Top 10 cheapest private schools in FNQ
A deep dive into Far North private schools ranging from Prep to Year 12 has revealed which are the most to least affordable. SEE THE FULL LIST
Cairns
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A DEEP dive into Far North Queensland’s private schools ranging from Prep to Year 12 revealed which of those are the most to least affordable.
Darren Morrissy, business manager at Peace Lutheran College, breaks down exactly what each fee means and what they cover so parents understand exactly what they’re paying for when it comes to their child’s private school education.
Mr Morrissy said private school costs could be confusing to understand, and they had tried to make it as simplified as possible with an all-inclusive model.
“Private schools traditionally had costs for parents that passed as tuition fees but then schools evolved,” he said.
“For example, IT became a big part of schools, some places decided to pass on the IT levy to recoup some of the income to cover the costs of computers and software.”
Mr Morrissy explained those levies were to cover the increasing costs of new software and facilities that private schools adopt, while some schools charge additional fees for particular subjects that require more consumable products, such as art.
“There’re many levies and extra charges, to run a school there’re many costs,” he said.
So what exactly is covered in private school fees?
“We work out total expenditure for the year and make sure we have sufficient income to cover the costs of running a school,” Mr Morrissy said.
“Our biggest expense is salaries which equate to 70 per cent of our total income, the rest is made up of teacher resources, textbooks, IT, software and computer equipment, and then normal business running costs like electricity, council rates, water charges etc.”
Mr Morrissy said when you’re paying for these fees, you’re paying for an individualised one-on-one approach and at PLC, their small school model of 650 students works well with personalisation.
“We want to know the names of every child, we track very closely with the kids’ academics and wellbeing,” he said.
Using the Good Schools guide and school reports, The Cairns Post has compiled a list with NAPLAN data from 2018 considering 2020 data is unavailable as it was disrupted by Covid.
FNQ PRIVATE SCHOOLS: ALL INCLUSIVE FEE MODELS
PEACE LUTHERAN COLLEGE
Year 6 tuition fee: $6160
Year 12 tuition fee: $7515
Suburb: Kamerunga
Student body: Co-ed, years P-12
ATAR: 15.4 per cent of eligible cohorts above 95
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees, textbooks and workbooks, subject levies and practical materials, school-endorsed online subscriptions, compulsory camps and excursions, school excursion transport, swimming lessons, sport affiliation fees, school yearbook, and arts council performances
Peace Lutheran College in Kamerunga offers boarding options and accepts international students. The school also has scholarship options ranging from an academic scholarship to all rounder, boarding, creative arts, excellence for Indigenous boarders and sports.
PLC had 100 per cent of its Year 12 cohort awarded a QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education) in 2021 and 36 per cent of eligible students received their first-choice offer into university.
The school provides more than the curriculum with a range of extra-curricular activities and provides its students with university pathways, vocational training, and apprenticeships.
ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE
Year 12 tuition fee: $7025
Suburb: Parramatta Park
Student body: All boys, Years 7-12
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees, all levies, laptop, resource fees, laptop hire, on campus school sport
The all-boys private school at Parramatta Park prides itself on its presence, simplicity, family spirit, and a Marist core. It provides vocational education and training along with e-learning for its students.
The institution offers boarding options and welcomes international students. It had 790 enrolments in 2020.
St Augustine’s Year 9s succeeded above the NAPLAN national average in reading, writing, grammar, and numeracy, and Year 7s scored above in all subjects.
ST MONICA’S COLLEGE
Year 12 tuition fee: $6800
Suburb: Cairns City
Student body: All girls, Years 7-12
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees, camps, excursions, laptops, sport fees, all levies
St Monica’s offers both day and boarding options for their students and had 696 enrolments in 2020. The school has the option of vocational education and training with activities such as public speaking, choirs, dance, and sport for their students to partake in.
Attendance rates are between 93 and 95 per cent.
Both Year 7 and Year 9 had surpassed the NAPLAN national average in all subjects.
FRESHWATER CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Year 6 tuition fee: $5140
Year 12 tuition fee: $6170
Suburb: Brinsmead
Student body: Co-ed,Years P-12
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees, laptops, stationary (primary school), camps and excursions, family zone and cyber safety software and training (primary school), all levies.
