Public schools lose almost 2000 students as Hunter parents go independent

The Advertiser

2 days ago

in
KYLIE Wales is not a religious person, but when it came time for her daughter to move schools, she picked a faith-affiliated option.
She's one of many parents making the jump to independent education, as Catholic and public schools across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter face increasing competition and dwindling enrolments.
Ms Wales said her daughter Charlotte, in Year Two, went to a government school for the first few years, but it just wasn't a great fit.
"We had her in public school, and she was part of the COVID-19 era," she said.
"We had noticed that our daughter wasn't progressing like we would have hoped and thought."
A new Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AINSW) report shows a growing shift in parents' preferences from 2019 to 2024.
Public schools lost a combined 1,874 students between 2019 and 2024, down 470 students in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 1,377 in the Hunter Valley.
Through friends who had made a similar move, the Wales' decided to check out Fletcher independent school, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College.
"We were just blown away with the tour around the school, the facilities, and the genuine vibe," she said.
"Our daughter just gelled straight away."
Ms Wales said Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College was able to better communicate what was going on at school and said it was an "absolute shame" public schools were not funded as well as they should be.
Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos maintained NSW public schools offer a world-class education, and said the state government has made "record investment" into ensuring children have access to opportunities.
"We are building new and expanded schools in growing regional communities that the former Liberal and National government failed to plan for, and delivering 49 new fee-free public preschools into regional areas where they are needed most," she said.
"We have also invested in significant upgrades to facilities in existing schools like science labs, creative spaces and performance facilities, delivering on Deputy Premier Prue Car's commitment to expand access to High Potential and Gifted education opportunities to every public school."
The state government invested $1.4 billion in rural and regional schools in the 2024-25 Budget.
The 2025-26 Budget includes $2.1 billion over the next four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across regional NSW, including new schools in Medowie and Huntlee.
A NSW Department of Education spokeswoman said the state government is also investing $100 million in upgrades at 33 public high schools, including Muswellbrook High School and Lake Macquarie High School.
"These enhancements will enable the schools to deliver High Potential and Gifted Education programs and opportunities that extend student learning across a range of subjects, as part of the government's broader commitment to expand gifted education across every public school," she said.
"With the NSW government investment to address the teacher shortage crisis, including scrapping the wages cap, delivering a historic pay rise for teachers, reducing excessive administration workload, and making thousands of teachers permanent, schools in regional NSW started the 2025 school year with 47 per cent fewer vacancies than the same time in 2023."
According to the AINSW report, despite having fewer schools than the public sector, independent schools gained more enrolments than any other sector in 25 out of 28 statistical areas.
In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, independent schools saw a 4.3 per cent average annual growth, and in the Hunter Valley, the growth was 4.5 per cent from 2019 to 2024.
Ms Wales said she felt Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College offered more extracurricular activities and excursions, and said the learning support, pastoral care and communication with parents were a good fit for her family.
"It was a smaller school, and that was something that we wanted access to," she said.
"We have access to a system where you get photos of what's happening at the school, and their timetable," she said.
"For me, it was the ability to reach out to teachers as well, so it felt like it could be a joint learning journey."
In NSW, there are 301 faith-based independent schools, representing 15 different religions and 129 non-faith schools.
AINSW chief executive Margery Evans said the independent sector gives families a diverse choice of schools.
"There are several different faiths represented in the sector, as well as non-faith schools based on a philosophical approach such as Steiner schools or The Nature School," she said.
Independent schools set their own fees, and the median fee charged is less than $6000 each year.
Ms Evans said independent schools try to keep costs down, understanding parents make sacrifices to give their children an education that reflects their values and meets their child's needs.
"Independent schools have more freedom to provide an education that reflects different aspects of Australia's diverse faiths and cultures," she said.
"There is literally an independent school to suit every family."
Enrolments at Catholic schools in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have dropped by an average of 0.2 per cent per year, while enrolments in independent schools grew at an average of 4.3 per cent.
Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle director Jaqueline Wilkinson said the natural fluctuation is "entirely normal".
"A 0.2 per cent annual shift reflects the natural ebb and flow that occurs across all school sectors over time," she said.
