REVEALED: Richest and poorest schools in Sydney’s southwest

Latest data reveals southwest Sydney’s highest income grossing schools, and some have reported an eye-watering amount of cash. Find out where your school ranked.

Malek Fahd Islamic School reported gross income of more than $200m over five years. Picture: Dylan Robinson

The richest school in southwest Sydney has raked in more than $212.2 million in five years, with the total income per student sitting at $16,089 in 2022, according to the most recent school funding statistics.

Malek Fahd Islamic School in Greenacre reported the highest gross income compared to any other school in the southwest Sydney region with 3160 students enrolled in 2022.

An independent analysis of school financial records from the MySchool website have revealed the massive amounts of money some schools make every year, and how little other schools are forced to scrape by on.

Malek Fahd Islamic School’s gross income of $212.2 million, according to financial records from the combined past five years, indicated the school’s income increased by 58 per cent between 2018 and 2022.

A general view of Malek Fahd Islamic School. Picture: James Gourley

This rise has been attributed to government funding increasing by $3000 per student, enrolment numbers going up by 600 and additional loading factors in government funding based on student needs such as the number of students with disabilities or a language background other than English.

Amity College ranked second highest with a gross income of more than $180m from 2018-2022.

The region’s second richest school was Amity College, Prestons which had a gross income of $186.2 million, and a total gross income of $19,633 per student in 2022.

Thomas Hassall Anglican College, in Middleton Grange had the third highest gross income at $163.5 million. Its total income per student in 2022 was $20,855.

See the full list of south west Sydney schools ranked here:

The figures include all fees, charges, parental contributions, as well as State and Federal Government funding and any other private sources from 2018 to 2022. It does not include any deductions for capital works or debt servicing.

“Government funding is helping to enable families afford a quality education that align with their family’s beliefs … and opening up school choice to parents who otherwise couldn’t afford it,” Christian Schools Australia’s director of public policy Mark Spencer said.

Christian Schools Australia’s director of public policy Mark Spencer. Picture: Christian Schools Australia

The current funding model is roughly 80 per cent Commonwealth funding and 20 per cent state/territory government funding for non-government schools and reversed for government schools with the state/territory government’s paying the majority.

Mr Spencer said the federal funding model was “equitable and fair” but that state government’s aren’t funding their “own schools well enough,” pushing it on to the federal government instead.

“State and territory government’s basically need to make education funding a priority … they’re failing parents in government schools,” he said.

At the bottom of the list St Dominic Savio School at Rockdale reported the lowest gross income of any school in the region with just $2.9 million over the five year period.

Its total gross income did however increase by 94 per cent over the five year period, with 39 students enrolled in 2022 and the total income per student $21,099.

Southern Cross Baptist Church Christian School at Engadine had the second lowest gross income in south west Sydney, reporting an income of $3 million in the same period. Its total gross income increased by 51 per cent over the five years, breaking down to $20,324 per student with 36 students enrolled in 2022.

The third lowest gross income reported by a school in the area came from Waterfall Public School, accumulating $3.1 million over the five years. Its total gross income increased by 52 per cent from 2018 to 2022 while the total gross income per student in 2022 was $54,017 across 17 students.

The data analysis also doesn’t include special schools or schools that didn’t have their complete financial data in MySchool for one or more of the five years. See the top 10 richest and poorest schools listed below.

RICHEST SCHOOLS IN SYDNEY’S SOUTH WEST

• Malek Fahd Islamic School: $212.2 million
• Amity College, Prestons: $186.2 million
• Thomas Hassall Anglican College: $163.5 million
• Al Noori Muslim School: $152.3 million
• Danebank – An Anglican School for Girls: $135.1 million
• Inaburra School: $134.9 million
• St Gregory’s College Campbelltown: $132.9 million
• Cabramatta High School: $128.9 million
• Westfields Sports High School: $125.6 million
• Bonnyrigg High School: $123 million

POOREST SCHOOLS IN SYDNEY’S SOUTH WEST

• St Dominic Savio School: $2.9 million
• Southern Cross Baptist Church Christian School: $3 million
• Waterfall Public School: $3.1 million
• Bardwell Park Infants School: $3.9 million
• Yanderra Public School: $4.4 million
• Mount Hunter Public School: $4.4 million
• Southside Montessori School: $4.6 million
• Kangaroo Valley Public School: $6 million
• Hurstville Grove Infants School: $6.3 million
• Woronora River Public School: $7.1 million