Independent school fees up

Updated: Business News' Independent Schools list. 

Almost all of Western Australia’s independent schools have increased their fees and enrolled slightly more students than last year, according to Business News’ Book of Lists research.

The Independent Schools list shows only three schools have not increased fees for students in some years – Wesley College, Newman College and Peter Moyes Anglican Community School.

This contrasted with the largest increase, at John XXIII College, which charged 59 per cent higher fees for its kindergarten students this year, taking its fees to $4,302 this year.

The most expensive fees for boys are at Christ Church Grammar School, which charges $22,820 for its year seven to 12 students, $1,300 more than last year, and Scotch College, which charges $22,640 for year eight to 12 students, an increase of $1,572 from last year.

The most expensive fees for girls are at Methodist Ladies College which charges $22,950 for year 10-12 students, an increase of $1,050 from last year, St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls, which charges $21,620 for year seven to 12 students, and St Mary’s Anglican Girls School, which charges $20,060 for year 11-12 students.

Enrolment figures have grown gradually at most schools.

St Stephen’s School, which has been the largest for nine years, has grown from 1,908 then to 2,742 today.

The Australian Islamic College in Kewdale has experienced the most enrolment change, going from a high of 1,951 students 10 years ago, when it topped the list, to 1,062 three years ago and slightly rising to 1,236 today.

There are a number of prominent businessmen serving as chairman on school boards, including Wesfarmers chief executive Richard Goyder at Scotch College, recently appointed Hotchkin Hanley partner Mark Hemery at Hale School, Integrated Group chief executive Christopher Sutherland at Trinity College, BHP Billiton vice president external affairs WA Julius Matthys at John XXIII College and former RAC president Dennis Banks at Aquinas College.