REVEALED: Coast school spending most on infrastructure

A Sunshine Coast school’s biggest upgrade to date could be behind the large amount of money it spent on capital expenditure.

SPEND IT: Sunshine Coast Grammar School has spent more on capital expenditure than any other school in the region. Photo: File

A SUNSHINE Coast school’s biggest upgrade to date on its aquatic centre could be behind the large amount of money it spent on capital expenditure.

An independent analysis of school financial records from the MySchool website has shown the cash school’s have splashed on capital projects over the 2015, 2016 and 2017 financial years.

The figures revealed Sunshine Coast Grammar School spent $15.1 million in the category, more than any other school in the region.

The Daily understands the large figure could be attributed to the Forest Glen school’s update of the aquatic centre that officially opened last year.

The centre boasts world-class facilities including a 10-lane, 50m FINA-certified, heated swimming pool, an enclosed 17m learn-to-swim pool, undercover grandstand seating for 700 visitors, private function area and a cafe.

These Grammar students were the first to jump into the pool in the newly built aquatic centre in 2017. Photo: John McCutcheon

Over the same three-year period, St Andrew’s Anglican College and Matthew Flinders Anglican College spent $14.9 million and $14.6 million respectively on capital expenditure.

The MySchool data analysis also revealed the massive amount of money some schools have received from governments in the Sunshine Coast region.

Chancellor State College, in Sippy Downs, received more money from government coffers than any other school in the region, receiving $90.3 million over the three most recently available years.

Meridian State College received the second highest amount of state and federal government funding with $85.6 million.

Mountain Creek State High School was the third highest in the region receiving $85.6 million over the three year period.

Blackall Range Independent School in Kureelpa received the most government funding per student of any school in the Sunshine Coast region. The school, which had 54 students in 2017, received $24,339 in government funding for each child.

Kenilworth State Community College in Kenilworth received $18,944 for each of its 54 students in 2017, the Sunshine Coast region’s second highest funding per student.

Check out below how other Sunshine Coast schools ranked:

Region’s most funded schools:

Chancellor State College: $90.3 million

Meridian State College: $85.6 million

Mountain Creek State High School: $67.1 million

Nambour State College: $61.8 million

Kawana Waters State College: $56.5 million

Noosa District State High School: $53.8 million

Maroochydore State High School: $46.9 million

Sunshine Beach State High School: $46.6 million

Unity College: $44.7 million

Caloundra State High School: $43.4 million

Region’s least funded schools:

Eudlo State School: $2.9 million

Kenilworth State Community College: $2 million

Blackall Range Independent School: $3.4 million

Federal State School: $3.5 million

Conondale State School: $3.6 million

The River School: $4.2 million

Beerburrum State School: $4.6 million

Mount Kilcoy State School: $4.6 million

Montville State School: $4.7 million

Cooran State School: $5.5 million

Region’s schools with the highest capital expenditure:

Sunshine Coast Grammar School: $15.1 million

St Andrew’s Anglican College: $14.9 million

Matthew Flinders Anglican College: $14.6 million

Immanuel Lutheran College: $9.8 million

Nambour Christian College: $9.6 million

Glasshouse Christian College: $9.4 million

Meridian State College: $8.1 million

Caloundra City Private School: $6.4 million

Stella Maris School: $5.7 million

Pacific Lutheran College: $5.2 million

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