Canberra’s richest and most expensive schools revealed
An analysis of MySchool financial records has revealed the richest, poorest and most expensive schools in the Canberra region.
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Canberra’s richest school raked in more than $120.5 million in three years and parents wanting to send their kids to the region’s most expensive school have to fork out $19,705, tightly held school statistics reveal.
An independent analysis of school financial records from the MySchool website have shown the massive amount of money some schools make every year, and how little some schools are forced to scrape by on.
The figures revealed Canberra Grammar School in Red Hill had a higher gross income than any other school in the Canberra region.
The school made a gross income of $120.5 million, according to financial records from the three most recently available years.
The region’s second richest school was Radford College, in Bruce, which had a gross income of $109.2 million.
The school with the third highest gross income was Canberra Girls Grammar School, in Red Hill, which made $104 million.
The figures include all fees, charges and parental contributions as well as State and Federal Government funding and any other private sources over the 2015, 2016 and 2017 years.
It does not include any deductions for capital works or debt servicing. The analysis does not include special schools or schools that did not have complete financial data in MySchool for one or more of 2015, 2016 or 2017.
Michelago Public School had the lowest gross income of any school in the Canberra region.
It made just $1.6 million over the three year period.
A NSW Department of Education spokesman said Michelago Public School has been allocated about $30,000 in 2019-2020 for planned maintenance and since 2011 has received $63,341 for capital works.
Gundaroo Public School would get about $79,000 for scheduled maintenance works in 2019-2020 and since 2011 has received a total of $158,663 for capital works.
“At the period you’re looking art, these schools had relatively low enrolments,” he said.
“In 2017, Michelago Public School had 38 students and Gundaroo Public had 105.
“You cannot compare these schools to other larger schools in the area, like Karabar High which had 1,118 students in 2017.”
The region’s most expensive school was Canberra Girls Grammar School in Deakin where the average amount parents had to fork out in fees, charges and contributions in 2017 was $19,705.
Principal Anna Owen said the school has a long and proud tradition of providing quality education opportunities for young people across ACT and surrounding regional, rural and remote areas.
“We are conscious of the investment and sacrifice many families make for their children’s education and at Canberra Girls Grammar School we aim to set tuition fees that, while remaining affordable for our community, allow us to balance attracting the best teachers, invest in the facilities to support our education delivery and provide a strong curricular and co-curricular offer,” she said.
“We meticulously target every resource –time, energy, expertise and money – to provide the young women of today the best possible future.
“At the same time, we are proud to offer a series of scholarships and bursaries to ensure that every opportunity is afforded to girls with high potential and capability who would like to pursue an independent education at our school.”
Canberra Grammar School, in Red Hill, had the Canberra region’s second highest average parental contributions with $19,570.
The school with the third highest parental contributions was Radford College, in Radford, where the average contribution was $14,922.
Canberra Grammar School is currently rolling out an extensive campus development plan, which will include an expansion of its boarding village and a new sports precinct featuring new tennis, netball and basketball courts with a gym, changerooms, classrooms and swimming pool.
Flinders Oval, the Pavilions and the Rowing Centre will be upgraded.
A focal point of the redevelopment is the quadrangle where the Breezeway building is no longer fit for purpose.
It will be replaced with a sophisticated multipurpose library, exhibition space and large auditorium.
The War Memorial Hall will be repurposed to expand the school’s science and music departments with new classrooms, rehearsal and concert rooms.
Relocation of the boarding house will free up space for a new, purpose-built early learning centre, sharing play facilities as well as crucial drop-off and pick-up zones for families with young children in Southside right next door.
The Northside campus will also be renovated.
Marist College started a two-stage redevelopment plan in 2016.
The first stage was a three storey building incorporating new TAS, art, senior common room, canteen and enrichment and learning support facilities.
The second stage, expected to cost $10 million and to be delivered in 2021, will see the demolition of the art building and construction of a new administration building.
This will free up spaces for learning facilities and create a single, common College administration as well as being the main entrance for the College.
The remaining parts of the monastery would be refurbished to house an education facility for marginalised youth.
Region’s richest schools
Canberra Grammar School: $120.5 million
Radford College: $109.2 million
Canberra Girls Grammar School: $104 million
Marist College Canberra: $91.5 million
St Mary MacKillop College: $88.1 million
Burgmann Anglican School: $79.9 million
Daramalan College: $77.6 million
Karabar High School: $71.6 million
Amaroo School: $62.9 million
Harrison School: $60.8 million
Region’s poorest schools
Michelago Public School: $1.6 million
Taqwa School: $2.5 million
Gundaroo Public School: $3.3 million
Canberra Christian School: $3.4 million
The Anglican School Googong: $3.9 million
O’Connor Cooperative School: $4 million
Blue Gum Community School: $5.1 million
Covenant Christian School: $5.4 million
Narrabundah Early Childhood School: $6.3 million
Islamic School of Canberra: $6.4 million
Region’s schools that cost parents the most
Canberra Girls Grammar School: $19,705
Canberra Grammar School: $19,570
Radford College: $14,922
Canberra Montessori School: $13,879
Blue Gum Community School: $9780
Burgmann Anglican School: $9432
Orana Steiner School: $9035
Marist College Canberra: $8539
St Edmund’s College Canberra: $7662
Daramalan College: $7599