St Leonard’s College and Peninsula Grammar leaders among highest-paid

The millions of dollars spent on salaries for the top jobs at Victoria’s private schools are now being revealed. These are some of the leaders taking home huge pay packets.

Five school leaders at Peninsula Grammar shared in $1.67m in 2022.

Millions of dollars more spent on private school leaders’ salaries can be revealed, with additional schools lodging their financial documents for 2022.

These include St Leonard’s College, which has 16 managers sharing $3.4m – an average of $216,000 each and Peninsula Grammar which is spending an average of $344,000 on each of its five leaders.

For the first time ever, the budget allocated to the senior staff of Victoria’s private schools can be disclosed.

The Herald Sun revealed recently that a range of schools were spending millions at schools such as Camberwell Girls Grammar, which has an average senior leadership salary of $245,000.

The data doesn’t separately list principal salaries, which can reach packages of more than $750,000 and one million for the top schools. Smaller schools pay around $300,000. State school principals in Victoria will reach $238,000 by 2025.

The disclosures come amid the state government’s controversial payroll tax, which is expected to lead to schools with average fees of more than $10,000 pay between $800,000 and $7m in taxes from mid next year.

St Leonard’s College

St Leonard's College principal Peter Clague.

This coeducational independent college in Brighton East is one of Melbourne’s leading schools. Its 2022 financial statements show it has 16 senior leaders sharing $3.4m, led by principal Peter Clague. In 2021 the amount spent on senior leaders was $4.2m. The school posted an income of $60m in 2022 and has employee expenses of $35m. St Leonard’s has $145m in assets – mainly grounds and buildings – and in 2022 had a surplus of $7.7m. Its fees reach $35,000 in year 12, making it subject to the payroll tax.

Camberwell Grammar

Camberwell Grammar headmaster Dr Paul Hicks.

The Anglican independent boys’ school in leafy Canterbury paid $2.8m in 2022 to 11 key school personnel – an average of $258,000 each. The senior management team is led by principal Dr Paul Hicks. In 2021, the school paid $2.6m to ten leaders. The latest financial statements also show the school posted a small surplus in 2022 of $520,000 – a turnaround following a deficit of $3.4m in 2021. The school has $52m in revenue, employee expense of $33m and receives $6.2m in government grants. Its total land and buildings on Mont Albert Rd are worth $133m. Year 12 students pay up to $37,000, making the school subject to the payroll tax.

Peninsula Grammar

Peninsula Grammar principal Stuart Johnston.

Formerly known as The Peninsula School, Peninsula Grammar is an independent coeducational Anglican school in Mount Eliza. The school has five leaders sharing $1.67m – an average of $334,000 each. This is up from the $1.36m senior wages bill in 2021. The school’s principal is Stuart Johnston and other senior leaders include Karen Luu, Andrew Seeckts and Steven Church.

The fees in the senior school average $30,000 a year, making it subject to the payroll tax. The school had an income in 2022 of $45m, administrative expenses of $6m and employee expenses of $24m. It has just posted a deficit of $2.4m. The school, spread on lush grounds on the Mornington Peninsula, has total assets of $181m, and gets $10m a year from the government, including $1.5m from the state and $8.9m from the federal government

St Bede’s College

St Bede's College principal Deborah Frizza.

St Bede’s College in Mentone and Bentleigh East has three senior leaders sharing $852,570 – up from $626,000 in 2021.

The average per leader in 2022 was $284,000, led by principal Deborah Frizza.

The school had an annual income in 2022 of $38m, expenses of $36m and a surplus of $2.4m. It has total assets of $55m, and attracts $18m in Commonwealth grants and $4m in state grants per year. Its annual fees in year 12 do not exceed $9000, making it unlikely to be subject to the payroll tax.

St Columba’s College

St Columba's College principal Rita Grima.

The Catholic girls’ school in Essendon has two senior leaders sharing $473,505, with an average of $236,000. The school’s principal is Rita Grima, who recently spoke out in opposition to the planned payroll tax. The school had an annual income of $21m in 2022, total expenses of $20m and a surplus of $993,000. Its total assets of $39m include its heritage grounds and buildings. In 2023 the school’s fees in year 12 were $11,050, putting it on the cusp of having to pay the payroll tax.

Catholic Ladies College

Catholic Ladies’ College principal Stephanie Evans.

The up-market Catholic girls’ school on sprawling grounds in Eltham has three senior leaders sharing $653,375, which averages out to $217,000 per person. The principal is Stefanie Evans who has been at the school since she started in 1989 as first-year teacher. The school has income of $17m and total expenses of $17m, leading to a narrow surplus of $288,000. The tuition fees for the school are $11,000 in years 9 to 12, putting it on the cusp of having to pay the payroll tax.