Seymour College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for girls, located at Glen Osmond, Adelaide, South Australia.
Established in 1922 as Presbyterian Girls' College, and renamed for the Rev. J. A. Seymour, Seymour has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for students from preschool (4 years of age) to Year 12, including 105 boarders. In addition, The Early Years at Seymour offers a co-educational program for children from 6 weeks of age. The College is girls only from Prep (4 years of age) to Year 12.
The College is affiliated with the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA), the Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA), the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia, (AHISA), the Australian Boarding Schools' Association, (ABSA) and the Uniting Church in Australia.
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Service
Crescam Ministrando, I grow by serving, has been the College's motto and guiding philosophy since the College's foundation in 1922. Service Learning is embedded in the curriculum from Reception to Year 12 and the whole-school approach is centred around ‘Justice’ for people and the world in which they live.
Campus
Seymour College is situated on a single 10 hectare campus, located 5 km southeast of the Adelaide city centre, in the Adelaide foothills. The campus is a blend of both old and new buildings. Some of the college's notable older buildings include the historic "Barr Smith House" (formerly the "Wooton Lea" mansion), the bluestone and brick former laundry, stables and cottages, pump house, and the former coach-house turned music room.
Other facilities include: two theatres, a Sports Centre including facilities for indoor basketball, netball, tennis, badminton, weights training and exercise, a science centre, two libraries, swimming pool, an oval for athletics, softball, soccer, and hockey, and a Boarding House including dining hall and health centre.
House system
As with most Australian schools, Seymour College uses a house system; however, it is unique in that it is referred to as a "Clan" system.
Sport
Seymour College is a member of the Independent Girls Schools Sports Association (IGSSA).
IGSSA premierships
Seymour College has won the following IGSSA premierships.
Athletics (2) – 2000, 2002
Badminton (4) – 1994, 1998, 1999, 2007
Basketball (2) – 2012, 2014
Hockey (15) – 1987, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018
Netball – 2003
Soccer (3) – 1999, 2002, 2004
Swimming (2) – 2013, 2018
Tennis (7) – 1995, 1998, 2004, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Volleyball (7) – 1999, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Notable alumni
Alumnae of Seymour College/Presbyterian Girls' College are known as Old Collegians and may elect to join the schools alumni association, the Old Collegians' Association.
Rhodes Scholars
Since Rhodes Scholarships were first awarded to South Australian women in 1980, three have been awarded to Seymour Old Collegians:
1988 Kathryn Brown
1997 Elizabeth Wall
2004 Rachel Swift
2026 Jessica March
Some notable Old Collegians include:
Academia
Peggy Brock - historian and writer
Jenny Graves – professor of the Research School of Biological Sciences at the Australian National University; Director of the Australian Research Council Centre for Kangaroo Genomics; Recipient of the Centenary Medal 2003
Linley Martin – Commissioner of Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, vice-president (Academic and Information Services) and Council Secretary of Deakin University
Janice Reid AC – Vice-Chancellor and University President at the University of Western Sydney; Recipient of the Centenary Medal 2003
Judith Roberts AO – Deputy Chancellor of Flinders University; Trained Nurse/Voluntary Community Worker; Former President of The Cancer Council Australia, and the Family Services Council Aust; Foundation Chair of the Helpmann Academy Board; Former President of Relationships Australia; Former Director of the Office for the Ageing SA Government
Christina Slade – Conjoint Dean of Arts and Social Sciences at City University London; Professor of Media Theory at the Universiteit Utrecht Netherlands
Claire Woods – Professor of Communication and Writing at the University of South Australia; Recipient of the Max Harris Literary Award 2002; (also attended Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School)
Entertainment, media and the arts
Elizabeth Cameron Dalman - choreographer, teacher, and performer
Jo Dyer - film producer
Marjorie Hann - artist and art teacher
Deborah Humble – opera singer
Helen Leake – CEO of the South Australian Film Corporation (2004–07), Company Director/Producer of Duo Art Productions (1996–2004)
Ruby Litchfield - theatre director
Mandy Martin - painter and printmaker
Georgina McGuinness – weekend news presenter for National Nine News Adelaide
Poh Ling Yeow – runner-up in Masterchef Australia
Olivia Rogers – Miss Universe Australia 2017
Medicine and science
Di Davidson - agricultural scientist and author
Freda Evelyn Gibson OBE – Pioneering Flying Doctor
Rhodanthe Lipsett OAM – Midwife and author
Politics, public service and the law
Justice Catherine Branson – Judge of the Federal Court of Australia
Mary Downer - wife of federal MP and high commissioner Sir Alexander "Alick" Downer, and mother of former Liberal Party leader Alexander Downer
Carolyn Hewson (née Somerville) – Company Director; Director of AGL Energy Ltd, and Westpac Banking Corp.
Diana Laidlaw AM – Vigneron; MLC for South Australia (1982–2003), SA Minister for Transport and Urban Planning (1997–2002), The Arts (1993–2002), the Status of Women (1993–2002), (Transport) 1993–97; SA Shadow Minister for Transport, Marine, Arts and Cultural Heritage, Status of Women, Local Govt Relations (1992–93), Tourism (1986–93)
Louise Miller-Frost - politician
Susan Tanner – Australian Ambassador to Spain and Andorra (2003–06), Assistant Secretary Europe Br. DFAT (2000–02), Australian Ambassador to Chile, Bolivia and Peru (1997–99)
Sport
Isobel Batt-Doyle - long distance runner
Kimberley Wells – Professional Cyclist and Australian National Criterium Champion 2013 & 2015 (Australian National Criterium Championships)
Notable staff
Phyllis Duguid (1904–1993), née Lade – English teacher and Aboriginal rights and women's activist
Elizabeth Mitchell - fencer