All-girls independent Peppermint Grove, Perth Founded 1915

Presbyterian Ladies' College.

The only girls' school in Western Australia offering all three pathways: WACE, the International Baccalaureate, and VET. Founded 1915, set in Peppermint Grove on the western banks of the Swan.

Inside PLC

PLC was established in 1915 when George Nisbet Dods, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Western Australia, gathered ministers and elders to discuss founding a Presbyterian girls' school. The committee that formed purchased an existing institution, Ormiston College, founded in 1907 by Constance Wilson and her sisters in Palmerston Street, North Perth, and renamed it Presbyterian Ladies' College and Kindergarten (Ormiston House).

After considering several locations, PLC settled at the corner of View and McNeil Streets, Peppermint Grove, on William Gerald Lefroy's former property. The school has occupied that site for more than a century, building one of the most architecturally distinctive girls' school campuses in Perth.

PLC is unusual in WA: it's the only girls' school in the state to offer three senior pathways (WACE, IB Diploma, and VET). That structural choice changes how Year 11 girls plan their senior years compared to almost any other Perth girls' school, and means PLC graduates can enter international university applications (via IB) without leaving WA.

What PLC is known for

Triple senior pathway

WACE, IB Diploma, and VET, all three under one roof. PLC is the only WA girls' school offering this. For girls considering interstate or overseas universities, the IB option matters.

Top-tier ATAR rankings

PLC consistently sits in the top 11 ATAR rankings on the WA leader board, year after year. The school's median ATAR is high and its 90+ rate is competitive with the strongest private schools.

Distinctive Peppermint Grove campus

The Peppermint Grove site, occupied since 1917, is one of WA's most architecturally distinctive school campuses. The grounds, chapel, and heritage buildings are part of the school's identity.

Strong music and arts

PLC's music and creative arts programs are well-resourced and well-regarded, with regular concert and theatre productions, and students winning state-level competitions.

Things to consider

PLC isn't the right fit for every student. Here are the genuine tradeoffs to think through, drawn from publicly available information about the school.

Choosing IB vs WACE

Same as other dual-pathway schools: IB or WACE is a major Year 11 decision. The two have different scaling, workload, and university entry dynamics. Pick deliberately.

Senior school fees

PLC's senior fees are typical of top WA independents, substantial. Plan for tuition plus uniforms, camps, and the cost of music and co-curricular programs.

Single-sex education

PLC is all-girls from Pre-K to Year 12. For some learners this is a positive; for others, a co-ed setting works better.

Uniting Church framing

The Presbyterian foundation is now Uniting Church. Chapel and religious education are part of the school. Worth understanding for families of other faiths.

The ATAR pathway at PLC

PLC girls follow varied pathways. WACE: Pre-medicine (Methods + Chemistry + Human Bio + English), Health sciences (Methods or Apps + Chemistry + Human Bio + Psychology), Law / Arts (Literature + History + a Language + Methods), and Pure sciences (Methods + Specialist + Chemistry + Physics).

IB graduates frequently head to overseas universities (Oxbridge, Ivy League). WACE graduates concentrate on UWA, with smaller streams to Curtin and interstate sandstones.

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From PLC to our Bentley centre

About 16 km from our Bentley centre and 22 minutes via Stirling Highway off-peak. The Cottesloe train line is a useful option for some routes; school buses serve much of the western suburbs.

Tutoring built for PLC students.

Small-group ATAR classes at our Bentley centre or live online, for the subjects PLC students are actually sitting. Free trial class, no card required.

PLC questions

Common questions from PLC families

How far is Presbyterian Ladies' College from Educatta's centres?

About 16 km from our Bentley centre and 22 minutes via Stirling Highway off-peak. The Cottesloe train line is a useful option for some routes; school buses serve much of the western suburbs.

Does Educatta tutor the subjects Presbyterian Ladies' College students typically take?

Yes. Educatta tutors all the major ATAR subjects Presbyterian Ladies' College students are sitting: Mathematics Methods, Mathematics Applications, English, Chemistry, Physics, and Human Biology. Year 11 and 12 students from Presbyterian Ladies' College can attend small-group classes at our Bentley centre, or live online from anywhere in WA.

Can Presbyterian Ladies' College students attend Educatta classes after school?

Yes. Most of our weekly classes run between 4:00pm and 8:30pm on weekdays, with weekend slots also available. Presbyterian Ladies' College's school day finishes in time for students to arrive at our Bentley centre for after-school weekly classes.