Private school education costs as much as buying a small flat

PARENTS are splashing hundreds of thousands of dollars on private school education — enough for a small flat.

Victoria’s most expensive school is ­Geelong Grammar.

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PARENTS are splashing hundreds of thousands of dollars on private school education — enough for a small flat.

A Herald Sun analysis has found elite schools charge as much as $38,000 a year. Victoria’s most expensive school is ­Geelong Grammar.

The cost of a complete education across the 13 years has topped $375,000 at some schools, including Mt Scopus Memorial College and Melbourne Girls Grammar.

Monash University education expert Dr David Zyngier said despite the hefty price tag, some parents opted to send their children to private primary school to ensure they secured a spot in later years.

“But a child’s results in year 12 have to be attributed to the fantastic teachers they had in early education,” he said. “It is in primary school where children learn to read and write. That sets them up for life.”

Dr Zyngier’s research has found that VCE results were comparable among private and public schools of similar socio-educational advantage.

“If parents were just looking for academic benefit, they could spend their money more wisely on private tutors.”

Private school consultant Paul O’Shannassy, from Regent Consultancy, said parents often thought independent schools provided good results, smaller classes, better sport opportunities and a more structured education.

“Parents perceive the quality of teaching is better and that has to do with more teacher accountability,” he said.

An Independent Schools Victoria survey of almost 10,000 parents found “sound moral values, beliefs and attitudes” was the top reason parents chose a private school.

Academic results ranked only eighth.

SCHOOL — PREP — YEAR 12 — TOTAL

Mt Scopus Memorial College — $21,480 — $35,930 — $375,370

Melbourne Girls Grammar — $22,208 — $33,996 — $375,208

Melbourne Grammar — $25,400 — $31,680 — $366,260

Lauriston Girls’ School — $21,212 — $32,228 — $357,912

St Michael’s Grammar — $17,600 — $30,168 — $345,460

Korowa Anglican Girls’ School — $16,400 — $32,5600 — $342,300

Haileybury — $16,795 — $29,830 — $333,685

Methodist Ladies’ College — $18,090 — $30,810 — $333,090

Presbyterian Ladies’ College — $17,436 — $30,764 — $327,880

Xavier — $18,350 — $28,570 — $311,380

Fintona Girls’ College — $16,902 — $28,728 — $303,266

St Kevin’s — $16,520 — $18,820 — $233,160

* based on 2017 fees, including security, technology and resources levies

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@moniquehore