A new video by Independent Schools Australia (ISA) gives some insight into why more parents are choosing Independent schools for their children’s education.
The video, produced with input from AISNSW and Independent Schools Victoria, features two distinctly different Independent schools – a primary school in a small regional NSW town and a large Uniting Church college in Melbourne’s growing outer northern suburbs.
The schools are typical of the enrolment growth across the Independent school sector over recent years, according to ISA Chief Executive Carolyn Grantskalns.
“That increase has mostly been in outer suburbs in major cities, but we have seen increases right across the board,” she said.
Enrolments have been growing partly due to new Independent schools opening in established regional areas such as Cooma, where The Alpine School - a low-fee, Steiner-focused primary school - opened recently and has grown to 70 students.
One of the school’s parents, Alison, says she was searching for a school with warmth and life for her son who was due to start school in 2020.
“I was so grateful that the school opened in 2019.”
Principal Tash Moore said The Alpine School’s parents often told her they were looking for a school that offers different ways of teaching.
“It all comes about from the approach that we offer in smaller Independent schools,” she said.
Also featured is Aitken College, a Prep to Year 12 college in Greenvale, some 28km north of the Melbourne CBD.
Principal Josie Crisara says her school is in one of Melbourne’s growth corridors where both parents are often working to secure their child’s future.
“Our [enrolment] numbers have increased by 10 per cent over the last 12 months.”
Ms Grantskalns says the Independent sector “represents the breadth of Australia”.
“There’s every kind of school and every kind of family in Independent schools.”
