National Report on Schooling in Australia 2009
In 2009 there were 9,529 schools in Australia. This total included primary, secondary, combined (primary and secondary) and special schools, across government (71%) and non-government (29%) sectors. (See
Glossary for definitions of school levels and sectors.)
Of the total number of schools, 71.4% were administered by State and Territory governments, 17.9% were affiliated with the Catholic Church and 10.7% were classified as independent. Most independent schools provide a religious-based education or promote a particular educational philosophy.
Approximately 77% of primary schools, 72% of secondary schools and over 80% of schools for students with special needs were in the government sector. The Catholic sector accounted for approximately 19% of primary schools and 22% of secondary schools while almost half of all combined schools were in the independent sector.
The number and proportion of schools by sector and school category is shown in Table 3.2.
Table 3.2 Number and proportion of schools by sector and school category, Australia, 2009
|
School sector
|
|
School category
|
Government
|
Catholic
|
Independent
|
Total
|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
|
Primary
|
4,930
|
76.9
|
1,225
|
19.1
|
259
|
4.0
|
6,414
|
67.3
|
|
Secondary
|
1,040
|
72.3
|
315
|
21.9
|
84
|
5.8
|
1,439
|
15.1
|
|
Combined
|
497
|
39.4
|
139
|
11.0
|
625
|
49.6
|
1,261
|
13.2
|
|
Special
|
335
|
80.7
|
26
|
6.3
|
54
|
13.0
|
415
|
4.4
|
|
Total
|
6,802
|
71.4
|
1,705
|
17.9
|
1,022
|
10.7
|
9,529
|
100.0
|
Note: Primary education comprises a pre-year 1 grade followed by Years 1 to 6 in NSW, Vic., Tas., NT and ACT. In Qld, SA and WA primary education comprises a pre-year 1 grade followed by Years 1 to 7.
Source: ABS, Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia, 2010 (unpublished data)
The proportion of schools in each sector in 2009 is shown in Figure 3.1.
Figure 3.1: Proportion of schools by sector, Australia, 2009
The total number of schools fell by 0.98% over the period 2005–2009. This resulted from a fall in the number of government schools of 1.83% which was partially offset by a rise of 1.41% in the number of Catholic schools and a rise of 2.61% in the number of independent schools. This is reflected in a slight change in the proportions of government and non-government sector schools within this period.
|
Table 3.3
|
Number and proportion of schools by sector, Australia, 2005–2009
|
| |
School sector
|
|
Year
|
Government
|
Catholic
|
Independent
|
Total
|
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
No.
|
%
|
|
2005
|
6,929
|
72.0
|
1,698
|
17.6
|
996
|
10.4
|
9,623
|
100.0
|
|
2006
|
6,902
|
71.8
|
1,703
|
17.7
|
1,007
|
10.5
|
9,612
|
100.0
|
|
2007
|
6,851
|
71.5
|
1,703
|
17.8
|
1,025
|
10.7
|
9,579
|
100.0
|
|
2008
|
6,833
|
71.5
|
1,705
|
17.8
|
1,024
|
10.7
|
9,562
|
100.0
|
|
2009
|
6,802
|
71.4
|
1,705
|
17.9
|
1,022
|
10.7
|
9,529
|
100.0
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: ABS Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia, 2010
Caution is required when interpreting time series for numbers of schools. The number of schools in a particular year may vary due to decisions affecting structural changes in the composition of schooling. For example: several schools at the same level of education may amalgamate into a multi-campus school; primary schools and secondary schools may merge to create Pre-year 1 to 12 (combined) schools; secondary schools may split to create middle schools and senior secondary schools. Schools may also fall in or out of the scope of the data collection, based on changes in their major activity. Each of these scenarios may affect the number of schools reported year to year. (ABS, Cat. No. 4221.0, Schools, Australia, 2010, Explanatory note 26)
Figure 3.2 shows the change in the number of schools in each sector over the period 2005–2009.
Figure 3.2 Number of schools by sector, Australia, 2005–2009
For the number of schools by State and Territory in 2009 see Additional Statistics Table 1.