What it costs at every public school in SA: See full interactive list of materials, services charges

There’s a huge disparity in what the state’s public schools charge – it ranges from $90 to $1267 for a student in year 12. Here’s the list of what SA schools are charging in 2022.

Hibberd siblings Ellie, 10, Levi, 12, and Bowen Hibberd, 10 head off to school late last year with baby sister, Frankie, 1. Twins Ellie and Bowen are in year 5 at Marion and Levi has just started at Seaview High School, in year 7. Picture: Morgan Sette

Some South Australian government high schools are charging almost 14 times more than others, it has been revealed in new data showing the huge variation in the cost of a public education.

There is also disparity across the primary sector with the most expensive costing almost three times as much as the cheapest.

The Education Department, at the request of The Advertiser, has shared its 2022 database of materials and services charges set at each of its sites, public and primary.

According to the data, Brighton Secondary School has the highest fee for year 12 students, charging $1267, up from $1032 in 2019 when this paper last sought the figures.

However, the school’s business leader, Veronica Galati, points out that unlike many other schools, in 2022, the year 12 fee includes the cost of a laptop device.

“We are not a BYOD (bring your own device) school and are in the final year of phasing out how students are provided with laptops,” she said.

“So, the fee for a year 11 student is $798 and then it jumps up to $1267 … but there is a MacBook in there which the family then owns.

“Next year, the fee for year 12 will be the same as year 11, so around $800 as it is this year.”

Moving forward, students will purchase a device as they enter different phases of high school, she said.

Mrs Galati also said the fee structure had been simplified over the past three years with a range of subject levies now rolled into the main fee, reducing the overall cost.

Brighton Secondary School charges its students the most for year 12 but the fee includes a laptop device. File picture: Tait Schmaal

On paper, Unley High School has experienced the second highest percentage rise over the same period, increasing what it charges from $720 three years ago to $830 this year.

But principal Greg Rolton says in reality overall fees have also dropped at his school with individual subject fees – covering things such as excursions and workbook costs – now included in the overall price.

“(Up to) 2019, parents were getting a list (of subject fees) on top of their school fees and we wanted to reduce that burden on them, so what we did in 2020 was to say, ‘let’s get rid of a lot of fees and consolidate it’,” Mr Rolton said, adding “large dollar value things”, such as outdoor education camps remained additional costs.

“When we did a sweep of like schools … some are charging close (to what we do) but then have a whole heap of other subject fees on top.”

Unley High School is charging its students $830 for materials and services in 2022. File picture: AAP/Brenton Edwards

The department sets a prescribed amount for its schools – in 2022 it is $253 for primary and $334 for secondary – but individual governing councils, comprising parents and school representatives, can settle on a different charge.

“Schools … can choose to poll parents through their governing council to gain majority support of the higher amount,” a department spokesperson explained.

In 2022, almost three quarters of the state’s public schools are charging the prescribed amount – or, 323 primary schools and 51 high schools.

Public primary schools can opt to include a voluntary payment of up to $60 per student.

The most expensive mainstream public primary school is Highgate, in Adelaide’s inner south, which charges $518 for materials and services for students in reception through to year 6.

There are 40 public primary schools that charge school fees of $400 or more while seven charge less than the prescribed fee with Robertstown Primary School in the state’s lower north the cheapest at $210, followed by Moorook Primary School in the Murraylands which charges $220.

Three of the four Hibberd children – Ellie, 10, Levi, 12, and Bowen, 10 – attend public schools, while baby sister Frankie is yet too young … the children’s dad, Luke, says he’s happy to pay a materials and services charge. Picture: Morgan Sette

Three dozen public high schools have fees of $500 or more while three charge less than the prescribed amount with Thebarton Senior College, at $90, the cheapest.

Aboriginal schools as well as those of Anangu Lands are exempt from a materials and services charge.

Marion dad-of-four Luke Hibberd says he’s happy to pay a materials and services charge for his children to attend the local school – twins Ellie and Bowen are in year 5 at Marion Primary School while eldest Levi has just transitioned into Seaview High School, in year 7.

“We want our children to have a solid education and are happy to contribute to that,” he said.