Think back to your primary school days for a moment, Wentyl.

Some kids went to schools in areas that were green and populous. The ones I went to in the late 1970s, in isolated mining towns such as Leigh Creek in SA and Laverton in WA, were brown, desolate and windswept. 

Back then, these schools serviced thriving coal and nickel communities and managed to attract hundreds of kids from their surrounding areas. 

Now Leigh Creek Area School has just 42 students and Laverton School has 100. 

They’re part of a national population shift from the regions to outer suburban areas, alongside a drift from government to private schools.

Despite these challenges, there are more than 1000 micro schools with fewer than 50 pupils still surviving – and thriving – in such areas.

This week we’ve taken a closer look at some of these schools, which include Hillside Public School in Glenorie, NSW, which is proud of its 27 students from kindergarten to year 6. Principal Koula Neorcsik says people visit her school and can’t believe “you get all this for free”. “I hear nothing but positive comments from parents,” she told me. 

Hillside Public School principal Koula Neorcsik with most of the 27 students at her school. Picture: Tim Hunter

At Hillside Public School, no one misses out on making a sport team, and there are French lessons, a gifted program and one teacher for approximately every five students. Yep, there are still spots for 2027, so inquire now!

MICRO-SCHOOLS IN YOUR STATE: New South Wales | Victoria | Queensland | South Australia 

We also brought you the latest data on the median family incomes of the nation’s private schools. While some criticise stories like this, that data is used by governments around the nation to allocate funding – so it actually shapes the future of schools in both the public and private sectors.

The 2025 snapshot reveals there are schools that have a median family income of more than half a million dollars. In fact, there are two schools where the top quartile of parents has a median family income of more than $1m.

It’s a long way from Leigh Creek Area School in 1979, where a lemonade wizz would set you back 10c! Read our exclusive stories on the private schools with the wealthiest families in your state below. 

SCHOOL PARENTS RICH LIST: New South Wales | Victoria | Queensland | South Australia | Tasmania | Northern Territory