In Australia over one-third of all primary and secondary students attend private schools. This has led to significant competition for students not just between private schools, but also with the selective government sector. Traditionally most parents put their children’s names down on the rolls of several private schools while also getting their children to sit the entrance exams for selective state schools. This parental choice model was so disliked by many elite private schools that they now require prospective parents to pay up to A$4300 (£1820) in advance before offering a place on their roll. Parents are up in arms, but in practice there is little they can do but pay, unless they are confident their child is talented enough to qualify for one of the many bursaries and scholarships offered by the same schools.

So here we have an education market with plenty of parental choice and even government selection. The competition is tough with government selective schools like Sydney Boys High and Perth Modern holding equal esteem (educationally and socially) with the top private schools like Geelong Grammar and the King’s School. Is it a better system? Educationally it’s very hard to say but from a business perspective it is a dynamic market that the likes of GEMS and Cognita can only dream of. It also shows that when allowed to develop by specialism and selection, government schools can compete on an equal footing with the very best in the independent sector.