Full private school uniform costs revealed: Pulteney Grammar tops list as most expensive

Parents sending their children to Adelaide’s top private schools will be lucky to have change from $1500 after buying a full uniform. See the price tags.

Parent Dena Smith has saved hundreds of dollars on schooling costs ahead of the start of term 1.

Her daughter Coco, 9, attends Walford Anglican School for Girls and will wear fewer items following the launch of a new, all-seasons wardrobe for 2025.

It comes as analysis by The Advertiser found parents of Pulteney Grammar School students are paying the highest cost for a full uniform at about $1500 for girls.

A handful of schools were offering uniforms for less than half of that cost.

The most affordable uniform was at Samaritan College in Whyalla, where parents paid just $545 for a boys uniform.

While Walford did not publish a uniform price list for 2025, the cost for certain items were supplied to The Advertiser by the school.

The adult sizes for the dress, blazer, school hat, socks and bag cost $601 total.

The sports uniform of a polo top, shorts, quarter-zip jumper and sports hat costs $215.

Coco, in year 4 at Walford, chose to wear the new dress all-year-round rather than shorts or pants.

Previously, parents had to purchase different summer and winter dresses.

Ms Smith, 46, said Coco was “really excited that she has different options now”.

“You’re not buying a uniform for one half of the year,” said Ms Smith, from Myrtle Bank, who owns a marketing and communications company.

Walford has a new all-seasons uniform for 2025. Walford girl Coco, 9, wearing their new uniform at the school with her mum Dena Smith. Photo: Naomi Jellicoe

Students will have two years to transition away from the old uniform.

Walford principal Dr Deborah Netolicky said parents also now only need to purchase one type of socks for their children at the school.

“Students were active in the feedback and design process, advocating for choice and comfort,” Dr Netolicky said.

“With the new uniform, at any time of year students can choose items that reflect their individual preferences and activities.”

It was the first time the uniform had been overhauled since 1982.

The Advertiser analysed uniform prices at 23 independent and Catholic Schools across SA.

Costs at all schools were higher for girls once dress and skirt prices were included.

The price analysis was based on the cost of a summer and winter uniform, and sports uniform, for male and female students.

Common items included in the analysis were girls dresses and skirts, shirts and shorts or trousers for both boys and girls, as well as a tie, jumper and blazer.

Most total costs also covered a school bag, hat and sports clothes including shorts, trackpants, polo shirts and jackets.

Prices were based on senior school uniforms and the largest sizes available.

After Pulteney Grammar, parents at Scotch College are paying the highest price for a girls uniform ($1484) followed by St Aloysius College ($1421).

The most expensive boys uniform was also at Pulteney, at about $1214, followed by Scotch College ($1200).

There were 13 schools offering a full boys uniform for under $1000 including Temple Christian College, Sacred Heart College and St Columba College.

The only schools offering a complete girls uniform for under $1000 were Samaritan College, St Joseph’s School Port Lincoln, Gleeson College and Tenison Woods College.

The bill at some campuses was particularly low because students were not made to wear formal blazers, which were consistently the most expensive item in uniform catalogues.

Some schools do not publish uniform costs online.