The amount Tasmanian parents are forking out for schools revealed

We reveal how much it costs to send your kids to schools in Tasmania. Find your child’s school in our interactive or compare the price of others in your area.

TASMANIA’S top 10 most expensive schools were all independent, with parents wanting to send their kids to the state’s top school having to fork out more than $15,000 a year, tightly held school statistics reveal.

An independent analysis of school financial records from the MySchool website have shown how much schools are making from fees, charges and parental contributions.

SEARCH AND COMPARE ALL TASMANIAN SCHOOLS’ STUDENT-TEACHER RATIOS

Tasmania’s most expensive school was The Friends’ School in North Hobart where the average amount parents had to fork out in fees, charges and contributions in 2017 — the most recent data available — was $15,432 per child.

Parents of children at Scotch Oakburn College in Newstead had to fork out $14,114 in 2017 for fees, charges and contributions.

The third most expensive Tasmanian school was The Hutchins School in Sandy Bay, with an average of $13,998.

The school with the fourth highest parental contributions was St Michael’s Collegiate School in Hobart where the average contribution was $13,360.

Rounding out the top five were the Launceston Church Grammar School at $13,085 per year and Fahan at $12,529.

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Independent Schools Tasmania executive director Tony Crehan said parents pay school fees in order to be able to send their child to a school of their choice, not directed to the nearest school to their home.

“In doing so they get to choose a school whose values and educational ethos match those of the family,” he said.

“They can be sure the individual needs of their child will be recognised and met by the school, in academic and vocational learning, student wellbeing and pastoral care.

“They can rely on the fact that independent schools depend on satisfied parents for their survival and must always strive for excellence to maintain enrolments.”

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The North West’s most expensive school was Marist Regional College in Burnie where the

average amount parents had to fork out in fees, charges and contributions in 2017 was $3661.

The most expensive Catholic school was St Virgil’s College at $4926 and the most expensive government school was Taroona High School at $964.

In a statement, Tasmanian Catholic Education, who has over 16,000 students enrolled in its 38 schools and colleges, said their fees were “reflective of the community they serve and capacity to pay the fees” as measured by socio-economic Status scores.

“Tasmanian Catholic schools have the lowest average school fees as compared to other Catholic schools in other States and Territories,” the statement read.

“Catholic schools provide for the whole person — be that academic, spiritual, social, emotional and physical, to provide a rounded education.”

Unsurprisingly, the state’s cheapest schools were all government schools, including five listed as not having an fees, charges or parental contributions.

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Top 10 Tasmanian schools with the highest fees, charges and parental contributions (per student):

The Friends’ School — $15,432

Scotch Oakburn College — $14,114

The Hutchins School — $13,998

St Michael’s Collegiate School — $13,360

Launceston Church Grammar School — $13,085

Fahan School — $12,529

Tarremah Steiner School — $7278

Launceston Preparatory School — $7010

The Cottage School — $6415

Oakwood School — $5491