Independent schools are continuing to grow at pace across Australia as families make active choices to invest in their child’s education.
Today, Independent Schools Australia (ISA) released its latest Snapshot of the sector which shows that more than 767,000 students are now enrolled across 1,240 Independent schools.
Enrolments in Independent schools grew by around 3.0 per cent in 2025, making it yet again the fastest growing sector in Australian schooling.
Independent Schools Australia CEO Graham Catt said the data confirms a fundamental and ongoing change in how families are engaging with schooling.
“This is a behavioural shift,” Mr Catt said.
“Parents are making active, deliberate choices about what works for their child, and they are voting with their feet.”
“There are hundreds of thousands of families who choose an Independent school for their children and policy settings should recognise, respect and support that choice. Instead, it is all too often presented as a problem that needs correction.
“Policy settings just aren’t keeping up with reality.”
Five realities shaping the education system
Mr Catt said the data highlights five realities that should shape national education policy and discussion:
- Parents are choosing – Families are actively and deliberately selecting schools based on what matters to them.
- Growth is being driven by demand – Independent schools are the fastest growing sector in school education, reflecting sustained parent demand for the diverse options they offer.
- Families are backing their choice financially – families contribute more than $11.2 billion each year towards their children’s education and to schooling as a whole.
- The funding system is widely misunderstood – government funding in Australia supports all students and is needs-based, as established through the Gonski reforms. That funding is provided by taxpayers to support students across all school sectors, yet public debate often suggests otherwise.
- Policy isn’t aligned with reality – current policy debates are not keeping up with the deliberate, conscious decisions Australians are making about school education.
Mr Catt said the Snapshot highlights a growing disconnect between the facts and the public narrative around school funding.
“The figures don’t lie, but unfortunately the public debate often misleads.”
“Independent school students receive just over $12,000 less in government funding than those in government schools annually, and their families contribute more than half the total cost of their education.”
Independent schools educate students from a wide range of backgrounds, including in regional and remote communities, and comprise of a diverse mix of school types, faiths and educational approaches.
“There isn’t a single type of Independent school, and there isn’t a single type of family that chooses an Independent school,” Mr Catt said.
“Our schools support a diverse range of students, including more than 187,000 students with disability and over 22,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.”
Mr Catt said the Snapshot reflects a broader shift that will increasingly shape the education landscape and policy.
“In the coming weeks, we will be talking more about what this shift means for the future of the system and how we ensure parents are properly heard in that discussion,” Mr Catt said.
KEY FACTS
- 767,712 students in Independent schools
- 1,240 Independent schools nationally
- Fastest growing sector at ~3.0% growth
- Families contribute $11.2 billion annually
- Median annual fee approximately $6,060
- Independent school families fund more than half of total school costs
The ISA Snapshot 2026 Edition can be viewed and downloaded here.
ABOUT INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AUSTRALIA
Independent Schools Australia is the national peak body representing the Independent school sector.
Independent schools educate more than 18 per cent of Australian students and serve a diverse range of communities, including low-fee schools, faith-based schools, Special Assistance Schools, and schools in regional and remote areas.
Education in Australia is a public good, and government funding supports students across all school sectors.