The King David School

What The King David School does

The King David School (KDS) is an independent co-educational Progressive Jewish day school founded in 1978 and based in Armadale, Melbourne, Australia. It delivers a continuous ELC-through-Year-12 educational program from age 18 months, operating across two main campuses on Dandenong Road and Orrong Road, with a dedicated Rebecca Magid Centre for visual arts, music and performing arts. Core academic offerings are organized into four stages (ELC, Junior School Prep–Year 5, Middle School Years 6–9, Senior School Years 10–12 with VCE pathway) and are complemented by co-curricular programs spanning sports (BDPSSA, EISM competitions), STEM (MAKERS studio, robotics), music, performing arts, Outdoor Education (Bush Kinder through a Year 10 Israel trip), and a Wellbeing curriculum built on the RULER model. The student body is drawn from Jewish families seeking a Progressive (egalitarian, inclusive) Jewish education in Melbourne, and the school positions itself against competing Jewish day schools (Bialik College, Mount Scopus Memorial College) on the basis of its egalitarian values and academic outcomes. The school is governed by a School Council led by President Jeffrey Leigh with Principal Marc Light (in role since 2014), and operates community infrastructure including the King David Foundation (donations, scholarships, legacy giving), the KDS Parents' Association (KDSPA), and an alumni network. Partnerships with Temple Beth Israel, the Jewish Education Foundation (FAB), the Jewish Children's Aid Society (JCAS), and Mazon Australia extend reach into Melbourne's Jewish community. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring tuition fees, supplemented by tax-deductible donations and a portfolio of scholarship programs (Academic, Derech Eretz, Music and Performing Arts, Opportunity and Inclusion, and the Gabi Awalom Basser STEM Scholarship). The GTM motion is direct-to-consumer: prospective families engage via Discovery Tours at both campuses, enquiry forms, scholarship applications, and community events.

Name

The King David School

Legal name

The King David School

Website

https://kds.vic.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The King David School is an independent co-educational Progressive Jewish day school in Armadale, Melbourne, delivering Early Learning through Year 12 education to Jewish families seeking values-driven, egalitarian schooling across two campuses since 1978.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent K-12 Jewish Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJABAC

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

SECONDARYEDACADAH

Faith-Based Early Learning Academies

Education/Early Childhood Education/Early Learning Academies & Montessori/Reggio/Steiner Programs

Keywords

• K-12 Jewish education
• Progressive Jewish schooling
• Independent co-educational schools
• Early learning programs
• VCE secondary education

Headquarters

HQ city

Armadale

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: The school generates primary revenue through tuition fees for Early Learning through Year 12 education. Fee schedules are available as downloads and vary by year level.
2. Donations and Foundation Support: Tax-deductible donations support scholarships, bursaries, fee relief, programs, capital works, and special activities. The school operates an Annual Giving Day and accepts donations through its Foundation.
3. Scholarship Programs: Scholarships funded by donors offer tuition fee reductions, including Academic, Derech Eretz, Music and Performing Arts, Opportunity and Inclusion, and the Gabi Awalom Basser STEM Scholarship.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The King David School delivers progressive Jewish day school education from Early Learning (age 18 months) through Year 12, structured across four sequential academic levels (ELC, Junior School Prep–Year 5, Middle School Years 6–9, Senior School Years 10–12 with VCE). The offering is enriched by co-curricular programs in Outdoor Education, Wellbeing (RULER model), sports, STEM, music, and performing arts, alongside scholarship programs (Academic, Derech Eretz, Music and Performing Arts, Opportunity and Inclusion, and the Gabi Awalom Basser STEM Scholarship).

