As students across Sydney celebrate the end of year 12, a parade of thanks-giving masses, valedictory dinners and final parent catch-ups has been under way over the past month at the city’s private schools.
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parade → celebrate → schools
This year, Kincoppal invited parents for canapes on the terrace overlooking the harbour.
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Kincoppal → invite → harbour
The school said ticket pricing reflects the costs associated with delivering the event.
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pricing → say → event
While it was small change compared to the $45,000 parents pay for year 12, it was another comparatively small but extra cost of private school not disclaimed on the sticker price.
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it → compare → price
There are 20 NSW schools charging more than $45,000 annually for year 12, but the real cost goes beyond fees.
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cost → be → fees
Some private schools advise parents to set aside $2000 to buy the entire uniform, while the prevailing rule of thumb is to budget for fee rises of 5 per cent per year.
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rule → advise → year
But there is also another shadow economy that a first-time parent might not be aware: giving days, fundraising events and a busy social calendar all geared towards extracting more cash.
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all → be → cash
Schools have also published legal contract templates, so alumni can bequeath houses, share portfolios or art collections upon their death.
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alumni → publish → death
At Kincoppal, the parents and friends association’s latest financial report in 2024 reveals it generated $3000 from the welcome cocktail party and the country weekend made a small $1125 surplus.
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it → reveal → surplus
The Mother’s Day raffle made $15,000, while Father’s Day generated $12,000.
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Day → make → 12,000
The association donated $146,354 to the school in 2024, comprising a $120,000 contribution to replace the staff and students’ bus and $26,354 to build and install the barbecue area on Fernon Fields.
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association → donate → Fields
Next door, Kambala’s parent association raised $123,610 in net income that same year from the canteen alone, donating a total of $125,000 to the school to fund teacher training scholarships, a junior school playground and a lecture theatre upgrade, financial records show.
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records → raise → scholarships
At north shore girls school Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College, parents spent $9119 on advertising and marketing, $20,000 on raffle prizes and $300,000 on event costs in 2025.
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parents → spend → 2025
Parents donated $50,000 to the school that year.
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Parents → donate → school
Wenona’s parent association managed much more.
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association → manage → more
Revenue included $21,000 from the sale of second-hand uniforms and $418,000 from the gala before posting a total operating profit of $217,000.
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Revenue → include → 217,000
The association made a donation of $266,000 to the Wenona Foundation in 2025.
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association → make → 2025
At the King’s School preparatory school, the fathers’ association generated $16,000 in revenue from the art show and $74,000 in canteen sales, while the trivia night brought in $54,000, financial records from 2025 show.
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records → generate → 2025
Minus expenses, the association managed a $131,629 operating surplus.
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association → manage → surplus
Last month at SCEGGS’ Festival on Forbes, raffle tickets for $150 each offered parents the chance to win a 50 per cent discount on their daughter’s fees in 2027.
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tickets → offer → 2027
At most schools, the real money spinners have become simply known as “giving” days.
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spinners → know → days
Newington’s giving day this year raised $250,432, to raise funds for means-tested scholarships.
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day → raise → scholarships
It aims to fund means-tested scholarships for 100 children by 2040.
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It → aim → 2040
Monte raised $133,786 this year for its bursary fund to provide hardship assistance, while SCECGS Redlands in Cremorne raised $500,000 for both the expansion of its high country campus and scholarships in 2024.
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Redlands → raise → 2024
Barker’s inaugural giving day last year raised $762,808 to provide scholarships for Indigenous and refugee students.
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day → raise → students
Ravenswood’s giving day raised $466,550 for scholarships and the building fund and masterplan this year.
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day → raise → scholarships
Regent Consulting’s Carly Landa, who assists parents secure a spot in Sydney’s schools, said most parents were aware of the potential for fee rises and extra costs.
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parents → assist → rises
“Some schools have more expenses than others.
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schools → have → others
The schools tend to expect if you’re able to send your child to that private school, you have some money,” she said.
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she → tend → money
She said while some families were in a position to donate, that was not everyone at a private school.
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that → say → school
“There are definitely families for whom just getting in and paying the fees is a stretch, it takes a lot of their resources.
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it → be → resources
It can be daunting,” she said.
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she → say → ?
All the parent fundraising events coupled with giving days generate substantial revenue for private schools.
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events → couple → schools
What constitutes “other private sources” contributes up to a quarter of some private schools’ total income.
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constitutes → constitute → income
Be the first to know when major news happens.
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news → know → ?
The Aporia
