Fee surge drives away pupils

Parents at WA's biggest private school are up in arms about a fee rise of 7 per cent a year for the next three years, with many saying they will be forced to withdraw their children.

St Stephen's School, which has campuses in Duncraig and Carramar, has blamed the fee increase on the need to make up for less funding from Federal and State governments.

A parent with three children at the school, who did want to be named, said though it was heartbreaking to have to uproot them, the fees had effectively doubled in five years. She was among parents of about 100 students who put their names to an open letter to principal Tony George requesting a public meeting to discuss the issue.

St Stephen's fees will range from $6320 for kindergarten to $11,600 for Year 12 next year, about half what Perth's most expensive schools charged this year.

Mr George said while he could understand parents' frustration, schools were also frustrated they were unable to get funding certainty from governments.

"We are a month out from end of term and we still have no announcement at all from either State or Federal governments about next year," he said.

Mr George said private schools had expected Year 7s would be funded as secondary students instead of at the primary school rate from next year, when Year 7 officially became the first year of high school, but that now seemed unlikely.

Anglican Schools' Commission chief executive Peter Laurence said fees at its 10 schools would rise between 4 and 7 per cent.

"Feedback from parents in our low-fee schools is that many are feeling some financial stress with the state of the WA economy as it is and so . . . schools have responded by cutting costs where possible and containing budgets," he said.

Catholic Education executive director Tim McDonald said fees would rise between 3 and 10 per cent.

He was also seeking clarity on Year 7 funding so decisions could be made on budgets and staffing.

Education Minister Peter Collier said Year 7s would continue to be funded at the primary school rate next year, pending a review of funding at all private schools.