Elite private schools to receive nearly half a billion dollars more than they should in funding

Victoria’s wealthiest schools will share in nearly half a billion dollars more than they should, leaving state schools desperately short of funds. See who will get the biggest cash splash.

Haileybury will rake in more than $20 million each than the funding models allow, new Senate Estimates figures show. Picture: David Geraghty

Victoria’s elite private schools are set to receive almost half a billion dollars more than they should over the next six years, analysis shows.

The apparent over-funding of schools such as Ivanhoe Grammar, PEGS and Haileybury College will allow some to rake in more than $20m more than the funding models allow, Senate Estimates figures show.

Analysis by Trevor Cobbold from the Save Our Schools group shows the Catholic system will get $225m and independent schools $285m from 2022 to 2028.

A new funding model will be in place by 2029, but in the meantime 33 wealthy schools with the most students from high socio-economic backgrounds will share in $224m.

Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School will see the most funding. Picture: Mark Stewart

The biggest windfall will be for Penleigh and Essendon Grammar, which will get $23.4m, followed by Haileybury ($22m) and Ivanhoe Grammar ($10m).

In comparison, Mr Cobbold says, state schools are funded at only 85 per cent of their allocations, leaving many desperately short of funds.

Ecumenical Schools Australia’s 17 Victorian schools will receive $86m more than the funding model allocates.

Its general manager Stephen Higgs said an orderly transition was needed “to a fair needs-based funding model for all schools, including government schools”.

“There is, however, a need for greater fairness than the current funding model provides for many regional and outer-metropolitan schools,” he said.

Independent Schools Victoria’s Michelle Green said: “Some of the schools which Mr Cobbold describes as wealthy and ‘over-funded’ cater for the needs of disadvantaged students and others who are not catered for in conventional schools.”

The Catholic Education Commission of Victoria’s Jim Miles said Save Our Schools was “cherrypicking whatever data and assumptions it can find to support its argument”.

“The funding support from the Australian government ­ensures that Catholic schools remain an affordable choice for the growing number of families,” he said.

Mr Cobbold said he hoped the Labor Party would stand up for public schools but was concerned it had retreated from promises to fully fund public schools.

A separate report from the Australian Education Union claims the Morrison Government has awarded private schools more than $10bn of extra funding in its term while leaving 99 per cent of public schools underfunded.