Independent school enrolments have grown 3 per cent, making it “yet again the fastest growing sector in Australian schooling”, according to Independent Schools Australia (ISA).
The organisation has released its latest snapshot of the sector, revealing that 767,712 students are now enrolled across 1,240 Independent schools.
ISA CEO Mr Graham Catt said the data confirmed a fundamental and ongoing change in how families are engaging with schooling.
“This is a behavioural shift. Parents are making active, deliberate choices about what works for their child, and they are voting with their feet,” Mr Catt said.
“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.”
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 cost.
The ISA Snapshot 2026 Edition can be downloaded here.
