Independent schools are aptly named. In the Gold Coast, independent schools, Gold Coast have two outstanding features that make them independent:
- Financial independence – the tuition charged to families helps with the financial operation of independent schools. This makes independent schools financially free from being primarily supported by religious organisations or public funds.
- Independent governance – A board of directors governs independent schools. The non-for-profit organisation of independent schools does not make them government properties like public schools, or parochial schools managed by a diocese, or proprietary schools run by for-profit organisations.
The uniqueness of independent schools lies in their being independent of all manner of entities. The strong independent quality of independent schools allows them:
- Independence to create and design their mission to include the people they serve and the reason for this existence.
- Independence in admissions regulation. This means that admittance to the school is dependent on the appropriateness of the student to the school’s mission.
- Independence in defining the credentials of their teachers or instructors.
- Independence to integrate learning courses that are seen as important and essential by their teachers. This freedom from the mandates of testing and textbook and curricular of the state is one of the unique features of independent schools.
However, viewing or thinking that independent schools are elitist is wrong. The only elitist thing about independent schools is their offer of academic expectations. It has been seen that many students enrolled in independent schools come from all levels of income with a lot of them receiving financial help from other entities.
Benefits of Independent Schools
The multiple benefits provided by independent schools include:
Smaller enrolments
The smaller enrolments in independent schools allow them to create smaller class sizes. The smaller-sized class results in lower teacher/student ratios which benefit the learning processes of students. The small number of students in a class fosters better relationships with their teachers. This allows the students to feel known and listened to compared to the bigger-sized classes of public schools.
Better academic performance of students
The high-quality courses integrated into the curriculum of independent schools challenge the learning processes of their students. This allows the students to perform better on state exams than their counterparts in public school.
Meeting the demanding requirements of independent schools encourage their students to aim higher. Many students attending independent schools for a long time pursue college degrees compared to students attending public schools.
State scholarships are often rewarded to students from independent schools. The excellent academic programs designed and created by independent schools make the students perform better in entrance exams.
Whole child development
Academics are not the only focal point of independent schools. Character development is also essential which is why it is integrated into the curriculum of independent schools. Character development includes the nurturing of a student’s civic conscience, social, and personal growth. Participating in artistic pursuits, leadership experiences, athletic competitions sponsored by the school, and community service are the ways that independent schools teach and nurture the social development of their students.
The true meaning of academic independence is with independent schools. The independent curriculum, the financial support from endowment revenue, tuition payments, and charitable contributions are the things that contribute to the uniqueness of independent private schools Gold Coast.
