Tweed region schools funding revealed

School financial records have revealed the massive amount of money some Tweed schools have every year, and how little others are forced to scrape by on. See our interactive.

School classroom. Picture: Burak Sr

Tweed’s richest school has raked in more than $132.6 million in five years with an average cost per student of $21,287, tightly held school statistics reveal.

An independent analysis of school financial records, judged on gross income, 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 Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School in Terranora had a higher gross income than any other school in the Tweed region.

The school made a gross income of $132.6 million, according to financial records from the combined past five years.

Its total gross income per student in 2021 was $21,287.

The school’s income increased by 78 per cent between 2017 and 2021.

Find the infographic below to see where your school is ranked.

Data has been curated to feature schools that have taken the most gross revenue over a five-year period.

In the interactive below there is a breakdown of school revenue by student number.

The region’s second richest school was Kingscliff High School, in Kingscliff, which had a gross income of $83.2 million.

Its total gross income per student in 2021 was $16,442.

The school with the third highest gross income was St Joseph’s College, in Banora Point, which made $75.9 million.

Its total gross income per student in 2021 was $20,941.

However, a number of the smaller schools that received less funding overall actually enjoyed a higher income per student than the larger schools.

The figures include all fees, charges and parental contributions as well as State and Federal Government funding and any other private sources over the five years from 2017 to 2021.

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 the five years.

Carool Public School at Carool had the lowest gross income of any school in the Tweed region.

Carool Public school had an outstanding total gross income per student in 2021 was $20,076

It made just $2.2 million over the five year period.

Its total gross income increased by 19 per cent from 2017 to 2021 while the total gross income per student in 2021 was $20,076 – roughly in line with the schools with the highest gross income.

Stokers Siding Public School at Stokers Siding had the second lowest gross income of any school in the Tweed region.

It made just $2.5 million over the five year period.

Its total gross income fell by 36.4 per cent from 2017 to 2021 – but the total gross income per student in 2021 was higher than other schools with significantly higher overall incomes, at $34,913.

Tumbulgum Public School at Tumbulgum had the third lowest gross income of any school in the Tweed region.

Tumbulgum Public School had an outstanding total gross income per student in 2021 was $29,830. Picture: Danielle Smith

It made just $4.1 million over the five year period.

Its total gross income increased by 57 per cent from 2017 to 2021 while the total gross income per student in 2021 was $29,830.

A NSW Department of Education spokesman said the greatest positive influence on student engagement and education outcomes is quality teaching.

“That’s why we are looking to support teachers with providing more admin staff to allow them more time to teach, working to increase their pay to reflect the value we place on them and employing more teachers and school counsellors through the Education Future Fund,” the spokesman said.

“We will be working closely with the Commonwealth Government to bring about a fair funding outcome for public schools.”

TWEED SCHOOLS WITH THE HIGHEST OVERALL INCOME

Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School: $132.6 million

Kingscliff High School: $83.2 million

St Joseph’s College: $75.9 million

Mount St Patrick College: $72.9 million

Tweed River High School: $59.6 million

Murwillumbah High School: $55.5 million

Banora Point High School: $54 million

Wollumbin High School: $39.7 million

Pottsville Beach Public School: $37.9 million

Centaur Public School: $37.2 million

TWEED SCHOOLS WITH THE LOWEST OVERALL INCOME

Carool Public School: $2.2 million

Stokers Siding Public School: $2.5 million

Tumbulgum Public School: $4.1 million

Chillingham Public School: $4.1 million

Tyalgum Public School: $4.3 million

Fingal Head Public School: $4.4 million

Aetaomah School: $4.7 million

Duranbah Public School: $5.6 million

Crystal Creek Public School: $6.4 million

Dungay Public School: $6.5 million