Wealthiest schools for southwest Sydney 2023
South West Sydney’s richest school has raked in more than $192.8 million in five years with an average cost per student of $15,353, tightly held school statistics reveal.
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Southwest Sydney’s richest school has raked in more than $192.8m in five years with an average cost per student of $15,353, 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.
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 figures revealed Malek Fahd Islamic School in Greenacre had a higher gross income than any other school in south west Sydney.
The school made a gross income of $192.8m, according to financial records from the combined past five years. The school’s income increased by 42 per cent between 2017 and 2021.
Malek Fahd Islamic School principal Dr Zachariah Matthews said the school’s primary goal was to offer a comprehensive educational experience that natures the holistic development of their students.
“We are a large school with four separate campuses on three sites, a student population of about 3200, and more than 300 staff members,” he said. “Despite the increasing demand for enrolments, we strive to maintain affordable school fees that align with the socio-economic situation of our community.”
Dr Matthews said the funds the school received were allocated to enhance “the learning engagement, educational resources, and wellbeing of our students”.
“We have a dedicated team of wellbeing co-ordinators, counsellors and learning support staff who cater for the diverse needs of our student population,” he said.
“We also prioritise professional development opportunities for our teachers and support staff, ensuring they continuously enhance their capabilities.”
The school also prides itself in their extra-curricular and enrichment programs, including sports, arts, cultural events and community services initiatives.
“These programs not only allow students to explore their interests and talents but also promote teamwork, leadership skills, and a sense of community,” he said.
The region’s second richest school was Amity College, Prestons, in Prestons, which had a gross income of $172.3m. Its total gross income per student in 2021 was $18,101.
The school with the third highest gross income was Thomas Hassall Anglican College, in Middleton Grange, which made $156.4m. Its total gross income per student in 2021 was $19,399.
Another school with one of the highest incomes in southwest Sydney was Danebank Anglican School for Girls in Hurstville which made $129.8m.
Danebank principal Dr Emma Burgess said the school “explicitly puts our students at the core of everything we do at the school”.
“This means we invest in the best in teaching, learning and care for our girls and our people, whether teaching or learning opportunities, wellbeing and student care, professional development for staff, and extensive co-curricular activities,” she said.
Dr Burgess said Danebank had wellbeing programs, a newly established wellness space and a multi-layered student care structure and staff who support student wellbeing.
Danebank also have new initiatives and signature programs including new courses and subjects such as VET courses and international studies alongside their first music camp in 2022.
“We invest in the wellbeing and professional development (learning) of our staff as this is also of direct benefit to our students,” she said.
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.
St Dominic Savio School at Rockdale had the lowest gross income of any school in southwest Sydney. It made just $2.5m over the five year period.
Its total gross income increased by 56 per cent from 2017 to 2021 while the total gross income per student in 2021 was $19,026.
Southern Cross Baptist Church Christian School at Engadine had the second lowest gross income of any school in the South West Sydney region. It made just $2.7m over the five year period.
Its total gross income increased by 39 per cent from 2017 to 2021 while the total gross income per student in 2021 was $18,800.
Waterfall Public School at Waterfall had the third lowest gross income of any school in the South West Sydney region. It made just $3m over the five year period.
Its total gross income fell by 32.5 per cent from 2017 to 2021 while the total gross income per student in 2021 was $27,073.
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 also a breakdown of school
revenue by student number.
RICHEST SCHOOLS IN SOUTH WEST SYDNEY
Malek Fahd Islamic School: $192.8 million
Amity College, Prestons: $172.3 million
Thomas Hassall Anglican College: $156.4 million
Al Noori Muslim School: $140.3 million
Danebank – An Anglican School for Girls: $129.8 million
Inaburra School: $126.8 million
St Gregory’s College Campbelltown: $125.4 million
Cabramatta High School: $124.3 million
Westfields Sports High School: $122.2 million
Fairfield High School: $120.9 million
POOREST SCHOOLS IN SOUTH WEST SYDNEY
St Dominic Savio School: $2.5 million
Southern Cross Baptist Church Christian School: $2.7 million
Waterfall Public School: $3 million
Bardwell Park Infants School: $3.9 million
Yanderra Public School: $4.2 million
Mount Hunter Public School: $4.2 million
Southside Montessori School: $4.9 million
Kingdom Culture Christian School: $5.7 million
Kangaroo Valley Public School: $5.9 million
Hurstville Grove Infants School: $5.9 million
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