Parents at some Sydney private schools will pay more than $40,000 for their child's year 12 education this year, with fees rising almost $10,000 in seven years despite increased federal government funding for independent schools.
Additional technology levies at SCEGGS Darlinghurst and The King's School have pushed final-year fees over $40,000 for the first time.
SCEGGS is charging a record $39,700 for year 12 tuition but a compulsory $780 technology fee raises the total cost to $40,480, which is $9979 more than fees in 2013.
The King's School in Parramatta will charge $40,714 for year 12 after additional technology and meal fees are included, an increase of $11,809 on raw fees seven years ago.
The Scots College ($39,180) and Cranbrook ($38,862) in Bellevue Hill absorb additional levies in their fees.
Federal government funding per student for King's is set to rise by 50 per cent of its 2017 levels by 2027 under the 'Gonski 2.0' scheme, a total of $19.3 million. Boys' private schools Newington College ($35,271) and Knox Grammar School ($34,770) are also receiving additional federal government funding under the scheme.
"This is a very small and specific group [of schools], but certainly the increasing government subsidisation has resulted in an extraordinary increase in the standard of their facilities and plans," Ms Proctor said. "You have to question whether it’s necessary for these schools to look like five-star hotels."
Many of Sydney's most expensive private schools are now charging $10,000 more for year 12 tuition than they did seven years ago. A sample of 14 high-fee schools shows an average fee increase of 31 per cent since 2013.
Helen Proctor, an education professor at the University of Sydney, said it was "paradoxical" that school fees had risen alongside government subsidies. "One of the arguments for subsidising private schools is to keep them affordable, and yet at this very top level the fees keep going up," she said.
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