Fees, costs for 2022 at Gold Coast schools

Gold Coast parents are paying some of the most reasonable school fees and costs in Australia. But they still need to shell out thousands of dollars. FULL FEES LIST

GOLD COAST parents are paying some of the most reasonable school fees and costs in Australia, new analysis has revealed. But they still need to shell out tens of thousands of dollars.

The Futurity Investment Group Planning for Education Index found the average cost over 13 years of education at a state school for a child starting on Monday would be $78,503.

That figure is slightly above the average cost in Brisbane, but significantly lower than Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

The average cost for children attending independent schools was found to be $164,142 – massively below the capital city average of $349,404. The overall national average was calculated to be $246,552.

However the research also found that, while independent schools on the Gold Coast mostly held their fees steady during the Covid-19 pandemic, almost one in three parents experienced additional financial pressure due to homeschooling costs or loss of income.

The research also found that more than half of schools in Queensland were likely to increase fees this year.

On the Gold Coast, Bulletin analysis has shown that almost all schools are raising rates by modest amounts.

Year 10 student Tasman Lisle ready to head off to school at King's Christian College Reedy Creek with mum Nicole Jones looking on. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Helensvale mum Nicole Jones said the relatively low cost of private schooling on the Gold Coast was one of the reasons she had chosen to send son Tasman Lisle to King’s Christian College in Reedy Creek.

Tasman, who is in Year 10, had previously attended state schools but Ms Jones said she believed what King’s had to offer would greatly benefit her son in his critical last three years of schooling.

“King’s is $8500 plus uniform, so all up about $9300,” Ms Jones said. “It is good value.

“I’ve always been interested in King’s. Compared to most of the private schools on the Gold Coast it is one of the cheaper ones, so it was affordable.”

Ms Jones said she believed students at King’s got a lot more individual attention from teachers than in state schools.

“There’s more accountability, there’s more opportunities,” she said.

“You have an app where the teachers upload stuff as things happen so you can keep an eye on everything they’re doing or not doing.”

Ms Jones also said she was impressed by the online learning available at King’s, which has been taking place for the last week and a half due to the delayed start to the school year.

“They’re very organised, they use Microsoft Teams,” Ms Jones said. “They’re on with the teachers, the other students. I’ve never seen anything so organised.”

FEES GOLD COAST PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE CHARGING IN 2022

TUITION fees on the Gold Coast are on the rise, with Bulletin analysis showing private schools have raised their rates by an average of two and a half per cent.

The price hikes come after a large number of schools either froze fees or held increases at one per cent or less in 2021 amid financial pressures for families caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

SCROLL DOWN FOR A FULL LIST OF FEES

TSS has raised fees by three per cent for 2022 after a one per cent rise last year.

The Gold Coast’s two most expensive schools – The Southport School and St Hilda’s – have raised fees by three per cent for 2022.

Last year St Hilda’s held prices steady while TSS only raised rates by one per cent.

The lowest rises were seen in the Catholic sector, with one school, Mother Teresa Primary, holding prices steady. The Ormeau school was the only one on the Gold Coast surveyed by the Bulletin not to raise prices for 2022.

Other Catholic schools raised fees by amounts well below the Gold Coast average, among them St Michael’s College in Merrimac, where the cost including levies is up just 0.99 per cent on last year.

“Brisbane Catholic Education strive to keep their fees affordable for families to ensure a quality Catholic Education is available to as many people as possible,” a spokesperson said. “Brisbane Catholic Education continue to offer outstanding teaching and learning outcomes.”

Trinity Lutheran College principal Dr Tsae Wong. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

Excluding the Catholic sector, the average rate of fee rises at Gold Coast schools was 2.8 per cent.

Among the schools to keep its price rise smaller was Trinity Lutheran College, which has raised fees by just 1.99 per cent.

The modest rise came despite the fact the school did not raise prices at all last year and granted generous fee relief for parents in April 2020 as the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic began to take hold.

Principal Dr. Tsae Wong said the school was committed to offering “value for money” to families.

“At this stage with the covid omicron surge, the college’s executives and staff are focusing on gearing up for the school start and managing all the Covid related adjustments as mandated,” Dr Wong said.

“The college board and staff continue to be committed to offering the best value for money Christian education for our college families, now and into the future.”

Independent Schools Queensland CEO Chris Mountford. (News Corp/Attila Csaszar)

Independent Schools Queensland CEO Chris Mountford said schools took a number of factors into account when setting fees.

“Independent school governing bodies review tuition fee levels every year and carefully consider a wide range of factors, including the circumstances of their families, current and future public funding levels, their current financial situation and the broader economic environment when making their decisions,” he said.

“Independent schools strive to make an independent education available to as many families as possible through the provision of scholarships and bursaries, discounts for families with more than one child, all-inclusive fee options and payment plans.

“Families should speak directly with their independent school if they need assistance.”

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Originally published as Fees, costs for 2022 at Gold Coast schools