Source: Radio New Zealand
Independent or private schools grew roughly five times faster than public schools between 2020 and 2025. File photo. Supplied
Parents are not being put off by the tens of thousands it can cost to send their kids to private schools.
Government data shows that private, or independent, schools are growing at a much faster rate overall than their public school counterparts.
Between 2020 and 2025, ACG Parnell College grew its roll by 42 percent, from 1343 to 1908.
ACG Sunderland grew by 72 percent, from 496 to 853. ACG Strathallan grew 40 percent from 892 to 1245.
Scots College lifted 33 percent, Whitby Collegiate 143 percent, St Kentigern College 10 percent, St Cuthbert’s 14 percent and Diocesan School for Girls 12 percent.
Some public schools grew quickly over the same period too – Rolleston College added 94 percent to its roll and Rangitoto College 26 percent. Ormiston Junior College grew 135 percent.
But overall, independent or private schools grew roughly five times faster than public schools – they added 12.8 percent over the 2020 to 2025 period, compared to 2.6 percent for public schools.
One mother, who did not want to be identified, said she chose Huanui College, a private school in Northland for her child because it seemed to be the best quality of the school options available to her.
She was not happy with the school she was in zone for and did not like the idea of moving elsewhere just for two years before moving on.
“This option was a one stop shop and didn’t require change again potentially if we were happy with it. I felt the option of continuity was good and gave us a taster to see whether it would be right for high school.”
She said small class sizes were a bonus and it was a small school so teachers were able to get to know kids well. “Downsides are bus cost and annual fees… but also it’s not a match for all kids in my view.”
She said she was not necessarily a fan of private schools in general but the area was more limited in terms of the options available.
“I think the biggest thing you get there which is an advantage is the networking.”
Helen Hurst, hautū (leader) of operations and integration at the Ministry of Education, agreed the independent sector was growing.
She said independent student numbers had grown from 27,600 in 2010 to 33,000 in 2024.
“This growth is supported by a 2025 Budget boost of $15.7 million over four years, which raises the subsidy for independent schools by 11 percent, from $41.6 million to $46.1 million per year, to accommodate rising enrolments and inflation.”
Independent Schools of New Zealand chief executive Guy Pascoe said there was regional variation in demand. “In Auckland I think over 6 percent of students go to independent schools but across the country it averages around 4 percent. “
He said some parents were making “really big” financial sacrifices to send their children to the school of their choice. “Fees are definitely a challenge for many families.”
The fees could vary a lot. ACG Parnell College charges $30,000 a year for Year 7 to Year 10, and slightly more for older students.
King’s College charges $33,422 a year for Years 11 to 13. Whitby Collegiate charges $23,815 a year.
“Schools do everything they can to keep their fees as affordable as possible but the cost of education is going up and up and up. With limited government funding, schools really are forced to increase their fees. That’s something that schools worry about that tipping point, when does it become too expensive?”
He said there was a range of reasons why parents chose a private school.
“It might be small class sizes or high academic outcomes, it could be that the school has a particular curriculum or educational philosophy that aligns with what the family is looking for.
“There might be a focus on service or co-curricular activity or it could be faith-based. We have some schools that deliver programmes specifically for children with high learning needs like dyslexia or high anxiety and that kind of thing as well.”
He said, if the students who were in the independent sector shifted to public schools, the cost would be “astronomical” for the government.
“At the same time, parents who send their children to independent schools are paying GST on those fees. And that GST is about twice as much as what the sector receives in funding from the government, so the government is actually in the fiscal beneficiary of the independent school sector,
“Independent school rolls are increasing, so independent schools are increasingly taking that burden of delivering an education to students. And we absolutely feel there’s more room for the government to recognise that.”
He said the recent increase in funding was the first in 15 years, even for inflation. “Our concern now is to make sure that we don’t start falling behind again because until we had that very modest increase there had been nothing. Schools at the moment are funded under a fixed appropriation, which means, the more students in the system, then the per student funding goes down.”
Associate Professor Naomi Ingram from the University of Otago College of Education said the increase in enrolments was a result of policy shifts to encourage “market-style competition” in education.
“It is also fuelled by parental anxiety about wanting ‘the very best’ for their children.
“New Zealand must tread carefully because we have a different context from the UK or Australia. We already have a significant achievement gap between students who perform at the highest levels and those at the lower end, and that gap is larger than in many comparable OECD countries (e.g., see PISA). Importantly, it is linked to socioeconomic status. Educational inequality in New Zealand is not random. It reflects broader structural inequities.
“Expanding the private and charter sector risks deepening this divide. Private schools are typically able to spend more on staffing, facilities, and enrichment, and operate outside key elements of the national curriculum framework. When public funding flows into parallel systems, it can dilute the collective strength of our public schools and concentrate advantage among families who already have greater access to resources.
“New Zealand’s public education system is one of our national strengths. It is staffed by highly qualified teachers and has been underpinned by a national curriculum designed to provide equitable opportunities for all learners. Rather than fragmenting the system, we should be investing in strengthening it.”
Sign up for Money with Susan Edmunds, a weekly newsletter covering all the things that affect how we make, spend and invest money
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand