Territory’s most expensive independent schools’ fees listed from highest to lowest
Charging families up to $15,000 per child each year, we examine the costs of the Territory’s most expensive independent schools. We reveal the highest and lowest fees and show what you get for the money.
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WITH some fees almost reaching $15,000 a year, Territory families are coughing up hefty sums to send their children to the most expensive independent schools.
According to base rates, Essington School in Rapid Creek remains the most expensive out of the nine NT contenders at $12,830, for a Year 12 day student.
However, when the annual boarding cost for a single Year 12 student are factored in, it is Haileybury that takes the cake with an annual fee of $29,840.
Both St Johns Catholic College and St Phillip’s College also offer boarding options for their students at $29,802 and $23,000 respectively.
These costs do not include enrolment fees, entrance fees, or uniform – which can be a massive hit to the bank account by itself.
Meanwhile, O’Loughlin Catholic College comes in as the cheapest of the Territory's independent schools at only $4728 a year per year 12 student.
Here is the total cost for a Year 12 student at Northern Territory’s independent schools.
Essington School: $12,830
Principal: Karen Rohrs
![Year 12 exam preview with the school captains of Essington Sebastian Lodge, Frances Cruichank, April Rummery Lamb [front], and Liam Carpenter. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/eaa48714bdf8ce9b989edb5f66cf73ab?width=650)
Essington School is located in Rapid Creek, and its “guided by local expertise and global thinking”.
Essington School hosts 811 students across Transition to Year 12 with boys making up 52 per cent of the cohort.
With an attendance rate of 93 per cent Essington’s website claims to be “Darwin’s top independent private school”.
“Powered by the pioneering spirit of the Northern Territory for over 30 years, our vision is to create an inspiring environment that fuels creativity and imagination, motivates students to be the best that they can be and where everyone can belong,” the site reads.
Essington’s Year 9 students performed the highest in last year’s NAPLAN out of NT’s independent schools – sitting above the national average.
Haileybury Rendall School: $11,615
Principal: Andrew McGregor
Haileybury claims to be Australia’s most internationally engaged school with campuses located in the Northern Territory, Victoria and Tianjin, China.
“Developing and maintaining a strong academic culture is a top priority. We are fortunate to be able to use the expertise of Haileybury as a base for shaping our educational pathways,” the site reads.
Through the Haileybury Rendall School Health and Wellbeing Framework, each year level accesses learning programs tailored to their age and stage of development that are focused on the social-emotional, physical and cultural needs of all students.
Despite Haileybury’s high tuition fee, the school’s Year 9 students only performed in-line with the national average in the 2021 NAPLAN.
Their Berrimah campus has 743 students from Transition to Year 12 with 56 per cent of the cohort being females.
St Philip’s College: $10,015
Principal: Roger Herbert
Located in Alice Springs, St Philip’s College is a Uniting Church co-educational boarding and day school for students in Years 7–12.
In 1945 Reverend Harry Griffiths with his wife established Griffiths House a home for students from all over the Outback.
Since then the school has expanded and now hosts 596 students.
The College has a vibrant Performing Arts program including a range of extra-curricular activities after school and at lunchtimes.
For students who are not artistically inclined, St Philip’s College has a Sports Academy where
students commit to a training program before and after school twice a week during term time.
“Access to the Sports Academy provides students with an opportunity to not only develop their skills in basketball, volleyball and mountain biking but the training will also maintain or improve their physical health and wellbeing,” the website reads.
Out of the top three most expensive schools, St Philip’s College has the lowest attendance rate at 89 per cent.
Palmerston Christian School: $8303
Principal: Ken McAllister
Palmerston Christian School is a campus of NT Christian Schools and is situated on three hectares of natural and landscaped gardens five minutes from the heart of Palmerston.
Founded in 1988, Palmerston Christian School has now grown to over 300 students.
Its website states the school serves “families through the process of nurturing and educating children in an environment where Christ is central; thereby enabling them to be the people that God has called them to be”.
