Star of the Sea College

What Star of the Sea College does

Star of the Sea College is a Catholic Independent Girls' secondary school in Brighton, Victoria, Australia, operating Years 7 through 12 under the motto 'Facta non Verba'. Founded in 1883 by the Presentation Sisters (Mother John Byrne and Mother Paul Fay), it has run continuously for 143 years and became a member of Kildare Ministries in 2014, with governance aligned to Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) and the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV). The college's academic offering comprises VCE, VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM), and VET pathways, supported by an Instrumental Music program, the Stacella choral progression, Performing Arts productions, debating, GSV Sport, wellbeing and counselling services, and learning diversity support. Its technology footprint is limited to standard education administration tooling: Google Workspace for Education, the Parent Access Module (PAM), the SIMON student/parent portal, and a panoramic virtual campus tour; no APIs, AI/ML systems, or proprietary platforms are disclosed.

The college operates on a non-profit, tuition-funded model. Published 2026 fees range from approximately AUD $15,310 per Year 7 student (after a $1,250 enrolment fee credit) to AUD $19,910 per Year 12 student, including MacBook Air package and a $2,500 annual Capital Fee, with a non-refundable AUD $150 application fee and a 2.5% early-payment discount. A secondary revenue and capital base is generated through the Star Bursary Fund, the Building Fund, the Estella Society bequest program, and annual Giving Day campaigns (AUD $355,000+ raised across 2022-2025). Uniform sales flow through approved third-party suppliers Bob Stewart and Nicholls Interiors, and on-site cafés are operated by Great Gatherings Catering. Customer acquisition runs as a directed-to-consumer enrolment funnel: applications open from birth for Year 7 entry with closure in Grade 5, augmented by campus tours, prospectus requests, and admissions preference given to sisters of current students, daughters of past students, and baptised Catholic families. The strategic posture for 2025-2026 is dominated by construction of the Nano Nagle Centre under the 20-Year Master Plan and the scaling of bursary-supported access.

Name

Star of the Sea College

Legal name

Star of the Sea College

Website

https://starmelb.catholic.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Star of the Sea College is a 143-year-old Catholic Independent Girls' secondary school in Brighton, Victoria, delivering Years 7-12 education including VCE, VCE VM, and VET pathways, funded primarily through tuition fees, Capital Fees, and community fundraising under Kildare Ministries governance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Annual tuition fees charged to enrolled students across Years 7-12, covering educational programs, camps, excursions, and the MacBook initiative.
2. Giving Day Fundraising: Annual giving day campaigns raising funds for bursaries, building projects, and facility upgrades. Since 2022, over $355,000 has been raised through these campaigns.
3. Building Fund Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting the 20-Year College Master Plan and building maintenance. All donations over $2 are tax-deductible.
4. Capital Fee: Annual capital fee of $2,500 per family contributing to college infrastructure development.
5. Uniform Sales: Revenue from uniform sales through approved suppliers Bob Stewart and Nicholls Interiors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Star of the Sea College delivers Catholic secondary education for girls in Years 7 through 12 in Brighton, Victoria, offering VCE, VCE Vocational Major, and VET academic pathways alongside an extensive co-curricular program (music, sport, performing arts, debating) and pastoral wellbeing services. The college charges annual tuition plus a Capital Fee and supports families through bursaries, donations, and uniform sales via approved suppliers.

