Qld private school fees to increase by up to 14 per cent in 2024

Parents of children in Queensland private schools are bracing for fee increases of up to 14 per cent, with at least 15 schools set to charge more than $15,000 a year. SEE THE LIST OF SCHOOLS AND THEIR FEES

A number of Queensland’s private schools are increasing their fees in 2024.

Increases to staff wages and government funding cuts have been blamed for skyrocketing price rises for Queensland private schools with parents braced for fees to climb by up to 14 per cent.

The confirmed new fees of more than 35 Queensland private schools can be revealed ahead of 2024 with parents set to fork out thousands of dollars in increased costs.

A Courier-Mail examination of the schools who have published new fees found at least 15 will charge parents annual fees of more than $15,000.

Brisbane Grammar School has retained its mantle as the most expensive school in the state with an 8 per cent increase to an all-inclusive fee of $32,760 from Years 7-12.

Schools with vastly lower fees but high increases include Marymount College where fees have spiked by 14 per cent and The Lakes College, by 12 per cent.

Experts have put down the “inevitable” increases to teacher wage increases, cuts in government funding and rises in the overall costs to running a school.

Education specialist Jack Stevens of Edstart, a company that works with schools to manage fee processes, said another large hike was expected across the board for 2024.

Queensland private school fees rose by an average of 5.59 per cent for 2023, according to Edstart analysis, with a similar prediction looming.

“It’s always the case every single year as fees go up. They (schools) run year-on-year and as the cost base goes up, it’s often funded by the parents,” Mr Stevens said.

“Buildings, insurance will go up, some schools more so will suffer reductions in government funding and see even larger fee increases.

“But staff wages is the big one. There is a lot of upward pressure on wages for teachers, partly with Queensland’s state sector increasing, and rightly so.”

Mr Stevens said many parents understood why private school fees consistently increased.

“They have those same changes happening in their life, with everything else they are experiencing,” he said.

“Parents see the value in good teachers. If they see it (fee increase) flow into good teachers, most see it as a great investment. Everyone always remembers great teachers.”

Moreton Bay colleges executive principal Richard Henry said the current cost of living pressures had been considered in its new fee structure.

Mr Henry said the college increases were aligned with comparable Brisbane-based independent schools.

“Our school fees are reviewed annually and take into consideration several economic factors

including consumer price index and operating costs,” Mr Henry said.

“Our fee structure allows us to continue to invest in our staff to ensure we attract and retain the highest quality teachers and provide an outstanding experience.”

At Cannon Hill Anglican College in Brisbane’s inner east, fees will spike by nearly 10 per cent to $18,540, a rise it claimed was due to a reduction in federal government funding.

“To maintain CHAC’s high educational standards now and into the future we need to increase tuition fees as a result,” principal Gary O’Brien said in a statement.

In a letter to parents and carers, Canterbury College principal Daniel Walker said the “complex financial times” were taken into account in its decision to increase fees.

The Waterford-based college is on the more affordable scale with its new fees set to be about $12,000.

“This includes a general price increase in electricity, water and insurance fees of 10-25 per cent, and average increases in prices to educational consumables, IT services, maintenance and facilities,” Mr Walker wrote.

“We know you have felt these impacts in your own households, and unfortunately, the college is not immune from these same realities.”

Mr Walker said the college’s federal funding had been slashed by about $4 million over the past three years.