"In contrast, Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has seen consistent growth in regional areas, particularly the Hunter Valley, which aligns with population growth and increasing demand for affordable, high-quality Catholic education."
Despite an overall increase in students identifying as "no religion" across all NSW schools, the Catholic sector has seen a decrease in students identifying with the Catholic faith from 78 per cent in 2011 to 67 per cent in 2021.
In the Hunter Valley, Catholic enrolments have risen by 1,608 students since 2019, an average growth of 3.5 per cent annually.
Ms Wilkinson put the swell down to significant investments in schools like Rosary Park Primary at Branxton, St Bede's Catholic College at Chisholm and others in Maitland and Lochinvar.
"These investments have expanded our capacity and enabled more than 2,000 students to access a Catholic education in the Maitland LGA," she said.
"Enrolment decisions are influenced by a wide range of local and personal factors.
"While some trends may appear in the data, interpreting them in a meaningful way is often speculative."
Mr Wilkinson said many families choose schools that reflect their values and priorities, and Catholic education continues to resonate with those "seeking a strong sense of community and purpose".
in
KYLIE Wales is not a religious person, but when it came time for her daughter to move schools, she picked a faith-affiliated option.
She's one of many parents making the jump to independent education, as Catholic and public schools across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter face increasing competition and dwindling enrolments.
Ms Wales said her daughter Charlotte, in Year Two, went to a government school for the first few years, but it just wasn't a great fit.
"We had her in public school, and she was part of the COVID-19 era," she said.
"We had noticed that our daughter wasn't progressing like we would have hoped and thought."
A new Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AINSW) report shows a growing shift in parents' preferences from 2019 to 2024.
Public schools lost a combined 1,874 students between 2019 and 2024, down 470 students in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 1,377 in the Hunter Valley.
Through friends who had made a similar move, the Wales' decided to check out Fletcher independent school, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College.
"We were just blown away with the tour around the school, the facilities, and the genuine vibe," she said.
"Our daughter just gelled straight away."
Ms Wales said Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College was able to better communicate what was going on at school and said it was an "absolute shame" public schools were not funded as well as they should be.
Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos maintained NSW public schools offer a world-class education, and said the state government has made "record investment" into ensuring children have access to opportunities.
"We are building new and expanded schools in growing regional communities that the former Liberal and National government failed to plan for, and delivering 49 new fee-free public preschools into regional areas where they are needed most," she said.
"We have also invested in significant upgrades to facilities in existing schools like science labs, creative spaces and performance facilities, delivering on Deputy Premier Prue Car's commitment to expand access to High Potential and Gifted education opportunities to every public school."
The state government invested $1.4 billion in rural and regional schools in the 2024-25 Budget.
The 2025-26 Budget includes $2.1 billion over the next four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across regional NSW, including new schools in Medowie and Huntlee.
A NSW Department of Education spokeswoman said the state government is also investing $100 million in upgrades at 33 public high schools, including Muswellbrook High School and Lake Macquarie High School.
"These enhancements will enable the schools to deliver High Potential and Gifted Education programs and opportunities that extend student learning across a range of subjects, as part of the government's broader commitment to expand gifted education across every public school," she said.
"With the NSW government investment to address the teacher shortage crisis, including scrapping the wages cap, delivering a historic pay rise for teachers, reducing excessive administration workload, and making thousands of teachers permanent, schools in regional NSW started the 2025 school year with 47 per cent fewer vacancies than the same time in 2023."
According to the AINSW report, despite having fewer schools than the public sector, independent schools gained more enrolments than any other sector in 25 out of 28 statistical areas.
In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, independent schools saw a 4.3 per cent average annual growth, and in the Hunter Valley, the growth was 4.5 per cent from 2019 to 2024.
Ms Wales said she felt Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College offered more extracurricular activities and excursions, and said the learning support, pastoral care and communication with parents were a good fit for her family.
"It was a smaller school, and that was something that we wanted access to," she said.
"We have access to a system where you get photos of what's happening at the school, and their timetable," she said.
"For me, it was the ability to reach out to teachers as well, so it felt like it could be a joint learning journey."
