Canberra schools’ government funding revealed
The massive amount of money some schools have received from governments can be revealed after an independent analysis of data from the MySchool website.
Schools Hub
Don't miss out on the headlines from Schools Hub. Followed categories will be added to My News.
One school in the Canberra region received more than $68.4 million in State and Federal Government money in three years — giving it the highest funding in the region.
The massive amount of money some schools have received from governments can be revealed after an independent compilation of figures from the MySchool website.
Karabar High School received more money from government coffers than any other school in the region, receiving $68.4 million over the three most recently available years.
The school is undergoing an $11 million redevelopment as part of an $85 million investment in new schools and upgrades in the Queanbeyan area.
The School Infrastructure NSW project is already underway and is due for completion next year.
It will provide eight new permanent learning spaces, one new seminar space, new staff study facilities, new covered walkways and ramps and landscape and accessibility improvement works.
Amaroo School received the second highest amount of state and federal government funding with $60.6 million.
Harrison School was the third highest in the region receiving $60.6 million over the three year period.
The figures reveal exactly how much money every school has received from government funding over the 2015, 2016 and 2017 calendar years and how much money has been spent on capital projects over the same period.
Jervis Bay School in Jervis Bay received the most government funding per student of any school in the Canberra region. The school, which had 45 students in 2017, received $47,449 in government funding for each child.
Narrabundah Early Childhood School in Narrabundah received $34,194 for each of its 45 students in 2017, the Canberra region’s second highest funding per student.
Over 2015, 2016 and 2017 financial years, Canberra Grammar School, in Red Hill, spent $18.3 million on capital expenditure, more than any other school in the Canberra region.
Over that same three year period Good Shepherd Primary School spent $16.5 million on capital expenditure, the region’s second highest.
Daramalan College spent $14 million on capital expenditure over that period, the third highest in the Canberra region.
Covenant Christian School business manager Tim James said their student population had already grown 40 per cent from 123 in 2017 to 173 this year and is forecast to grow another 30 per cent by 2021.
To accommodate this growth, the school has applied for a $750,000 grant under the Better School for our Kids program, which is providing $15 million over four years for infrastructure upgrades at ACT non-government schools.
The money would buy a covered outdoor learning area which would double as a play area and assembly space.
It would serve as a “essential precursor” for their next building stage, which would contain three classrooms and three administration areas.
“We can’t fit our staff in our staffroom anymore,” Mr James said.
“We are getting a number of families who are looking for a more traditional approach to education.”
While it is a Christian school with bible-based moral and ethical values, it accepts enrolments from families from other faiths.
Growth at the school has also been driven by the establishment of a preschool, which had driven a significant increase in enquiries from prospective parents.
An Education Directorate spokeswoman said the ACT Government currently funds in excess of its required share of the Schooling Resource Standard for both public and non-government schools.
Infrastructure works delivered at the O’Connor Cooperative School, one of the region’s least funded schools, include upgrades to classrooms, toilets, heating and airconditioning and telephony systems.
Region’s most funded schools
Karabar High School: $68.4 million
Amaroo School: $60.6 million
Harrison School: $58.3 million
St Mary MacKillop College: $56.5 million
Telopea Park School: $54.3 million
Marist College Canberra: $47.3 million
Daramalan College: $44.4 million
Lyneham High School: $43.9 million
Gold Creek School: $42.4 million
The Canberra College: $41.3 million
Region’s least funded schools
Taqwa School: $1.5 million
Michelago Public School: $1.6 million
The Anglican School Googong: $1.9 million
Canberra Montessori School: $2.2 million
Canberra Christian School: $2.2 million
Blue Gum Community School: $2.2 million
Gundaroo Public School: $3 million
Covenant Christian School: $3.4 million
O’Connor Cooperative School: $3.9 million
Islamic School of Canberra: $4.5 million
Region’s schools with the highest capital expenditure
Canberra Grammar School: $18.3 million
Good Shepherd Primary School: $16.5 million
Daramalan College: $14 million
Brindabella Christian College: $13.1 million
Canberra Girls Grammar School: $12 million
Radford College: $11.9 million
Amaroo School: $10.1 million
Marist College Canberra: $7 million
Caroline Chisholm School: $5.7 million
Belconnen High School: $5.7 million