Canberra Girls Grammar School

"Canberra Girls Grammar School (CGGS) holds a distinctive place in the educational landscape of Australia's capital city."

Founded in 1926 as St Gabriel's School by the Community of the Sisters of the Church, an order of the Church of England, CGGS is the oldest private day and boarding school in Canberra. Nearly a century of history underpins an institution that has grown from its Anglican roots into a forward-thinking school deeply committed to the intellectual and personal development of young women. Located in Deakin, a leafy and well-connected suburb of Canberra, the school sits within easy reach of the city's many cultural, governmental, and scientific institutions — a genuine advantage for students whose learning naturally extends beyond the classroom. The campus setting reflects the school's dual identity as both a day school and a boarding community, with residential facilities on the Senior Campus accommodating up to 80 boarding students in Years 7 through 12. For families relocating to Canberra from interstate or overseas, this boarding provision offers a meaningful sense of continuity and belonging during what can be a significant transition. CGGS follows the International Baccalaureate framework across all year levels, offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP). This seamless continuum from early childhood through to Year 12 gives students a coherent, inquiry-based education that develops critical thinking, international-mindedness, and a genuine love of learning. The IB's global recognition makes CGGS particularly well suited to expat families and relocating professionals whose children may move between school systems — a diploma earned here carries currency in universities around the world. The school operates a non-selective enrolment policy, welcoming students of varying academic backgrounds and abilities. In its earliest years, CGGS is genuinely co-educational, with boys and girls learning together from Early Learning through to Year 3. From Year 4 onward, the school becomes a girls' school, offering an environment that research consistently associates with strong female confidence, academic ambition, and leadership development. With approximately 1,300 students across the full school, CGGS is a substantial community — large enough to offer rich co-curricular programmes and diverse social connections, yet grounded in the values and pastoral care that characterise its Anglican heritage. What makes CGGS particularly compelling for families new to Canberra is the combination of historical depth and contemporary educational ambition. The school's Anglican character informs its emphasis on ethics, service, and community without imposing a narrow religious identity. The full IB continuum means that a child can enrol in preschool and graduate Year 12 within a single, philosophically consistent educational framework. And the boarding option ensures that students coming from regional or international locations have genuine support structures around them. For parents weighing their options in Canberra, CGGS offers something relatively rare: a school with deep local roots and genuinely global reach.