Product overview

Star of the Sea College is a Catholic Independent Girls' school founded in 1883 by the Presentation Sisters, offering a comprehensive educational program from Years 7-12. The college provides a values-based education grounded in the Presentation tradition with the motto 'Facta non Verba' (Deeds, not Words). The academic program includes VCE, VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM), and VET pathways, complemented by extensive co-curricular offerings including music programs (Instrumental Program, Stacella, Year 7 Music Scholarship), performing arts productions, sport, debating, and wellbeing services. The college operates several digital platforms including the Parent Access Module (PAM) for parent communication, Student Portal, Staff Portal, and Community Portal. Community engagement programs include the Star Bursary Fund for financial assistance, the Building Fund for facility development, The Estella Society bequest program, and annual Giving Day campaigns. The college also publishes The Star magazine and The Lantern yearbook, operates on-site cafés, and maintains a library with teaching support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) The college's senior secondary certification program for Years 11-12 students, preparing them for tertiary education and employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Five students received Premier's VCE Awards in 2024 for outstanding VCE achievements
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kildare MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2014, Star of the Sea College has been a member of Kildare Ministries, which provides governance oversight and maintains the Presentation tradition. Kildare Ministries is part of the Catholic education system.
• Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStar of the Sea College operates under CECV guidelines and discharges reporting obligations under the Australian Education Regulation 2013 and Australian Education Act 2013 relating to students with disability.
• MACS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMACS provides Catholic education oversight and administrative support for schools in the Melbourne Archdiocese.
• Bob StewartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial uniform supplier located at 466 Centre Road, Bentleigh. Stocks both college (summer and winter) and sport uniforms. Store hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm, Sat 9:30am-12:30pm.
• Nicholls InteriorsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial uniform supplier at 159 Martin Street, Gardenvale (next to Gardenvale Railway Station). Also available online. Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm, Sat 9am-4pm.
• Great Gatherings CateringminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party catering company managing the two on-site college cafés (Nagle Café) throughout the school year, serving the college community.
• Sacred Heart MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity service partnership where representatives speak at college events about supporting people experiencing homelessness, disadvantage, and social isolation.
• HumanitixminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEvent ticketing platform used for college events including Mother's Day Breakfast, Stars Speak, school productions, and college tours.
• TryBookingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEvent booking platform used for reunion bookings, Stars Speak tickets, choir memberships, and various college event registrations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Presentation College Windsor: Catholic independent girls' secondary school in inner-Melbourne, also rooted in the Presentation Sisters tradition. Closest direct peer in terms of faith tradition, single-sex model, curriculum pathways, and Melbourne family demographic.
• Methodist Ladies' College (MLC): Large independent girls' school in Kew (Years K-12), one of Melbourne's most established girls' schools. Direct peer on premium single-sex positioning, VCE outcomes, and broad curriculum/co-curricular offering.
• Melbourne Girls Grammar: Leading girls' grammar school across multiple Melbourne campuses (Years K-12). Direct peer on curriculum breadth, premium positioning, and VCE outcomes, competing for the same Bayside and inner-Melbourne family cohort.
• Lauriston Girls' School: Independent girls' school in Melbourne's inner east offering Years K-12. Direct competitor for premium Melbourne families comparing single-sex girls' education, with overlapping co-curricular emphasis on music, sport, and leadership.
• Our Lady of Mercy College: Catholic girls' secondary college in Heidelberg (Years 7-12). Direct peer on Catholic single-sex model, VCE and VET pathways, and similar Melbourne metropolitan footprint targeting faith-aligned families.
• Genazzano FCJ College: Catholic girls' school in Kew (Years K-12) with strong academic and co-curricular reputation. Direct peer on faith-based single-sex model, VCE outcomes, and premium Melbourne positioning, overlapping catchment in Melbourne's east.
• Sacré Cœur: Catholic girls' school in Glen Iris (Years K-12) rooted in a religious order tradition. Direct peer on Catholic single-sex model, comprehensive co-curricular offering, and comparable tuition band in inner-Melbourne.
• Shelford Girls' Grammar: Independent girls' grammar school in Caulfield (Years K-12). Direct peer on single-sex education, Melbourne bayside/south-east catchment overlap, and comparable co-curricular breadth including music and sport.
• Korowa Anglican Girls' School: Independent girls' school in Glen Iris (Years K-12) with faith-based roots and strong VCE results. Direct peer on single-sex model, premium positioning, and competition for Melbourne families prioritising academic outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Haileybury: Large multi-campus independent school (co-ed in most years, with girls-only junior at some campuses) and one of Melbourne's leading school groups. Comparable on premium positioning, breadth of programs, and VCE outcomes, but operates across a much wider footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/staroftheseabrighton
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/star-of-the-sea-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/staroftheseacollege

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Star of the Sea College