In NSW, there are 301 faith-based independent schools, representing 15 different religions and 129 non-faith schools.
AINSW chief executive Margery Evans said the independent sector gives families a diverse choice of schools.
"There are several different faiths represented in the sector, as well as non-faith schools based on a philosophical approach such as Steiner schools or The Nature School," she said.
Independent schools set their own fees, and the median fee charged is less than $6000 each year.
Ms Evans said independent schools try to keep costs down, understanding parents make sacrifices to give their children an education that reflects their values and meets their child's needs.
"Independent schools have more freedom to provide an education that reflects different aspects of Australia's diverse faiths and cultures," she said.
"There is literally an independent school to suit every family."
Enrolments at Catholic schools in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have dropped by an average of 0.2 per cent per year, while enrolments in independent schools grew at an average of 4.3 per cent.
Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle director Jaqueline Wilkinson said the natural fluctuation is "entirely normal".
"A 0.2 per cent annual shift reflects the natural ebb and flow that occurs across all school sectors over time," she said.
"In contrast, Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has seen consistent growth in regional areas, particularly the Hunter Valley, which aligns with population growth and increasing demand for affordable, high-quality Catholic education."
Despite an overall increase in students identifying as "no religion" across all NSW schools, the Catholic sector has seen a decrease in students identifying with the Catholic faith from 78 per cent in 2011 to 67 per cent in 2021.
In the Hunter Valley, Catholic enrolments have risen by 1,608 students since 2019, an average growth of 3.5 per cent annually.
Ms Wilkinson put the swell down to significant investments in schools like Rosary Park Primary at Branxton, St Bede's Catholic College at Chisholm and others in Maitland and Lochinvar.
"These investments have expanded our capacity and enabled more than 2,000 students to access a Catholic education in the Maitland LGA," she said.
"Enrolment decisions are influenced by a wide range of local and personal factors.
"While some trends may appear in the data, interpreting them in a meaningful way is often speculative."
Mr Wilkinson said many families choose schools that reflect their values and priorities, and Catholic education continues to resonate with those "seeking a strong sense of community and purpose".
in
KYLIE Wales is not a religious person, but when it came time for her daughter to move schools, she picked a faith-affiliated option.
She's one of many parents making the jump to independent education, as Catholic and public schools across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter face increasing competition and dwindling enrolments.
Ms Wales said her daughter Charlotte, in Year Two, went to a government school for the first few years, but it just wasn't a great fit.
"We had her in public school, and she was part of the COVID-19 era," she said.
"We had noticed that our daughter wasn't progressing like we would have hoped and thought."
A new Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AINSW) report shows a growing shift in parents' preferences from 2019 to 2024.
Public schools lost a combined 1,874 students between 2019 and 2024, down 470 students in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 1,377 in the Hunter Valley.
Through friends who had made a similar move, the Wales' decided to check out Fletcher independent school, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College.
"We were just blown away with the tour around the school, the facilities, and the genuine vibe," she said.
"Our daughter just gelled straight away."
Ms Wales said Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College was able to better communicate what was going on at school and said it was an "absolute shame" public schools were not funded as well as they should be.
Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos maintained NSW public schools offer a world-class education, and said the state government has made "record investment" into ensuring children have access to opportunities.
"We are building new and expanded schools in growing regional communities that the former Liberal and National government failed to plan for, and delivering 49 new fee-free public preschools into regional areas where they are needed most," she said.
"We have also invested in significant upgrades to facilities in existing schools like science labs, creative spaces and performance facilities, delivering on Deputy Premier Prue Car's commitment to expand access to High Potential and Gifted education opportunities to every public school."
The state government invested $1.4 billion in rural and regional schools in the 2024-25 Budget.
The 2025-26 Budget includes $2.1 billion over the next four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across regional NSW, including new schools in Medowie and Huntlee.
A NSW Department of Education spokeswoman said the state government is also investing $100 million in upgrades at 33 public high schools, including Muswellbrook High School and Lake Macquarie High School.
"These enhancements will enable the schools to deliver High Potential and Gifted Education programs and opportunities that extend student learning across a range of subjects, as part of the government's broader commitment to expand gifted education across every public school," she said.