Product overview

The King David School is an independent co-educational Progressive Jewish day school in Melbourne offering early learning to secondary education (ages 18 months to Year 12). The educational portfolio comprises four core programs: Early Learning Centre (ELC), Junior School (Prep-Year 5), Middle School (Years 6-9), and Senior School (Years 10-12). These are complemented by co-curricular programs including Outdoor Education (from Bush Kinder to Israel trip), Wellbeing (RULER model-based), and diverse activities spanning sports, STEM (MAKERS studio), music, and performing arts. The school also offers multiple scholarship programs (Academic, Derech Eretz, Music/Performing Arts, Opportunity and Inclusion), publishes Inspirations Magazine and Curriculum Handbooks, operates the King David Foundation for donations, and maintains the KDSPA parent community. The overall offering combines academic excellence with Jewish identity development in an inclusive, values-driven environment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Learning Centre (ELC) Early learning program for children aged 18 months to 5 years offered as part of the co-educational Progressive Jewish school, delivered at the Dandenong Road campus.
• Junior School Primary education program from Prep to Year 5 at the Dandenong Road campus, offering the academic curriculum alongside Jewish identity development.
• Middle School Secondary education program for Years 6-9 at the Magid Campus, continuing academic progression with Progressive Jewish values.
• Senior School Senior secondary program for Years 10-12 at the Magid Campus, providing VCE preparation and an academic pathway to university within a Jewish values-based environment.
• Outdoor Education Program Adventure-based outdoor education program spanning ELC Bush Kinder through to the Year 10 Israel trip, designed to develop confidence, resilience, and teamwork in students.
• Wellbeing Program Holistic wellbeing curriculum using the RULER model, encompassing mindfulness, yoga, pastoral care, and cyber safety education across the school.
• Co-Curricular Program Diverse activities including interschool sports (BDPSSA, EISM competitions), STEM offerings (MAKERS studio, robotics), music (ensembles, choirs), and performing arts (musicals, drama).
• Academic Scholarships Scholarships for Years 2-3 girls (Robyn Levi Founders' Bursaries) and Year 7 academic scholarships, recognizing exceptional academic achievement with tuition fee reductions.
• Derech Eretz Scholarships Scholarships recognizing students who demonstrate common decency and high emotional and interpersonal intelligence, with tuition fee reductions.
• Music and Performing Arts Scholarships Limited scholarships for new students demonstrating exceptional talent in music or performing arts, offering tuition fee reductions.
• Opportunity and Inclusion Scholarships Means-tested scholarships offering long-term tuition fee reduction for families requiring financial assistance, with annual reassessment.
• Gabi Awalom Basser STEM Scholarship STEM scholarship named in memory of Gabi, a former student who graduated in 2007 and was Dux of her class, supporting students with an interest in STEM.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Temple Beth Israel (TBI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTemple Beth Israel serves as an educational partner, with KDS students (Years 6, 8, and 9) visiting TBI for unique Jewish educational experiences including learning from a soferet (ritual scribe) working on a new Torah scroll for the congregation.
• Jewish Education Foundation (FAB)majorOthersThe Jewish Education Foundation runs the Fee Assessment Board (FAB) and has supported a substantial number of families to enrol students at the school through financial assessment and support programs.
• Jewish Children's Aid Society (JCAS)majorOthersJCAS provides essential funding to support students at Jewish schools who require additional educational support in order to access learning.
• Mazon AustraliaminorOthersYear 7 students packed lunch boxes for children in need, distributed by Mazon Australia, supporting the Matanot L'Evyonim (gifts for the needy) initiative during Purim.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Melbourne Grammar School: One of Melbourne's most established independent schools (Prep–Year 12). Comparable in scale, governance structure (school council), and premium positioning; competes for the same high-income household segment in inner Melbourne.
• Wesley College: Multi-campus independent school in Melbourne. Comparable as a long-established co-educational independent operator offering ELC–Year 12, with a similar values-based positioning and bursary/scholarship framework.
• Scotch College: Major independent boys' school in Melbourne. Comparable as a large heritage independent school with strong alumni network and council governance model — features KDS explicitly seeks to replicate at a smaller scale.
• Caulfield Grammar School: Large multi-campus independent school in Melbourne's south-east. Comparable as a premium non-government K–12 operator competing for the same aspirational family segment, though secular rather than faith-based.

Direct peers

• Bialik College: Large co-educational Jewish day school in Melbourne offering ELC through Year 12. Directly competes for the same Progressive/modern-Orthodox Jewish family segment and was the prior employer of KDS's current Principal.
• Beth Rivkah Ladies College: Jewish girls' school in Melbourne from early learning through Year 12. Competes for the same faith-based family segment, particularly for families seeking single-sex Jewish education.
• Mount Scopus Memorial College: Major Jewish day school in Melbourne with multiple campuses serving ELC to Year 12. Directly comparable in offering, geography, and target demographic; also a prior employer of KDS's Principal.
• Yeshivah College: Orthodox Jewish day school in Melbourne serving boys and girls from early learning through secondary. Competes for Melbourne Jewish families, though positioned in a more traditional stream than KDS's Progressive identity.
• Adass Israel School: Orthodox Jewish day school in Melbourne offering ELC through secondary. Smaller direct peer; competes for the same community demographic with a more traditional religious orientation.

Regional players

• King David High School (Crown Heights, NY): International Jewish day school sharing the 'King David' brand identity. Comparable in faith-based K–12 Progressive/modern-Orthodox positioning but operating in a different geography (Brooklyn, NY), making it a useful global benchmark rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheKingDavidSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-king-david-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 The King David School