Private School Enrolments Rise as Public School Numbers Decline in Australia

The latest statistics on the destinations of new students shows growth in the private education sector greatly exceeds that of state schools.

School students arrive for the first day of face-to-face school in Brisbane, on May 11, 2020. AAP Image/Dan Peled

School enrolments reached a record 4.1 million last year, but new data shows a widening divide between government and private schools in Australia.

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows enrolments at state-run schools fell by 0.2 percent in 2025, while independent and Catholic schools recorded growth of 3.4 percent and 1.4 percent respectively.