The college is an independent school with a mission of ‘life, love and learn’ that it hopes to instill within its students.
The Brinsmead school provides scholarships, accepts international students, and has recorded 534 enrolments across all years.
It nurtures sports, and extracurricular activities and allows Year 6 students to undertake international trips to Japan or Nepal.
Freshwater’s Year 9 student body scored above NAPLAN national average in reading, spelling, and numeracy.
ST MARY’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE
Year 12 tuition fee: $5722
Suburb: Woree
Student body: Co-ed, Years7-12
ATAR: 99.20 in 2020 with 13 students with an ATAR above 90
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees, all levies, books and excursions
St Mary’s Catholic College encourages students to make a difference through the values of faith, hope, and love. The school offers the Australian Curriculum, VET and extra-curricular activities.
The number of enrolments has increased in the past few years from 823 in 2015 to 984 in 2020. The school has an average attendance rate of 91 per cent of its student body.
The institution has an average QCE of 75 as recorded in 2020.
Scholarships are also offered.
St Mary’s Year 9 cohort scored above the NAPLAN national average in reading, writing, spelling, and numeracy while Year 7s scored above in reading, writing, grammar, and numeracy.
TRINITY ANGLICAN SCHOOL
Year 6 tuition fee: $4530
Year 12 tuition fee: $5530
Suburb: White Rock
Student body: Co-ed, years P-12
ATAR: 95 per cent of Year 12 students achieve an ATAR
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees with an additional resource and capacity levy on top that includes laptops, books, camps, tutoring, and extracurriculars.
Trinity Anglican School is an independent school with locations in White Rock and Kewarra Beach and accepts international students with scholarships available.
‘Inspiring the curious’ is its mission for the student body and it offers outdoor learning for Prep classes as well as academic and wellbeing co-curricular opportunities.
TAS Year 9 students performed above NAPLAN national average in all areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and numeracy.
MOTHER OF GOOD COUNSEL SCHOOL
Year 6 tuition fee: $3636
Suburb: North Cairns
Student body: Co-ed,years P-6
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees and all levies
The Catholic school’s mission is to foster successful learning with gospel values.
With 362 enrolments in 2020, the institution is a primary school with attendance between 94 and 96 per cent.
Mother of Good Counsel’s Year 3 and Year 5 both scored above the NAPLAN national average in all areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and numeracy.
ST ANDREW’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE
Year 6 tuition fee: $2050
Year 12 tuition fee: $3400
Suburb: Redlynch
Student body: Co-ed,years P-12
ATAR: 99.70 in 2020 and median ATAR was 77.95
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees and year level and family levies
St Andrew’s has three sectors for junior, middle, and senior years within a 25-acre campus. The college accepts international students and had enrolments of 1740 in 2020.
Years 5, 7, and 9 cohorts all scored above the national NAPLAN average in all areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and numeracy.
St Andrew’s had 140 students complete their QCE in 2020, which the school stated to be the largest group of students in recent years.
JUBILEE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Year 6 tuition fee: $2250
Year 12 tuition fee: $3050
Suburb: Atherton
Student body: P-12
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees, all levies and educational provisions such as textbooks
An independent Atherton school, Jubilee Christian College has a distance program along with campus education which allows it to educate students from all around the state and those in rural areas.
The educational program incorporates the Australian Curriculum with Godly values. Jubilee hosts a range of competitions and activities throughout the year.
The school’s Year 5, 7, and 9 cohorts all scored marks above the national NAPLAN average in writing, spelling, grammar, and numeracy.
ST FRANCIS XAVIER’S SCHOOL
Year 6 tuition fee: $1615
Suburb: Manunda
Student body: Co-ed, Years P-6
What the tuition fees include: Tuition fees only, levies still apply
St Francis is a child and Christ-centred school with 471 enrolments in 2020.
Along with the curriculum, the school has a religious education program to promote active members within the faith.
Year 5 students surpassed the NAPLAN national average in all areas of reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and numeracy.
Note: Please contact the schools for a more thorough list of fee inclusions
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Originally published as Top 10 cheapest private schools in FNQ
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