NSW 2016 Census and Gen17 Report 81
In summary, there is a clear difference in terms of preference and choice between secondary and primary schooling decisions. At the primary level, parents are choosing the public option even though many could probably afford the private option. But at the secondary level, families that can afford the private option are choosing this path, the implication being that those who cannot afford it may feel they are being left out. Another factor worth exploring in terms of school choice in NSW is Jewish identity. This can be modelled using a variable called current selfidentified Jewish/religious position. In Figure 46, the relationship between Jewish position and
primary school choice is shown. As expected, at the primary level, Orthodox families are most likely to choose Jewish schools (72%), by contrast, non-Orthodox families are most likely to choose government schools (62%)35. (Note some families may have more than one primaryaged child and it cannot be assumed that families choose one school type for all their children.) But at the secondary level (Figure 47), important shifts are observed. Whilst all groups increase their presence in Jewish schools, this is especially so among traditional and non-Orthodox groups. Indeed, non-Orthodox almost doubled its proportion from 27% to 52%.
Type of primary school
Figure 48. Type of primary school children attend by country of birth of householder, NSW (Gen17 N=570 households) Australia
48%
South Africa
44%
52%
Other
46%
31%
0%
10%
20%
7%
63%
30%
40%
50%
60%
1%
6%
70%
80%
90% 100%
Proportion of CoB group in each school type Jewish
Government
Finally, we examine the data in terms of country of birth of householder. Again there are important differences based on level. For families with at least one child in primary school and where the householder is born in either Australia or South Africa, around half send their child to a Jewish primary school (Figure 48). But this is rather lower (31%) families with householders born elsewhere.
Independent
At the secondary level we again see the shift into Jewish schools but householder’s country of birth is a key factor (Figure 49). The increase is modest for families with Australian born householders but striking among the two other groups. Families with South African born householders increase their presence at secondary Jewish schools by such an extent that they are almost exclusively at these institutions (85%). No less striking is the near doubling of the proportion of householders born in other countries, increasing from 31% to 59%.
35 Although it should also be born in mind that Emanuel School is not a specifically Orthodox school.
