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Private schools

This Month

The King’s School has taken the mantle of Australia’s most expensive school.

Private school fees to rise at almost triple the rate of inflation

Prestigious schools have been gradually contacting parents over the past few weeks announcing new fee schedules for 2025. 

  • Julie Hare
Too many high-fee private schools are failing to deliver adequate academic results for their students.

‘Cruiser schools’ and why parents might not be getting what they pay for

Australia has one of the most privatised school systems in the world, but national data suggests not all students are benefiting from their costly educations.

  • Julie Hare
The dining hall at Geelong Grammar, Australia’s most expensive private school.

The surprise elite schools that are failing academically

Parents spending $30,000-plus to send their children to high-fee private schools expect educational returns. The truth is more complex.

  • Updated
  • Julie Hare

November

Ravenswood principal Anne Johnstone has been recruited to head the beleaguered Cranbrook School.

Cranbrook gets its first female head as co-education looms

Anne Johnstone, a former commercial litigation lawyer, trained as an English and history teacher and has been head of Ravenswood School for Girls since 2016.

  • Julie Hare

October

Financial adviser Robert Devlin with wife Eloise and baby Edward.

Nine money tips for new parents (and parents-to-be)

Your budget, salary and superannuation are just some of the things that could take a hit when having a baby. But by planning ahead, you can save on many of the costs.

  • Michelle Bowes
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Why we should all learn to be OK with embarrassment

If we let fear of failing and ego get in the way, we will stop trying and stop moving forward, says this high-profile education leader.

  • Sally Patten and Lap Phan

September

The cost of sending your child to a private school – in seven charts

Just one year of tuition at a top-range private school will set you back at least $40,000, but demand keeps growing.

  • Julie Hare
Students sit an exam at Sydney’s Northern Beaches Secondary College.

The suburbs where nearly every child goes to a private school

In some suburbs, parents don’t ask whether to go public or private; it’s more a question of which private school to send their kids to.

  • Julie Hare
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Parents’ eye-watering education bills don’t end with school

Helping kids get started in life has arguably never been more expensive. Plan and save early, experts say. We’ve also found the most generous scholarships available.

  • Michelle Bowes
Brindabella Christian College has had at least 12 adverse finding against it and is under threat of deregistration.

Robot dog, but no staff super: Canberra private school in trouble

A private school in Canberra, which has been entangled with numerous legal battles over governance and financial management, is set to be deregistered.

  • Julie Hare

August

The author is a governor, or director, of Eton College on the outskirts of London. Eton is considered Britain’s most exclusive school.

As a state school graduate, I believe in private schools

A British financier explains why she educated her children privately, even though the government gave her a good education.

  • Helena Morrissey

June

Newington College

Newington College chairman clocks up 17 years (and counting)

There is nothing so compelling as private school politics.

  • Updated
  • Myriam Robin
Cranbrook School is under intense scrutiny.

Former Cranbrook teacher sues school alleging unsafe environment

Sydney private school Cranbrook is dealing with a new legal action brought by a former teacher who alleges the environment was unsafe for female staff.

  • Updated
  • Max Mason and Julie Hare
Former Cranbrook headmaster Nicholas Sampson (right) says he has been vindicated following a confidential settlement with the school.

Cranbrook settles with former headmaster, but ABC in line of fire

Nicholas Sampson says he has been “vindicated”, but he still has an axe to grind with the national broadcaster over its “Four Corners” program.

  • Julie Hare and Kylar Loussikian

May

The ad doesn’t mention pay, but it does say the editor will “manage several major publications throughout the year” at Newington.

‘Managing editor’ search keeps the bonfire going at Newington

The extravagant addition would bring the number of media staffers at the school to five.

  • Lucas Baird
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March

Jasmine Werneburg says doing the international baccalaureate was more academically rigorous than her university degree.

Poor kids who choose the IB do better than rich kids who don’t: study

Jasmine Werneberg says the International Baccalaureate she did at high school was more academically rigorous than her business-law degree at university.

  • Julie Hare
Former Cranbrook headmaster Nicholas Sampson has hired a top silk.

Emails revealed as ousted Cranbrook head hires top silk

If Cranbrook governing council thought a quick resignation from headmaster Nicholas Sampson would bring about a swift end to its media agony, it was wrong.

  • Kylar Loussikian and Julie Hare
Students at Cranbrook School last week.

What happens behind closed doors at Australia’s elite schools

The saga at Sydney’s Cranbrook School could trigger a new wave of accountability for how private schools operate.

  • Julie Hare
Amanda Bell

Clare threatens to take funding away from Cranbrook

Education Minister Jason Clare has threatened to withdraw federal funding from Cranbrook School if an investigation finds “evidence of a pattern of immoral or unethical behaviour”.

  • Julie Hare
Cranbrook School headmaster Nicholas Sampson resigned on Friday morning.

Cranbrook head wanted $2m to leave two years ago: sources

The death of Nicholas Sampson’s brother in a car accident would have been used as a pretext for the headmaster’s retirement, a confidential document shows.

  • Aaron Patrick, Julie Hare and Myriam Robin

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/private-schools-60s