NSW religious schools see 30% rise in enrolments in a decade – and not necessarily due to beliefs

More new students were enrolled in NSW independent schools in the past five years than every state and territory government school sector combined. Photograph: Yellow Garnet Photography/Getty Images

When the Australian Christian College (ACC) in north-west Sydney began receiving a surge of enrolments after the pandemic lockdowns, its principal, Brendan Corr, was not surprised.

ACC is located in Marsden Park, a major growth corridor of Sydney identified by the state government as an area where a failure to factor in the pace and scale of development has left families without access to local public schools.