"With the NSW government investment to address the teacher shortage crisis, including scrapping the wages cap, delivering a historic pay rise for teachers, reducing excessive administration workload, and making thousands of teachers permanent, schools in regional NSW started the 2025 school year with 47 per cent fewer vacancies than the same time in 2023."
According to the AINSW report, despite having fewer schools than the public sector, independent schools gained more enrolments than any other sector in 25 out of 28 statistical areas.
In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, independent schools saw a 4.3 per cent average annual growth, and in the Hunter Valley, the growth was 4.5 per cent from 2019 to 2024.
Ms Wales said she felt Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College offered more extracurricular activities and excursions, and said the learning support, pastoral care and communication with parents were a good fit for her family.
"It was a smaller school, and that was something that we wanted access to," she said.
"We have access to a system where you get photos of what's happening at the school, and their timetable," she said.
"For me, it was the ability to reach out to teachers as well, so it felt like it could be a joint learning journey."
In NSW, there are 301 faith-based independent schools, representing 15 different religions and 129 non-faith schools.
AINSW chief executive Margery Evans said the independent sector gives families a diverse choice of schools.
"There are several different faiths represented in the sector, as well as non-faith schools based on a philosophical approach such as Steiner schools or The Nature School," she said.
Independent schools set their own fees, and the median fee charged is less than $6000 each year.
Ms Evans said independent schools try to keep costs down, understanding parents make sacrifices to give their children an education that reflects their values and meets their child's needs.
"Independent schools have more freedom to provide an education that reflects different aspects of Australia's diverse faiths and cultures," she said.
"There is literally an independent school to suit every family."
Enrolments at Catholic schools in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have dropped by an average of 0.2 per cent per year, while enrolments in independent schools grew at an average of 4.3 per cent.
Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle director Jaqueline Wilkinson said the natural fluctuation is "entirely normal".
"A 0.2 per cent annual shift reflects the natural ebb and flow that occurs across all school sectors over time," she said.
"In contrast, Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has seen consistent growth in regional areas, particularly the Hunter Valley, which aligns with population growth and increasing demand for affordable, high-quality Catholic education."
Despite an overall increase in students identifying as "no religion" across all NSW schools, the Catholic sector has seen a decrease in students identifying with the Catholic faith from 78 per cent in 2011 to 67 per cent in 2021.
In the Hunter Valley, Catholic enrolments have risen by 1,608 students since 2019, an average growth of 3.5 per cent annually.
Ms Wilkinson put the swell down to significant investments in schools like Rosary Park Primary at Branxton, St Bede's Catholic College at Chisholm and others in Maitland and Lochinvar.
"These investments have expanded our capacity and enabled more than 2,000 students to access a Catholic education in the Maitland LGA," she said.
"Enrolment decisions are influenced by a wide range of local and personal factors.
"While some trends may appear in the data, interpreting them in a meaningful way is often speculative."
Mr Wilkinson said many families choose schools that reflect their values and priorities, and Catholic education continues to resonate with those "seeking a strong sense of community and purpose".
in
KYLIE Wales is not a religious person, but when it came time for her daughter to move schools, she picked a faith-affiliated option.
She's one of many parents making the jump to independent education, as Catholic and public schools across Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter face increasing competition and dwindling enrolments.
Ms Wales said her daughter Charlotte, in Year Two, went to a government school for the first few years, but it just wasn't a great fit.
"We had her in public school, and she was part of the COVID-19 era," she said.
"We had noticed that our daughter wasn't progressing like we would have hoped and thought."
A new Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AINSW) report shows a growing shift in parents' preferences from 2019 to 2024.
Public schools lost a combined 1,874 students between 2019 and 2024, down 470 students in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and 1,377 in the Hunter Valley.
Through friends who had made a similar move, the Wales' decided to check out Fletcher independent school, Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College.
"We were just blown away with the tour around the school, the facilities, and the genuine vibe," she said.
"Our daughter just gelled straight away."
Ms Wales said Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College was able to better communicate what was going on at school and said it was an "absolute shame" public schools were not funded as well as they should be.
Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos maintained NSW public schools offer a world-class education, and said the state government has made "record investment" into ensuring children have access to opportunities.
"We are building new and expanded schools in growing regional communities that the former Liberal and National government failed to plan for, and delivering 49 new fee-free public preschools into regional areas where they are needed most," she said.
"We have also invested in significant upgrades to facilities in existing schools like science labs, creative spaces and performance facilities, delivering on Deputy Premier Prue Car's commitment to expand access to High Potential and Gifted education opportunities to every public school."
The state government invested $1.4 billion in rural and regional schools in the 2024-25 Budget.
The 2025-26 Budget includes $2.1 billion over the next four years to deliver new and upgraded schools across regional NSW, including new schools in Medowie and Huntlee.
A NSW Department of Education spokeswoman said the state government is also investing $100 million in upgrades at 33 public high schools, including Muswellbrook High School and Lake Macquarie High School.
"These enhancements will enable the schools to deliver High Potential and Gifted Education programs and opportunities that extend student learning across a range of subjects, as part of the government's broader commitment to expand gifted education across every public school," she said.
"With the NSW government investment to address the teacher shortage crisis, including scrapping the wages cap, delivering a historic pay rise for teachers, reducing excessive administration workload, and making thousands of teachers permanent, schools in regional NSW started the 2025 school year with 47 per cent fewer vacancies than the same time in 2023."
According to the AINSW report, despite having fewer schools than the public sector, independent schools gained more enrolments than any other sector in 25 out of 28 statistical areas.
In Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, independent schools saw a 4.3 per cent average annual growth, and in the Hunter Valley, the growth was 4.5 per cent from 2019 to 2024.
Ms Wales said she felt Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College offered more extracurricular activities and excursions, and said the learning support, pastoral care and communication with parents were a good fit for her family.
"It was a smaller school, and that was something that we wanted access to," she said.
"We have access to a system where you get photos of what's happening at the school, and their timetable," she said.
"For me, it was the ability to reach out to teachers as well, so it felt like it could be a joint learning journey."
In NSW, there are 301 faith-based independent schools, representing 15 different religions and 129 non-faith schools.
AINSW chief executive Margery Evans said the independent sector gives families a diverse choice of schools.
"There are several different faiths represented in the sector, as well as non-faith schools based on a philosophical approach such as Steiner schools or The Nature School," she said.
Independent schools set their own fees, and the median fee charged is less than $6000 each year.
Ms Evans said independent schools try to keep costs down, understanding parents make sacrifices to give their children an education that reflects their values and meets their child's needs.
"Independent schools have more freedom to provide an education that reflects different aspects of Australia's diverse faiths and cultures," she said.
"There is literally an independent school to suit every family."
Enrolments at Catholic schools in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie have dropped by an average of 0.2 per cent per year, while enrolments in independent schools grew at an average of 4.3 per cent.
Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle director Jaqueline Wilkinson said the natural fluctuation is "entirely normal".
"A 0.2 per cent annual shift reflects the natural ebb and flow that occurs across all school sectors over time," she said.
"In contrast, Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has seen consistent growth in regional areas, particularly the Hunter Valley, which aligns with population growth and increasing demand for affordable, high-quality Catholic education."
Despite an overall increase in students identifying as "no religion" across all NSW schools, the Catholic sector has seen a decrease in students identifying with the Catholic faith from 78 per cent in 2011 to 67 per cent in 2021.
In the Hunter Valley, Catholic enrolments have risen by 1,608 students since 2019, an average growth of 3.5 per cent annually.
Ms Wilkinson put the swell down to significant investments in schools like Rosary Park Primary at Branxton, St Bede's Catholic College at Chisholm and others in Maitland and Lochinvar.
"These investments have expanded our capacity and enabled more than 2,000 students to access a Catholic education in the Maitland LGA," she said.
"Enrolment decisions are influenced by a wide range of local and personal factors.
"While some trends may appear in the data, interpreting them in a meaningful way is often speculative."
Mr Wilkinson said many families choose schools that reflect their values and priorities, and Catholic education continues to resonate with those "seeking a strong sense of community and purpose".