Frequently Asked Questions

International Grammar School is a place of learning where every student is made to ‘feel comfortable in his or her own skin’. Personal achievement comes in many forms — from the academic to co-curricular. Whilst the School excels in both, every individual student has the opportunity to shine.

At International Grammar School, studying a second language is compulsory for all students from Preschool to Year 10. The second language program includes bilingual partial immersion from Preschool to Year 6. Students’ skills develop by hearing and using the language in songs, games and craft activities, integrated with selected units of core curriculum delivered in the language.

Six languages are taught at the School. French, German, Italian or Japanese are available as the mandatory second language from Preschool to Year 10, and a third language — either Chinese or Spanish — is mandatory in Years 7 and 8. All languages can be studied to Year 12.  Read more about Languages.

Entry into the School will primarily be determined by the date the application is received by the School. Priority will, however, be given in the following circumstances (in order):

1. Where an applicant has a sibling at the School;
2. Where the applicant is the child of a permanent member of staff at the School;
3. Where an applicant has previously been enrolled at the School; and
4. Where one parent of the applicant has completed Year 12 at the School.

Applicants will be placed on a waiting list based on the date the application is received by the School, subject to the conditions listed above.

To join the waitlist, see Apply.

Students at IGS are supported by a comprehensive student care program. We focus on the development of trust, respect, responsibility and acceptance. The Home Class System for Primary School; the ‘vertical streaming’ Tutor Group System for Years 7 to 12 to build relationships across all High School Year groups; and the House System for both Primary and High School students creates a caring, secure environment for all students. Read more about IGS’s Student Care.

Primary School
In Kindergarten to Year 2 homework will be optional, at the discretion of the individual teacher and in consultation with the parents. In Years 2 to 3 the Home Class teacher and Language teacher will set homework. Homework will generally be set for each week rather than on a night-by-night basis.

High School
In some subjects, homework may not be set nightly, but rather set over a period of time to enable students to self-monitor their work, to work at their own pace and level and to enable students to achieve personal objectives. The number of major research tasks set each year will be limited to a maximum of 3 per subject in the High School.

For more information please refer to the IGS Homework Policy (available on request).

Parents often ask about ‘Saturday sport’. Unlike many independent schools, IGS doesn’t impose this requirement. However, rest assured IGS is still a very sporty school! The campus may not have vast playing fields but the School is in very close proximity to Wentworth Park for recreation and sport, and Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre and Victoria Park Pool for swimming.

There is a strong Sports and PDHPE program during term time with interschool competitions in netball, soccer, tennis, football, basketball and AFL. Co-curricular sports out of school hours range from school-related snowsports to equestrian, to students’ own local weekend team competitions, which often produce excellent results.

There are two types of scholarships students can apply for — an academic scholarship through the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER), or an Indigenous Scholarship through the IGS Indigenous Scholarship program.

The ACER Scholarship Tests consist of a series of academic ability tests used by independent schools to select students for the award of a scholarship. To sit the test, applicants must register and pay for each school. For current details see Scholarships.

The Indigenous Scholarship Program is open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students whose family circumstances would otherwise preclude them from attending IGS on a fee paying basis. The program provides students with a Kindergarten to Year 12 education and covers all tuition fees, full uniform, textbook allowance, clubs and society fees, excursion costs and exchange programs.