During the 2021 NAPLAN, Year 9 students fell below the national average.
Good Shepherd Lutheran College: $6565
Principal: Rachel Boyce
Good Shepherd Lutheran College is a co-educational independent college operated by the Lutheran Church of Australia.
Good Shepherd Lutheran College became the fourth Lutheran School in the Northern Territory when it was founded in 1988.
The college now hosts 1017 students from Transition to Year 12 and maintains an attendance rate of 91 per cent.
In 2021 there were 51 students in the Year 12 cohort, 50 of whom completed their NTCET.
“The Senior Years program offers students a holistic approach with the potential to
specialise, which these destination results illustrate clearly. If students have an interest or
passion in an area, they can find the support and the pathway at Good Shepherd,” their site reads.
Marrara Christian College: $6403
Principal: Joel van Bentum
Marrara Christian College is one of the three schools under the NT Christian college banner.
Out of all the schools on this list, Marrara has the highest amount of language diversity with 36 per cent of the cohort coming from a non-English speaking background.
According to Marrara Christian College’s website, the school is “committed to providing high-quality Christian education, training and care for all students.”
“Marrara Christian College seeks to be a learning community where parents and staff partner together, and where students are nurtured through a loving, Biblically based school curriculum to build their faith, character and desire to serve.”
Camps are an integral part of the schools curriculum and focus on building resilience and raising “Godly young men and women who know their value, potential and capabilities”.
“Camps significantly contribute towards the growth of a student in these areas and, as such, are compulsory to attend. Parent volunteers are an integral part of the success of these camps,” the site reads.
Mary MacKillop Catholic College: $5770
Principal: Chris Gabbett
Taking in students from Years 7-12, Mary Mackillop Catholic College is home to 751 students.
The school website states students experience an “array of opportunity in sport, instrumental music programs, and cultural experiences”.
Despite this, Mackillop has one of the lowest attendance rates on this list at 87 per cent.
“Our highly qualified, passionate and experienced teachers create a place of care, with staff committed to the growth and development of the whole child,” the site reads.
“Mary MacKillop Catholic College offers an educational opportunity for students from Prep to Year 12.
“Every child will thrive in our modern, vibrant and innovative learning spaces, enjoying an all-inclusive environment and an atmosphere that celebrates life, love and learning.”
Mary Mackillop Catholic College incorporates a Student Wellbeing Framework to “facilitate high standards of behaviour, so that the learning and teaching in our school can be effective and students can participate positively within our school community”.
St John’s Catholic Senior College: $4,786
Principal: Cameron Hughes
Established as a boys’ school by the Bishop of Darwin in 1960, St John’s Catholic College is the smallest cohort out of the Territory’s independent schools with only 208 students.
Following the devastation caused by Cyclone Tracey in 1974, the school became co-educational and in the following years many new buildings including a library and auditorium were constructed.
The College – located across two campuses – is connected by a walkway over the Darwin Botanical Gardens and has become known for its sporting alumni including Richmond player Maurice Rioli.
The school’s Year 9 students performed well below the national average in Reading, Spelling, and Numeracy in the 2021 NAPLAN.
O’Loughlin Catholic College: $4728
Principal: Rhett Bowden
O’Loughlin Catholic College is located in Darwin’s northern suburbs only five minutes from the Darwin Airport and the new housing developments in the suburbs of Lyons and Muirhead.
Among the 588 enrolments at the college, 21 per cent come from a non-English speaking background.
O’Loughlin Catholic College participates in competitions such as the Computational Algorithmic Thinking Test and the Australian Mathematics Competition, which emphasise
problem solving, creativity and develop students’ interest in the learning of mathematics.
However, the school’s Year 9 students only scored in-line with the national average for numeracy in last year’s NAPLAN.
The school prides itself on three values, “hope, faith and love” and aims to develop a welcoming school community built on respectful relationships.
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