What your school earns: The richest private and state schools in Adelaide and South Australia

SA’s most prestigious schools are pulling in up to $49m a year in income, including large sums from taxpayers. But what do other schools rake in? See the data for 50 state and private schools.

South Australia’s high-profile private schools are collecting up to $49m each a year in income, as they compete to offer upgraded campuses and programs.

The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has published the schools’ funding data for 2020, and of the 50 campuses The Advertiser analysed, private schools received up to $29m each in funds from the federal and state governments.

Their bottom lines were boosted by fees, charges, donations and other private sources such as investments.

Non-government schools collected up to $30,100 per student from all funding sources, including parents – and that’s after deductions such as money set aside for capital projects and income used to service debts.

St Peter’s College topped the list of schools with the highest gross income, at $49.4m, followed by Pembroke ($48.5m), Sacred Heart ($43.4m) and St Michael’s College ($41.8m).

Scotch College principal John Newton.

Principal, Steve Byrne with year 12 students, Charlie Jones, 17, and Demi Lovelock, 17 at Sacred Heart College. Picture: Matt Loxton

Sacred Heart principal Steve Byrne said private schools saved governments money because school communities covered much of the cost of their students’ education and capital projects, instead of taxpayers footing that bill.

He said public funding was used to help pay staff and cover other costs, such as IT.

Non-government schools received little government money towards capital works, Mr Byrne said, and the vast majority went to schools in lower socio-economic areas.

After deductions, St Peter’s College had a total of about $30,000 per student, Pembroke $27,300, Sacred Heart $21,600 and St Michael’s $20,400.

The state’s richest independent schools collected a smaller amount of government funding per student than government campuses.

Catholic schools Sacred Heart, Cabra Dominican, Gleeson and St Michael’s colleges all took in between $15,004 and $15,730 for each child – more than some public high schools.

But Catholic Education SA chief executive Neil McGoran said the current funding model ensured that when public schools and non-government schools with similar cohorts were compared, the state schools received more funding. Schools with special units received extra money.

SA Secondary Principals’ Association chief executive Jayne Heath. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Among major capital projects under way is Scotch College’s $27m wellbeing and sports centre, with a multi-use indoor sports centre, 25m indoor pool, consulting rooms and a cafe.

Scotch principal John Newton said the school was funding its $27m centre through “good husbandry of our resources and donations”, along with borrowings.

“Private colleges cannot run on private income alone, which is why Scotch has looked at alternative sources of income that are aligned to our values, such as Scotch International Education (SIE),” Dr Newton said.

Australian Education Union SA secretary Andrew Gohl reiterated calls for state schools to receive 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard – a measure recommended following the landmark Gonski Review into funding needs.

SA Secondary Principals’ Association chief executive Jayne Heath said adequate funding for schools should be “an absolute priority” for any government – particularly at government-run campuses.

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