and bilingual focus.
• High School Program (Years 7-12) Secondary education from Years 7 to 12, including Year 11 and Year 12 (HSC), featuring extensive language classes, drama, music performances, and global learning opportunities. Targeted at students and families seeking bilingual secondary education with a global perspective.
• Indigenous Scholarship Program Provides Kindergarten to Year 12 education covering tuition, uniforms, textbooks, clubs and society fees, excursion costs, and exchange programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Targeted at First Nations families seeking K-12 education at IGS.
• IGS Foundation The school's philanthropic arm that manages the Indigenous Scholarship Fund, Building Fund, Library Fund, and World Ready Scholarship Fund to support student access and school development. Targets donors and philanthropists.
• World Ready Scholarship Fund A scholarship initiative supporting students across creative and performing arts, sporting achievement, academic excellence, and community endeavors to expand opportunity at IGS. Targeted at prospective students and their families.
• SAGE Week (Experiential Learning Program) An annual experiential learning program for Years 7-10 that takes students beyond traditional classroom learning into practical, interdisciplinary discovery activities including theatre, archaeology, opera creation, and field expeditions. Designed for IGS secondary students.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 20 young First Nations people on scholarship program
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Goodooga Central SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Cultural exchange partnership established in 2019 with regular mutual visits between schools. The Schools Walking Together intercultural immersion program encourages friendships between communities while privileging Aboriginal perspectives and voices through on Country learning.
• Connecting Communities AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner in the Schools Walking Together intercultural immersion program with Goodooga Central School, facilitating cultural exchange experiences for students.
• Sport for Jove Theatre CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided Shakespeare Bootcamp for Year 7 students during SAGE Week 2024, where students explored Shakespeare through dramatic movement and performed sections from Macbeth, The Tempest, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet.
• Opera ExpressminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional composers and guidance provided for Year 9 Opera on Kelly project, where students created original operas from scratch including plot lines, librettos, and musical scores.
• Tribal WarriorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal-owned and operated vessel that provided harbour cruise for Year 8 students during SAGE Week, sharing Gadigal people's stories and cultural significance of Sydney Harbour.
• University of Technology Sydney (UTS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGS students attended UTS Discovery Days for Business & Law and Health programs, participating in interactive workshops, campus tours, and information sessions about university pathways.
• Western Sydney UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYear 9 Indigenous student Keith D participated in Unlocking Careers in Health & Sport program, a specialist initiative for Indigenous students with hands-on workshops in social work, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy.
• UNSW (University of New South Wales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UNSW for Day of AI Australia program, with Dr Jake Renzella (Senior Lecturer in AI in Education) leading sessions and UNSW partnering with MIT for AI literacy content delivery across 250,000+ Australian students.
• MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDay of AI Australia program was originally developed by MIT and adapted for Australian schools in partnership with UNSW, providing AI literacy curriculum.
• Bangarra Dance TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous performing arts organization that regularly visits IGS as part of the school's cultural programs for Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.
• Gadigal RadiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Aboriginal community radio station that collaborates with IGS as part of the First Nations engagement program.
• Tali GalleryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal art gallery that provides cultural enrichment programs and artistic experiences for IGS students.
• Royal Aero ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralia's largest volunteer-run flight training organization where Year 10 student Elias participated in Try and Fly Weekend at Camden Airport, learning about aviation theory and taking practical flying lessons.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ascham School: Ascham is an independent, non-denominational girls' school in Sydney's eastern suburbs (Edgecliff) offering Preschool to Year 12. It competes directly with IGS in the secular, academically rigorous Sydney independent school market.
• Moriah College: Moriah College is a Jewish independent co-educational K-12 school in Sydney's eastern suburbs (Bondi Junction). It competes with IGS for Sydney families seeking high-quality secular-style independent K-12 education.
• Kambala: Kambala is an independent girls' school in Sydney's eastern suburbs (Rose Bay) offering Early Learning through Year 12. It directly competes with IGS for the same demographic of fee-paying Sydney families.
• Wenona School: Wenona is an independent, non-denominational girls' school in Sydney's lower north shore (Lindfield/North Sydney) offering K-12. It is a direct peer competing for secular-minded, academically focused Sydney families.
• Cranbrook School: Cranbrook is a large Anglican independent school in Sydney's eastern suburbs serving Preschool to Year 12. It is a direct competitor to IGS for premium Sydney families seeking independent K-12 education.
• SCEGGS Darlinghurst: SCEGGS is an independent girls' school in Sydney's eastern suburbs offering K-12 education. It is a direct peer to IGS as a Sydney-based independent school competing for the same pool of fee-paying, academically oriented Sydney families.
• Scots College, Sydney: Scots College is an independent Presbyterian boys' school in Sydney's eastern suburbs (Bellevue Hill) serving K-12. It is a direct peer to IGS as a long-established Sydney independent school competing for premium tuition-paying families.
• The King's School, Parramatta: The King's School is one of Australia's oldest and largest GPS boys' schools in Sydney. As a long-established Sydney independent school, it is a direct competitor in the premium K-12 market.
• Sydney Grammar School: Sydney Grammar is one of Australia's most prestigious independent boys' schools, located near IGS in the Sydney CBD/Darlinghurst area. It competes with IGS for academically focused Sydney families willing to pay premium tuition.

Broad incumbents

• International Baccalaureate (IB) Schools Network (e.g., International Grammar School of Sydney IB candidates): The IBO network includes many Sydney and Australian schools offering globally recognised IB curricula, which is an alternative pathway IGS families might consider. Comparable to IGS as a global-curriculum K-12 alternative for families prioritising international education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xthreads.net/@igssyd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCi1ps2G2k1dyirJ_za6dUsw/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/igssyd/?rf=715658808455369
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-grammar-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/igssyd/?hl=en

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Grammar School