Qld private school kids to get 5.5 more weeks off than public school counterparts

Brisbane private school students are set to spend up to five and a half weeks less at school next year than children in state schools. COMPARE YOUR SCHOOL

Brisbane private school students are set to spend up to five and a half weeks less at school next year than state counterparts creating a holiday headache for some but a blessing for others.

A Courier-Mail analysis of individual school term dates has revealed the maximum number of days students actually spend at school.

The analysis showed St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School students will spend about 171 days physically at school next year, similar to St Peters Lutheran College at 175 days and Marist College Ashgrove with 177.

For St Margaret’s - which has longer teaching days - it equates to about 28 days less than the 199 days Queensland’s public school kids will spend at school.

St Margaret’s students will begin Christmas holidays in 2024 on Thursday, November 21, some three weeks earlier than public school students on December 13.

The private schools, many charging more than $20,000 in annual leaves, have traditionally granted extra holidays to allow boarding students to return home sooner.

However, with many families confined to having a standard four and a half weeks leave, it’s created a vibe among parents that “the more you pay, the less they spend at school”.

It means parents must rely on grandparents, network with friends, use vacation care or align annual leave around school holidays.

An Independent Schools Queensland spokesman said short terms were traditionally due to accommodating boarding students.

The spokesman said this tradition still stands for many schools, while other factors included the overall time students spend on campus or partaking in school-based activities throughout the year.

“Queensland independent schools have the flexibility to align their school terms in line with their individual school, student and community needs,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said only looking at the number of days spent at school could be misleading.

“Some independent schools have longer days for students, for example, resulting in a greater number of teaching hours overall,” he said.

“Others offer broad reaching co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, which means students are actively participating in the school community for greater periods throughout the school term, including on weekends and on school holidays.”

St Margarets principal Ros Curtis. Picture: David Kelly

St Margaret’s principal Ros Curtis confirmed the Ascot-based college had fewer teaching days than many other independent schools.

However, Ms Curtis said the college had longer periods of operation each day equating to a similar number of total school hours.

“St Margaret’s 2024 term weeks and teaching days follow the same pattern as previous years,” Ms Curtis said.

“While St Margaret’s may have fewer teaching days than state schools and some independent schools, this does not necessarily reflect total school hours across the school year.”

Ms Curtis said St Margaret’s operates from 8.20am to 3.20pm from Monday to Thursday and 8.20am-3pm on Fridays - for a total of 34 hours and 40 minutes per week in a standard week.

“We believe this is among the highest number of hours per week for schools,” she said.

“Across the school year, this equates to total school hours being very similar when compared with other schools.”

While the longer breaks can be a challenge for Brisbane families, many country families are happy to fork out money on private boarding schools to ensure their children are hone earlier.

St Margaret’s Year 3 Students Isobel Stobie, Mia Vidler, Charlie Morgans, Eva Williams, Penelope Cronin and Jasmine Moody. Picture: Lachie Millard

Isolated Children’s Parents Association president Wendy Henning said many rural families had no choice but to send their children away to boarding schools due to their geographical location.

“Educationally, there is no disadvantage, but us families are advantaged by having them home longer,” Ms Henning said.

The three children of Central Queensland graziers Amanda and Mick Clark have gone to private boarding schools in Townsville and Charters Towers - some four hours drive away from their Mt Coolon property.

Ms Clark said her children, Alana, Geena and Mitchell, had never missed out on a quality education despite having shorter terms.

“Lots of country families like us plan their mustering seasons around them,” Ms Clark said.

“We love that they have shorter terms as the kids go away from 11 or 12 and it’s hard to see them.

“I don’t see it as missing out on learning because lots of these schools start earlier in the day. Most start before 8.30am and go past 3pm.”

From 2024, Queensland public school kids will spend a maximum 199 days at school.