Families living in suburbs along the Swan River and in Perth’s western suburbs are more likely to send their children to a private high school, while those living in the southeast are the least likely.
An analysis of the latest census data has revealed that Peppermint Grove had the highest private school attendance rate for high school students at nearly 95 per cent.
Just over 6 per cent of those students were enrolled at a Catholic school, while 3 per cent, or just eight students, were enrolled at a public school.
More than 88 per cent were at enrolled at independent schools, with many of the higher-fee options located around the same area.
The census asked people where they lived and what type of school they sent their children to, but not the location of the school.
Other western suburbs to top the list, including City Beach and Mosman Park, also recorded the majority of secondary enrolments in independent schools.
Across the rest of Perth, three suburbs grouped together in the city’s north – Iluka, Burns Beach and Kallaroo – were also high on the list for private school enrolments, as well as the suburbs of Darlington and Helena Valley.
These areas had a more even distribution between enrolments in Catholic and independent schools – Catholic schools typically have lower fees than their counterparts.
Just over 41 per cent of secondary students in WA attend a private school in total.
Meanwhile, a cluster of suburbs in the south– Willetton, Lynwood, Shelley and Riverton – recorded the lowest private school enrolments in the metropolitan area, well under the state average.
These riverside suburbs go against the trend of their surrounding suburbss, largely down to belonging to the catchment areas of two in-demand public schools – Willetton Senior High School and Rossmoyne Senior High School.
Edith Cowan University School of Education associate professor Brad Gobby said the high level of private school enrolments in Perth’s western suburbs “bears out the socio-economic divide in educational access and opportunity”.
“In Australia, seventy per cent of independent school enrolments are drawn from the top half,” he said.
“Burns Beach, for example, has a high proportion of private school enrolments but it is also the least disadvantaged suburb in the City of Joondalup.
“Enrolment decisions can be shaped by financial cost, family tradition, access, curriculum offerings and reputation, with private schools using their own selection practices.“
On the flip side, he said Willetton’s decades long reputation as a high performer in ATAR results continued to attract local families and students.
Since the 2021 census, the proportion of students enrolling in non-government schools has continued to increase faster than enrolments at public schools.
Once students reach year 7, parents are increasingly likely to send their children to private schools.
Over the five years to 2024, independent schools recorded the largest increase in enrolments, up 18.5 per cent, Australia Bureau of Statistics data shows.
Enrolments at Catholic schools rose 6.6 per cent, while government enrolments were up just 1 per cent.
Association of Independent Schools of WA executive director Chris Massey said it was the fastest-growing school sector in the state, with a 4 per cent enrolment increase between 2022 and 2023.
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