Funding v capital works: What Central Coast schools get and spend
Central Coast schools that have received the highest government funding have been revealed. See where your child’s school sits.
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One Central Coast school received more than $53.8 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.
MacKillop Catholic College, in Warnervale, received more money from government offers than any other school in the region, receiving $53.8 million over the three most recently available years.
Wadalba Community School, Wadalba, received the second highest amount of State and Federal government funding with $53.5 million.
Gorokan High School in Lake Haven was the third highest in the region receiving $53.5 million over the three year period.
The figures reveal exactly how much money every school has received from government funding over 2015, 2016 and 2017 calendar years and how much money has been spent on capital projects over the 2015, 2016 and 2017 financial years.
Central Coast P and C President Sharryn Brownlee said the data was beneficial and demonstrated transparency to taxpayers.
Ms Brownlee said MacKillop Catholic College and Wadalba Community School were the biggest K-12 schools on the coast with around 1500 students, which is why they received the most funding.
She said Gorokan High School had the highest percentage of Aboriginal students, which attracted more funding.
“While most schools on the coast have 8-10 per cent of Aboriginal enrolments, Gorokan High has 12 per cent as they offer targeted programs which are fantastic and a lot of people move to the area specifically for those opportunity programs,” she said.
Ms Brownlee said the coast was often referred to as “disadvantaged” when it comes to school funding.
“This date shows the community exactly where the money is and where it is going,” she said.
“Schools don’t pay staff, head office does. While none of the money goes towards mainstream teachers, it goes towards resource allocation such as speech pathologists and extra literacy teachers, depending on the needs of the school.”
She said annual school reports should show exactly what schools are spending their money on.
“This transparency holds the whole system accountable to the taxpayer,” she said.
Macdonald Valley Public School in Central Macdonald received the most government funding per student of any school in the Central Coast region. The school, which had 12 students in 2017, received $31,032 in government funding for each child.
The school takes in students from Upper Macdonald, Ten Mile Hollow and down to Wisemans Ferry.
St Brigid’s Catholic College in Lake Munmorah received $19,338 for each of its 12 students in 2017, making it the Central Coast region’s second highest funding per student.
Over 2015, 2016 and 2017 financial years, St Brigid’s Catholic College, in Lake Munmorah, spent $16.8 million on capital expenditure, more than any other school in the Central Coast region.
Over that same three-year period Point Clare Public School spent $10 million on capital expenditure, the region’s second highest.
Green Point Christian College spent $6.6 million on capital expenditure over that period, the third highest in the Central Coast region.
REGION’S MOST FUNDED SCHOOLS
MacKillop Catholic College: $53.8 million
Wadalba Community School: $53.5 million
Gorokan High School: $43.2 million
Northlakes High School: $41.2 million
Narara Valley High School: $40.9 million
Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College Tumbi Umbi Campus: $40.2 million
Terrigal High School: $38.1 million
Brisbane Water Secondary College Umina Campus: $36.9 million
Gosford High School: $36.8 million
St Peter’s Catholic College: $36.2 million
REGION’S LEAST FUNDED SCHOOLS
Macdonald Valley Public School: $916,630
Peats Ridge Public School: $1.8 million
Wisemans Ferry Public School: $1 million
Somersby Public School: $2.4 million
Central Mangrove Public School: $2.5 million
Kulnura Public School: $2.6 million
Wyong Creek Public School: $2.6 million
Jilliby Public School: $2.9 million
The Coast Christian School: $3.6 million
Pretty Beach Public School: $4.8 million
REGION’S SCHOOLS WITH THE HIGHEST CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
St Brigid’s Catholic College: $16.8 million
Point Clare Public School: $10 million
Green Point Christian College: $6.6 million
St Peter’s Catholic College: $5 million
Central Coast Grammar School: $5.5 million
Lakes Grammar — An Anglican School: $4.9 million
St Edward’s Christian Brothers’ College: $3.3 million
St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School: $3.2 million
Wyong High School: $2.9 million
Wyong Christian Community School: $2.5 million
