Brisbane private school fee hike nearly triple inflation
Brisbane’s elite schools will increase their fees next year by nearly double the inflation rate — and in one case nearly triple. SEE THE LIST
QLD News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
SOME of Brisbane’s elite private schools have increased their fees by up to triple the inflation rate, as boarding schools freeze prices to stave off dwindling enrolments because of drought.
One of the biggest increases was a 5.5 per cent hike in fees at inner-city All Hallows’ Catholic School, where tuition costs will rise from $10,850 in 2019 to $11,450 in 2020, nearly triple the inflation rate of 1.9 per cent.
Private school takes single mum to court over school fees
Private school application fees: Who is charging the most?
How Gold Coast prep to Year 12 private schools compare on fees, results, revenue, profit and more
Parents will pay a staggering $27,542 to send their children to top-performing Brisbane Grammar School, a 3 per cent increase on tuition fees in 2019, while sister school Brisbane Girls Grammar’s fees will increase by 3.5 per cent to $25,782 in 2020.
Brisbane Grammar School headmaster Anthony Micallef said the fees were all-inclusive and provided access to high-quality teachers, innovative teaching practices and wellbeing programs.
“The board strives to contain fee levels through careful long-term financial management and supports student diversity through a needs-based bursary program that assists over 50 boys,” he said.
“Brisbane Grammar School is non-selective and delivers the best academic outcomes in the state while educating boys to become thoughtful and confident men of character who contribute to their communities.”
The Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association’s Brisbane Boys’ College will raise its fees 3.5 per cent to $24,116, and sister school Somerville House will up its fees 3 per cent to $23,890.
Independent Schools Queensland executive director David Robertson said independent school boards had been mindful of the current economic conditions, as well as the toll the drought was taking on many Queensland families, directly and indirectly.
“Independent school boards carefully consider the capacity of their parents to absorb even small increases in tuition fees when household budgets are under pressure from low wages growth and rising living costs,” Mr Robertson said.
“Schools take a range of different approaches to support families with their education budget planning.
“These include offering scholarships and bursaries, providing sibling discounts and discounts for fees paid in full at the start of the year, as well as developing all-inclusive fee packages and providing payment plans.”
PMSA chief executive Sharon Callister said the association’s schools had increased fees in the range of 3-3.5 per cent, which covered increased school operating costs and was slightly lower “than the education component of CPI”.
“Our schools offer families various discounts, including discounts for upfront payments and discounts for siblings at the same or other PMSA schools, scholarships and flexible payment options,” she said.
Prestigious boarding schools Stuartholme and St Margaret’s have frozen their boarding fees at 2019 levels, and Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) is offering fee support to help students from regional and rural areas.
St Margaret’s School principal Ros Curtis said that the increase was as minimal as possible at 3 per cent, “in recognition of the currently very difficult conditions being experienced by our rural boarding families”.
“Out of some 185 boarders this year, over 60 per cent are from rural Australia, many have been affected by drought to some degree and some by the floods earlier in the year in north-west Queensland,” she said.
“In addition to freezing boarding fees next year, some severely affected families were the recipients of boarding bursaries in 2019.
“Six current day families have banded together in a donor circle committing to an ongoing contribution to ensure boarding students have the means and opportunity to finish their education … and two past students have established bursaries, which are helping to keep current students enrolled at St Margaret’s in the face of financial hardship due to drought.”
Matthew Flinders Anglican College principal Stuart Meade said the college was mindful of the economic situation that impacts on parents’ capacity to pay independent school fees, and therefore kept the increase to a minimum.
“The fee increase for 2020 is 2.7 per cent, which maintains the trend of lower than education CPI increases,” he said.
Mr Meade said the college fees included tuition, camps, and library resources.
“The college has a transparent levy structure that reflects the true costs of these items and charges,” he said.
“It is important to note that other schools may include items covered in the Flinders Tuition Fees in their levies.
“We encourage families to consider the total school fee when comparing schools.”
Originally published as Brisbane private school fee hike nearly triple inflation