Adelaide private school fees for Year 7 – see how independent and Catholic colleges compare

Many SA parents are now paying six years of private school fees rather than five. So what’s the entry rate for Year 7 at a range of Adelaide private colleges?

Private schools are set for an enrolment boost as a result of the public system’s shift of Year 7 into high school – and parents are being warned it may be harder to secure places in years to come.

With public primary schools no longer offering Year 7 next year, more families are expected to make the switch to private schooling a year earlier than the traditional Year 8 intake.

That will accentuate the trend of recent years, as many private schools already start their middle schools in Year 7, or even Year 6, attracting students from public schools.

An Advertiser survey shows the most expensive private schools are charging in excess of $25,000 for Year 7, meaning a big extra investment for parents now facing six years of fees up to Year 12, instead of five.

But parents weighing up their options are being urged not to leave it too late, as many private schools are already full with long waiting lists.

Independent Schools SA chief executive Carolyn Grantskalns said changes to the public education system were likely to impact on private schools.

“They are expecting an increase in enrolments,” she said.

“Quite a few parents want students to finish primary school and attend the ceremonies to mark the occasion.

“But not all schools would have room for more Year 7s. Some may be preparing to put on extra classes, it’s possible they would be able to.

“For Year 7 in 2022, parents should have applied already because most schools make offers during first term two years out, offers are going out now for 2023. So if they’re keen they ought to ring the school that they’re interested in as soon as possible.”

Places are reserved for scholarship students on a competitive basis, following ACER tests in February.

Ella Silvy and her family relocated from Mount Gambier to Adelaide three years ago when Ella was awarded a maths scholarship at Westminster School. Picture: Mike Burton

At Jumbo Learning in Parkside, educational therapist, master teacher and social worker Priscilla Zephaniah said the scholarship application process was “very strenuous for parents and children”.

“Most don't realise what they are wishing for and then struggle to pay school fees,” she said.

“Also, the student then needs to maintain those grades or be at risk of losing that scholarship.”

The fee discount is typically 25 per cent or 50 per cent, or can be as much as 75 per cent. But that still leaves a hefty bill to be paid each year.

Adelaide’s most expensive private schools cost about $25,000 a year, meaning a scholarship with a 25 per cent discount is worth $6250 a year or $37,500 over the full six years of secondary school. But the annual bill of $18,750 remains to be paid, not including extra fees such as camps, extra curricular activities and uniforms.

Private schools offer a range of extra-curricular activities including sports such as rowing that are not widely available in the public system. This photo is from the 2021 Head of the River regatta at West Lakes in March. Picture: Michael Marschall

Jumbo Learning offers to train children for the scholarship exam during weekly 90-minute sessions over at least a year or up to two years, but there are no guarantees.

“Whether they get a scholarship or not, all the students encounter as part of this process a transformation of self and of mindset,” Ms Zephaniah said.

“All our students walk away as champions because through this process their mindsets and habits change and evolve, and they grow.”

Tutors SA has also reported increased demand for ACER scholarship courses, which prepare children for the ACER scholarship tests.

Catholic Education SA has already seen enrolments increase since the move of Year 7 from primary to secondary school, which happened in most cases in 2019.

Overall Year 7 enrolments in that sector have risen from 3409 in 2018 to 3922 this year.

“The number is expected to grow as Catholic Education prepares to expand a number of primary schools to offer Reception to Year 9 in regional areas including Wallaroo, Clare, Murray Bridge and Peterborough, and as students transition into Year 7 from (public) schools,” a spokeswoman said.

Dance student Brooklyn Reid featured in the SA Living Artists exhibition “Behind The Glass” about the COVID-19 lockdown of 2020. Picture: Shannon Murdey-Green

Brooklyn Reid, 12, left Redwood Park Primary School for a dance scholarship to Kildare College with a fee discount of 50 per cent for six years, starting in Year 7 this year.

“I think Kildare is amazing, I absolutely love it so far,” she said.

“I love how I have dance as a subject at Kildare, because I’m super-excited about dance. I think it’s just helped me through my normal academic learning too, being a bit more organised, because you need to get to places and walk around the school to get to different classes on time. So it’s helped me with my time management. And also, just growing through learning.”

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