As private school enrolments soar, parents should take a wider view

June 22, 2026 — 6:21pm

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To outsiders, Redeemer Baptist School in North Parramatta may seem an exemplar of private school education. But the academic achievements, state-of-the art facilities and mid-range $10,000-a-year fees conceal a darker reality.

An investigation by the Herald’s Emily Kowal has revealed serious allegations of control, exploitation and questionable financial dealings.

Dozens of former students, school staff and grandchildren of founding church members came forward and described an institution that engineered lives, vetoed careers and marriage options and controlled discretionary spending.

Redeemer is run entirely by volunteers – members of the ministry order of Redeemer Baptist Church, a fundamentalist, patriarchal community controlled by a handful of omnipotent and intertwined families.

The school operates without a single paid employee. Instead, teachers and support staff are classified as volunteers, relying on a small stipend and,........

© The Sydney Morning Herald