Preparing children for their return to the classroom after school holidays can put a serious dent in parents’ pockets.
The cost of school books, stationary, uniforms and new shoes will start to add up for parents over the next few weeks, especially for those with bigger families.
So it will come as little comfort to know regional NSW has been named Australia’s most expensive region to send a child to government school.
The Australian Scholarship Group estimates it will cost $2950 for parents in regional NSW to send their child to a government primary school in 2018.
If their child is enrolled in a government high school, it will cost $3607.
The cost is much higher for parents sending their children to a private school in regional NSW, which could cost $10,212 for primary students and $20,253 for high school students.
Parents who choose to send their children to a faith-based school in regional NSW can expect to pay around $6,342 for primary students or $9,745 for high school students.
The estimated prices take into consideration school fees, extracurricular activities, uniforms, travel, technology and other necessities.
Looking ahead, the ASG’s predicted parents will pay $52,3691 in total to educate a child born in 2018 in the government school system from Kindergarten to Year 12.
This sits $1728 above the estimated national regional average.
For parents who opt to send the child to a private school, that forecast cost jumps to $357,530, almost $10,000 above the national regional average of $347,572.
A cost of a faith-based education in regional NSW is estimated at $173,304 for a child born this year, which is $3250 below the national regional average.
The ASG found that on average, the cost of all education in regional NSW had “skyrocketed” by 61 per cent in the past decade, dwarfing the 34 per cent rise in wage growth in the same period.
For some parents, this can add extra financial stress, especially as expensive electronics become more common in schools.
But there are some smart savings to be made before the the new year.
Track pants bought from the school uniform shop can cost around $30, but if you find the same colour at a large chain store, you can save $15-20.
Likewise, if your school does not require a logo on the school, a polo from the same chain store can cost as little as $5.
Some families can hand uniforms down between siblings, but it is worth getting in touch with your school to ask if previous students have passed theirs on after graduation.
Keeping an eye on Gumtree and Facebook community pages is also a great way to pick up a second hand uniforms at a reasonable price.
